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Part III. — Seventh Annual Report 



11. Denmark. — Large quantities of cured herrings are yearly imported 

 into Denmark, but very few, if any, are Scotch. The following table 

 shows the imports of cured herrings in 1886 : — 



From Great Britain, ... 907 lbs. 



,, Norway, .... 12,817,30 ,, 



,, Sweden, .... 144,260 ,, 



Germany, .... 120,455 ,, 



In other words while Norway supplies nearly 98 per cent, of the total 

 imports, Great Britain furnishes the minute fraction of 0*0006 per cent. 

 It is stated that increased demand for Scotch herrings can only be obtained 

 by a greater perfection in the mode of curing, and by a reduction in 

 price. They are dearer than Norwegian herrings which are offered in 

 different sizes, and being caught in the autumn are fatter than the 

 Scottish. The price quoted per barrel in June last year for Norwegian 

 herrings was as follows for the various kinds: — K.K.K., 23 kroner; 

 K.K., 16 kroner; K., 14 kroner; M., 12J kroner (18 kroner are equal to 

 £1). The import duty on cured herrings is 60 ore (8d) per 100 lbs. gross 

 weight, equal to about 2 kroner per barrel. 



12. Nonvay and Sweden. — These countries appear to take no Scottish 

 herrings at all, unless they receive a few barrels included under the 

 heading 4 other places on the Continent ' in Table I. This no doubt is 

 owing chiefly to the fact that these countries, especially Norway, are 

 large exporters themselves. Nevertheless it seems that at certain periods 

 of the year, or in the case of certain qualities of herrings, importations 

 take place into Norway, while Sweden imports largely ; and it is possible 

 that by careful consideration of the requirements of the markets in these 

 countries at various times of the year and the exercise of a little enter- 

 prise, a trade might be opened up for Scotch herrings. For instance, 

 H.B.M. Consul at Christiania, states that in the larger towns of Norway, 

 such as Christiania, Dutch spring herrings, imported in small kegs, are 

 considered great delicacies and fetch a high price, and he suggests that 

 the herrings prepared specially at Wick for the Russian market could be 

 sold in these Norwegian towns. There is no duty on the importation of 

 fish into Norway. 



So also in Sweden large importations of Norwegian herrings take place 

 and smaller importations of Dutch herrings, but all attempts hitherto 

 made to introduce Scotch herrings have failed, the reason assigned being 

 that in comparison with the Norwegian fish they prove to be of inferior 

 quality and higher in price. 



In 1886 Sweden imported 12,714 tons of salted herrings, of the value 

 3f £102,421, from Norway; 1112 tons, of the value of £13,897, from 

 Denmark ; and 17 tons of the value of £216, from Great Britain. 



13. Switzerland. — The trade in cured herrings, most of which come from 

 Germany and Holland, is very small. The Report from Lausanne states 

 that Scotch merchants could only compete with the French exporters in 

 that part of Switzerland if they are able to supply smoked herrings in 

 small barrels, containing 126 herrings at the price of something under 

 40 francs per eight barrels. The appointment of two agents, one for 

 French Switzerland and the other for German Switzerland is recommended. 



C. Germany, Russia, and Austria. 



The Reports dealt with above refer almost entirely to those countries 

 which do not at present import much or any Scotch herrings; they 

 have, therefore, chiefly a prospective interest, so far as it is possible to 

 open up new markets. It is very different, however, in the case of 

 Russia and Germany, which are the great consumers, and hence it is of 



