THE BRITISH FISH TRADE. 9 



the Scotch Commissioners. They estimate the total value 

 of the boats and gear of the Scotch fishermen at ;^i,400,ooo. 

 It is certain that the value of each boat in Ireland is not 

 greater than the value of each boat in Scotland. Placing 

 it at about the same sum the capital employed in the 

 Irish sea fisheries may perhaps be computed at ;^ 600,000. 

 The value of the English boats is much greater than the 

 value of the Scotch or of the Irish boats. In Ireland and 

 Scotland most of the boats are engaged in drift fishing ; 

 and a first-class drift boat, with herring gear complete, is 

 worth about ;^550. But in England a large proportion of 

 the boats is engaged either in trawling or in line fishing ; 

 and a first-class trawler, ready for sea, cannot cost less 

 than ;^ 1,000 or ;,^ 1,200; while a cod-smack, fitted for line 

 fishing, is worth ;^ 1,500. It is certain, therefore, that the 

 average value of the 15,000 English boats is much greater 

 than the average value of the 1 5,coo Scotch boats. Placing 

 . it at twice the sum, the capital embarked in the English 

 fisheries must amount to ;^ 2,800,000. The capital em- 

 barked in the Manx fisheries is about ;^240,ooo ; and a 

 gross capital of about ^5,000,000 is, therefore, probably 

 employed in the fisheries of the British Islands. 



Thus then, to summarise the conclusions which have been 

 already stated, some 200,000 persons are probably em- 

 ployed in the fisheries of the British Islands ; and some 

 ;^ 5,000,000 of capital are embarked in these industries. 

 These figures enable a rough estimate to be formed of the 

 produce of the fisheries. If it be assumed that every 

 person employed in fishing earns only £AfO a year, and 

 that only 10 per cent, is required to pay the interest on, 

 and to replace, the capital engaged, the sea fisheries of the 

 British Islands must yield a gross sum of ;^8, 500,000 

 annually. If to this sum be added a further £Zqo,qoo, 



