MK. T. SOUTUWKLL ON THE HERRING FISHERY. 
379 
lishernicn and boat-owners all these things are a sealed book. 
Dr. Stirling concludes his article as follows, and I trust that we 
may some day recognise the truth of his remarks and benefit by 
them. “ We want,” says Dr. Stirling, “more and more to see the 
application of scientific methods to the development and improve- 
ment of our great commercial enterprise.s. It is astonishing how 
for centuries the same methods have obtained in the fishing 
industry ; hut let us hope that wo have entered upon a new and 
})rospcrous ])hase of the great i)rohlem. We must look more and 
more to scientific [)iogress to point the way in which, and to 
afford the means by wliich, improvements are to he effected.” 
It is sincerely to he regretted that, owing to the want of fore- 
sight on helialf of the authorities, it is oidy in the northern 
division of the kingdom that Dr. Stirling’s hoi)c is at all likely to 
he realised. It was admitted at the Conference that, owing to the 
high rates of railway carriage, llai blocks were not worth catching, 
and that “thousands of tons” of these fisli, and Whitings, were 
thrown into the sea every year. Mr. Maconochie also said that 
“on the night of the Ihth July, 1884, he .saw one thousand tons 
of Herrings thrown into the sea, because the catchers refused to 
jiay the extortionate rates charged by the railway comjiany.” Yet 
the only remedy which these “practical men” could suggest to 
obviate this fearful w<rste was the lowering of the rates of carriage 
by the railway companies. 2sot a Avord is said with regard to 
utilising in any Avay the thousands of tons of fish which are 
annually destroyed, or carted upon the land as manure. One feels 
inclined to ask what became of the fish fifty years ago, or have 
the railways really created the industry Avhicli they are said to 
oppress so terribly, and if so, how is it that it has developed so 
immensely under their Upas-like shade ? 
It Avill be seen by the table of returns, that the Herring Fishery 
is practically proceeding during every month in the year ; even in 
January a few fish Avere landed at Yarmouth, but the bulk of the 
Herring then in the English market Avere of SAvedish origin, and 
preserved Avith Boracic acid. These fish Avere very fine, four are 
said to have Aveighed 2 lbs. 5 ozs., and I saAv many measuring 
12i in. to the fork of the tail; but, in consetiuence of the mode 
of preserving, they are said to be utterly flavourless. They Avere 
such fish as our small-meshed nets Avould not capture, and I am 
