The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-12-02
EDITORIAL ARTICLES.

From the Daily Pacific Commercial Adoertiser.)
The international Fisheries Exhibition,
which is to be opened in London in May
next, promises to be n very interesting
affair. 1t need hardly be said that so ex-
tensive and costly a gathering of objects
connected with one special form of human
industry, has not been undertaken without
some definite practical purposes being held
in view by its promoters. Nothing could
more clearly show the Importance which is
attached in England to the maintenance
and development of the national fisheries
than the design of this great undertaking,
and the array of names which we find on
the list of its promoters. The work was re-
cognized at once as a national one, and the
responses which have been received by the
Exhibition Commissioners to the invita-
lions they addressed to the Governments of
other nations to take part in the matter
prove how deep and widespread is the in
terest which attaches to it.
If the design of the Exhibition as set
forth in the published prospectus be fully
carried out, the resulting collection will be
extremely complete and full of interest to
the idlest visitor, however, little he may
care about the practical objects which it's
|. promoters have in their minds. The first
class of exhibits will be those which relate
to the actual work Of fishing. Sea fishing
and fresh water fishing will each have their
appropriate illustration. In this respect
the word "fishing" is used by the Com
missioners in its fullest popular sense so as
to include the capture of a lobster and the
dredging for oysters; fish being taken to
include all that is commonly spoken of I'M
der the name of shell-fish. An important
part of his department of the Exhibition,
will be taken up by models of vessels spe-
cially adapted for fishing purposes, and of
the various appliances with which they are
fitted. There is also to be placed in the Elk
hibition all sorts of appliances fer pro-
tecting the lives and vessels of fishermen,
from the ordinary life-boat to methods of
breaking the force of the sea at the entrance
of harbors and elsewhere. The exhibits of
tine last named class will have special in
terest for us. Numerous articles, some
original, some quoted from foreign papers
nave appeared i'm our columns on the
subject of protecting the numerous eX-
posed landings on our coasts by diffusing
oil on the surface of the waters. Recent ex-
periments made in Great Britain have led
to the belief that this long known artifice
may be turned to practical use on an extern
sive scale, and it is not improbable that the
competition among inventors which this
great exhibition is likely TO incite, may
produce fTfNs something which we can APP
ply to the circumstances of some of our own
more troublesome harbors, with great
benefit to all who are obliged to use them.
The second class of exhibits will be those
which relate to the economic condition of
The fhfrI will inn111A oil fla
methods by which the products of the fish
cries are turned to account commercially.
The preparation, preservation and utlliZa-
ton of fish, its transport and sale, come un-
der this head. We note that one division
is appropriated to s'models of fish markets."
Perhaps Honolulu might get a useful hint
on this subject. The other departments are
to be devoted to Fish Culture; the natural
history of fish and of their food; the history
and literature of fishing, fishing laws and
of in fish. Finally, a series of
prizes is to be given for essays on various
subjects connected with fisheries, fish Gull
ture and utilization, and the laws relating
to these subjects. The most interesting of
all the subjects named for these essays is
one for which only a minor prize is pro-
vided-"On the currents, temperatures and
other physical conditions of the sea in rela-
tion to the reproduction, growth and mi
grafton of fish"
We are glad that our own Government
has consented to- take a part in this import
ant and interesting exhibition. There can
be no doubt that much may yet be done to
improve the methods of fishing in vogue
here, and to render the supply of fish more
varied, more constant and less dear than
it has been of late. We note that the Agri-
cultural Society in framing its rules added
Pisciculture to the subjects originally en-
bTaced in the list of objects it desires to pro-
mote. Society might do well to go a
little farther, and see whether it cannot do
something to induce a better state of things
in our fishing industry generally. there is
cost, and he will be public 20 she hno& to hi
succeeds in putting matte'"theb VIII
dition, so that fish mas ans in a better con
cheap again. -rst night t.e plentiful an
dat she had rio