THE HERRING FISHERIES. 5 



Many stations on the east coast are now actively engaged 

 from July to September, and in the latter month the northern 

 districts are practically closed for the season, and the 

 engagements for the east coast fishermen also end in 

 September. For all that, the fishery is still pursued from 

 the various stations south-east of the Firth of Forth, known 

 as the Berwickshire Coast Fishing Stations, and large 

 additions of mixed quality are added to the season's 

 catch. 



About this time the herrings come inshore to spawn 

 along the coasts of Northumberland, and of course the 

 fishermen of this part have their rightful share in the 

 fishery, and inaugurate the autumn and winter east coast 

 of England herring fishery. 



The Tyne trawlers of Newcastle and Hull boats follow 

 out the fishery ; and with reference to the last-named town 

 or fishing district, it may be suitable to mention at this 

 stage a novel invention of " curing herrings by machinery," 

 introduced by Mr. George Leach of Hull, by which he 

 estimates a barrel of herrings can be bloated at a cost of 

 6d., as against is. gd. the present cost. The plan may be 

 described as a successive process of drying, smoking, and 

 cooling, by carriage from the cleaning room to the grills 

 or wire-work trays. By passing up through a series of 

 chambers, and down again in a zig-zag direction, they are 

 operated upon by the agency of heat, smoke, and cold, and 

 on their coming down to the reception table at the end of 

 the first journey, they are ready for packing. 



The " Newcastle kipper " also deserves notice, as it is 

 competing favourably against the celebrated "Yarmouth 

 bloater " in the Metropolis, and was introduced at first 

 by the late Mr. John Woodger, of Newcastle and Great 



Yarmouth. 



C 2 



