OYSTER CULTURE IN ENGLAND. 477 



its length is the anxious desire which I have felt to lay all 

 the facts of a very difficult case before the Board of Trade, 

 and to do, as far as I could, complete justice to the Com- 

 pany and the Memorialists. My previous observations will 

 have indicated my general conclusions. But, for the sake 

 of clearness, I will recapitulate them here. 



1. During the twelve months preceding the date upon 

 which my inquiry was ordered, as well as during the twelve 

 months preceding the presentation of the memorials upon 

 which my inquiry was founded, the Herne Bay, Hampton, 

 and Reculver Oyster Fishery Company cannot be said to 

 have cultivated its grounds. 



2. Its failure to cultivate them arose from no desire, 

 on the part of the directors, to neglect or evade its duties, 

 but from financial embarrassments. 



3. During the last few weeks it has made an arrange- 

 ment with Mr. Davies, which affords it some prospect, some 

 slight prospect, of retrieving its financial position. 



4. In consequence of this arrangement, instead of 

 recommending, as I should otherwise have recommended, 

 that the whole of the grounds should be thrown open to 

 the public, I suggest that the Company should still be left 

 in possession of a small portion of its grounds, one mile 

 in width, extending half a mile on either side of Hampton 

 Pier. 



I have, &c., 



(Signed) S. WALPOLE. 



C. C. Tre.vor, Esq., &c., &c., 

 Board of Trade. 



