OUR SEA FISHERIES. 219 



wages paid by their Government, and a bounty on 

 all the fish they bring in besides, and fishes in our 

 grounds when and where they likes ; ' and hard 

 enough I thought it. At all events, what is sauce 

 for English is sauce for French fishermen. 



"I presume the usage of confiscating tackle and 

 implements is warranted by the international fishery- 

 treaties, or the French authorities would not practise 

 or our Consul at Dieppe permit it. Our fisheries are 

 very inadequately protected, and these regulations are 

 not enforced by the officers in charge of them with the 

 same strictness as on the other side of the Channel. 

 Surely, our gunboats would be better employed in 

 this duty than lying in the Medway until their 

 bottoms are so encrusted with oysters that they have 

 to be dubbed off with shipwrights' adzes ! ( Vide the 

 Times of the 24th.) If, however, on the rare- occa- 

 sions when French craft are caught in the fact, our 

 north-country magistrates would mete out the same 

 justice to them, by impounding all their nets and 

 spare tackle, it would necessitate their going home to 

 refit, and prevent their trespassing on our grounds, 

 for that season's fishing at all events. 



" J. WlCKEY." 



