FISHERMEN AND FISHERIES. 163 



fish trade was extended by the growth and expansion of 



the railway system, and Billingsgate, instead of being de- Railways and 



the fish trade, 

 pendent on the river as the sole channel through which it 



receives its supplies, or on the laborious efforts of horse 

 vehicles, now receives more than twice as much fish by rail 

 as by river. Out of about 1 20,000 tons of fish brought to Extent of 

 the great Metropolitan Fish Market in 1880 about 38,000 trade, 

 tons came by water and 82,000 tons by land. 



If the history of Billingsgate Market is instructive, that History of 



" West- 



of the "Free Market for the sale of fish in the City of minster" 

 Westminster," the existence of which a series of Acts of 

 Parliament regarded as a fact, although it never had any 

 existence at all, is perhaps more so, in considering the rela- 

 lations of the State towards the fishing industry generally. 

 An Act passed in 1749 (22 Geo. II. c. 49) directed that 

 " from and after the 24th day of June, 1749, there shall be 

 a free and open market in the City of Westminster for all 

 sorts of fish whatsoever : and to the end the said market 

 may be erected " trustees were appointed to construct the 

 market on the river bank adjoining Westminster Bridge. 

 But the " free and open market " was subject, by the same 

 Act which authorised its existence, to all the limitations 

 which the laws previously quoted had imposed on the trade 

 generally. Whether from this cause, or from the action of 

 the " Billingsgate ring," or what not, the market never had 

 an actual, although it had a legal, existence, and was re- 

 ferred to in several subsequent Acts as if it had actually 

 been constructed. Instead of erecting a market as directed, 

 the trustees allowed one Richard Hughes to build on the 

 authorised site eight houses, " with conveniences fit for the 

 fishmonger to sell by retail," " for the greater accommoda- 

 tion of the inhabitants of Westminster in resorting to the 

 said market ;" but the conditions of the lease restrained the 



M 2 



