CHAP. n.J CONSUMPTION OF FISH. 67 



Brought forward 16,362 tons. 



Great Northern 11,930 



North Eastern 27,896 



South Eastern 3,218 



Great Eastern - 29,086 



Making a total of - 88,492 tons. 



For Ireland the statistics of carriage for the same year are 



as follow : 



Great Southern and Western 1145 tons. 



Midland and Great Western 785 



Waterford and Limerick - 374 



Dublin and Drogheda 1004 



Making a total of 3308 tons. 



The best index, however, of the quantities of fish taken 

 out of the British seas is the supply of that comestible required 

 for London alone. Two attempts have been made to obtain a 

 correct account of the quantities of each kind used for the 

 commissariat of London. Fourteen years ago Mr. Mayhew 

 gave a summation of the quantities of fish sold at Billingsgate, 

 and the number of each kind as detailed is really astonishing ; 

 as 203,000 salmon, nearly four millions of fresh herrings, and 

 others in proportion. The second attempt to guage the fish- 

 supply of the great metropolis was made by a Member of 

 Parliament. In moving for a commission to inquire into the 

 state of the British fisheries, he gave the following statistics : 



Codfish 500,000 



Mackerel 25,000,000 



Soles 100,000,000 



Plaice 35,000,000 



Haddocks 200,000,000 

 Oysters - * - 500,000,000 



Periwinkles 300,000,000 



Cockles 70,000,000 



Mussels 50,000,000 



Lobsters, daily 10,000 



