CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 277 



whole of their fish is daily sold, it requires no ordinary 

 exertion, great judgment, and local knowledge, to pre- 

 vent frauds and to repress outrage. The markets of 

 Dublin were abundantly supplied through the season ; 

 and to that circumstance, generating a spirit of jealousy 

 and monopoly on the part of the trawlers and line fishers, 

 may have been attributed the aggressions committed 

 against the Cornishmen. The bye-law of the 14th Feb- 

 ruary 1851, obliging the trawlers to keep off the shoal 

 ground on the eastern coast, has been most gratefully re- 

 ceived by the Cornish fleet ; and to it, in a great measure, 

 they attribute their extraordinary success last year. We 

 have resolved upon using increased precautions this year, 

 and confidently hope that we shall be able to prevent any 

 recurrence of impropriety." 



And as we consider the talented Inspecting Com- 

 missioner Barry's Eeport as to the fisheries on the De- 

 vonshire coast and regarding beam-trawling extremely 

 valuable, as bearing upon the question of legislative in- 

 terference, and as there is much interesting information 

 besides, we do not hesitate to give large extracts of this 

 Eeport. 



COAST OF DEVON INQUIRY. 



Fishery Office, 15th November 1852. 



" Sir, — On the 18th of August last, it was resolved by 

 the Board, on reading my Eeport of the 18th June, that 

 I ' should proceed to the coast of Devon, for the purpose 

 ' of collecting information bearing upon the question of 

 ' trawling, and the laws, usages, and regulations in force 

 ' relating thereto, and that when the Commissioners were 

 ' in possession of my Eeport, they would take into con- 

 ' sideration the propriety of holding a meeting at Galway 



