XLVI EEPOKT OF COMMISSIONEE OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



topic when more perfectly informed, but could not deny myself the 

 pleasure of reporting to you the impression already made in this inter- 

 national competition by the genius for organization of which our country- 

 men have here given proof, a faculty certainly not the lowest among 

 those that distinguish the social and civilized man." 



These paragraphs are reprinted here simply to give an idea of the 

 appreciative enthusiasm with which the participation of the United 

 States in the Fisheries Exhibition was received in England. It was gen- 

 erally understood that the action of Congress in making an appropria- 

 tion for this purpose decided the fate of the enterprise, in so far at least 

 as its international character was concerned, since many nations which 

 had before been undecided as to their action were finally influenced on 

 account of this evidence of international courtesy and comity. 



The members of our party express themselves as having been ex- 

 tremely gratified by the courtesy and aid which they received at the 

 hands of the managers of the exhibition, particularly Mr. Edward 

 Birkbeck, chairman of the executive committee, to whom, indeed, the 

 inception and the success of the exhibition is mainly to be attributed ; 

 Professor Huxley; Sir Philip Ounliffe-Owen ; Mr. A. J. E. Trendell, lit- 

 erary superintendent; Surgeon- General Francis Day; Mr. Fell- Woods; 

 Mr. W. Oldham Chambers ; and Sir James Gibson Maitland. From the 

 opening of the exhibition, on May 12th, to its close, October 30th, the 

 buildings and grounds were thronged with visitors, not only in the day 

 but at night, when the buildings and grounds were illuminated by elec- 

 tric lights. The exhibition was a favorite resort for the London people 

 through the summer, and was rendered more attractive by two daily 

 open-air concerts by military bands. The total number of visitors was 

 2,690,000, an average of 18,545 per day. 



On the 18th of June began the international fishery conferences at the 

 exhibition, the opening address being given by Professor Huxley, the 

 Prince of Wales in the chair. These conferences continued for nearly 

 three months, taking place every day except Wednesday and Saturday, 

 and two papers usually being read at each session. The chair was always 

 taken by some distinguished man, and the reading of each paper was fol- 

 lowed by general discussion. The attendance varied from one hundred 

 to five hundred, a considerable number of the attendants being oflScial 

 delegates sent by the various Governments participating in the exhibi- 

 tion, selected on account of their familiarity with fisheries and kindred 

 topics. About fifty papers were read, many of them of great importance, 

 and dealing with subjects never before taken up for discussion. June 

 25 was devoted to the fisheries of the United States, and a paper was 

 read by Mr. Goode upon " The Fishery Industries of the United States 

 and the Work of the U. S. Fish Commission," Mr. James Eussell Low- 

 ell presiding. In seconding the vote of thanks. Professor Huxley, in 

 the course of his remarks, said: "The great moral of the United States 

 contribution to this exhibition * * * was that if this country, or 

 any society which could be formed of sufflcient extent to take up the 



