962 OYSTERS, AND ALL ABOUT THEM. 



No Act appears, however, to have been passed, put- 

 ting these recommendations in force, (cj 



Amongst several rare and valuable pamphlets, acts, 

 reports, and manuscripts, lent to me by a friend, for the 

 purpose of aiding my research in and information on 

 Oyster Culture, there was one brief MS., bearing so inter- 

 esting a connection with the foregoing that I venture to 

 quote it verbatim, on the plea of its serving as a very lucid 

 illustration of the subject in question, and also as an arith- 

 metical curiosity of Ostracultural Literature. It bears the 

 subscription James Tatchell, Emsworth, December ijth, 

 1833, and the writer (presumed) of the MS., under the title 

 of " Piratical Dredging on Emsworth Harbour," holds forth 

 as follows :- 



" It was recently stated in evidence before the British 

 Channel Fishery Committee, in the House of Commons, 

 that there were sometimes from 60 to 70 smacks together 

 dredging for oysters in Emsworth Harbour, long before 

 the proper season commenced, and with a very improper 

 description of dredges ; by which practice a considerable 

 quantity of brood was annually destroyed, and the harbour 

 fishermen prevented from, and deprived of the important 

 means of pursuing their useful occupation. This useful 

 class of men are not the only sufferers in this instance, but 

 the numerous population of the neighbourhood generally is 

 also extensively injured by losing a regular supply of a very 

 wholesome and nourishing food, in addition to which the 

 original export trade of Emsworth is entirely destroyed. 

 Many of the smacks are from 15 to 30 tons burden. 



The following remarks and calculations are attempted 

 to explain the injurious tendency of these facts : 



(c) " Histoiy of the Oyster." 



