By drying. 



— 16 — 



the fishery station, of sufficient depth to allow a boat, 

 drawing four feet of water to pass at all seasons, a 

 steam-launch towing barges could be employed as a 

 carrier. Fish could be collected from the fishing boats 

 at certain rendezvous and put up for sale within three 

 hours of their capture. A few refrigerator fish-cars 

 could be run on - the railways and the requirements of 

 a fish-eating population would be met. 



Preservation of fish. 



Under existing circumstances a constant supply of 

 fresh fish is impossible, and that, together with the absence 

 of a perfect railway system, gives rise to the necessity 

 of treating the fish to prevent putrefaction ere they pass 

 into the hands of the consumers. 



The practice of preserving natural objects, animals 

 or plants, for food and other purposes, has its origin 

 in antiquity. The object aimed at, in preserving fish or 

 other foods, is to postpone putrefactive and other dele- 

 terious processes by .excluding bacteria from the tissues. 

 This may be effected, either by stopping the access of 

 atmostpheric air to the body, or by means of anti- 

 septics which destroy, or prevent the development of 

 the microbes. 



In the first case, the purpose is effected by covering 

 the fish with a layer of something impermeable to air or to 

 germs. Drying fish in the sun or by artificial means is an^ 

 application of this method, as the dried outer surface of 



