27 



that ample range, the proportionate increase of 

 any fees that may be due to the City, as the regu- 

 lar supervisors, on account of them, the various 

 advantages which would thus be derived by the 

 fishermen, the salesmen, the retailers, and the 

 co mm unity at large, awaken the greatest anxiety 

 that no trifling obstacles should supersede this 

 great improvement. 



The Committee having thus noticed two mate- 

 rial impediments to the supply of fish in London, 

 proceed to consider some circumstances relative to 

 its consumption affecting the metropolis, and the 

 country in general, and the endeavours they have 

 made on that subject. From the intimate con- 

 nexion between the demand and the supply, this 

 has been, however, in some degree anticipated. 



There is no sort of public or general arrange- 

 ment for the distribution of fish on its arrival, at 

 the few yards of ground appropriated for the mar- 

 ket at Billingsgate. A fishmonger residing near 

 it may have the fish that he has purchased taken to 

 his shop by the inconvenient method of hiring a 

 porter. If it be at a distance, he must constantly 

 employ a horse and cart, and no one unable to 

 incur that expense, should attempt to open a fish 

 shop far from the market. The poor walking 

 dealers frequently after traversing a distance of 

 two or three miles to this general resort, find 

 there is no supply within their reach, and thus 

 have to return with the loss probably of the earn- 



