The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-12
HEiIGioS HELfs FISH TRADE.
Fish Trade would he Dead hut for
CnthnIIc ConntrIrs.

CYRUS c. Adams in Ainsiee's.
Though mos, OF the sturdy hsherfolk
or Newfoundland are Protestants. they
derive the larger part OF their living from
the people Of Roman Catholic countries
The fact that in the course OF the year
there are many fast days. when millions
OF Roman Catholics eat little animal food
except FISH has been Godsend 10 tne
greatest fishing countries, which nave
thus been provided with certain ana reg
uiar markets FOR their hsh. II Is wei
known that the inha oitauts Of the tenn
perate zones are eating less and less sal,
fish Picked herring. twenty years ago
was landed 20 the amount Of scores .
thousands Of barrels a year az a fen
leading northern ports OF America and
Europe. Scarcely a barrel 81 this com
modify Is now to be seen in these ports
unless landed for trans-shipmcnt to the
Roman Catholics OF sub-tropicai and
tropical countries. which are buying more
salt FISH than ever a. they grow IN pop
ulation. The cod is commercially the most
important Of fishes. The only reason that
makes IL so is because saltcd cod IS an
| extremely popular article Of food In an
[ Roman Catholic countries on account OF
I ts nutrtuve quality and cheapness. Pro-
/ ttEtant countries eat comparatively little
| cod. and most OF that IS fresh instead
Of cured when the fishermen OF al
nations toss their hand dimes baited for
cod over the side OF their little vessels.
/ clean and salt the catch as they haul "a
aboard. and then. after reaching port.
expose 90 on rude platforms 70 the sun
| shine TIL u Is haky white and thoroughly
dried Il Is certain that they are working
/ for the Roman Catholic part OF the world
! We'll cured cod. 20 be sure, Is not 20
/ be disdained by any one; nevertheless hy
/ far the larger part OF u IS eaten by
| Catholics. II Is the fresh cod Of our IN
land fisheries that has supplied most OF
/ our markets. while the sailed cod Of the
| banks Is chiefly sold either IN Catholic
! countries or IN lands where that religious
| element Is large. The well-known stock
/ FISH Of commerce Is the dried cod OF Nor.
way and Sweden. ana Il is shipped At
| once for the southern parts OF Europe.
These lands Of many fast days also nuy
/ the Scottish dried cod Wells filled 2ith
salt water In the hold Of English col
vessels keep the fish alive tn q arrives
fresh In the markets. for the English eat
very few cured Goldfish Frances cod
catch is almost as large as our own. and
| her fishermen are sent thousands OF miles
TO the banks to catch and cure the great
stores Of cod which this Catholic country
requires.
| ut Is not Great Britain. but rather
Italy. spain. Portugal and Brazil that are
the largest buyers OF the cured fish which
Is the greatest resource % Newfoundland
These countries nay cash. TOO. for they
do not send Newfoundland IN commodities
I one-tenth OF the value OF the fish :heF
buy from her. Cahada's exports 20 Italy
1 in 1896 were wholly FISH: u ne Snanis D
West Indies. seven-nlnths fish: 20 Bra
Ill. over hve-siXths nsh. 10 Spain. ever
one-half fish. There Is no country In tho
world in which 50 much fish IS eat 20 as
in European Russia. ana the reason g.
because the Greek Church has many mere
fast days. and observes them more stIict-
Is than the Western Catholics The use
OF meat Is prohibited or greatly restrict
ed on nearly half the days Of the year.
and the result Is 10 give enormous I'M
portance 20 the prolific horae fisheries IN
river lake and sea. which supply $780,
600 people with FISH food