of fish instead of 800,000, seeing the appliances had so 

 largely increased. Then the question arose, with these 

 multiplied appliances and the improved boats which had 

 been referred to, was it not the fact that they went further 

 to sea, and were sweeping over a larger area and not 

 getting a proportionate return of fish ? This was a point 

 on which the testimony of practical men was needed. 

 Science told them that fish produced so many eggs, and 

 multiplied very fast ; that one fish fed on another ; and 

 that the balance of nature ought to be preserved ; that 

 the little fish had larger fish to eat them ; the larger fish 

 had bigger ones to bite them, and so on ad infinitum ; 

 but they left out of sight a certain kind of fish which 

 preyed on the others, but were not fit for food and there- 

 fore were not caught. To keep up the balance of nature 

 they ought to fit out expeditions to destroy those fish 

 which preyed on the edible fish ; but if they left them to 

 multiply and prey on the others, and at the same time 

 man went in with his fivefold machines to catch the 

 herrings, the result would be, according to the testimony 

 of Canada, that the fishing grounds would be gradually 

 destroyed. It would simplify things on the other side of 

 the Atlantic very much if it could be settled, by the testi- 

 mony of fishermen and the investigations of science, that 

 the sea fisheries were inexhaustible ; then all they would 

 have to do would be to improve their appliances for catch- 

 ing. Mr. Duff had referred to the want of harbours round 

 the coast, and if he might be permitted to give the ex- 

 perience of a young country, he might say that they had 

 felt the same want in Canada ; but there the Government 

 took hold of the matter, considering it of great public 

 importance that the fisheries of the country should be 

 protected, and that suitable harbours should be provided. 

 Year by year large grants were made for the erection of 



