Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-04-02
EUROPE DEPENDENT ON FISH
Ono Of the Causes Of Scarcity Of
Food.

EUhOPE DEfENpEN YIN Fioh
Ono Of the Causes Of Scarcity OF
Food.
One of the most important and
hitherto u~ndiscussed elements Of the
famine which has become a bitterly
significant phase Of the war, and
which, according to innumerable re-
ports, Is growing steadily in various
countries Of Europe. is brought clearly
to the attention Of Americans by Will
liam Joseph Showalter in a commune
cation to the National Geographic So
ciety, concerning the war and the
North sea fisheries. Discussing
Europe's endangered fish supply, this
writer says:
Figuring in the dispatches now only
because Of its war zones, its mined
areas, it's hostile fleets, and its heavily
defended shores, the North sea, in a
few months, has been transformed
from one Of the richest food-produc-
ing areas in Christendom into q region
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 yeas ever has given to human
ity such rich supplies Of food as this
narrow strait separating Albion from
the continent of Europe. During the
year previous to the present war, a
million and a quarter tons Of fish were
taken here, enough to fill a procession
Of fish trucks reaching across the
United States from New York to San
Francisco via New Orleans.
Just how serious this food short
age caused by wars embargo Of
peaceful effort in the North sea Is, and
may become, we in America, for whom
fish forms such a minor part Of the
daily diet, can comprehend only with
difficulty.
Europe has depended very much on
these fisheries for fish supplies. More
than half of all the fish produced in all
the waters Of Europe are caught with
In the limited territory that consti-
tutes the North sea fishing grounds.
How much they are depended upon is
shown by the fact that Great Britain
annually absorbs 1000, 900, 900 pounds
Of North sea fish; that means %
pounds per capita. And while this is
small in proportion to her per capita
meat consumption Of 11s pounds, yet
1t Is that margin which represents the
difference between a bounteous plenty
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 depend
ence Of the north countries, France,
Austria Hungary and Russia is even
greater" according to this writer who
explains that investigation reveals the
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 meat consumer Of
Europe, with respective per capita
consumptions of 119 and 113 pounds.
France has a per capita consumption
Of so pounds, Belgium 10, Austria
Hungary "a, and Russia so.
Moreover, a closed North sea has
thrown out Of work a hundred thou
sand Englishmen who manned the
stream trawl, the drafter and thes 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
made for future supplies Of dried and
warning nations had considerable
quantities Of preserved fish on hand
at the outbreak Of the war. The vast
proportion Of fish consumed in Europe
is salt fish. and 1t forms the mainstay
Of the larders Of the poor. But for the
salt herring, there are thousands Of
families in England and on the con-
tinent who would very rarely know the
taste Of fish.
"Grimsby is the fishing capital Of
the world. with an annual output Of
perhaps 300, 900 tons Of fish. More
than 600 steam trawlers operate from
this port in time Of peace, and a
special harbor has been built for the
fish trade, including an outer basin Of
IL acres and an inner basin Of 15
acres, and two dry docks. And Bill
lingsgate is the worlds greatest mid
dleman's fish market, handling the
more than one million and a half
pounds Of fish that is consumed every
day by London in normal times.
America need fear no North sea dill
emma in connection with its W high
sea fishing banks, because, thanks to
the great American originated system
Of fish culture, we are able to go on
drawing a large part Of our fish diet
from u inland streams and lakes"