278 SEA FISHERIES 



trucks loaded with fresh fish, representing a weight of 

 1,000 to 1,200 tons. 1 The Hull fleet, as the reader will 

 remember, is nearly always at sea many of the vessels 

 plying to the Iceland banks convoyed by the "runners/' 

 four or five of which leave the fleet every day, arriving 

 at Billingsgate in the morning full of prime fish, 2 the 

 total amounting to nearly 50,000 tons per annum. 

 North Shields and Hartlepool feed the Black Country. 

 The graceful sailing vessels of Lowestoft work across the 

 banks of the Sole Pit, bringing in an annual harvest 

 of 12,000 tons of turbot, brill, and soles ; these working 

 for the gourmets, while trawlers and drifters work for 

 the people. 



The German herring fisheries have gone from increase 

 to increase. In 1900 the 118 German herring boats 

 furnished 14,000 tons, worth 180,000 ; last year 270 

 boats yielded 51,000 tons of herring and 520,000. 

 Fourteen companies are engaged in this fishery. During 

 the decennial period 1898-1908 the port of Geestmiinde 

 doubled its output of prime fish : 14,000 tons, worth 

 160,000 30,100 tons, worth 320,000 ; but it suffers 

 slightly from the competition of Cuxhaven. The 

 powerful company established at Nordenham, the 

 " Deutsche Dampffischerie Gesellschaft Nord See," 

 owns fifty trawlers. It was founded on April 23, 1896, 

 with a capital of 3 million marks (150,000), which was 

 quickly increased to 4 millions by a loan on mortgage, 

 and in 1907 to 5 millions, to which 2 millions have been 

 added in shares, making in all 7 millions (350,000). 



1 In 1902, Grimsby had 430 trawlers ; to-day they number close 

 upon 600. Annual yield : prime fish, 150,000 tons (a third of the 

 total English production) ; herring, 15,000 tons ; mackerel-sprats 

 1,500 tons. 



9 See last chapter. 



