FISHING STATIONS— ENGLAND. 209 



It must be remembered, moreover, tliut tliese reports 

 Avere specially made to satisfy the desire of the Irish 

 Commissioners for trustworthy information about the 

 eftects of trawl-fishing where it had been carried on for 

 a great number of years on the same ground ; they 

 have been widely circulated and frequently quoted ; it 

 is therefore impossible to avoid some reference to their 

 . contents, especially as they are so little in harmony 

 with what we have found it necessary to record as the 

 real facts of the case.^ 



Before the extension of the railway to Brixham the 

 fish landed from the trawlers was sent away by light 

 carts to the nearest station ; the smacks usually came 

 in with their fish in the afternoon, and a large dis- 

 play was made in the market as the proceeds of the 

 day's work were brought on shore. But a great 

 change has taken place in this respect. The fish is 

 now forwarded by fast passenger trains several times 

 in the day, and the smacks come in at all hours, the 

 majority of them in the morning, so that the fish is 

 sent off to many parts of the country early enougli to 

 reach the consumer on the same day. The sales are 

 made by the old-fashioned Dutch auction, beginning at 

 a high price and reducing it until within the value set 

 upon it by tlie would-be buyers. In the wholesale fish 

 trade at Brixham, women as well as men are engaged 

 as auctioneers — a custom not much in vogue at other 

 large markets. A great deal of the fish is sent to 

 Bristol, whence it is distributed to various parts of the 

 country according to instructions telegraphed from 

 Brixham, orders being frequently received for it by 



^ Our comments on these reports Avere submitted last year to the Inspectors 

 of Irish Fisheries, but as we were subsequently informed that Mr. Barry had 

 retired from the service, we sent a copy of them early in January last direct 

 to that gentleman. 



