The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-04-15
EUROPE Iq:PENDENT on FISH.
One of the Causes of scarcity OF
Food.

One OF the most important and
hitherto undiscussed elements Of the
famine which has become bitterly
significant phase of the war, and
which, according 10 innumerable re-
ports. is growing steadily in various
countries of Europe. is brought clear
ly to the attention of Americans by
William Joseph Showalter in a COM
munication to the National Geograph-
ic society concerning the war and the
North sea fisheries. Discussing Eu-
ropes endangered fish supply. this
writer says:
Figuring in the dispatches now on
ly because of its war zones, its mined
areas. its hostile fleets, and its heavi-
ly defended shores, the North sea. in
few months. has been transformed
from one of the richest food-produc-
ing areas in Christendom into a re-
gion upon whose mastery may depend
the starvation of one or the other Of
two of the mightiest nations of the
earth. In times of peace no other
like area in, all the seas ever has Civ
en- to humanity such rich supplies Of
food as this narrow strait separating
Albion from the continent of Eu-
rope. During the year previous to
the present war, a million and quar-
ter tons of fish were taken here,
enough to fill a procession Of fish
trucks reaching across the United
States from New, York to San Fran
cisco via New Orleans.
Just how serious this food short
age caused by the wars embargo Of
peaceful effort in the North sea is.
and MAJ become, we in America, for
whom fish forms such minor part
of the daily diet. can comprehend on
ly with difficulty.
Europe has depended very much
on these fisheries for fish supplies.
More than half of all the fish produc-
ed in all the waters Of Europe are
caught. within the limited territory
that constitutes the North sea fish
ing grounds. How much they are de-
pended upon is shown by the fact that
Great Britain annually absorbs l.
600, 100000 pounds of North sea
fish; that means ,22 pounds per capi-
ia. And while this is small in pro-
portion to her per capita meat con-
sumption of 119 pounds, yet 1t is
that margin which represents the
difference between bounteous plen-
ty and positive hunger unless other
foods can be secured to- take its
place.
"Germany's dependence upon
North sea fish production IS much the
same as Great Britain's, while the
dependence of the north countries,
France, Austria-Hungary and Russia
is even greater" according to this
writer who explains that investiga-
ton reveals that fact that as meat
becomes less and less important in
a nations dietry. fish becomes more
and more important. Great Britain
and Germany are shown to be the
great consumers of Europe, with re-
spective per capita consumptions OF
ll9 and 113 pounds. France has a
per capita consumption of so pounds,
Belgium 70, Austria Hungary GA, and
Russia so.
Moreover, a closed North sea has
thrown out of work a hundred thou
sand Englishmen who manned the
steam trawl, the drafter and the sail
ing boat, together with tens of thou
sands of German, Dutch. Danish
Scandinavian, Belgian and French
fisherfolk. While all supplies of
fresh fish are dwindling to negligible
amounts and while little provision is
being maze LOT lulule SuPplioS vi
dried and salt fish, it is to be- pre-
sumed that warning nations had con-
siderable quantities of preserved fish
on hand at the outbreak of the war:
The vast proportion of fish consumed
in Europe is salt fish, and it forms
the mainstay of the larders of the
poor. But for the salt herring. there
are thousands of families in England
and on the continent who would very
rarely know the taste of fish.
"Grimsby is the fishing capital OF
the world. with an annual output of
perhaps 100000 tons of fish. More
than 600 steam trawlers operate from
this port in time of peace, and spe-
cial harbor has been built for the
fish trade. including an outer basin
of - acres and an inner basin of
Is acres, and two dry docks. And
Billingsgate is the worlds greatest
middleman's fish market, handling
the more than one million and a half