xxviii 



Fifth Annual Report of the 



Extent to 

 which Tele- 

 graph is used. 



Telegraph to 

 Orkney and 

 Shetland a 

 great boon to 

 Fishermen. 



Illustrations 

 thereof. 



extra supplies of barrels and salt, aud the other necessary materials 

 for carrying on their trade, in a much shorter time than before ; 

 and they can also more quickly charter additional vessels, 

 when such are required, and get their goods insured. As showing 

 the extent to which the telegraph has been used, it may be stated 

 that, during the year 1884, when the wire was first extended to 

 Barra, 10,000 messages were transmitted to and from that island 

 and South Uist ; that in 1885 the number increased to 15,000 ; 

 and in 1886, when the reduction of the tariff took place, as many 

 as 21,000 messages were sent. Altogether, the extension of the 

 wire to this remote district has tended in no small degree to 

 promote the prosperity of the fishing industry there. 



At the stations in the Orkney and Shetland Islands, where the 

 telegraph system was also established with the assistance of the 

 Board, the extension continues to be a great boon to the fishermen, 

 especially during the season when the herring fishing is being 

 carried on, by enabling them to get early information as to the 

 places where shoals of fish appear, so that they can remove from one 

 island to another and more successfully prosecute the industry. 

 As an illustration of this, it may be mentioned that in Orkney 

 district last year, the Board's officer at Saint Margaret's Hope 

 received information by telegram from his correspondent at 

 Stronsay, that a heavy fishing was going on in the in- shore grounds 

 off that island, and that the fishermen at once proceeded there, 

 when fully 500 crans of herrings were captured, which would not 

 otherwise have been got. Again in Shetland district, about the 

 beginning of July, information was telegraphed to Walls that an 

 excellent fishing was being prosecuted at Scalloway and neighbour- 

 ing stations. The boats went to these places, and landed several 

 hundred crans of herrings in one night, while on the Walls grounds 

 where they had been not a single fish was found. The telegraph 

 both in Orkney aud Shetland has in addition been productive of like 

 benefits to the fishing industry in those places as have been stated 

 in connection with the island of Barra, and the number of messages 

 is yearly increasing, nearly all of which relate to the fishing 

 industry. 



Further, it may mentioned, with regard to the distribution of 

 fish over the country for consumption fresh, that it is of great 

 importance that those engaged in this trade should know, day by 

 day, at what centres of the population suitable supplies are being 

 delivered, and where supplies are required, so that they may be 

 able to regulate their trade in a way which must be attended with 

 greater benefit to themselves and also to the country, than when 

 they have to send their fish to different markets without knowing 

 whether they are wanted or not. 



A strong desire has been expressed, with the view of still further 

 aiding the fisheries, that the telegraphic system should be ex- 

 tended to other remote districts ; and Mr A. J. Balfour, when 

 wnsideraticm 1 Secretary ^ or Scotland, opened communications with the Lords 

 Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury on the subject. This led 

 to a correspondence between their Lordships and the Postmaster- 

 General, as to the terms and conditions on which the telegraph 

 could be connected with certain places mentioned ; and it has since 



Extension of 

 Telegraph to 

 other remote 

 Fishery 



