SMACKS AND TRAWLS 51 



to employ steamers to carry the fish from the fleets 

 to the markets, and accordingly fast-sailing cutters, 

 specially built for the purpose, took the fish to Billings- 

 gate and the coast ports. One of Whistler's etchings 

 shows nearly a dozen of these cutters lying off Billings- 

 gate in 1859, with the porters carrying the fish ashore 

 a quaint and quiet spectacle compared with the rush and 

 hustle of the steamboat days. The fish was packed in 

 ice, and three or four days sometimes a week or more 

 elapsed between the catch and the delivery. 



The cutters took from 400 to 600 packages each to 

 Billingsgate, where, daily, several of these vessels would 

 be lying. The packages consisted of about one-half 

 prime, and the other half plaice, haddocks, etc. The 

 haddocks were mostly bought by costermongers, who 

 cleaned, cured, and smoke-dried them. These were sold 

 as Finnan haddocks, and realised on an average 123. or 

 145. a basket, but sometimes as low as 8s., at others as 

 high as 2os. Each basket weighed 150 Ib. or 160 Ib. 

 The plaice were mostly bought by " friers," who cleaned 

 the fish, cut them in slices, and fried them in oil, after 

 which they were hawked on barrows or sold at shops in 

 poor neighbourhoods the heralds of the many existing 

 fried-fish shops in London and the provinces. At that 

 time plaice would sell for as low as 6s. or 73. a hamper of 

 1 50 Ib. or 1 60 Ib. There has been a change in this, as in 

 many other respects in connection with fish, for at present 

 plaice is invariably dearer than haddock. 



The strong feeling that existed between the line and 

 trawl fishermen was the cause of much trouble in those 

 earlier days, and the liners suffered greatly, both in mind 

 and pocket, owing to a "contrivance" which the trawlers 



