so 



which are now unfurnished with that article of 

 food. 



The fish obtained, by persons resident in the 

 country, is little more than that which a person 

 calling himself a fishmonger, purchases generally 

 from some London fishmonger, for a gentleman's 

 table, in fulfilment of a particular order, or which 

 is less frequently the case, it is that which is bought 

 for such an occasion directly of the London fish- 

 monger. Thus to the price at the market is added 

 the usual profit of the London fishmonger, with 

 that addition which the professed dealer in the 

 country finds it necessary to make for the trouble 

 of an occasional order, so that their fish may 

 generally be considered as forbidden food. The 

 Committee were informed by the clergymen of one 

 of the midland county towns, that fish was as great 

 a rarity with them, as in the interior of the Con- 

 tinent. 



The natural anxiety of the fishermen to press 

 with their cargoes to the London market, and the 

 disqualification of these persons, and in truth, for 

 the most part, of the body of dealers in fish, both 

 personal and circumstantial, to produce any con- 

 siderable improvement in the trade, have been 

 already noticed. The latter must serve as a reason 

 for the singular fact, that, notwithstanding the 

 comparative greatness of the London supply, and 

 that the country is so very scantily provided with 



