65 
time he had been engaged in fishing, which extended over 
a period of thirty years, he had seen the breaking up of 
several fishing fleets in the North Sea, owing to the ex- 
cessive rates charged by the railway companies. Two 
fleets of which he was admiral, one belonging to Mr. 
Fleming Hewitt, and one to Mr. Morgan, had been broken 
up solely for this cause. At one time when he was in 
command of 180 sail, a tremendous quantity of, fish 
were taken, each vessel having over thirty trunks of 
large plaice. The question arose as to what should be 
done with the fish, and most of the captains, not having 
any boats to forward it to London, came to the conclusion 
that it was better to throw the fish overboard; but one or 
two fitted up three vessels and sent the fish into Yar- 
mouth, from which place it was sent by rail to London, the 
price realised being £6. Of that sum his share came to 
#1 4s. Od. On another occasion when a large capture of 
fish had been made, it was sent to Ostend, and a very good 
price realised. The heavy rates charged by railways was 
not only the cause of the breaking up of the fleets and the . 
stoppage of a large supply of fish in the London market, 
but it was the cause of fishermen’s wages being reduced, 
thus causing them great misery. It did not matter how 
many fleets were established, or what amount of capital 
they had at their backs ; it was a dead certainty that how- 
ever much fish they caught, if they sent it to London it 
would not be very long before they came to grief. Of course 
his remarks only applied to the deep-sea fishing. Speak- 
ing upon the trawl fishery, he should advise the owners of 
trawlers not to grumble at the railway companies, but to 
at once enter into competition with them and beat them. 
Fish would never come within the reach of the poor of 
London while it had to be conveyed by railway; the only 
[41] F 
