Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-20

| day will come when dog fishes and sharks
| will be regularly seen in the American
market. conclusions reached after an ex-
| haustive investigation OF the fish industry
in the land of the rising sun.
THE japanese are hardy, ingenious.
| pabe, sober. brave and patriotic" said DR..
Smith, in discussing his observations of the
chief industry of the mikados people.
In view Of recent developments in Man
churia, Korea and along the seas, 1T is
proper to mention that the prowess of the
Japanese on land and water is due in no
small degree to the skill, bravery and loyal
ty of her fishermen. go .,
When volunteers were called for to take
vessels into Port Arthur for the purpose
of blocking the channel those who insisted
most strongly on being allowed to go to al
most certain death were the honest fisher
men,: and in every naval achievement of the
present war the fishermen in the navy
have played a prominent part.
For some reason we do not knowingly
eat sharks, and thereby miss good deal
AS some are doubtless aware, the dog
fishes, which travel in immense schools on
our east coast and are so destructive, are eX-
cellent eating when fresh canned and l
predict that the day will come when these
and other sharks will be regularly seen in
our markets.
Seated at his desk In the United States
fish commission building. DR.. Smith de-
tailed at length some of his observations
gathered from a careful study of the fish
ing industry anu learning WHEREIN
cans may profit by the ingenuity and skill
of the Japanese in catching. preserving and
cultivating fish and other water products.
Courteous officials.
The Japanese government extended every
possible aid to DIR. Smith, and made 1t pos
sible for him to acquire information and in
spect certain fisheries which would other
wise have been impossible. After travelling
upwards of 5000 miles through Japan ana
studying all important phases of the fish
ing industry DIR. Smith reached the con-
cluson that there Is no other land from
which we and other nations may learn SO
much of practical value about fishing mat
ters. He says that western nations have
little conception of the remarkable develop
ment the fishing Industry mas undergone III
Japan.
"Japan is today the leading fishing ma
ton of the world said DR.. Smith and
probably In no other country has nshlns
played a more prominent part IN ,ne is'a
terial and sentimental developments OF
neopIe A limited land area available Tor
agriculture has resulted in hsh becoming
the staple animal food; SO that II Is SAFE
TO saw that every day in the year every
Japanese family has some form of fish
food at each meal. Fishing, as conducted
by the Japanese. is more than an indus
try--it is fine art Centuries ago Wnen
the Anglo-Saxon and the Celt were living
In q state of semi barbarism the Japanese
had attained to high degree of civiiiza-
ton, and their fisheries were OF great I'M
portance Some of the available nshins
literature goes back LOCO years
oIn asserting that Japan is the leading
fishing nation l am, of course, aware that
it's fisheries are exceeded in value by those
of two or three other countries. but Japan
is pre-emnent in the actual number OF peo-
nile making a livelihood by fishing. In the
relative number of persons engaged com
pared with the total popula ton. in the rela-
tive Importance of fishing products In the
domestic economy, in the ingenuity ana
skill shown by the people in devising and
using fishing appliances and In preparing
fishing products. in the extent to which all
kinds of water products are utilized and In
the zeal displayed by the government in
promoting the interests of the fishing popu-
lation.
Interesting Figures.
Complete statistics of the Japanese fish
cries have not been published. and many
details one would like to know are inacces-