ENGLISH FISHERIES. 147 



ascertain how far protection is of advantage, for the 

 purpose of keeping up the supply of crabs and lobsters 

 on our coast. 



The fisheries in the Wash are of several kinds, but 

 the most important are those for shrimps and mussels. 

 The latter indeed are of consequence far beyond the 

 locality, for the line fishermen, on a long stretch of 

 coast northward, depend to a great extent upon them 

 for a supply of suitable bait. Jurisdiction is claimed 

 by the corporations of Lynn and Boston over the 

 fisheries carried on respectively on the Lynn and Bos- 

 ton deeps ; but it may be a question, whether these 

 fisheries have derived any real benefit from being 

 under corporate supervision. Stow-boating for sprats 

 is one of the regular winter fisheries, and there is a 

 small fishery for herrings carried on at the same time. 

 Shrimps, and some flat fish, are taken here by small 

 trawlers, and the trim-nets, previously described, are 

 worked at times with advantage. 



The coast beyond the Wash includes two of the 

 most important fishing stations on the English coast. 

 These are Great Grimsby and Hull. The history of 

 Grimsby as a fishing station is so modern, that I am 

 able to record something of its rise and progress. Its 

 situation near the entrance of the Humber, and the 

 advantage it consequently had in many respects over 

 Hull, were, to a great extent, lost sight of by the 

 trawlers, whilst the railway from the older town pro- 

 vided the only convenient means of sending away their 

 fish ; but it had been for several years connected with 

 the deep-sea cod fishery on account of its situation, 



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