17 G 
RETORT—1854. 
Herring Fishery averages of Wick District. 
Letter to John Cleyhom, Esq. 
Office for the Fisheries, 
Wick, 2nd July, 1855. 
Sir, —As desired in your note of to-day, I bog to give you the Herring 
Fishery averages of Wick District for the seven years ending 1854, in juxta¬ 
position with those for the seven years ending 1824 (the earliest year thus 
embraced being the first in which the records of this Office exhibit the num¬ 
ber of boats employed). 
In regard to the netting by which the averages of those periods respect¬ 
ively were obtained, I find that the average size of a boat’s train in the years 
1818-24 was about one-half of the average size of that in the years 184H-54. 
As you are anxious to have this information with the least possible delay, 
it is fortunate that, your paper on the “Fluctuations in the Herring Fisheries" 
had induced me, with the view of acquainting myself as thoroughly as pos¬ 
sible with the history of the fishery of this important district, to make the 
necessary investigation and calculations previously. 
I am, Sir, your most obedient Servant, 
W. Russell. 
Wick District Fishery Averages referred to. 
Year. 
Number of 
bou», 
Average per 
bout. 
Year. 
Number of 
boats. 
Average per 
boat. 
1818 
482 
Crana. 
13G 
1818 
822 
Crans. 
131 
1819 
009 
133 
1849 
800 
160 
1820 
601 
148 
1850 
804 
121 
1821 
595 
123 
1851 
1000 
130} 
1822 
595 
91 
1852 
1020 
91} 
1823 
555 
123 
1853 
1002 
134 
1824 
625 
123} 
1854 
936 
115 
