16 DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



nished to the Eoyal Commissioners by Mr. Henry 

 Knott, the owner of several trawlers at Great Grimsby, 

 of the weight and value of fish taken by one of his 

 vessels in each of five consecutive years, some interest- 

 ing facts are arrived at : — 

 In the five years 1860-1864 : 



Prime .. 86 tons sold for 1971?. =23?. per ton, or 2|f7. per lb. 

 Offal .. 357 „ 731?.= 2?, „ or nearly ic?. i^er lb. 



Total 443 „ 2702?.= 6?. „ or averaging nearly |f?. per lb. 



At that time, then, the fisherman received only 2|-c/. 

 per pound for the fish which brought the highest price 

 in the London market, and barely a farthing per pound 

 for the inferior kinds. Prices have risen considerably 

 of late years ; but it is doubtful whether the fishermen 

 have benefited by the greater demand to anything like 

 the extent that the fishmonger has by his increased 

 charges to the consumer. Before the introduction of 

 ice for preserving his stock of fish, the fishmonger had 

 a risky trade ; he could only buy what he thought 

 would be sufficient to supply the general wants of his 

 customers for the day, he was always liable to have 

 some portion of his stock unsold, and the perishable 

 nature of it would then most likely involve him in some 

 loss. This was properly provided for by the price he 

 fixed for what he was pretty sure of disposing of; 

 and if he sold all, so much the better for him. His 

 customers then had tolerably fresh fish for the good 

 prices they paid him. But what is the case now ? The 

 trade has been revolutionized ; a large proportion of 

 the fish now brought to market^ excluding herrings and 

 sprats, is put into ice as soon as it is out of the water ; 

 it is brought on shore, sometimes after several days,/^^, 

 and sold ; it is then repacked in ice and forwarded to 

 Billingsgate, or other large markets, where it is pur- 



