OUR HERITAGE-THE SEA

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1993, 31 January 1907, Page 3

OUR HERITAGE-THE SEA

In his new hook, “Our Heritage—the Sea,” Air. Billion attempts to compress within the narrow limits demanded by the hard-pressed reader, a comprehensive account of tho various aspects of our heritage of the sea. He enters upon tho task fully realising the difficulty of dealing with such a vast subject in one book, free from technicalities, and attractive enough to gain public attention. Air. Bullen in his introduction, deplores tho apathy of the majority of people towards this most important subject, and contrasts it with the enormous amount of attention upon sport. He considers it of especial importance to Great Britain that its peoplo should realise how much the sea counts as a factor in the prosperity of the Empire, and ho riglily thinks that a knowledge of the ocean’s functions ill connection with the great natural forces should be more fully understood by every man who makes any pretence to intelligence and education. The first aspect of the ocean dealt with is the part it plays as reservoir of health, and in the dissemination <pf vital force all over the world. This brings under review the winds and curents of the ocean, and Air. Bullen not only discusses the scientific aspects of these natural forces without employing technical phraseology, but he describes in detail tho groat ocean currents, tides arid trade winds, and indicates their influence upon riavigatioii. The climate conditions ot all countries are affected by the ocean and this leads to some interesting comments upon many lands. Air. Bullen, in several chapters ot the book, expresses his ardent love for New Zealand . “I feel constrained to say,” he remarks in one passage, “that ,much as I love this dear Motherland of ours, of all other lands beneath the sun that I would choose to live in New Zealand is the hrst. In many ways it is to be preferred before England. Beautiful as is the climate of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, and South Wales, due as I have pointed out, to the benevolence ot the sea, their sweetness cannot compare with the superlative qualities of the North Island of New Zealand, which I shall always maintain possesses the most perfect -climate m the world.” The “Ocean as a Source ot Food Supply” furnishes the text tor a dissertation on the finny inhabitants of the deep, and the great fishing industry. Air. Bullen values very hi gill v the coastal fishing grounds of New 'Zealand. “If it were necessary, he says, “I really believe that New Zealand alone could supply the world with fish, not, as in the case of the banks of Newfoundland, of one sort alone, or as with us, where the only fish we get in such amazing numbers are the herring tribes and mackerel, but of so many varieties, all of; such high quality that the enumeration ot them is quite bewildering. Two varieties of fish are found in Now Zealand waters which I urnily believe will successfully challenge all other fish in the world for supremacy in point ot flavor . They are ‘the trumpeter and the ‘frost fish,’ to give them thentrivial names, which are the only ones I know them by.” The author further says of New Zealand, ‘lt is undoubtedly the sea-fisherman s • paradise. If I were asked tho question, which is so * often put by one sailoi to another, ‘Which is the best port you have ever been in tor fishing. I should answer Auck- ‘ jd r . Bullen reviews concisely the history of navigation, from the primitive excursions on log canoes to tlio glories of the great modem liner, xxe also depicts the sea aS a battlefield, and concludes his--most interesting and instructive book with a chapter devoted to the subject: ‘ What the Ocean Means to Great Britain. Upon this theme Mr. Bullen grows specially enthusiastic, and his cogent arguments should do much to convince those who have less knowledge