The Washington herald., 1908-02-23

cen miles from the sea, was an important
Fishing station.
In 1929 divers just exceptions against
the goodness of the pies were made by
the officers Of the royal household, who
complained that new herrings had not
been used; that they were not baked in
good and strong pastry. so as to endure
carriage; that. in place of five herrings
TO each pie. divers had but four. and that
several of the pies were much broken.
The sheriffs Of Norwich were. in con-
sequence, charged 10 take order that the
same might be amended for the future.
Cured Fish for Queen.
In 100 part Of the dried fish shipped at
Yarmouth, in the victualing of a vessel
to bring the infant Queen OF Scotland
from her Norwegian sire. were herrings,
and these OF course, were cured In the
time of Edward III, mention is mace Of
some white herrings found in vessels cap
tured by the Cinque Ports; and In the same
reign red herrings are also specified by
name. so that both sorts of curing were
| practiced before the time Of William
/ BerkelszOon, Of Biervliet. in Flanders
4 (died 1880, who has been credited with
tthe distinction of introducing them. There
seems. however no doubt that this
worthy improved the method of preserv-
ing the herring, which so extended the
trade in them that Charles Y erected a
! statue 20 his memory. and, with his
sister. visited his tomb and offered up
prayers for his soul: while Mary Of
/ Hungary. during her visits to the Low
Countries. paid more characteristics
! tribute TO his memory. namely. that Of
eating a salt herring on his tomb.
I A curious popularity IN the herring
are its colors, or markings" sometimes
/ representing written characters. which
! ignorant fishermen have considered to be
words of mystery. IN November 1857.
two herrings were taken on the coast
] of Norway. on the bodies of which were
markings resembling Gothic printed let
/ ters. These herring were presented to the
King of Norway. Frederick ii, who. be-
! ing exceedingly superstitiOus. turned pale
at sight Of this supposed prodigy. He
| imagined that the characters We're cabal-
! istic and announced his death. and that
OF the Queen. Learned men were consult
ed who pretended 10 read in the mark
ings the words Very soon you will
cease 20 fish herrings. as well as other
people" In the year following the cap
ture of the wonderful nerrings the King
died. and the people were firmly persuad-
ed that the two fishes We're celestial
messengers sent 10 announce the ap-
preaching end Of the monarch.
Dutch Regard IL Highly.
OF all modern nations, the Dutch have
special reasons for regarding the herring
with favor. for Il gave the means of pay
Ing of an enormous taxation 70 defend
a country which the sea was running, and
to be the source Of the public wealth.
Formerly the arrival Of the first herrings
was the occasion Of national festivals. a
ceremony the brilliancy Of which has
diminished with the Importance of the
/ fishery At the present time the fish
mOngers at The Hague, Amsterdam, and
/ Rotterdam content themselves with
hoisting a flag over their shops and
hanging up a crown OF leaves The
/ first herring IS always carried on a car
decorated With flags. and triumphantly
offered to the King or Queen. who gives
Ia reward Of FIVE hundred forms for the
/ present. II is not so many years ago,
in the opening days Of the fishery, that
rich Dutchman offered the fshmOngers
Of The Hague a ducat apiece for herrings
each dealer consequently made interested
sacrifices 10 be the first TO obtain the
gift of the sea.
In 1895 a fshcurer by the name OF
Bishop discovered by chance the way 10
make Yarmouth bloaters.
One night. after his workpeople had
I gone. he came upon 4 small quantity OF
prime herring that had been overlooked.
| Unwilling TO lose them, he sprinkled a
little salt over them. spitted them, and
hung them up all night In a smokehouse
I In which an oak billet was burning Next
morning he found himself famous in the
annals Of the herring trade as the happy
Ipossessor of the first Yarmouth blOaters,
the cure Of which he hencefOTth made
his special pursuit
In the same accidental way Newcastle
kppers were discovered in 1913 by John
WOodger. OF Newcastle.
Give Employment to Many.
Herring fisheries in this country are
/ very productive. and give employment to
many, although some OF the rivers once
frequented by this fish are now deserted.
This is the case with the Hudson Fish
formerly ascended it in great numbers,
the herring taking one side of the river
and shad the other. The Gulf of St.
Lawrence still abounds in herring, and
the Magdalen Islands are the seat of
great herring fisheries. These islands
are a group situate near the center of
the Gulf of St. Lawrence. about Cna
hundred miles from the nearest point of
Newfoundland and fifty-four miles north
west of Cape Breton. The islands were
given by the British government 10 Ad-
miral Sir Isaac Coffin, for distinguished
services, and were by him boqUeathed
in strict entail to his heirs
! The herrings are found in innumeTable
/ reaches in the deep inlets on the New
foundland seaboard, where the fish spawn
IN the sandy creeks, navigable only for
small boats. Here the fish are netted
then frozen IN the keen, crisp midwinter
air and put aboard the American vessels
to be conveyed 10 the market. The her
ring are used both for food and bait
purposes For the former they are sold
/ in all the cities Of the Atlantic States.
and for the latter. they go to the vessels
which fish for cod and halibut on
Georges and Southern banks during the
winter months
About 100000 barrels of herring are
taken IN Newfoundland waters every
winter. the great bulk Of which goes 10
the United States. portion Of this her
ring IS cold-stOred in Gloucester. Mass,
for bait, and il there is a big demand for
both food and bait herring in the spring:
when the supply IS getting exhausted,
it IS not unusual for shippers Of trawling
vessels TO have to pay $3.50 for twenty-five
barrels OF herring. sufficiency Of bait 10
carry them over their cruise
Some Facts About MeIOdrnma.
From the Bohemian.
The facts about melodransa are rather
sensational Take for example this one
item: A stage manager during the mast