THE BRITISH FISH TRADE. 55 



will be most accessible from Liverpool Street or King's 

 Cross ; he will simply ascertain which of the two markets is 

 attended by the retail tradesmen, and at which of the two 

 markets his fish will consequently command the best price. 

 No expenditure on the part of the Common Council will 

 induce the retail fishmonger to drive to Smithfield if he can 

 get all the fish which he requires at Billingsgate. It is 

 certain that he will be able to get fish at Billingsgate which 

 he will not get at Smithfield ; and to Billingsgate he will 

 accordingly go. The moment this is made plain to country 

 salesmen they will as a matter of course send all their fish 

 to Billingsgate ; and Billingsgate will thus be never super- 

 seded except by a new market on the waterside. 



It does not, of course, follow from this reasoning that it is 

 inexpedient to establish other fish markets in other parts of 

 the Metropolis for the convenience of the retail trade. The 

 only possible argument against the institution of retail 

 markets seems to be that they are opposed to the habits of 

 the ordinary London householder who, as a rule, seems to 

 expect that his tradesman shall come to him, and that he 

 shall not be required to go to his tradesman. But the suc- 

 cess which has attended the establishment of co-operative 

 stores proves that the householder, for the sake of an ap- 

 preciable advantage, will change his habits ; and, if fish can 

 be bought more cheaply at a retail market than in a shop, 

 the householder in the long run will probably go to the 

 market. But a retail market of this description will depend 

 on the wholesale market for its daily supply. Its institution 

 will in no way remove the necessity for one wholesale 

 market. 



What then are the requirements which a wholesale 

 market should possess, and does Billingsgate fulfil them ? 

 "A market does not deserve the name which does not 



