lii 



Fourth Annual Report of the 



Particiiiars of Table V. Appendix A, shows the total number of barrels of white 

 Exported. herrings exported from Scotland last year; distinguishing the 



export to Ireland, to the Continent, and to places out of Europe ; 



and distinguishing also herrings cured gutted from herrings cured 



ungutted, and herrings bung-packed from herrings repacked. To 

 riacesto wiiich this table is appended a supplementary note showing the ports or 

 Exported. places on the Continent to which the herrings were exported ; and 



the total quantities exported. 



Yearly totals 

 of Herrings, 

 1809-1885. 



Table VL Appendix A, gives an abstract of the total quantity 

 of white herrings cured, branded, and exported, year by year, in so 

 far as brought under tlie cognizance of the fishery officers, from 1st 

 June 1809 to 31st December 1885 ; distinguishing the export to 

 Ireland, to the Continent, and to places out of Europe. 



Eiissian Duty 

 on cured 

 Herrings 

 increased and 

 proposal to 

 raise Grerman 

 Duty. 



Prosperity of 



Scottish 



Herring 



Fishery largely 



dependent on 



Continental 



demand 



for cured 



Henings. 



Numlier of 



Barrels 



Exported. 



Injurious effect 

 of increased 

 Duties. 



Action taken 

 by Board. 



EussiAN AND Gee:max Import Duties on Cubed Herrings.! .i 



In the month* of February last year the Board were informed 

 that it had been proposed to increase the import duties in Eussia 

 and Germany on salted herrings from this country, and, on inquiry 

 being made, it was found that an increased duty had already been 

 imposed by the Eussian Government. The prosperity of the 

 Scottish herring fishery is very largely dependent on the demand 

 for cured herrings on the Continent. The last returns which the 

 Board had collected, when this matter was being inquired into, 

 showed that the gross export of cured herrings from Scotland bo 

 the Continent, amounted in the year 1883 to 863,644|- barrels, 

 being about two-thirds of the whole of the herrings which were 

 cured in Scotland. Of these barrels there were sent to Eussian 

 Ports 11 2,76 2| or fully one-eighth of the gross exports, while in 

 addition it was understood that about 300,000 more were forwarded 

 to Eussia through Germany. 750,128^ barrels were sent to Germany 

 direct, and 753^ to other places on the Continent, making the gross 

 import from Scotland to the Continent, as already stated, to be 

 863,644J barrels. The former import duty on salted herrings to 

 Eussia was about 4s. 8d. per barrel. It is now about 7s. or one- 

 half more. The Board were very strongly impressed with the 

 injurious effect which such an increased duty was likely to have 

 upon the prosperity of the fishing industry of Scotland, which it 

 may be again stated gives employment to about 50,000 fishermen 

 and boys, and to about the same number of other persons who arei 

 occupied in curing the fish and making herring barrels, &c. ; while; 

 the number of boats engaged is about 15,500. Further, as showing' 

 the great importance with which this action on the part of Eussia 

 was viewed by the trade, deputations from the principal fishings 

 centres in Scotland waited upon the Board, and urged that Her' 

 Majesty's Government should be asked to endeavour to get the 

 additional duty repealed or at least modified. The Board brought 

 the whole subject under the notice of the Secretary of State for the 

 Home Department, and at his instance the Sb'^retary of State for 

 the Foreign Department, instructed Sir Edward Thornton, Her 



