240 Transporlation of Fish from 



because, with a better-regulated market and more moderate prices, 

 tbe^consumption would be augmented. There can be no objection 

 therefore on the score of injury to the fisheries. The plan is, 

 virtually, one to preserve fish alive after being taken, instead of 

 sufifering them to waste, to render them better in quality, and to 

 supply them more regularly. 



The plan, therefore, is, to enclose, in any convenient part of 

 the Thames (since the quality of the water is proved to be indif- 

 ferent,) a space sufficient for the purpose. A dock, or an excava- 

 tion in the nature of one, would be unnecessary, as the water 

 itself, in many places not navigated, might be enclosed by a pa- 

 lisade. In this, the fish would be received from the fishermen, by 

 means of well-boats, alive. Those which chanced to die would 

 become the food of others. Many would breed, as they have been 

 found to do, and thus also would produce food. But they might 

 also be fed by means of butchers' offal, or others matters easily 

 procured in a great city, as was the practice of the ancient Ro- 

 mans. 



From the enclosure, the fish would be taken by nets, the kinds in 

 demand, and the quantity, selected, and the bad fish also returned 

 for improvement. A steam-boat would supply them to London 

 daily, and to any market which might be established ; and they 

 might even be brought up alive, so that the unsaleable ones would 

 not be lost. 



The only capital required to be sunk, or advanced, would be in 

 purchasing and enclosing a tract of water, and in the general 

 establishment ; possibly, in stocking the pond. It could not be 

 very large ; but no estimate is now pretended to be given, nor any 

 place pointed out. That needs not, however, be very near to Lon- 

 don, as a steam-boat would approximate any distances. After 

 this, the fish would be purchased from the fishermen by contract ; 

 and the establishment, beginning to sell, would then pay its way. 



The details of evidence in support of the practicability of this 

 scheme are the following : — 



There are three or four sea-ponds in 'Scotland where fish are 

 thus kept : one in Orkney, belonging to Mrs. Stewart ; one on the 



