320 TOUR IN SUTHERLANDSHIRE. 



appears to me undeniable that the advantage derived from 

 this great and inexhaustible source of wealth is -as nothing 

 compared to what it might and ought to be. It is true that 

 of late years some enterprising individuals have done, and are 

 doing, a great deal towards improving this branch of com- 

 merce ; and the speculations recently entered into for the 

 more regular and more abundant supply of the southern 

 markets will doubtless lead to more extensive competition 

 and to improved methods of fishing ; but Government might, 

 I conceive, greatly promote this important branch of national 

 industry by regulating the size and construction of the boats, 

 which are often most miserably inefficient, encouraging the 

 fishermen in every .possible manner, affording them the 

 .protection and assistance of large vessels and steamers at 

 different points, during the busiest times of the fishing 

 season, expending sums of money in tackle, boats, &c., to be 

 repaid or partly repaid by the fishermen, and also by having 

 surveys made and soundings taken off many parts of the 

 coast, in order to find out the banks and other feeding-places 

 of the cod and other large fish. The Dogger Bank and all 

 the principal fishing grounds have been discovered by chance ; 

 and it cannot be doubted that were a careful survey made, 

 many other equally prolific localities would be found. 



The fishermen would at once know, were they provided 

 with plans of the different depths, &c., of the sea, where the 

 best spots would be for fishing, according to the nature of the 

 bottom, the currents, tides, &c. But they are quite unable to 

 make these observations themselves, from want of proper 

 boats, &c. ; nor can a simple fisherman afford to spend weeks 

 or days of fine weather in taking soundings and making 

 systematic series of experiments ; and hence it is, as I said 

 before, our best fishing-banks have been found out by chance. 



In short, our fisheries, by careful attention on the part of 

 Government and by a very moderate outlay of public money, 

 might be made the source of food and employment for 

 thousands and tens of thousands more of our suffering 

 population than are at present supported by them. The seas 

 which surround our coasts contain an inexhaustible supply 

 of wholesome and nutritious food, and nothing is required 

 to render it largely available to all but a more efficient, 

 systematic, and well-regulated mode of procuring it. 



THE END. 



