CHAP. II.] 



BILLINGSGATE. 



65 



impossible they can ever exceed, either in productive power 

 or money value, the fisheries of our own coasts. If, without 

 the trouble of taking a long journey, we desire to witness the 

 results of the British fisheries, we have only to repair to 

 Billingsgate to find this particular industry brought to a focus. 



BILLINGSGATE. 



At that piscatorial bourse we can see in the early morning the 

 produce of our most distant seas brought to our greatest seat 

 of population, sure of finding a ready and a profitable market. 

 The aldermanic turbot, the tempting sole, the gigantic codfish, 

 the valuable salmon, the cheap sprat, and the universal herring, 

 are all to be found during their different seasons in great 

 plenty at Billingsgate ; and in the lower depths of the market 

 buildings countless quantities of shell-fish of all kinds, stored 

 in immense tubs, may be seen ; while away in the adjacent 

 lanes there are to be found gigantic boilers erected for the pur- 



