1 8 The Commercial Products of the Sea. 



78,331,364 = ;^3,i33,2S4 

 Besides seaweed and sand as officially valued at £()0,oco. 



The French fisheries gave employment to the follow- 

 ing :— 



Out of a gross return of 80,000,000 francs the coast 

 fisheries brought in over 63,000,000 francs. 



Both in the home and foreign fisheries many improve- 

 ments have been carried out of late years in boats, nets, 

 and appliances. In 1873 a great improvement was effected 

 in France by the introduction of capstans worked by steam 

 for hauling in the nets. Steam vessels are also now 

 employed in fishing operations at Teste, Rochelle, and 

 other ports. 



The sale of fish in the Paris markets in 1854 was to the 

 value of 7,500,000 francs (;£'300,ooo), of which about 

 1,000,000 francs was for fresh-water fish. In i860 the sales 

 reached about 10,000,000 francs. Paris consumed the 

 following quantities of fresh-water fish, etc. : — 



