222 SEA FISHERIES 



of Hanseatic League revived and adapted to present 

 needs. 



We have now all the elements necessary to a general 

 judgment. First of all, we know what characteristics 

 a fishing port should unite. As I have stated, there 

 are a large number of small ports in France, and abroad, 

 particularly in England and Germany, a small number 

 of large ports. Which is the best ? Observation shows 

 that the French method is not. To be worthy of the 

 name, a fishing port must correspond to a section of 

 coast-line large enough to ensure it a heavy tonnage. 

 In Great Britain and Germany such sections exist, and 

 are from 95 to 120 miles in length. (If there are 

 very abundant fishing-grounds at no great distance 

 they may be less distant from one another.) On these 

 conditions only can the port increase in importance. 

 Moreover, it will not prosper unless it is connected to 

 all parts of the Continent by means of a first-class railway 

 service. It must be equipped with machinery that will 

 permit of rapid operations ; the trawlers must not be 

 kept lingering at the quays. The fishing-harbour, more- 

 over, must be a homogeneous whole, including every- 

 thing essential within a narrow radius : quays, markets, 

 packing sheds, railway sidings, coal stores, smoke-houses, 

 warehouses, guano, glue, oil and farina factories, &c. 

 This means that a fishing port must be administered 

 upon different principles to those which form the basis 

 of exploitation of the ordinary commercial port. There 

 should be nothing in common between the administra- 

 tions of the two, even though they lie in juxtaposition. 

 I have given historical reasons for this distinction. 1 The 

 1 See Part II., Chapter I. 



