THE SCOTCH EAST COAST HERRING FISHING. 37 



A few of the other German ports are Harburg, Bremen, 

 Liibeck, Pernau, and Memel, but they do not receive 

 regular supplies. There are also numerous inland towns 

 noted for their extensive transactions in herrings, the 

 principal being Magdeburg, Halle, Leipzig, Breslau, Berlin, 

 Frankfurt, Posen, and others of lesser note too numerous 

 to mention. Russia seems, to give a preference to 

 Norwegian and Swedish herrings, the duty on which is 

 much lighter than that on the Scotch. The duty on 

 Scotch herrings is by far too heavy. Nevertheless, Scotch 

 herrings to a limited extent command good prices through 

 such markets as Libau, Riga, and St. Petersburg. These 

 three Russian centres have a fair share of our west coast 

 herrings, but they only receive a stray cargo now and 

 then from the east coast West coast and east coast early 

 herrings, from their oily tendency, are in much demand at 

 medium prices, but between the excessive charges and 

 duty to be paid, the Russian people cannot afford to pay 

 high prices. If the duty could be reduced to about level 

 with the German, then an extended business would be the 

 result ; in the meantime the Russian prices and currency 

 are of so fluctuating a character, that our curers and buyers 

 must be cautious in the trade with Russia. However, 

 Libau is strengthening its connection with us, and proving a 

 great rival to its German neighbouring centre Konigsberg. 

 Odessa, in the Black Sea, has lately been doing a direct 

 business principally through London agents and it is 

 hoped that such business will rapidly extend itself in the 

 future. A glance at the accompanying map will show the 

 situations of the centres I have referred to, and how 

 admirably they command the interior business throughout 

 Germany, Austria, and Russia. 



