THE FISHING INDUSTRY OF THE WEST. 259 
the fishing-boats, it has very materially improved in every branch 
during the past fifteen years. It possesses some of the hand- 
somest and swiftest craft of Great Britain, though in size we 
cannot compare with the boats of other parts of England and 
Scotland. 
During the past and present years the severe depression which 
has been felt by our country has also made itself manifest in 
fisheries, and a considerable falling-off in earnings has been the 
result. It is also to be regretted that the supply of Trawl fish 
has been considerably less at Brixham and Plymouth. The chief 
failure has been in the hake fishing, which has indeed been 
going back for some years past. From Brixham I have received 
information that the supply of soles has very seriously decreased 
lately, and that there is very little sign of any improvement in 
the species. 
The Board of Trade returns show that 14,014 tons of fish were 
earried inland by rail in 1884 from the following Devon and 
Cornwall ports, showing an increase on the previous year: Ply- 
mouth, 2,711 tons; Brixham, 1916 ; Torquay, 1126 ; Teignmouth, 
763; Exmouth, 434; Kingswear, 199; Starcross, 116 ; Sidmouth, 
63; Dawlish, 13; Topsham, 7: Penzance, 4059; St. Ives, 2199; 
St. Austell, 355; Marazion, 38; Hayle, 15. Taking the ton of 
fish as equal to 38 sheep, we see that for food purposes this inland 
supply is equal to a flock of 392,392. All this food is brought to 
our shores day by day without any trouble of production; but 
there is every reason why we should do our part to help in the 
improvement of fishing enterprise. 
The results of fishing are always uncertain, and no two seasons 
over the same ground are alike. 
The hake fishing is perhaps the most striking case at present. It 
has fallen off much during the last few years ; and it is singular, so 
far as Brixham is concerned, that the great scarcity there dates 
from the very year (1868) when there was a strike among the 
Brixham fishermen. For some few years it has been noticed that 
hakes have been fairly abundant on the Irish coast, and I have no 
doubt myself but that, in coming to our shores from the Atlantic, 
they struck across to the Irish coast, probably in search of food, and 
that other natural causes having been favourable they have re- 
mained there during their regular course, and again returned to 
the Atlantic, and back to the Spanish coast. 
