xlvi 



Twenty-ninth Annual Report 



slow until the economic measures of Sir Kobert Peel enal)led Russia 

 and Germany to become bigger customers of this country, and the 

 repeal of the duties on timber still further assisted to develop the 

 trade by bringing about a reduction in the cost of the barrels in which 

 the herrings were packed. In 1850 the total export reached 250,000 

 barrels, in 1870 it had risen still further to 486,000, in 1880 to 

 976,000, and last year to 1,767,544 barrels — a record of phenomenal 

 progress. 



The General Inspector of Sea Fisheries again visited the principal 

 herring trade centres during the season, and his report, which 

 contained many interesting features, was printed and circulated 

 among the trade recently. 



The total quantity of cured herrings exported from Scotland in 

 1910 was 1,767,544 barrels, or 349,377 more than in 1909. Of 

 these, 311,188 received the Board's official Crown brand, indica- 

 ting that they fulfilled the requirements of the branding regula- 

 tions, and 1,456,356 barrels were unbranded. The proportion exported 

 to European ports was 1,683,806 barrels, to places out of Europe, 

 principally America, 73,408 barrels, and to Ireland 7,117 barrels. 

 (Appendix E, No. 11.) 



The export to Germany amounted to 982,360 barrels, but a large 

 proportion of this eventually found its way to Austria, Hungary, and 

 Russia by canal and rail. Stettin is the principal receiving port, 

 nearly 315,928 barrels being landed there, but Konigsberg with 

 278,180 and Hamburg with 217,597 barrels follow it closely. Then 

 comes Dantzig with 170,613 barrels. The large bulk of the herrings 

 landed at Konigsberg and Dantzig found their way into Russia. 



Russia absorbed a total import of 732,345 barrels, the principal 

 channels being the port of Libau, with a total of over 346,141 barrels, 

 the port of St. Petersburg, with 287,840 barrels, and Riga with 

 48,845. 



The direct trade with Russia has developed much more rapidly 

 relatively than that with Germany, notwithstanding the fact that 

 the duty imposed in the former is 13s. per barrel and in the latter 

 only 3s. 



Scottish herrings compete with those of Norway and Holland in the 

 neutral (and principal) markets on equal terms as regards tariff. 



The export to Germany and Russia (direct) during the last 12 years 

 was as follows : — 



Year. 

 1899 

 1900 

 190L 

 1902 

 1903 

 1904 

 1905 

 1906 

 1907 

 1908 

 1909 

 1909 

 1910 



Germany.* Russia. 



714,230 166,873 



769,126 172,462 



998,240 233,129 



1,049,502 292,987 



794,711 303,202 



1,095,683 384,443 



1,057,315 430,554 



1,025,886 424,200 



1,186,100 627,100 



1,001,645 616,497 



786,682 574,307 



786,682 574,307 



982,360 732,345 



* Include liei 



Tings 



tor Austria and Russia sent overland. 



