The Fishery Qtiestion. 



/ 1 



ing fresh fish not liable to duty, was $2,390,- 

 393, a ratio of y/^, per cent."^ If the special 

 mention in the Retaliation Act of a possible 

 prohibition of Canadian fresh fish has more 

 than a passing significance, the statistics will 

 ofive an idea of the relative value of the traffic 

 at which this extraordinary measure is di- 

 rected. It has been recently pointed out that 

 our importation of eggs from Canada exceeds 

 our importation of dutiable fish by nearly 

 $800,000, and nearly equals our importation 

 of all kinds of fish."^ Without endeavoring 

 to estimate the derangement of general trade 

 suggested by the act, and remembering that 

 a Canadian authority has estimated the bal- 

 ance from 1872 to 1882 at $153,827,937 in 

 favor of the United States,"-^ it can be seen 

 that the aggregate tonnage engaged between 

 American and Canadian ports is not second to 

 that employed in our trade with England."^ ■ 

 Canada may be permitted to wonder that 

 reciprocity between the United States and 

 Mexico is not believed to be impossible, when 

 the whole volume of our trade with the 

 southern hemisphere for three years past 

 amounts to $122,330,607 against $121,321,378 

 with her alone."'' The Secretary of the Treas- 



