APPENDIX J: ENGLAND 



106 



irregularities, already referred to, prevent the subjoined table of the average monthly quan- 

 tities over the period from 1890—1902 being of the great scientific value it might be, 

 but, even as it stands, it is a good example of the form in which statistics might be 

 published. 



The statistics for most of the species are confused, because other areas, e. g. Iceland, 

 Faeroes and the Bay of Biscay, are also represented to a great extent, but in the case of 

 the herring and mackerel, such a table shows unmistakeably when these species are most 

 abundant on the east coast of England. 



Table LXIX. Average uionthi; quantities of fish landed on the east coast of England during the years 1800—1902 



(in cwts.) 



Information with regard to the English fishing boats is somewhat imperfect. The 

 principal data are published in the "Annual Statement of the Navigation and Shipping of 

 the united Kingdom", but only the number of registered boats is given there, and up to 

 1902, a very large number of small boats did not require to be registered. In comparing 

 the number of boats over a period of years, as in the annexed table, only the first and 

 second class are therefore considered. The details with regard to tonnage and the number 

 of boats have been obtained from the XVII"" Annual Report of Inspectors, and it appears 

 that information is not readily available for other years than those mentioned. 



If we compare the columns showing the number of sailing-vessels and the number of 

 steamers, we see that the steamers have steadily and rapidly increased with the decrease 

 in the sailing vessels. The decrease is due, mostly, to the decline of the first-class sailing 

 trawlers; in 1893, there were over 2000 of these, of 116,971 tons, in 1902, there were 

 about 800 of 32,286 tons. This decrease in tonnage is not counterbalanced by the increase 

 of steamers, as the tonnage of these has only gone from 19,030 to 61,631. In 1902, the 

 number of steam trawlers was 1096, in 1893, 480. 



The steamers include liners and drifters etc. besides trawlers, and the increase in the 

 total number since 1900 has been entirely due to the former. 



