200 THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



but as fully 10,000 souls may be said to be dependent upon fish- 

 ing for a livelihood, it must always be a matter of interest to 

 retain some record of the annual produce. The quantities 

 taken in 1879-80-81 have been estimated at 4,000, 3,500, and 

 3,800 tons respectively. Last year about 15 hogsheads of 

 pilchards were exported to Mediterranean ports, the price on 

 shore ranging from 50s. to 70s. per hogshead. The precarious 

 nature of this industry was painfully manifested about a month 

 ago, when on some parts of the coast, especially at St. Ives, one 

 terrific gale caused such destruction to the nets and gear of the 

 fishermen, as I believe fairly entitles them to claim exceptional 

 sympathy and help. The damage in the St. Ives fishing fleet 

 alone is estimated at nearly £2,000. 



Exhibitions connected with Fisheries have been successfully 

 held of late years in various places, and excited considerable 

 interest. A large international exhibition of this kind is to be 

 held in London next year, embracing every description of tackle 

 and apparatus connected with sea and fresh-water fishing, the 

 outfit of fishermen, preparation, preservation, and utilization of 

 fish, as well as their natural history and culture, with prizes for 

 essays on subjects relating to the development of this most im- 

 portant industry. The accumiilated information from all parts of 

 the world which will thus be brought directly under the observa- 

 tion of our x^eople, can hardly fail to be beneficial to English 

 fishermen, and I am glad to hear of proposals both from east and 

 west for the appointment of committees to represent this county 

 in connection with that great undertaking. Practically, I venture 

 to think that this might be more conveniently done by one com- 

 mittee than by two ; but that is a question which will no doubt 

 be discussed at the meeting on Thu.rsday, at which I much regret 

 that I shall be unable to be present. 



I must now turn to those events in the past year which have 

 especially affected the Eoyal Institution itself, and the first sad, 

 but inevitable, duty of each succeeding president must be to 

 note the gaps which time has swept in the ranks of our members. 

 HappUy, as far as my knowledge enables me to speak, these 

 have not been numerous within the past twelve months. In Lord 

 Eobartes the Institution has lost a constant supporter, and Corn- 

 wall a man whose ability, position, and character, marked him as 

 one of her distinguished worthies — 



