162 



Part III. — Seventh Annual Beport 



has been increasing. This is shown when the percentages for each year 

 are brought out as follows : — 



1882. 1883. 1884. 1885. 1886. 1887. 1888. 

 Scottish, 65-3 73*2 80*1 76-1 71*6 61'4 65*3 



Norwegian, 22'2 19*2 14'6 20"5 237 36"9 29'2 



Thus while in 1884 out of every 100 barrels brought into the market 

 about 80 were Scotch, and only about 14 J Norwegian, there occurred 

 in subsequent years, a gradual decrease in the former, and increase in the 

 latter, until in 1887 out of every 100 barrels about 61 were Scotch, and 

 about 37 Norwegian. Last year there was, however, a slight rise in the 

 proportion of Scottish herring and a fall in the Norwegian. The fluctua- 

 tion in the amounts from the two countries may largely depend upon the 

 productiveness of the fishery during the years under review ; but the 

 figures alone bring out very clearly the fact that during recent years 

 Norwegian-cured herring have been to a considerable extent replacing the 

 Scotch fish in the Stettin market. It will appear later that the main 

 reason for this is probably not so much actual deterioration in the condition 

 of the Scotch fish, as the increased efforts made by Norway and other 

 countries to improve the cure, assortment, and packing of their fish in 

 order to meet the requirements of the markets. It may be worth while 

 to consider the proportions in which Scotch herrings under the different 

 brands have been imported. The following table gives the percentages. 





Crown Fulls. 



Spents. 



Matties. 



1882, 



437 



6-1 



50-0 



1883, 



26-7 



4-7 



68-5 



1884, 



24-2 



6-4 



69-3 



1885, 



30-1 



5-2 



64-6 



1886, 



43-5 



9-9 



46'4 



1887, 



34-3 



4'4 



61-2 



1888, 



41-0 



9-9 



48-9 



Thus the proportion of barrels of full herrings fell gradually from 

 1882 up to 1885, and has since then risen; while the proportion of 

 maties rose during the former period reaching a maximum of 69 "3 percent, 

 in 1884, and has generally declined since. While the proportions of 

 the different descriptions of herrings imported at Stettin are the result of 

 the demand there for them, they also indicate to some degree the annual 

 variation in the character and size of the herrings cured in Scotland. 



Having now given an account, based upon the statistics available, of 

 the export trade in Scotch-cured herring during the last eight years, I 

 shall give a resume of the Reports from British Ambassadors and Consuls 

 abroad, as to the trade in Scottish herrings in various countries, and how 

 it might be extended and improved. The most important of these Reports 

 have been published by the Government.* But a large number, chiefly 

 from colonies and extra-European States, which contain little of impor- 

 tance have not been published. 



I. Reports From European States. 



Reports were received from one or more centres in the following 

 countries : — Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Montenegro, Servia, Roumania, 

 Turkey, Switzerland, France, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, 

 the Netherlands, Austria, Russia, Germany. 



It may be convenient to consider these in three groups : — (1) a Mediter- 

 ranean group, including Portugal ; (2) a North-Sea group, (3) Germany, 

 Russia and Austria. 



* ' Scotch Herring Trade : — Reports from Her Majesty's Diplomatic and Consular 

 Officers abroad, on the subject of the best means of increasing the demand in Foreign 

 countries for Scotch-cured herrings and other fish,' 1st and 2nd Series C.-5530, 5530-1, 

 1888. 



