B I L 



400 



B I L 



caviare ii 11*. pet cwt. and on anchotie M. pr Ib. ; but 

 these articles are imported on account of merchants, and do 

 not find their way into this market Previous to 1829 the 

 duty on anchovies waa U. per Ib. ; and in 1821, this article 

 produced a net revenue of C396/. Since the reduction, the 

 duty has averaged 13S.1/. ; and it it probable that the public 

 bave not fully obtained the benefits of a reduced duty. 

 !* are chiefly supplied by the Dutch, and the number 

 of ship-load* entered at the Custom-house in a year, has 

 varied during the last thirteen years from 59 to 83, viz. in 

 1*24, 83; in 1830, 69; and in 1833, the number was 61. 

 A duty of 13/. It. 3d. U charged on each ship-load. The 

 supply of foreign oysters during the last thirteen or fourteen 

 yean, has varied, in different years, from a few bushels to an 

 importation of 78,000 bushels, yielding a duty of 5846/. In 

 the Ova years succeeding 1823 there was not a single cargo 

 imported. 



Tlra duties on fish amounted in 1823, on anchovies, to 

 4109/.; eels 796/. ; oysters 1730/. ; on all the other sorts, 

 6'J/.; total, 3004/. In 1833, on anchovies 147 8f. (having 

 in the two previous years averaged only 800/.) ; eels 956/. ; 

 oysters 1349/. ; other descriptions, no duty ; total, 37831. 



For many years it was a heavy complaint that the supply 

 of Billingsgate was engrossed by a monopoly. Colquhoun, 

 in his ' Police of the Uiver Thames,' published in 1800, as- 

 serts that the fishmongers at that time possessed a direct 

 interest in the fishing-vessels, and kept them from market 

 at their pleasure. This state of things no longer exists. 

 The attempt to establish a second wholesale fish-market 

 in London, in 1834, although it has proved unsuccessful, 

 has doubtless occasioned some improvements at the older 

 market ; and under the direction of its present clerk such 

 regulations have been laid down for the observance of the 

 dealers of all classes, and what is of equal importance, have 

 been executed with such strict vigilance, that the public 

 now enjoy tho advantages of a public market to a greater 

 degree than at any former period. Of course great fluctua- 

 tions in prices frequently and unavoidably occur. The ear- 

 liest supply of mackerel has been sold at the rate of 7s. per 

 fish, or forty guineas for the first boat-load. The second 

 boat-load has perhaps fetched little more than one-fourth oi 

 this sum ; and the same description of fish has been bought 

 on the coast at a more advanced period of the season at the 

 rate of sixty for a shilling. Contrary winds also keep bock 

 vessels considerably beyond their proper time, and thug often 

 occasion their arrival in unusual numbers, so as to glut the 

 market ; but even those circumstances, which are apparently 

 beyond control, are rendered less frequent than heretofore. ' >v 

 the employment of steam-towing vessels, which brinx cargoes 

 into the market in spite of contrary winds. In tho same 

 manner, the supply of salmon was formerly so limited, that 

 only the wealthy could afford to partake of it, but it is now 

 brought up by the Scotch steam-boats in little more than 

 forty hours in such large quantities that it is sold at a price 

 which brings it within the reach of most of the working 

 classes. A few years ago the price of salmon was on an 

 average It. per Ib., while during the present season (1835) 

 it has frequently been disposed of at the same rate per Ib. 

 as butcher's meat ; and owing to the rapidity of the convey- 

 ance by steam-boats, was in a much better condition than 

 when higher prices were demanded. The fishing-vomit 

 reach Billingsgate during the night, and frequently a !!<>) 

 of fifty or sixty sail is lying at the landing-place. At 

 high-water a bell is rung, which is the signal for every 

 Teasel or boat whose cargo has been discharged, to remove 

 into tho river, in order to admit of others coming up to the 

 market. A small sum i* charged for tho use of a moveable 

 landing-place and other facilities which are afforded. Kaeh 

 vessel is bound to display a board, with tho description of 

 tho cargo painted on it in legible characters, an arrange- 

 ment which greatly facilitates the sale. Between the fisher- 

 men and the retail fishmonger there is an intermediate 

 class of dealers, about thirty in number, termed salesmen, 

 who alone occupy stalls hi the market. The fishermen con- 

 sign their cargoes to the salesmen, who are compelled to 

 fix up in a conspicuous place a statement of the kind and 

 mount of their stock, but they are not allowed to expose 

 fish for sale before the ringing of the market- bell at five 

 o'clock. 



Fiih of the best quality is always bought up immediately 

 on the opening of the market by the dealers from the west 

 ond and those who supply the richest class of consumers. 

 It may perhaps be alleged that tho salesmen are so small a 



jody thnt it would bo easy, by collusive net*, to render tho 

 market comparatively a close one ; but tho hii.-iiit-ss i trans- 

 irti'il with so much rapidity, and the rush of buyers is so 

 treat, that the opportunity for effecting a sale would quickly 

 lie lost, if any other principle were endeavoured to bo 

 acted upon than that which the wants of the retail dealer 

 and tho amount of the supply jointly determine. The sale 

 of oysters docs not begin until six o'clock, aa the throng of 

 such a large number of persons as are engaged in various 

 ways in vending this description of fish would interfere too 

 much with the general market. The high price of fish i* in .\ 

 dr.Mt measure owing to the system of credit which the retail 

 dealer is compelled to give, the frequent losses he sustains, 

 and to the practice of the patronage of noblemen and gen- 

 tlemen being disposed of by their servants in consideration 

 of a heavy per (-outage. These are abuses which may be 

 rectified by individuals. It is of much more importance 

 to ascertain if the poor derive all tho advantages which 

 they ought from the market being abundantly supplied, as 

 they, in case of defective regulations or secret abuses, would 

 be the greatest sufferers. 



The fish brought to market consists frequently of four 

 descriptions, viz., that of first-rate quality, that of good but 

 secondary quality, of inferior but not unwholesome quality, 

 and that which is in a state unfit for food. It is qmie. 

 certain, that without proper attention the last mentioned 

 would bo purchased by the lowost description of dealers, 

 and that it would be consumed by the poor. In order to 

 obviate this evil, inspectors were appointed on the establish- 

 ment of the market, but although their salaries above a 

 century ngo might be sufficient to compensate them for the 

 duties which they then had to perform, they received no 

 addition when their task had booome twenty-fold mori- 

 ons, and tho office in fart nearly sunk into desuetude. In 

 1832, when the public became alarmed on account of the 

 progress of the cholera, attention was directed to the con- 

 sequences which might be anticipated during the pre- 

 valence of such a disease from the use of unwholesome 

 articles of diet, and particularly of tainted fish. On the 

 recommendation of Mr. Goldham, the clerk of Billingsgate 

 market, an adequate salary was given to the fish inspectors, 

 and the advantages which the public derive from their la- 

 bours may be estimatcdby tho following statement of the 

 quantity of fish condemned in the course of a year as unfit 

 for consumption: Salmon Gfi-1, turbot fi/C, cod 1903, soles 

 38,300, herrings 1448, haddocks 6783, mackerel 4027, 

 plaice, maids, and scale 124,160, salt fish 1801, whitings 

 1500, brill 413, lobsters 8653, crabs 300, total 190,748 fish ; 

 periwinkles and wilko 437 bushels, muscles 1 5, sprats 80, 

 total 332 bushels ; pickled salmon 126 kits, each contain- 

 ing 15 or 16 Ibs. 



In addition to the direct benefits arising to the public 

 from so much unwholesome food being prevented from getting 

 into the hands of the poor, the strict exercise of the duty of 

 inspector has destroyed several practices which aroe from 

 the ease with which an unwholesome cargo might be 

 sold. At present, instead of being brought to Billings- 

 gate, a cargo offish likely to become unwholesome by the 

 time it reaches London, is sometimes cured or disposed of 

 at some nearer port It formerly happened that a family 

 who had once or twice purchased bad fish, gave up tin 

 of an article which there wag some uncertainty in procuring 

 in a proper state ; but, in consequence of the vigilance of the 

 inspectors, the consumption has increased considerably. 

 The dishonest trader is also deprived of bis vocation ; and 

 though he may still sell fish in n state unfit for food, yet, 

 not having an opportunity of purchasing it in that state, ho 

 is more likely to be generally provided with a wholesome 

 supply than when he purchased bad fish at a low rate, and 

 exerted himself to dispose of it before ho commnnecd vend 

 ing bis stock of a better quality. The permanence of the 

 beneficial regulations for the sales nt Billingsgate may pro- 

 bably now be reckoned upon, as any relaxation would have- 

 the effect of throwing business into a rival market, which 

 could hardly fail to be created, and, if conducted on proper 

 principles, would put down malpractices by wholesome com- 

 petition, 



Tho number of fishing-vessels entered at the Custom- 

 house, London, in the year 1834, was 4257 ; a few year 

 tho number was 3827. In addition, a considerable supply 

 of fish is brought up by vans from the various fishing towns 

 on the coasts of Kent. Sussex, Suffolk, and Norfolk. 



BILL1TON, an island between the eastern coast of Su- 



