SEA-EISHERIES LABORATORY. Ill 



proper time for compliance with Lord Carrington's 

 request, since the five-year period of the International 

 work expires in July, 1907, and if any part of the money 

 then set free is to be secured for Local Sea-Fisheries 

 investigation it ought to be included in the estimates 

 which will shortly be prepared for Parliament. Under 

 these circumstances, it seems desirable that a somewhat 

 detailed statement should be made, avoiding as far as 

 possible critical and controversial matters, but setting 

 forth plainly the present position and the alternatives 

 that are now placed before the country. 



The International Scheme. 



Some years ago a group of distinguished foreign 

 meteorologists and biologists put forward a scheme for 

 international co-operation in the hydrographic and 

 biological investigation of certain North-European seas 

 (North Sea, Baltic, Norwegian Sea, &c), in the hope that 

 the data thus acquired might throw light upon weather 

 prognostication in the interests of navigation and 

 commerce (a matter of some importance to the more 

 northern nations) as well as upon the conditions and 

 prospects of the fishing industries in those seas. The 

 matter was taken up by the Swedish Government, and on 

 their invitation Great Britain, Germany, Russia, and 

 other countries bordering upon the North Sea and the 

 Baltic, agreed to participate in the investigation 

 and to contribute towards the expenses of a central 

 organisation. 



Great Britain, however, only consented in the first 

 instance to take part in the work and contribute 

 to the expenses for a period of three years; but 

 later on the time was extended so as to complete the five 



