78 
MR. T. SOUTHWELL OX THE HERRING FISHERY. 
past season must, by all accounts, have amounted to many thou- 
sands of pounds ; and it seems incredible that means are not taken 
to protect so important an industry from the wanton depredations 
of foreigners. Mr. E. Birkbeck, M.P., at a recent meeting of the 
iShational Sea Fishery Protection Society, is reported to have stated 
that he believed the Lowestoft fishermen alone had lost upwards of 
£10,000 from this cause during the past year. We are promised 
that one of the recommendations of the late trawling Commission 
will be, that properly equipped cruisers, with commanders having 
jurisdiction in small offences, should be employed for better 
police supervision over fishermen of different nationalities when at 
sea; and there can be no doubt, whatever difference of opinion 
there may be as to the correctness of the conclusions arrived at 
by the Commissioners on some other points, that this particular 
recommendation Avill give universal satisfaction. 
The spring fishery practically commenced in March, and from 
the first the catches of fish were very large. From Yarmouth little 
is done at the spring fishery, although, I regret to say, the returns 
are annually increasing. In the past season, the Yarmouth boats 
landed 743 lasts, compared with 342 lasts in that which preceded 
it ; but the Lowestoft owners prosecute the spring fishery with 
greater vigour. Early in March large arrivals took place at that port, 
which increased as the season advanced, till a total of 3087 lasts 
was reached, as compared with 2718 lasts in the previous season. 
The first fish which came in sold at from £22 to £23 per last; but 
the price soon fell, owing to the large deliveries, till it varied from 
2Gs. to £7 per last, the latter being an extreme price. During the 
months of IMay, June, and July, very little is done in the fishery ; 
but the autumn voyage, Avhich usually commences in September, 
in the past season opened from Yarmouth early in August, and 
during that month 18G4 lasts of fish were lauded at the wharf. 
With September tlie fishery set in in earnest, and the depressed 
state of the trade, which never rallied during the remainder of the 
season, made itself felt at once. The reports say that large 
quantities of fish were landed daily, which would not fetch £4 per 
last (13,200 fish), and that tons of salted fish were sent away for 
manure. The fish were under-sized, and of bad quality, and did not 
pay for the labour of catching. The trade to the Levant "was 
almost ruined in consequence of the outbreak of cholera, and the 
