CH. XXXVII. BRITISH SEA-FISHERIES. 287 



years some enterprising individuals have done, 

 and are doing, a great deal towards improving 

 this branch of commerce ; and the speculations re- 

 cently entered into for the more regular and more 

 abundant supply of the southern markets will doubt- 

 less lead to more extensive competition and to im- 

 proved 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 protec- 

 tion 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, etc., 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 feeding places of 

 the cod and other large fish. The Dogger Bank, 

 and all the principal fishing-grounds have been dis- 

 covered 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, etc., of 

 the sea, where the best spots would be for fishing, 



