538 
MR. T. J. WIGG ON THE HERRING FISHERY. 
barrels to over a quarter of a million barrels. Here is expansion 
on a truly generous scale ! And yet these figures only relate to 
a part of Yarmouth’s export Herring trade, for there are thousands 
of barrels sent away by the Hull and London steamers, while tens 
of thousands more are hauled away in special trains from Yarmouth 
to Liverpool for shipment to the Mediterranean, the Levant, and 
elsewhere. So there is also a big coastwise trade in Herrings of 
which no note has been taken in the figures quoted. Well may it 
be said that a single Herring boat is worth to the town far more 
than a whole row of lodging-houses, since at every turn the handling 
of the Herring means lucrative employment for labour. The 
Corporation is now deriving a handsome revenue from the Herring 
in various ways, and in a short time its splendid Fish Wharf and 
Market will have been completely paid for. There was more 
accommodation offered last season for the Herring steamers to load, 
but the Quay space available for this purpose was not nearly 
enough to meet the requirements, and before next season comes 
round there must be a better provision of loading berths, or the 
trade will be seriously hampered.” 
The week ending November 15th, 1902, was a record breaker so 
far as the Herring Fishery is concerned. On the whole the 
weather had been gloriously fine, fish plentiful, and boats doing 
very well, but about midnight on Monday, November 10th, 
a number of steamers reached the harbour, and as they had on 
board enormous catches of Herrings, varying from fifteen to 
twenty lasts per boat, the news soon spread, and at a very early 
hour in the morning of Tuesday it was evident that there was 
a probability of a busy day. As the morning advanced, boat after 
boat came in heavily laden, and by noon the unloading was pro- 
gressing all along the South Quay, as far as the Haven Bridge. 
Crowds of people were attracted by the extraordinary scene. 
At one time there was such a wild scramble of boats to obtain 
a berth, that the breaking of a rope caused quite a block in the 
river, so that it was possible for several venturesome people to 
cross from one side to the other by passing over the boats. 
Of course with all this mass of Herrings in swills and barrels, 
there was bustle everywhere but not confusion, as everybody 
worked with precision and tact, and soon the huge deliveries were 
dealt with, and room provided for others. It was estimated that 
