8o The Commercial Products of the Sea. 



110,000,000 sardines, the sale of which produced 707,648 

 francs. By the end of August the fish were so abundant 

 that they were sold as low as \s. 6d. the 1000, a thing not 

 known for 10 years previously. 



In 1873, in the quarter of Auray, the sardine fishery 

 was carried on by 239 boats. The catch amounted to 

 43,170,000, of which 32,000,000 were tinned, 10,120,000 

 were pressed or salted, and the rest locally consumed or 

 sent into the interior. 



At L'Orient the catch was valued at 2,730,000 francs 

 at Douarnenez, 2,976,551 francs; at Quimper, 1,587,534 

 francs ; Brest, 291 ,836 francs ; Morlaix, 48,145 francs. Occa- 

 sionally 1 1 5,000,000 sardines have been caught in a single 

 season on the French coasts of the ocean. 



The French fisheries on the coast of Finistere and 

 Morbihan are of very great importance. Large quantities 

 of sardines, mackerel, and lobsters are caught ; and close 

 upon 181,000 fishermen were employed during 1873. In 

 1871-72 the quantity of sardines caught decreased, but 

 during 1873 the catch was good. The value of preserved 

 sardines exported alone from Brest to New York in 1873 

 was ;^ 5 6,640. 



Of fresh and salt water fish caught, the largest propor- 

 tion goes by railway to Paris. During the year 1873 the 

 fishing stations at Douarnenez, Audierne, and Guilvince 

 (all on the Finistere) alone sent by rail to Paris more than 

 4000 tons of fresh fish, and, strange to say, it can be 

 purchased cheaper in Paris than fish of the same quality at 

 Brest or neighbouring towns. 



The sardine frequents the bays and inlets of Gallicia ; 

 and in the single province of Pontevedra there are more 

 than 102 stations occupied in salting this fish, which is 

 carried on by females. In 1873, 5,000,000 lbs. of these fish 



