XII INTRODUCTORY. 



convenient to arrange in the form of descriptive catalogues, constitute 

 what is essentially a very detailed report upon the collections exhibited 

 in the American section, including not only the articles belonging to 

 the Fish Commission and the Nation&l Museum, but also those shown 

 by private exhibitors. It has been thought best, with your approval, to 

 publish these catalogues in collective form as a report upon the exhibits 

 made by the United States. To supplement this descriptive part of the 

 report I shall endeavor in this place to present a succinct account of 

 the organization and management of the American section at the Fish- 

 eries Exhibition, supplementing this by a list of the awards made to 

 American exhibitors. This volume will then include everything that is 

 necessary for the understanding of the operations of the Government 

 Commission appointed to arrange for the participation of the United 

 States in the great International Fisheries Exhibition at London. 



I have now in preparation, and shall submit to you in the course of a 

 few weeks, my executive report upon the Exhibition, together Tvith 

 reports upon the present condition of the fisheries in Europe, called 

 for by the joint resolution of Congress in reference to this Exhibition. 

 At the same time I shall submit a similar report upon the Fisheries 

 Exhibition held in Berlin in 1880, the publication of which has been 

 deferred for reasons which it is unnecessary here to explain. 



The first public step in the organization of the London Fisheries 

 Exhibition appears to have been a proposal made by Mr. Edward 

 Birkbeck, M. P., on the occasion of the forty -third anniversary dinner 

 of the Thames Angling Association, held at Bichmond on July 16, 1881. 

 The suggestion was enthusiastically taken up, and the idea of an inter- 

 national exhibition, similar in scope to that held at Berlin in 1880, soon 

 grew into favor. A private meeting was held on August 5, at Fish- 

 mongers' Hall, under the presidency of the Marquis of Exeter, at which 

 a preliminary organization was perfected. On Friday, November 25, a 

 meeting of the general committee was held at Fishmongers' Hall, on 

 which occasion it was announced that His Boyal Highness the Prince 

 of Wales had accepted the position of presidency to the Exhibition. 



The subsequent steps in the organization will be recorded in the 

 executive report already referred to. On the 3d of May, 1882, the 

 Government of the United States received an official invitation from, 

 the British Government to participate in the Fisheries Exhibition. 



On the 15th of June Mr. Charles G. Williams, of the Committee on 

 Foreign Affairs, reported a joint resolution in the House of Eepresent- 



