The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1888-07-19
An Important Voyage.

nF>rIN \IioN OF TIE tLBArRosS AND WHAT
SHE Is 10 ACCOMPLISH.
NEW YORK. July 9. lSS>. On Monday. June
30, the l'ntcd States fish commission steamer
Alhat.n>> wa, preparing to leave san Francisco
on or ailout th" ith of this month for her north
crn cri~e. NHuImo is TO be her fir>t >toppin.
place. huti oi! the coast Of Humboldt county
some of the lun>trr> taken on the Atlantic side
will be placed in the Pacific waters. At Nana-
iiao The A!batrosS will take her full supply of
coai, and then 20 to Sitka. Ounalaska will
form ;i' northern and western limit of her
cruise Working after this ea>tery kodiar and
Keeping will be visited. 1t is the determination
oi what are the practicable fishing grounds for
the taking of cod and lla!ihUt which is the main
object of the United States fish commission.
There are. undoubtedly. many fishing banks
there. but some would be difficult to work prof
ilabiy, from their depth. As far a> has been
determined on Ounaa>k; there are extensive
banks. which could be iiShed to advantage. DIR.
Bean has already foun,i that the cod and hall
bat of these northwestern seas differed, i'm no
Respect from those caught III the northwestern
Atlantic But what the practical fishermen on
the Alhatross Will cnltalor to discover will he
what * the bait necessary to catch these fish
with. 1t is known that >qud exists there in
vast quantities, and the Suuid may be available
for bait CLANS. SO the san Francisco Evening
Bulletin says, are plentiful on the California
coa>t but are not common farther north. The
Albatro>> may plant ram> in waters where
they will thrive. and thus add to the supply of
edible >heli>h. The work the Albatro>S will
accomplish is an important one. for it must UNI
doubted!y lead to the future development of
dcep-sca fishing on the Pacific coast. 1t is from
the shallow seas of Alaska that the cured fish
supplies for Western SoHth America are to be
derived These fisheries must build up in time
| an important export trade. and aS there can be
no business which is not based on the spirit Of
exchange. san Francisco is likely to see her in
ports increased, providing high tariff does not
interfere. The Albatro>>, under the command
of Capt Tanner, L. ). n, has shown excellent
sailing qualities. If her equipment has b zen
perfect in Il material sense, She carries on
board 4 >tan of approved scientific and prarti-
cal ability 1t is not alone sufficient to catch Il
fish rs to determine its kind. but if it enters
into usc. is do cod OF haIibut. great deal more
than that must be learned. We want to know
not alone the exact depth Of water. but contig-
nration of the banks Besides that, the tenn
peratlirc Of the water must be ascerancu. the
character of the sea bottom, and the exact kind
of food the fish require. All the approved
methods in Use by the Gloucester fishermen
have to be tried. and even the New England
ways of caring the fish will be experimental
with. Capt. Collins of the United States fish
commission in charge of the GrampuS, must he
in San Francisco by this time, and will give the
| Albatros> expedition all the advantage of his
| scientific and practical acquaintance. The Unit
| opens new era for the fisheries of the Pacific
| side, which are well worthy cf his attention.
| An opportunity for cnhancin" the material
| wealth of Alaska and Oregon has now its be-
| ginning. There are Sci fish from the Atlantic
| YET wanting in the Pacific. The shad has al
| ready been introduced, for il is now abundant
in the California waters. The lobster has just
| been transpantci. but by some curious over
| sight nature seems to have overlooked mack
crcl on the north Pacific coast. We know that
the >conbrid;c exist rs highly esteemed idibIe
fish in japanese waters. 1t tight be the duty
! of some fish commissioner in the future to in
| troducc maekerel into the North American Pa
cfic seas. Under that better instruction which
! is to be derived from the fish commission, the
commercial value of the oolachan the fattest of
I'LL fish, will be determined, and those huge,
soft clans of the Pacific waters. which weigh
from 10 to l6 pounds may be in demand at no
| far distant slate In Eulton market.