The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-05-26 00:00:00

THE FISHERIES EXHIBITION.

Up to the present there is no sign of a falling-off in
the number of visitors to the International Ysheries
Exhibition at South Kensington. The official record
shows that in the course of the week 132,941 persons
entered the building. On Saturday the number of
visitors was 16,730.

The whole of the fishermen brought to London to
attend the opening of the Great International Fish-
eries Exhibition have returned to their homes.
They were astonished at the public interest mani-
fested in them on all sides, and their gratitude
for the special marks of attention shown to them
by the Queen in inviting them to Windsor, and by
the Prince and Princess of Wales in receiving them
at Marlborough House, knew no bounds. Before
leaving the fishermen presented a bouquet of choice
flowers to her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales,
in response to which token of loyalty the subjoined
letter has been received by Mr. W. R. Buck, secre-
tary of the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners'
Society, in charge of the 400 representatives during
their stay.
"Marlborough House, May 19, 1883.

"Dear Sir—l am directed by her Royal High-
ness the Princess of Wales to inform you that it
has given her Royal Highness great pleasure to
receive the beautiful bouquet which the fisher-
men of the United Kingdom who had come to
London for the opening of the International
Fisheries Exhibition have presented to her, as a token
of loyal attachment to the Royal Family, and which
was brought here by a deputation of three of their
number, accompanied by yourself. The Princess of
Wales fully appreciates the kind feelings which have
prompted the offer of this present, and her Royal
Highness requests you to convey the expression of her
beat thanks to the donors.—l am, &c.,
Signed "M. HOLZMANN, Private Secretary,"

The departments in which the ornamental products
of the fisheries are illustrated have received many
additions since the day of opening. In the entrance
hail, near the pretty model of fishing smacks at sea,
lent by her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, are
two oases displaying the treasures yielded by the oyster
and other pearl tioheries. One of these, set out by the
Goldsmith and Silversmiths'- Company of Tiegent-
street, London, along with black and coloured Oriental
pearls, contains three Scotch pearls, valued at £4O.
In the other case Messrs. Les File Oulman et Cie., of
Paris, display specimens of shells with pearl and mother-
of-pearl in formation. Another division in which the
artistic purposes served by sea-shells appear is in the
large western annexe, where many pretty things made
from the takes of the corallari in the Mediterranean are
shown in the Italian section. Here, also, are beau-
tiful cameos from Rome. In the same building are
specimens of shell-carvings and shell•made ornaments
shown by several English exhibitors, and between is
a valuable collection from the Bahamas, in which will
be seen some fine pink pearls made into ornaments of
various kinds for Mr. Adderley, the Commissioner for
the islands, by Messrs. Fraser and Haws, of London.
Before turning to exhibits in the British sea-fisheries
department, it will be of interest to note that the
building allotted to Spain has been filled with a collec-
tion which, without re-duplication, represents nearly
all phases of the Spanish fisheries. With the exception
of the Russian and one or two minor• collections, it
may be said that all departments of the exhibition are
now complete.

The long southern arcade, containing exhibits bear.
ing upon the fisheries of the British coasts, provides an
abundant, almost bewildering variety of illustrations
of vessels and boats, fishing apparatus and gear, and
materials, both as these things are now made and as it
is suggested they might be better made, either for in-
dustrial purposes or to increase the comfort of those who
occasionally take to fishing on our coasts or on our
rivers and lakes merely for sport. For the latter
class there are luxuriously fitted punts, portable boats
and canoes, to be carried without inconvenience on
distant expeditions, and many contrivances which
prove the fertility of inventive ingenuity in this
age. For an example, attention may be drawn to
some models of small craft suitable for shallow inland
water like the Norfolk Broads, where enthusiastic
fishermen talk of the weight of bream they have
taken by the stone and not by the pound. Here there
is a sailing boat, shown by Mr. John Loynes, of
Norwich, not too large to be rowed when the wind
fails, and of which the masts can be lowered for pass-
ing under a bridge. Of course the novelty is in the
the particular arrangement by which the lowering of
the mast may be easily and quickly done, and this
arrangement further admits of a change of rig. How
readily the awning used by day can be fastened
down so as to make a comfortable sleeping
cabin in the boat, how bedding and blankets
are stowed away unseen ; how tables are put
up when they are required, and disappear or
serve other purposes when they are done with;
how the centre.board is fitted, and how the
rudder may be unshipped by a novel device, it would
be difficult to explain without diagrams or the model
at hand, but those who have tried a cruise in one of
these little craft on the broads declare that there is no
more comfortable water-home to be had for a week's
holiday. To another style of boat, a seven ton yacht
drawing but 2ft. of water, this builder has with a
movable top to the snug little cabin contrived to pro.
vide 41t. 6in. of head room. The additional height
above the deck will not interfere with the handiness
of the vessel.