MU. T. SOUTHWELL ON THE HERRING FISHERY. 
215 
Tho quality of the fish during the past season may be considered 
to have been good ; and, as there were none of those tremendous 
catches of previous years the Herrings were better handled and 
landed in good condition, which ensured a better price. The 
absence of the disturbing “gluts” of former years also tended 
to equalise prices, which were not subject to the violent extremes 
so often witnessed of late. The result is that both catchers, 
eurers, and salesmen have had a moderately fair season ; but, as 
I said before, the labourers have suffered severely from the greatly 
decreased numbers of fish which they have had to handle. This 
falling off in tho amount of wages paid, as compared with the 
season of 1889, represents, in Yarmouth alone, a sum of about 
£13,000. The only other sufferers were tho carriers. The 
chairman of tho Great Eastern Railway, at the half-yearly 
mooting of the Company, stated that the falling off in the 
receipts for carriage of Herrings was ten or twelve thousand 
pounds. 
From tho point of view of the merchant, a friend, who has 
had considerable experience in this branch of the trade, writes : 
“ The demand has been fairly good, but I must confess not so good 
as I had anticipated, considering the scarcity ; this was doubtless 
caused by the higher prices required. The business with tho 
German markets this year has been of a very limited character. 
There might, I think, have been more had the Herrings been 
cheaper, but the returns, what few there were, did not pay ; those 
from the Italian markets, I think, should yield a profit, but not 
what I expected. The demand has been fair, at moderate prices, 
but if I again use the term ‘ moderately fair,’ I do not think 
I can better express the result of the Yarmouth fishing for 1890, 
add I am of opinion that two or three years with a similar result, 
would put the fishing industry in its proper condition, that is 
to say, there would not be sufficient inducement for capitalists 
to embark in the venture ; on the other hand there would be 
sufficient for those who can manage to work their own capital 
economically.” 
In conclusion, as this completes the tenth year of these 
imperfect notes, and will probably be the last, I should like to 
append a few general observations. I fear that my notes have 
been, on the whole, of a very commercial character, but after 
