322 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [6] 



ers should be larger, so as to allow immature fish, to escape. This, like 

 other regulations which apply to the open sea, could only be carried out 

 by an international convention. 



Money properly laid out in harbors should come under the head of 

 reproductive expenditure. Take the case of Fraserburgh, £100,000 was 

 borrowed at 3^ per cent. In ten years the number of boats fishing 

 from Fraserburgh was doubled, while in the same time the harbor rev- 

 enue and the value of the exports were nearly trebled. If this is not 

 reproductive expenditure, I fail to understand the meaning of the term; 

 but at the present time it is impossible to obtain money on the terms 

 that Fraserburgh borrowed it. ISTow, the committee invite essays to in- 

 quire into the reasons which have led the loan commissioners to raise 

 the terms on which the money is lent for harbor improvements. Be- 

 tween the years 1861 and 1880 — that is, from the date of the harbor and 

 passing-tolls act till December, 1880 — the public works loan commis- 

 sioners lent for harbor purposes £2,781,820. During that period the 

 losses, including principal and interest, only amounted to £16,434 and 

 there is no single case given in the parliamentary return I am quot- 

 ing from, where there has been any loss on money borrowed for Scotch 

 harbor improvements. I am not saying there has been no loss to the 

 revenue from money spent on Scotch harbors, but the losses — and they 

 are comparatively insignificant when contrasted with those that have 

 taken place in other parts of the Kingdom — have been in instances where 

 special grants have been made, and not in those cases where the people 

 have taken the initiative and borrowed money on harbor dues from the 

 loan commissioners. I think inquiry into this matter will show that 

 the commissioners have raised the rate 'of interest, in consequence of 

 injudicious loans for other than harbor purposes. Hence the object of 

 the harbor and passing-tolls act of 1861 has been defeated by Sir Staf- 

 ford Northcote's act of 1879, and I think those interested have a right 

 to ask that the borrowing powers conferred by the act of 1861 be re- 

 stored to them. I attach importance to this, because I think it is by 

 supplementing local efforts by money lent at the lowest possible rate of 

 interest, that the Government can best encourage harbor improvements. 

 The amount at the disposal of the fishery board, including £3,000 sur- 

 plus brand money, given for the first time this year on the recommen- 

 dation of the committee I had the honor of presiding over, only amounts 

 to £6,000 annually. This money is at present being spent in the neigh- 

 boring harbor of Findochtie, from the construction of which I hope you 

 may derive some benefit. Another source from which we may look for 

 some assistance in the construction of harbors is the employment of 

 convict labor. 



Very interesting experiments have been carried on at Peterhead and 



Aberdeen by pouring oil on the troubled waters at the entrances to the 



harbors. I have been able merely to read the accounts of those experi- 



^ments, but they have excited considerable interest in the localities, and 



