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THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
Although national and international expositions that were 
exclusively devoted to fisheries have been held in several 
European countries, no special distinction has been accorded 
to fish and fisheries at the great industrial expositions com- 
monly called ‘‘ world’s fairs.”’ It is true that at some cf these 
there have been exhibits illustrative of aquatic industries, 
but the collections have usually been scattered and to some 
extent mixed with other material so that they lacked the 
character and impressiveness that they otherwise might have 
possessed. 
In all ages fishing has been the recognized ‘‘ mother of 
commerce,” and its influence upon the destinies and develop- 
ment of nations entitles it to marked consideration. It is 
specially fitting that it should receive recognition in arrang- 
ing a great international exposition in America to commem- 
orate the progress of the earth since Columbus set foot upon 
the western hemisphere, and revealed to expectant Europe 
the existence of a ‘‘ New World.” It is appropriate because 
fishing was the earliest industry of the western hemisphere, 
and, more than anything’else, served to promote the coloni- 
zation of some regions, the settlement of which might other- 
wise have been delayed for many years. The early naviga- 
tors found in the wealth of the western seas as great a motive 
for commerce and enterprise as was furnished in more recent 
years by the discovery of the gold mines of California and 
Australia. Not only merchants, but kings, princes and nobles, 
interested themselves in promoting the fisheries of the west- 
ern world. 
It is, therefore, gratifying that in developing the plan and 
scope of the Columbian Exposition a wise interpretation was 
given to the clause in the act of Congress providing for the 
