256 THE RELATIONS OF THE STATE WITH 



On the South Coast, Dover, Rye, Teignmouth, and 

 Brixham are fishing ports on a smaller scale. The fisher- 

 men along the rest of this coast generally work with their 

 families to obtain a livelihood rather by individual enter- 

 prise than by joining the crews of owners. Their boats 

 consequently are chiefly those of the second and third 

 classes, and are under 15 tons. Intermediate between 

 fishing singly and fishing in large crews, is the Cornish 

 sean-net fishery. The staple fishery of this locality, as 

 before mentioned, is for pilchards, which are probably the 

 full-grown Bay of Biscay sardines, in the same way that 

 conversely Thames whitebait are the fry of North Sea 

 herrings. 



On the Welsh and north-west English Coast the chief 

 fishing stations are Swansea, Aberystwith, Bangor, Liver- 

 pool, and Morecambe, the last-named place being chiefly 

 interested in the mussel fishery. 



The inexhaustible mine of British fisheries is the North 

 Sea. 



Within its extent 600 miles in length, with a maximum 

 breadth of 350 miles are the chief British and International 

 fishing and spawning grounds ; whilst the estuaries of the 

 Thames, Tyne, Tay, and other rivers on its west, and of 

 Continental rivers, like the Elbe, Rhine, and Scheldt, 

 on its east, afford nurseries for shell-fish and fry on either 

 side. 



Mr. Olsen, in his ' Fisherman's Practical Navigator/ 

 enumerates thirty-five North Sea fishing-grounds. Amongst 

 them are the Little Silver Pits, seven leagues east of the 

 Humber, and a winter resort of soles ; the North-east 

 Hole off Cromer ; and most important the Dogger Bank, 

 commencing off Flamborough and running to Jutland. 

 This affords a summer resort to plaice, haddock, and cod ; 



