CHAP, vii.] EARNINGS OF THE FISHERMEN. 319 



much money now. In the course of a year (about 1825) he 

 made 126, and a few years back he made only 78. The 

 average for the last five years at the white fishing was about 

 50. Other 50 might be made at the herring-fishing. 

 The buoys of the lines were large enough for the trawlers to 

 see them, and they could see where the nets were. They 

 destroyed both the fish and the lines. A line boat with 

 fittings costs about 40, and a herring-boat with nets not less 

 than 100. The men bought the boats with money saved. 

 Little fish was destroyed on their lines, except what was 

 eaten by the dog-fish. There were herring there in January 

 and February, but were not caught. Their boats fished be- 

 tween Tynemouth and Dunstanborough castles. He could 

 remember when there were no French boats on the coast ; 

 they first came about 1824. The French boats fish on the 

 Sundays. Their boats did not. A young man ought to earn 

 100 a year. It would cost a full third to keep his boat and 

 tackling up. The boats lasted about fourteen years/ 5 



I need not go on repeating similar evidence, but the 

 witnesses were nearly all agreed that the beam-trawl did not 

 do the injury to the fisheries that was charged against it, 

 especially as regards injury to spawn. I may perhaps, by 

 way of conclusion to this contradictory evidence, be allowed 

 to quote from the Times a portion of a letter on trawling, 

 written by a " Billingsgate Salesman : " " Seven years' 

 experience in Billingsgate, and my lifetime previous spent 

 among the fishermen in a seaport-town, may enable me to 

 offer a few remarks, which through your able abilities may be 

 sifted, and perhaps leave a portion of matter which you may 

 consider of some value and turn to some account. My 

 personal interest is not only in trawl-fishing, but hook and 

 line, seined-net, drift-net, and other kinds ; for, being a com- 

 mission agent, it is all fish that comes to my net. I cannot 



O ' J 



speak of the qualities of trawl-net fishing, either for or against, 



