62 ABOUT THE PRICE OF FISH IN FRANCE. [CHAT. n. 



to the fisherman 5 per cent for the ecorage ; 90, 100, or 130 

 francs per ton for carriage ; 10 or 5 per cent, with a double 

 tithe of war, for town-dues ; and 3 per cent taken by the 

 auctioneer or, altogether, 18 or 13 per cent, besides the war- 

 tithe and the cost of transport. This is an estimate of the 

 indispensable expenses only, and does not include a number 

 of items such as the profit which the mareyeur ought to 

 make, the cost of the baskets, carriage from the market to the 

 railway, and from the custom-house to the market in Paris ; 

 and, besides, presumes that the merchant who buys in the 

 market is the consumer, which is seldom the case. 



Many other considerations must be taken into account, as, 

 for instance, the quantity of fish not sold, or sold at a low 

 price, the fish w r hich arrive in Paris in bad condition, and that 

 quantity which never leaves the fishing town. 



Besides all this, if we bear in mind that the fish-despatcher 

 tries to repay himself for losses incurred, it need not astonish 

 us that he must put a high price upon the fish he sends to 

 the market. 



From these considerations it is evident, I think, that 

 the high price of fish is not owing to any scarcity in the 

 supply, or that an increase in the quantity brought to land 

 will effectually reduce the price. Were the fisherman to give 

 his labour for nothing, and the merchant, or rather com- 

 mission-agent, who buys from him to seek no profit, there is 

 still enough in carriage, toll, and duties, to put a price on the 

 fish which would place it beyond the power of small purses 

 to reach. To reduce the price we must lessen these inter- 

 mediate expenses, and put the fisherman in direct communi- 

 cation with the Parisian salesman. This might be possible 

 by the establishment of fishermen's societies, directed by 

 skilful business men. 



I question very much, however, if the fishermen would 

 agree to such a plan, as they always prefer ready money and 



