coast about the 20th August, and remains in-shore for a month; these are fat and in good condition, furnishing excellent food, and a valuable commodity for export. It is admitted, that when first caught, these "Fall Herrings" are fully equal in every respect to the best Scotch Herrings; and if they were cured in the Dutch manner, this Fishery, from the increased price, and demand, would become one of the most important and valuable Fisheries of the Gulf.

The Herring is the animal delicacy of Holland, and there enjoys a very different reputation, from that of the common salt Herring of Britain or America; yet the fish of both Holland and Britain are the same, being caught on the same fishing grounds, and those of North America are in no respect inferior.

The Dutch mode of curing Herrings is thus described by Mr. Chambers, in his "Tour in Holland in 1838." "Immediately on being caught, the Herrings are bled, gutted, cleaned, salted, and barrelled. The bleeding is effected by cutting them across the back of the neck, and then hanging them up for a few seconds by the tail. By being thus relieved of the blood, the fish retain a certain sweetness of flavour, and delicacy of flesh which unbled Herrings cannot possibly possess. The rapidity of the process of curing, must likewise aid in preserving the native delicacy of the animal, for the Herring lies salted in the barrel, in a very few minutes after it has been swimming in the water. I was assured that the superiority of the Dutch Herrings is solely ascribable to this mode of curing."

The greater mercantile value of the Dutch Herrings, on the Continent of Europe, being found to arise solely from this mode of curing, the Commissioners of the British Fisheries (in Scotland) were induced to devote great attention to it, and to urge its general adoption by every means in their power. Their officers and inspectors were directed to brand every barrel of Herring, cured according to the Dutch mode, with the figure of the Crown. In their official Report for 1844, the Commissioners state that—" the unprecedented demand from the Continent for Crown brand Herrings, is a sufficient proof of the care with which the integrity of the brand is preserved, as well as of the high value which is set upon it, in all the Continental markets. It was the strong conviction impressed upon the minds of the Commissioners, of the vital importance of preserving the integrity of the brand, which compelled them to exercise the painful duty of dismissing from the service, one of the Board's oldest officers. As he had branded a cargo of

Herrings, which afterwards went to Hamburg, where they were complained of, as having been found unworthy of the brand, the Board despatched the General Inspector of the East coast to that place, in order that he might rigidly examine the contents of all the barrels; and on receiving an unfavourable report as to the result of his investigation, the officer was immediately dismissed. The effect of this prompt measure has been, to raise the character of the brand even higher in the estimation of the Foreign Fish Merchants, to whom the circumstances were generally known. It is by the preservation of the purity of the official brand, that the produce of the British Herring Fishery is to be upheld in character abroad, and the demand for it largely extended in Foreign Markets."

As a proof of the gradually increasing confidence which the Crown brand received on the Continent, the Commissioners furnish a statement of the number of barrels exported to the Continent, during the preceding seven years, commencing with 57,388 barrels in 1837, and annually increasing to 181,583 barrels in 1843.

The Commissioners further say-"An extensive export Merchant has given it as his opinion, that if great care shall be continued in the selection, cure, and official Inspection of the Fish, the Continent of Europe would consume more British Herrings than are now caught in our fisheries. Although they have to contend with all the disadvantages of a duty levied on them of ten shillings per barrel, British Herrings are now brought into competition with Belgian Fish in their own markets, and are annually diminishing the sale of Dutch Herrings, by furnishing part of the supplies in markets formerly entirely dependant on them. By this means their price has been so reduced, that the number of "busses" fitted out for the deep sea Herring Fishery, has been already considerably diminished."

In their Report for 1845, the Commissioners say "The increasing demand for British Herrings of late years in Germany, arises from their moderate price, their careful selection, their superior cure and quality, and above all, from the security which dealers have in the official brands. The general stipulation between sellers and buyers is, to deliver and receive " Crown" "aud Full " branded Herrings; and Mr. Miller, the Inspector of the East Coast, states in a Report made to the Board, of the information gathered by him during a short tour of inquiry made by order of the Commissioners, that he has the authority of a firm at Stetting

for stating, that they sold about 40,000 barrels of Crown and Full branded Herrings last year, which were every where received without objection. The Inspector found British Herrings at Berlin, Wittemberg, Leipsic, Frankfort, Cologne, and Brussels; and he saw several parcels in transit for more distant parts; the barrels were all Crown and Full branded, and the Fish were in fine condition, all well meriting the official brand, and much approved by every one. He frequently inquired for Dutch Herrings, and was uniformerly shown British Herrings as Dutch; and when he stated that they were British, they always insisted that they were Dutch, and they sold them as Dutch. So general is the use of British Herrings on the Continent, that at Embden, where, a few, years ago, fifty vessels were annually fitted out for the Fishery, and a bounty of about £50 paid to each, the number of vessels was reduced to twelve, notwithstanding the continuation of that bounty. The Inspector General learned from the British Consul at Frankfort, that the navigation of the Rhine to Mayence, or Frankfort, has not been attempted by vessels laden with British Herrings, in consequence of the jealousy of the Dutch, who throw insuperable obstacles in the way. Those Herrings which have been sent thither, were transhipped at Rotterdam, when the charges levied in Holland, proved to be almost prohibitory. But as the prospect has arisen of immediate transport by a Canal connecting the Maine with the Danube, the Catholic countries of Bavaria, Hungary, and Austria, may be expected to afford new markets for our Herrings, when the navigation of the Rhine may be attempted, or when the Railway from Antwerp to Cologne may be employed."

These extracts from official reports of the highest character, show most clearly the increased value which the Dutch mode of curing gives to British Herrings; while the careful inspection, and the rigid measures adopted to preserve the integrity of the official brand, indicate in the strongest manner, the necessity for a similar inspection in New Brunswick. At present, from the entire absence of both skill and care, one of the most prolific and most valuable Fisheries of the Gulf is rendered of the least value, and there is a complete waste of the bounties of Providence. Herrings are taken in the largest quantities, at a season when they are almost unfit to be eaten, because they are then caught with the greatest ease, and at least expense, and thousands of barrels are found of so little worth, that they are used to manure the land, or are left to rot upon the beaches.

In the autumn, when the Herrings are in fine condition, they are taken during a few weeks only, because our fishermen are quite ignorant of the proper mode of curing to render them of value, and are not aware of the manner of using drift nets in deep water, which is so successfully practised by the Herring Fishers of Loch Fyne, and other noted stations in Scotland. By a similar manner of fishing, our fishermen could continue to catch Herrings until the latest period of the fishing season, and those taken last would be of the finest quality. The mode of fishing by drift nets, is thus described by Mr. Yarrell, in his admirable work on British Fishes:

"The net is suspended by its upper edge, from the drift rope, by various shorter and smaller ropes, called buoy ropes; and considerable practicable skill is required in the arrangement, that the net may hang with the meshes square, smooth, and even, in the water, and at the proper depth; for, according to the wind, tide, situation of their food, and other causes, the Herrings swim at various distances below the surface."

"The size of the boat depends on the distances from shore at which the fishery is carried on; but whether in deep or in shallow water, the nets are only in actual use during the night. It is found that the Fish strike the nets in much great numbers when it is dark, than while it is light; the darkest nights, therefore, and those in which the surface of the water is ruffled by a breeze, are considered the most favourable. It is supposed that nets stretched in the day time alarm the Fish, and cause them to quit the place where that practice is followed; it is, therefore, strictly forbidden."

Many thousands of barrels of the inferior "Spring Herring," are taken at the Magdalen Islands every season, at the period when they approach the shores of these Islands to deposit their spawn. They are then very poor, and as but little care is taken in curing them, they often prove unfit for human food. They are caught in large seines, which require 15 or 20, and sometimes 40 men to manage them; and they are capable of enclosing, and bringing to the shore, from 200 to 1000 barrels at a single haul. When taken from these seines, it is the common practice to put them in the holds of the vessels, without washing, bleeding, or divesting them of their offal. They are salted "in bulk," as it is termed, and so they remain until the vessel arrives at the Port whence she sailed, whether in the Colonies, or in the United States. They are then taken out and packed in barrels, sweltering in all their impurity; but whole cargoes frequently prove worthless as food, and are used for dressing grass land.

The number of barrels of Herrings exported from the several Ports in the Counties of Restigouche, Gloucester, Northumberland, and Kent, during the last eight years, is thus stated:

PORTS.

1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 Totals.

9939

Totals, 179 433 335 1150 3984|1749 1753 356

A large proportion of the Herrings exported from the Miramichi, are of the description best known as the Gaspereaux or Alewife, (Clupea vernalis) which leave the Sea, and ascend most of the Rivers of the Gulf, to spawn. They are a thin, dry fish, much inferior to the Sea Herring when salted; they find a market in the West Indies, as from their leanness, they are less liable to spoil in a hot climate than the fat Herring.*

From the preceding Table it appears clearly, that beyond furnishing some portion of the food of the inhabitants of the Northern Counties of New Brunswick, the magnificent and unlimited Herring Fishery of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and Bay of Chaleur, barely furnishes a sufficient quantity for export to prevent Herrings being altogether omitted from the Returns.

Of all the Fisheries of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, none could be increased to a greater extent, or would furnish a more valuable export, than the Herring Fishery, if placed under judicious regulations, and conducted with greater skill and care. The manner of taking Herrings by drift-nets in deep water, requires to be generally known and adopted. At present, these excellent and truly valuable Fish, which exist in the Gulf in myriads, during the latter part of the season, when they are in the finest condition, are only caught in sufficient quantities to furnish bait for Cod, and a supply for domestic use.

The Dutch mode of curing also requires to be introduced, in order that the full flavour and fine quality of the Fish may be preserved. If cured according to this approved mode, and properly packed in

NOTE in 1850.-Since this Report was first published, it has been ascertained that Cuvier, and the Ameriean Naturalists, class the Alewife, not as a Herring, but as a species of Shad, and designate it Alosa vernalis.