The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-09-21
The French Government and the Fisheries.

From the London Globe, September IL
Attention has been directed of late to fisheries,
and to the sale of tho produce of our fisheries in
competition with those of other countries. Asa
proof that it is not merely England and the United
States which are interested in the competition, we
may mention, that the French government lately
commissioned an officer of their navy, Captain do
Maisonneuye, to proceed to the chief ports Of the
Peninsula, there TO institute inquiries TO the
paratiye price and sale of French and Of English
cured fsb in those ports. nj. dc Masonneuve visited
Cadiz, Seville, Lisbon and Oporto, and drew up
the information which be Cleaned, in the shape OF
report This report sent TO the Minister, has been,
by his order, distributed to the Chambers of Com
merce OF each Of the maritime towns Of France,
and some Of the local journals have published it.
Captain Maisonneuve, in his calculations and
comparisons, chiefly a66uces Cadiz. as the largest
ana most important market. The English he says,
can send their dried COD to Cadiz at price Of p
rcos the quintal, whilst the French cannot bring
theirs into the same port under 10, nearly double.
But the French government makes this up By
bounty Of SO reals the 9uintal Thus, il will be
SEEM that the bounty accorded to the French tshe-
res is very nearly 100 per cent upon their cost
and $50 per cent. upon the English cost The Span
ish government charges ut present 50 reals the lGin
tal as duty, 90 that whilst the French can afford
to sell ut G- reals the qriEtal, the English are
Obliged to charge eighty.
Notwithstanding this difference in favor of the
French Of eighteen reals tho quintnl, the English
fish Is universally preferred ana considered cheaper
AT the higher price. 1t was to got at the cause, and
suEESat 1tMecy Of d state u 'Aing5, which
deis the bounty illusoTy, that the French govern
meLt despatched Captain Mssonpeuve to inquire;
ard his opinion is, that the superiority is eaicAy
owing to the greater facilities which the English
have OF diving the fish on shore, which they DO in
more perfect manner, hanging them on lines sus-
penoed In the ar, whilst tue French when they
lnnd their fish, merely spread them upon the pebbles
OF the beach. And they never proceed to 40 10
until they have caught the whole cargo This, and
the Of greater quantity Of salt by the French,
which is explained BY their tardy and insufficient
drying. are confessed by the French commissioner
10 be the great causes Of the English superiority.
This information may seem to elucidate and ex-
plain what are said 20 be the new exgencies of the
Americans, who, not contented with the expanse Of
our colonial bay being allowed them demand liberty
TO fish within three miles of the shore, and OF course
to Dry their fish upon some beach to where they
are caught These facilities aud conyenences the
want Of which, it seems, no bounty can supply, and
which can only DO procured by France and America
obtaining the liberty OF drying the fish, not merely
mote, but still distant spots, but the shores Of
Newfoundland itself. There never did exist go
vernment in England we should have thought, Of
which such demand could be made. But now, VIC
are told ouch concessions as these have been sub.
jects Of negotiation
Il must be admitted that glance at the table of
exports and imports, just published by the French
government for 1851, Is calculated greatly to alay
anything like rivalry, and 10 suggest in its stead
ideas of amity and good feeling. Thus, whilst the
French are accused Of completely destroying our
fisheries, and driving US from the market. where the
produce is sold, we find that the exports of France
10 SPAIN to Italy, and to North America, have no.
iably diminished whilst the direct commercial in
tercouyse of France with England has maryelously
increased. Thus the trade between France and Eng
land valued at l0S millions ol francs in 1917, figures
at 3!I millions in 1861
The fast is, the combined trade Of France, Ing
lond, and the United States is such az 10 connect
the three countries in a triple bond, which becomes
more aud more inttrlaoed every day, aad reduces
any Of difference TO . matter Of very small im.
loltalco, compared with The gigantic interests
gagged in the great current Of trade between .As
Cpltfies,