[7] THE LONDON FISHERIES EXHIBITION. 323 



' Mr. Shields, the enterprising gentleman who has so energetically taken 

 up this matter, will, 1 hope, be able to give us the result of his exjieri- 

 i ence in the form of an essay. 



' An essay for which £25 is offered, is on the best means of increasing 

 the supply of mussels and other mollusks (oysters excepted), used either 

 for bait or food. Each individual fisherman in this district requires two 

 tons of mussels annually for bait. Considering the importance fisher- 

 men attach to the easy supply of mussels, it is surprising that greater 

 efforts have not been made to attain it. I have suggested, on previous 

 occasions when speaking on this subject, that the Crown should buy up 

 all the right of mussel proprietors where these rights exist. I believe 

 in some cases they are claimerl on very doubtful grounds. That mussel 

 beds so acquired should be placed under the control of the fishery 

 board, and let out to the fishermen. I believe a great deal might be 

 done to increase the supply of mussels. To those who wish to read an 

 interesting account of a mussel farm, I commend that given of the one 

 at Aiguillon, by Mr. Bertram, in his interesting and valuable work, 

 « The Harvest of the Sea." 



Is there any ground for the statement we sometimes hear that the 

 sea is being overfished "? I believe investigation will prove that there 

 is no cause for alarm. Although no doubt it can be shown that inland 

 firths, and in some districts the sea near our coasts, are not so pro- 

 ductive as formerly, yet in the open sea I believe it can be proved that 

 our constant fishing has had no appreciable effect in diminishing the 

 number of fish in the sea. By the railway returns it is shown that in 

 the fourteen years between 1864 and 1878 we have increased by 50,000 

 tons annually the fish sent inland, while the herring fishing in 1880 was 

 73 per cent more productive than the average of the last ten years. 

 With these facts before us, I should be sorry to see any attempt to put 

 restriction on fishing by legislation, which it would be extremely diffi- 

 cult to enforce ; and if Professor Huxley's calculation, that we do not 

 by fishing take 5 per cent of the herring that are annually destroyed, 

 is correct, I think we may leave the herring in full enjoyment of 

 " home rule," and make no attempt to force any of our legislation upon 

 them at present. 



The power and influence of Great Britain depend on her naval su- 

 premacy. History teaches us that naval supremacy depends on a 

 hardy and energetic seafaring population. It matters not how rich or 

 powerful a nation maybe, or how many ships she can put on the ocean, 

 without seamen to man them she is powerless. What could the Span- 

 ish Armada, with all its ships, and soldiers, and sea-sick grandees, do 

 against the little navy of Queen Elizabeth, skilfully handled by Drake 

 and Hawkins, and manned by the hardy fishermen of Devon and Corn- 

 wall ? It was the naval power of this country that subdued the First 

 Napoleon ; but, however great may have been the victories of Nelson, 

 these victories would never have been achieved had he not commanded 



