THIRTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 93 
that this discovery of fish-culture was made in O/zo! [ Laughter. | 
1 know the man! [Prolonged laughter.] His name was Dr. Gar- 
lick, of Cleveland. His discovery like others was not complete 
at first. It was necessary that New York should perfect what 
Ohio had begun, and with the aid of several New York men, 
prominent among whom was my honorable friend in front (Hon. 
R. B. Roosevelt), this science was brought to perfection. By 
aiding nature, and with the skill of such men, these investiga- 
tions have been prosecuted. Congress has been enabled to see 
something of the inestimable value of food fishes. Out of these 
investigations came the United States Fish Commission in 1871, 
for the creation of which I had the honor to vote. We should 
in a body pass a vote of thanks to Congress. From it came the 
appropriations that warmed up the hatching places. They help- 
ed on the grand results. So that now we can send from one 
end of the country to the other over car-wheels, tanks of fish. 
We all have, I trust, or ought to have, a deep interest in the 
fisheries. 
The fishery interest is one which the last census shows to be 
of immense importance. Perhaps it is most important to New 
England considered in its deep-sea bearings, and for purposes 
of commerce; but since the plans of the commission have been 
replenished and multiplied food fishes in our estuaries, bays and 
streams, it is of great importance to the inland as well as to the 
coastwise States. 
THE GOOD PURITAN FOLK. 
It was especially fitting that the sons of Massachusetts should 
have made a defense of our fishing interests upon that occasion. 
The early culture of her aristocracy was fish-culture. Indeed, 
her religion is allied with the piscatorial calling. Adventurers 
to New England of the “ Northern Company ” were not alto- 
gether inspired by the promised yield of gold and silver, though 
visions of bonanzas were not wanting. Their fancied treasures 
lay in the sea. Their divining rod held its hook, line, bob, and 
sinker. It is of record that when the Pilgrims went to King 
James for their charter, they said to him that they desired to go 
to the New World to worship God—and catch fish. ‘“ What 
