502 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION D. 
and how the North Sea in its southern part is supplied with water from 
the Atlantic through the Channel. The curious ebb and flow of the Gulf 
Stream, its periodic welling up and subsidence, closely connected as they 
seem to be with the migrations of the herring, cod, and haddock shoals, is 
another most important matter of investigation. 
Neither can I tell you in detail of the immense amount of work which 
is being done by the other countries which share in the international scheme, 
by the Scottish Fishery Board, the pioneer in Great Britain of this sort of 
research. To the west our Channel work is beginning to get into touch 
with the more recently established Irish Fishery Board, and with the work 
carried on under the direction of Professor Herdman in the Irish seas. 
The outcome of all this minute and continuous investigation will, in 
time, tell us whether or no the North Sea fisheries are being exploited in 
the most profitable way—a very important question for our country, for 
with a fishing fleet of 27,000 vessels, manned by 90,000 fishermen, who land 
900,000 tons of fish a year, valued at 10,000,000/., Great Britain takes 
90 per cent. of what is caught in the North Sea. Some statistics indicate 
that there is a falling-off. The steam trawlers in 1905 landed 25,000 tons of 
fish less than in 1904, and in 1904 there was a similar shortage on the total 
of 1903. And yet 1903 was a year in which some crisis took place; the 
growth of the haddocks and the number of young haddocks were far less 
than normal, the Norwegian cod fisheries sank to a minimum, the French 
statistics showed the same feature in their fisheries off Iceland. In 1903, 
however, there were unusually large numbers of small plaice. The polar 
ice-field pressed down south, and seals, cetacea, and arctic birds left their 
usual quarters, and came south in some cases as far as Shetland. The 
gigantic climatic changes indicated by the above undoubtedly disturbed for 
a time the rate of increase and the rate of growth of the fish population of 
the North Sea, but they soon returned to their normal state. Compared 
with such mighty influences the fishing activity of man seems almost 
negligible, and Dr. Hjort for one thinks that ‘the productiveness of fish’ 
‘may be regarded as independent of the interference or fisheries of man.’ 
I am not sure that this is so. Taking large areas and all fish into con- 
sideration, it may be true ; especially it would seem to be so of some species, 
such as the herring, the saithe, and the cod; but in certain areas and with 
certain fish, such as the sole and the plaice, man’s activity has undoubtedly 
decreased the number. 
Although the researches of the last few years have immensely increased 
our knowledge of what is going on in tne sea, they have, like an ever- 
widening circle, but increased the number of problems which await solution. 
It is earnestly to be hoped that the work may go on on at least its present 
basis. The business man, always on the outlook for a dividend, has some- 
times complained that some of our inquiries do not seem to him practical, 
but he must have patience and faith. A few years ago no knowledge could 
seem so useless to the practical man, no research more futile than that 
which sought to distinguish between one species of a gnat or tick and 
another ; yet to-day we know that this knowledge has rendered it possible to 
open up Africa and to cut the Panama Canal. 
And here, if I may quote the words of the author of the Maccabees: 
‘ And here will I make an end.’ 
‘And if I have done well, as is fitting the story, it is that which I 
desired ; and if slenderly and meanly, it is that which I could attain unto. 
. . . And as wine mingled with water is pleasant and delighteth the taste : 
even so speech, finely framed, delighteth the ears of them that read the 
story.’ 
‘And here shall be an end.’ 
