In 1429 we find the herring once more "in the news." The English
were laying siege to Orleans (later on to be relieved by Joan^of Arc). An
English contingent under Sir John Falstaff was conveying Lenten provisions,
chiefly herrings, to the beseigers when it was attacked at Rouvray by a com-
bined force of French and Scots. This engagement became known as the
"Battle of the Herrings," and it illustrates how valuable a food the herring
was considered in those days.

During the 16th and 17th centuries the Dutch were supreme in the
industry, probably owing to their discovery of a special method of preparing
herrings for salting. Certainly the British fishery declined so seriously that
various laws were passed by our government to stimulate its revival.

The Navigation Act of 1650 provided that only British-caught herrings
could be brought into the country or even carried from one port to another,
thus dealing a death blow to the Dutch who had acquired a monopoly of
the carrying trade.

In 1663 by a "Statute for the Encouragement of the North Sea
Fisheries," we find that no fresh herrings were to be imported into
England except in English-built ships.

In 1666 came yet another Act for the "Better Encouragement of the
Herring Fishery" and the importation of fresh or salt, dried or bloatered
herring caught by foreigners was prohibited.

During the 18th century there were a number of other Acts for the
encouragement of the British fisheries and various bounties were offered
to owners of fishing vessels. During the close of the 18th century and the
opening years of the 19th, herrings were caught in great abundance in the
Firth of Forth and the revival of the herring fishery, which was ultimately
to produce 500,000 barrels of herrings annually, proved of enormous help
at a time when the exorbitant price of bread was a cause of great hardship
to the people.

The humble but nutritious herring has thus played no small part in
the past affairs of the nation and can still be regarded as a fruitful source of
supply in the event of food shortage in the future.

THE HERRING AND ITS LIFE

Now for a few words about the herring itself. When you look at one
you will see how marvellously it is streamlined for speed.

The head is beautifully moulded with no distinct neck, while the snout
forms an effective water cutter. The closely fitting fins; smooth eyes carefully
adjusted so that their surfaces are level with the adjoining surfaces of
the head; closely fitting gill-covers and scales are all designed to offer
practically no resistance to forward motion. Moreover, the surface of a
herring, smooth as it is, is improved yet further by a mucous covering
designed to reduce friction to a minimum. Again the hollow curves of the
hinderpart of the body throw off the water displaced during forward motion.

The forked tail of the herring is another indication that it is built for
speed.   As a rule, fish with forked tails are capable of swimming for long