REPORT UPON THE DIVISION OF FISHERIES. 339 



ing the desired information. A small corps of clerks was detailed to 

 attend to this work, and others were temporarily assigned to field duty, 

 but no special or official organization was established. 



In the Provisional Regulations issued by Professor Goode during his 

 short term as Commissioner, a "Division of Statistical Inquiry" was 

 designated. The special work and purposes of this division were not 

 defined, and it is not known to the writer whether it was contemplated 

 that this inquiry should take a broader scope than merely the collection 

 of statistical data (as implied by the title), particularly as there was 

 not sufficient time during his administration in which to formulate or 

 definitely establish the line of investigation which was to be prosecuted 

 by that division. 



There are many potent reasons why the collection of statistics should 

 be closely associated with the study of the methods and relations of the 

 commercial fisheries. The two are naturally inseparably connected, 

 and, in order that the statistics may be fully understood, and that proper 

 explanations may be made, it is necessary for the Commission to be in 

 possession of full information as to the manner in which the fisheries 

 are prosecuted and the influences which may affect, them for good or 

 evil. Besides, without a full knowledge of all matters affecting the 

 fisheries, including statistics, it would be impracticable for the Com- 

 mission to successfully continue one of its most important functions — 

 one which has heretofore proved of inestimable advantage to these 

 industries — that of suggesting important changes in apparatus, methods, 

 etc., which may prove beneficial to those engaged in fishing enterprises. 



Many more equally potent reasons might be urged to show the 

 wisdom of organizing the division upon its present basis. In a sub- 

 sequent report (made after the work has been well crystallized), I 

 hope to deal with this subject at greater length; here it is seemingly 

 only necessary to allude to the growing importance of the commercial 

 fisheries from an international as well as a national standpoint, and to 

 call attention to the necessity that exists on that account for the Gov- 

 ernment to constantly have accessible not only detailed statistics, but 

 a mass of information such as may be required at any time to properly 

 demonstrate the conditions that influence the development or well-being 

 of these industries, and which may be essential to a full understand- 

 ing of statistical statements that otherwise might not easily be compre- 

 hended. 



The inquiry concerning statistics of the fisheries, etc., that was inau- 

 gurated by the Commissioner in 1885 and prosecuted in subsequent years 

 during the lifetime of Professor Baird, was under the immediate charge 

 of Mr. K. Edward Earll. This gentleman was also in charge of the 

 Division of Statistical Inquiry during the administration of Professor 

 Goode as Commissioner, and he retained that position under Colonel 

 McDonald until May 13, 1888, when he resigned. 



At that date I was on duty at Gloucester, Massachusetts, and was 



