14 The Commercial Products of the Sea. 



fisheries are to be found, as within the Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence. Nature has bountifully provided within its waters 

 the utmost abundance of those fish which are of the 

 greatest importance to man, as affording not only nutri- 

 tious and wholesome food, but also the means of profitable 

 employment. These fisheries are prosecuted as well in the 

 open waters of the gulf, as within every bay, harbour, creek, 

 cove, and inlet in connection with it. 



Quebec possesses, in the river and gulf of St. Lawrence, 

 an extent of coast of looo miles, where the cod, herring, 

 mackerel, salmon, and other fisheries are carried on suc- 

 cessfully. In the men that sail the fishing fleets of 

 British North America, we see the elements of a very 

 powerful marine, which will be found invaluable in times of 

 national danger. 



The following figures show the value of the exports 

 only, the produce of the fisheries of our North American 

 colonies for the year 1873 : — 



;f3.i8o,302 



In the previous year it was ;£'i,ooo,ooo more, without 

 British Columbia, of which the return was not given. This 

 return merely assumes the market value of the products in 

 the colonies ; but in the foreign markets to which they are 

 sent they will realize a fourth or a fifth more, and this, be it 

 observed, is exclusive of the large local consumption of fish, 

 oil, etc. 



Boston is the fish-market of the United States ; and 



