Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from W.S. Green
Title
Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from W.S. Green
Creator
Date
Identifier
GFF 9/42
Description
Two handwritten letters from W.S Green to Professor George F. Fitzgerald and an advertisement and letter form the Gloucester Net and Twine Company. Dated November 20th, 1888.
[Letter 1]
The writer responds to concerns about American schooners fishing mackerel in local waters due to the decline of their own fishery. While wary of potential harm, he notes that local spring mackerel don’t school on the surface like American summer mackerel, making purse seining less effective. Drifters (gill nets) are more successful here, and baiting the water likely wouldn’t work, meaning the schooners could often be idle.
4pp.
Transcription:
My dear Sir,
Yours the 26th to hand.
I am not surprised at all that owing to the American Mackerel fishery having deteriorated so much, the Schooners should think of coming over here. You ask me what i think of it & - here goes As American Savants consider that purse seining has injured the American fishery i should be very jealous of their doing us any harm over here.
That is our point of view, However there is the other side which I will now consider. So far as I know the spring mackerel do not school on the surface i.e visibly to anything like the extent that the Summer Mackerel do on the American Coast, and many heavy nights fishing is done by our drifters (gill nets you we call them) Where the fish are not seen on the surface at all. Your schooners would often be idle & as our spring mackerel don't take bait it is quite possible that plan of baiting the water would not work. Of course the mackerel do sometimes shoal on the surface to a great extent, but a boat, depending on finding them doing so, would, as I have said, then be useless.
{an advertisement for the Gloucester Net and Twine Co. from 1888, along with various information and a handwritten note}
The writer notes from the newspapers that the Penrose Seiners plan to fish in Ireland next spring and asks for the recipient’s opinion on this idea.
1pp.
Transcription:
My dear Sir,
I observe by the [Swanstown?] papers, that the Penrose Seiners would like to go to Ireland, next spring.
What do you think of it?
[Letter 2]
W.S. Green writes to Fitzgerald about concerns that American fishermen will use purse seines in Irish waters, which Americans themselves admit damaged their own fisheries. He asks whether to publicise this issue through the press or their book and wonders if he should submit the part of his report on American mackerel fishing now as a preliminary report to warn about the danger.
3pp.
Transcription:
My dear Fitzgerald,
I received the enclosed today from a friend I made while in Boston. I am writing to discuss the interference that I feel sure that the Americans will use over foreign seines and to enable them to fish with tortured waters they will be under of their masters & crews. As it is acknowledged by the Americans themselves that by the best of their belief pure living has destroyed their fishery, I think some action should be taken to protect the fishery against further danger. There may not be a true
bill against the present scheme at at, but as all the further documents of America have decided that there is, we have legislated accordingly. The matter seems of great importance. My Report can't be ready for some little time yet, so I want you to advise. Should I shall do from a R.D. Sounds point of view. Shall I address a note to the Daily news on this subject alone put for publicity or put in a newspaper letter on in our book.
Sincerely yours,
W.S. Green
The only difficulty to prevent that Americans arranging an advantageous plan to work them as Irish. A angry the danger is imminent
I have the portion of my report describing the American Mackerel fishery complete. Ought to make a fair copy. Do you think it would be well for me to send it in as a preliminary report and have it published at once.
W.S.G.
[Letter 1]
The writer responds to concerns about American schooners fishing mackerel in local waters due to the decline of their own fishery. While wary of potential harm, he notes that local spring mackerel don’t school on the surface like American summer mackerel, making purse seining less effective. Drifters (gill nets) are more successful here, and baiting the water likely wouldn’t work, meaning the schooners could often be idle.
4pp.
Transcription:
My dear Sir,
Yours the 26th to hand.
I am not surprised at all that owing to the American Mackerel fishery having deteriorated so much, the Schooners should think of coming over here. You ask me what i think of it & - here goes As American Savants consider that purse seining has injured the American fishery i should be very jealous of their doing us any harm over here.
That is our point of view, However there is the other side which I will now consider. So far as I know the spring mackerel do not school on the surface i.e visibly to anything like the extent that the Summer Mackerel do on the American Coast, and many heavy nights fishing is done by our drifters (gill nets you we call them) Where the fish are not seen on the surface at all. Your schooners would often be idle & as our spring mackerel don't take bait it is quite possible that plan of baiting the water would not work. Of course the mackerel do sometimes shoal on the surface to a great extent, but a boat, depending on finding them doing so, would, as I have said, then be useless.
{an advertisement for the Gloucester Net and Twine Co. from 1888, along with various information and a handwritten note}
The writer notes from the newspapers that the Penrose Seiners plan to fish in Ireland next spring and asks for the recipient’s opinion on this idea.
1pp.
Transcription:
My dear Sir,
I observe by the [Swanstown?] papers, that the Penrose Seiners would like to go to Ireland, next spring.
What do you think of it?
[Letter 2]
W.S. Green writes to Fitzgerald about concerns that American fishermen will use purse seines in Irish waters, which Americans themselves admit damaged their own fisheries. He asks whether to publicise this issue through the press or their book and wonders if he should submit the part of his report on American mackerel fishing now as a preliminary report to warn about the danger.
3pp.
Transcription:
My dear Fitzgerald,
I received the enclosed today from a friend I made while in Boston. I am writing to discuss the interference that I feel sure that the Americans will use over foreign seines and to enable them to fish with tortured waters they will be under of their masters & crews. As it is acknowledged by the Americans themselves that by the best of their belief pure living has destroyed their fishery, I think some action should be taken to protect the fishery against further danger. There may not be a true
bill against the present scheme at at, but as all the further documents of America have decided that there is, we have legislated accordingly. The matter seems of great importance. My Report can't be ready for some little time yet, so I want you to advise. Should I shall do from a R.D. Sounds point of view. Shall I address a note to the Daily news on this subject alone put for publicity or put in a newspaper letter on in our book.
Sincerely yours,
W.S. Green
The only difficulty to prevent that Americans arranging an advantageous plan to work them as Irish. A angry the danger is imminent
I have the portion of my report describing the American Mackerel fishery complete. Ought to make a fair copy. Do you think it would be well for me to send it in as a preliminary report and have it published at once.
W.S.G.
Source
RDS Library & Archives GFF collection of letters
Contributor
Rights
Copyright RDS Library & Archives. Publication, transmission or display is prohibited without formal written approval of the RDS Library & Archives.
Relation
RDS Science Archive
Format
Manuscript
Language
English
Type
Coverage
1870-1901
Collection
Citation
Green, W.S., “Letter to George F. Fitzgerald from W.S. Green,” RDS Digital Archive, accessed December 5, 2025, https://digitalarchive.rds.ie/items/show/2356.