258 SISH CULTtTKE. 



depredations committed on onr fisheries on the north- 

 east coast, by the powerful and strongly-manned 

 luggers of the French fishermen, have become so 

 systematic and extensive of late years, and have been 

 so habitually winked at by the naval authorities, 

 whose duty it is to repress them, that our own fisher- 

 men have suffered severely in consequence. 



"It is not, however, by the infliction of paltry 

 penalties of 51. each that they are to be deterred 

 from such malpractices : one night's successfnl fish- 

 ing on our banks would more than amply reimburse 

 them in that amount, to say nothing of the chance — 

 which is fifty to one in their favour — of escaping 

 unmolested. I was at Dieppe during the spring of 

 last year, when the avisos Corse and Pelican, 

 charged with the protection of the fisheries on that 

 station, were daily bringing in English fishing-craft 

 which they had captured ; and there were at one 

 time lying in the harbour no less than seventeen 

 Colchester trawHng-smacks, which had been seized 

 for trespassing on the French oyster-beds. They lay 

 in a line along the whole of one side of the inner 

 harbour, and their clean lines and taut smart rig 

 presented a striking contrast to the ugly, lumbering 

 luggers and sloops of the Poletais fishermen. 



" These poor fellows were kept therein custody for 



