206 



Again : The fearful disasters and loss of human life are not to be 

 overlooked in this connexion. Our time is too limited for general de- 

 tails ; and a few examples will serve to show why, in addition to the 

 causes already mentioned, '• official statistics" furnish so few arguments 

 in favor of protection to the fisheries as " a nursery for seamen." 



In 1837 seventy-eight men perished, who belonged to the fishing- 

 towns of Provincetown, Truro, Wellfleet, Eastham, Orleans, Chatham, 

 Harwich, Brewster, Dennis, Yarmouth, Barnstable, Falmouth, and 

 Sandwich; and in these thirteen towns nine hundred and fourteen 

 widows were ascertained to be then living. 



In the great gale of October, 1841, the town of Truro alone lost fifty- 

 seven men, whose homes were within a circuit of two miles ; twenty- 

 seven of them were married, and only eight were more than thirty years 



two governments, soon after this affray, concluded a convention, in wMch provision is made to 

 avoid similar difficulties. 



In this connexion, we may barely glance at the condition of things across the channel. The 

 8ea-fisheries of Ireland are not of great importance ; but the river and lake-fisheries are lucra- 

 tive to the owners of the soil. The herring and the pilchard might be caught in many places 

 on the coast in abundance, but the catch of neither is large. 



As late as 1847, a debate occurred in Parliament on the subject of encouragement to the 

 Irish sea-fisheries, when the following facts were elicited : 



" Sir Henry Winston Barron moved for a select committee ' to inquire into the means of im- 

 proving the fisheries in Ireland, and thereby affording profitable employment,' 



"In the ten years ending 1835, Parliament granted £143,791 to stimulate Scotch fisheries; 

 only £12,000 for Irish fisheries. The Scotch fisheries are the most prosperous in Europe ; and 

 it is a melancholy fact, that Scotch fish to the value of £60,000 is annually imported for the 

 consumption of the poor Irish. Government has established six curing-houses and two depots; 

 there ought to be at least a hundred curing-houses on the coasts. 



"Mr. Labouchere agreed as to the necessity of encouraging fisheries in Ireland, but opposed 

 the motion: 



" It is a mistake to suppose that official encouragement has been the chief cause of the 

 prosperity in Scotland. Private enterprise is the real cause. There are two modes in which 

 government may advantageously interfere — by constructing piers, and by establishing curing- 

 stations. The late government granted £50,000 — the present has proposed £40,000^as 

 loans for the construction of piers. Curing-stations have been established at a cost of £5,000, 

 with such good results that Irish fish is fast driving Scotch ling out of the market, and private 

 speculators even from England are beginning to turn their attention to the Irish fisheries. 

 The increase of railroads and steam navigation will afford a further encouragement. As to 

 inquiry, Mr. Labouchere objected, that a committee could only reproduce the information 

 which is already in their possession. 



The motion was supported by Lord George Bentinck, Mr. Hume, Mr. Montague Gore, and 

 Mr. Hudson. 



" Sir Henry Barron said, that after Mr. Labouchere's statement, he thought that he should 

 do injury rather than good by pressing his motion ; and he therefore begged to withdraw it. 



"This led to afracas. Several of the opposition members met the hint at withdrawal by loud 

 objections. The gallery was cleared for a division, but none took place ; and when Mr. Agli- 

 onby urged gentlemen to suffer the withdrawal, Mr. Disraeli replied by a disclosure. Sir Henry 

 Barron had sent to Lord George Bentinck, privately, to request support for the motion, as a 

 personal favor ; and, accordingly. Lord George Bentinck's fi-iends had taken care to ' keep a 

 House.' This assertion was disputed; some members averring that during Sir Henry Bar- 

 ron's speech only twenty-three members were present. Mr. Disraeli afterwards recuiTed to 

 the charge, accusing the Irish members of interrupting real and serious discussion of other 

 subjects by a ' flashy demonstration.' Mr. Labouchere imputed Mr. Disraeli's heat to disap- 

 pointment at no,t havmg been able to pi:actise a little trick upon the government, and so to 

 place it m a minority. Apparently more angry than ever, Lord George Bentinck declared that 

 the good wishes for Ireland entertained by his party were thwarted by the Irish members. 

 Nothing had really been gamed by this ' sham attempt' to obtain a committee. Sir Henry 

 Barron denied that it was a ' sham attempt.' His object was to develop the opinion of the 

 House, not to bring about a party division ; and when he saw it turning to a party question, he 

 owned that he shrank from it. (Ironical cheei-s from the Opposition.) Eventually, the Hpuse 

 divided, and the motion was negatived by 73 to 33. 



