The Canadian Spopp ai^d \mfyu 



No. 8. 



MONTREAL, AUGI 



WILLIAM COUPER, Editor. 



THE INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES 

 EXHIBITION. 



This Exhibition will be opened on the I si of 

 May, 1883, in London, England, and will 

 remain open for a period of six months. The 



principal objects lo be admitted are all kinds 

 of specimens of fish-life, and to illustrate all 

 the modes by which the Marine and Fresh- 

 water animals of economic value are captured 

 and utilised, together with the commercial, 

 scientific, social, historic and legislative aspects 

 of such fisheries. 



The United States Congress have lately 

 voted $50,000 in order that fishing industries 

 carried on by the American people may be 

 properly represented. Our neighbours sav 

 that the amount invested by them for the 

 Berlin Exhibition, was money well spent, and 

 they are determined not to be behind in a show 

 of this nature, especially when it is patronized 

 by our beloved Queen and the male portion ot 

 the Royal family, also by foreign Princes and 

 all the noblemen ot the British nation. The 

 Right Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald . K.C.B. 

 Premier of Canada, represents otir Dominion, 

 as a Vice-President and member of the 

 (uneral Committee. 



There is a Fisheries Department at Ottawa, 

 and its Chief is a Council Minister; yet up to 

 this instant, nothing has actually been done to 

 illustrate in London next year, products from 

 our great lakes and rivers throughout this 

 vast Dominion. The Exhibition was in pros- 

 pect months gone bye, and to-day we find the 

 men in charge of our Fisheries only commenc- 

 ing to procure material when the season is 

 almost past. There are a few pseudo natural- 

 ists connected with the Government who seem 

 to have all this kind of business arranged in 

 their own way, and huge sums of mouey is 



expended from 



that never return a 



We know that Mr. .s. UV, 

 has done hi- share t.. ma, 



1,1,1 son n.- in the Dej 



for procrastination and want ..t . 

 Mr. Wilm.it exhibited hie fiahi - 

 Editor of thi- Journal competed wit 

 ti..n of Btuffed Food-fishes from tin P 

 "l Quelle; many ot the hut. 

 different from those exhibited by ti 

 gentleman. Tl Q Fish oil. 



otlered to the Fisheries Departo 



liable price; the offer being made thn 

 Mr. Whitcher, who knew that the l..t was a 

 bargain, and by his request, they m 

 and left in Ottawa, to await a reply from 

 Chief ot the Department, Borne days after- 

 wards an answer was received that the Depart- 

 ment had no money to purchase Stun 

 and the collection was brought back 

 Montreal, where it was immediately purcl 

 by Dr. Stern Hunt and presented to McGUI 

 College Museum. Mr. Wilmot endeavoured 

 to induce Mr. Whitcher to purchase the collec- 

 tion, and probably they now regret not bai 

 secured it. A second collection was started 

 by the same hands, which was exhibited at 

 Mile-end, Montreal. The ofi the 



Fisheries Department were cognisant ot tins 

 exhibit, but made no effort to secure it; tl, 

 tore a part of it is now in McGil 

 Museum and the remainder was purchased by 

 the Rev. 0. J. S. Bethune and bel 

 Trinity College. Fort Ho|h\ O. Now. the 

 result is that these specimens are not available 

 for loan, and Irom want ot" foresight much ot 

 the material which would represent the 1 

 Fishes ot the Province ot Quebec, cannot now 

 be obtained in time to be represented in the 

 London Exhibition. If our Fisheries Dej 

 ment is to be a live Canadian lnstitu. 



