PLEADINGS. 227 



The idea presented in tlie report of Professor Huxley to the British 

 Parliament that man cannot destroy a race of fishes by over-catcliing- 

 has been scouted, by a distinguished naturalist, who says tliat certain 

 species of fish have been destroyed and caught out. But this was on 

 the southern coast of France, where tliere is only a very small area of 

 fishiug-ground. And this naturalist himself says that these wandering 

 fishes which go off in schools and return cannot be diminished by man's 

 catching. We have au immense area of fishing-ground on our coast, 

 which is flat and everywhere running off shoal. Look, for instance at 

 the great chain of banks from the Nantucket shoals to the banks of 

 Newfoundland. France, on the Mediterranean, has no such tishiug- 

 ground as that. 



When I was a boy, great quantities of Spanish mackerel came into 

 Provincetown Harbor, They afterward began to diminish in numbers, 

 and I have not seen a specimen now for twenty years. They went away 

 before the blue-fish came, and before a weir, trap, pound or anything of 

 the kind was set in New England waters. I think the great enemy of 

 the fish of our waters is the blue-fish. They are ready to eat almost 

 every fish that they can take. We know that they drive almost every- 

 thing. 



It is my candid opinion that man cannot destroy a race of fishes. 

 They go off from our coasts only to return again and bring us innumera- 

 ble blessings. The fisheries of our coast are of immense value. They 

 afford a vast amount of wholesome food to the people, as well as em- 

 ployment to a great number of men. Our fisheries are a nursery for 

 seamen, and by accustoming those who engage in them to the hard- 

 ships of the sea, they train them for service in oar navies in time of war, 

 as well as upon the decks of our merchantmen. 



I hope that the fish peculiar to your waters wdll continue to be abun- 

 dant, and that if the scup leave you some other variety equally valua- 

 ble will come in and supply its place. 



