The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-03-05
FISH AS FOOD.
Enormous Extent of the Worlds
Consumption.
Interesting Facts About an Interesting
Subject

The necessity of finding an article of food
that is both cheap and wholesome is increas-
ing the importance of the fish product every
wear. This is q question of greater present
interest TO some other nstions than it is to
us: though the rapid increase IN our popu-
latioD, and the consequent inability OF
q large number to buy in abundance
the equally wholesome but more ex-
pensive meats, may soon render it So This
is a most favorable time for some one thor
oughly informed to make book that will
furnish the American people such knowi-
edge Of our fish industry as Mr.. Simmonds
has given the British public IN his volume
On the Commercial Product of the Sea-"
Such an array of facts as he presents can not
be otherwise than instructive, il not, indeed,
interesting.
In paris of our own and other countries
fish is almost the only article OF food. The
Chinese are such extensive fish caters that
thew must be supplied by artificial means.
and the shad nus produced are carried into all
parts OF the Empire in earthenware vessels
One-tenth of the population is supposed to
be engaged in some branch of the
fisheries. Every method of catching, in
addition TO artificial propagation, is resorted
to- They use seins, nets, baskets, lines,
cormorants, and fish by day and night by
moonlight and torchlight. and many fisher
men are professional divers. Every lake,
pond and river is more valuable than the
same area in the most fertile land. The
rivers are even staked for the benefit of the
fishermen. Early in the morning the cities
and towns are crowded with the vendors of
live fish, who have their catch III buckets OF
water, by which means they are able to re-
turn what is unsold to the pond in good con-
dition.
The high price for butchers meat is already
increasing the use of fish in Great Britain. 1t
is said that Notwithstanding the supply of
billingsgate is continually increasing, it is
not equal to the demand. With the labor
ing classes IN nearly all the great towns fish
has long been, aud is the staple article of
food. In the northern coast counties and in
most parts of Wales the salmon in season
was popular with all classes, and much of
that. not eaten while fresh, was sailed
for winter use. In the inland aud
middle counties OF England, however, the
1aboring classes scarcely know the taste of
fish. Necessity, though its lessons are Sc
we're, is teaching that country that the
wealth of food almost at Its feet must be
used. The most freQuented fishing waters
are far more prolific than is the land. Five
vessels have been known in one nights
work, covering not more than 30 acres, to
have taken IL IONS, al amount OF food equal
in weight to 30 beeves or 800 sheep. Some
of the most extensive fishing grounds are as
yet unwork ed.
The construction of railways to the fishing
ports has greatly increased the consumption
of fish. While in the days of vans drawn by
post horses only about 1000 tons year
were transported from Yarmouth to London;
after g railway was constructed nearly the
same quantity was carried every week.
The quantity now daily transported almost
exceeds belief. A station master informed
the royal commission that he had often
sent by rail 100 trucks of fish day.
the trucks containing between three and
four tons each. The interior of Scotland has
received from one town from 4 600 to 5000
tons of behring's. and 1000 tons OF other
kinds IN one week. The quantity of fish
used in the United Kingdom in a single year
Is not known; that it is very large is evident
from the fact that the total weight taken To
London alone in one year has been as high
as 49,, 600 tons. The value OF the amount
exported in 1876 was about IS 600 900.
People living in tropical countries seem to
be especially fond of dried and salted cod,
and by many it is regarded as an almost in
dispensable article of food Large qaan;i-
ties are sent to the Mediterranean countries
and to Brazil in the most distant and sparse
Iy settled parts OF which may be found the
New FouHdland cod, that had in many cases
to be carried on the backs Of mules thou
sands of miles. To the natives of the West
Indies the cod is a toothsome addition to
their vegetable diet. Il IL relished by Span
iards Portuguese Greeks, Siciliaus and
Italians. At the Cape of Good Hope fish is
to many of the poorer classes the only food,
and is used by the people generally. South
Africa exports yearly to MaurItius about
1000 tons of dried iih. worth over $125, 900.
The estimated value of the fish product oil
New England Is near 81, 50O.00 of which
Boston handles more than half.
Among the most valuable. commercially
considered. are the deep sea cod and herring
fisheries of Norway. This is the leading IN
dustry of that country, and employs between
10000 and 10000 men, and from 5000 tc
6 600 vessels. The annual yield is worth
millions of dollars The most valuable Of
these fisheries are found near the DafodeI
islands and within the Arctic circle. Ths
total catch 10 this district ranges from Is,
100000 to %, 900, 900 fish year. Besides tbs
fisheries Of Dafoden there are others of grea
value.
Iceland is well supplied with fish, espe
cially cod, and its waters are resorted to BY
the French, Belgians aud Scotch. Fortu
nateIy for the Icelanders the habits of ths
cod are such that they can attend to thell
farms in summer, and in winter give atten
ton to the fish, which, at that time remaif
near the coast. The cod caught in the win
ter and sprng are large aud fat, and have
ready sale at the trading posts. The Gum
mer catch is usually of small cod. haddocl
and halibut, which are sorted and smoked
and used at home. The lcelanders expor
from 100000 to 100000 pounds a year
and the French more than the SAM
amount, caught in Icslandic waters.
Newfoundland has almost monopoly o
the cod. The amount taken from there ant
the coasts af Labrador by Americans, French
and British subjects averages 1000, 900 hun
dred weight year, and the estimated NUN
Der offsh is about 20O. 600 600. The Frencl
mostly use the bultow," which destroy
large numbers of females near the time 0
depositing the spawn. If the cod were no
SO prolific the butow system would almos
destroy the species.
Next in Importance to the cod are tn
herring fisheries. which are extensively car
RED on by the English, Dutch, French
Scotch, Irish, Germans, Danes, Russians
Norwegi ans and Sxeeds. The herring i
found ia nearly all the markets of tn
world, and when in good condition forms
delicious and nutritious food The fisherie
in Great Britain employ about 100000 mel
feb. xuI,f oh,