only is forwarded to the market directly, the remainder is put into one of these cells or receivers: another veffel, two or three days after, leaves part of her cargo in another receiver of the fame boat, and fo on there it is kept as much beyond the limited time as the fisherman pleases. When the infpector comes to fee that the firft fish have been forwarded to market as it ought, and finds it remaining beyond the time, he is told that what he fees there is not the first fish, but such as came by after-veffels, and that the time for fending it forward is not out; which he not being able to difprove, the fraud paffes unpunished. It has also been provided, that an entry fhould be made of the fishingveifels, as they came in, under a very confiderable penalty; but this is frequently eluded, by prevailing upon those who have the charge of making the entry, to leave the entry to be made by fome waterman, who takes the entering-money, and makes the entry upon pieces of paper, which remain with him, before they are pofted in the enteringbook, perhaps twenty days. If the infpector, upon finding no entry made, give himself no trouble, the end is answered; if he does, and profecutes, the defendant produces the waterman's paper, which brings the entry within time; and tho' this paper may be forged, as the proof of the forgery is fcarce poffible, the. end of the fisherman is still answered, and he ftill cheats the public with impunity. To remedy thefe evils, and fome others, an act of parliament paffed the laft feffions of parliament, of which the following is the fub ftance: A brief account of the A&t for better Supplying the cities of London and Westminster with fib. A Fter June 24, 1760, the mafter of every fishing veffel, within three days after his arrival at the Nore with any fish, shall report the time of his arrival to the deputed clerk in the Coaft-office at the Cuftom-houfe in London, under 50l. penalty, and the clerk is to enter the report in a book kept for that purpose. And every mafter of a fishingveffel is alfo to leave a true account of all fresh falmon, falmon-trout, turbots, and large freth cod, and half-fresh cod-fith, haddock, fcate fifh, fresh ling, lobsters, foles, and whitings, which have been brought alive to the Nore in his veffel, upon、 pain that the owners of fuch veffel whofe mafter fhall omit to give fuch account, fhall forfeit 201. If the matter, or any other perfon on board fuch a veffel, after her arrival, fhall destroy, or caufe to be deftroyed, any fish which shall have been brought from fea, that is not unwholefome, perithed, or unmarketable, fuch offender is to be committed and kept to hard labour for any time not exceeding two months, nor less than one month. The clerk at the Coaft-office is to enter the faid accounts, and on Monday, Wednesday, and. Friday in every week, to return to the mayor of London, and to fuch perfons as the trustees of the fish-market at Weftminßer thall appoint, in the city of Weftminster, and to the infpector of the fishing-veffels at fuch place as the faid truftees fhall appoint, a true account of the time when every fuch veffel fhall have been entered as arrived at the Nore, and also of the the fish, &c. which fhall have been entered, under the penalty of 51. None of the above mentioned fifh shall, at any time after their arrival at the Nore, be put into any wellboat or ftore-boat, under the penalty of 201. And no fuch fish are to be delivered out of any fishing-veffel (unlefs when fold by retail) but into the veffel that shall be employed to carry it directly to Billingfgate or Weftminster: and no veffel is to remain above one tide with the fith, and is to deliver the fish at or before the next market, accidents of wind and weather excepted; and if any one offends in the premises, he is to be committed to the houfe of correction, to remain without bail, and be kept to hard labour for any time not exceeding two months, nor lefs than one month. And the inspector of the fishing veffels is duly to execute his office, under the penalty of 201. No perfon who fhall fell or be concerned in the fale of any freth fish by commiffion, is to buy or be concerned in the buying of any fresh fish to fell again on his own feparate account, or for the joint account of him or any other perfon, under the forfeiture of 501. Bret or turbot under the fize of 16 inches, and brill or pearl under the fize of 14 inches, may be expofed to fale, fo as the fame be not fold by retail, at above 6d. the pound: and if any person shall demand or take any greater price than 6d. a pound, and in proportion for any leffer weight, or fhall refufe to weigh and measure every fuch bret or turbot, brill or pearl, every fuch bret or turbot, brill or pearl, is to be forfeited; and any perfon may feize the fame, and deliver it to a con ftable, and charge him with the party who demanded any greater price than as aforefaid; and every conftable is to carry the party and the fith which fhall be feized before fome juftice of the peace; and every offender on conviction is to forfeit 20s. and the fish feized to be given to the profecutor of the offender, and the money to be returned to the party who paid the fame. No perfon is to fell at the first hand at any fish market within the bills of mortality, or within 150 yards of any fuch fifh-market, and during the market hours, any of the above mentioned fish, before he thall have first placed up, on or over the place at which he thall expofe to fale any fuch fifh, a true account of all the fith which he fhall then have to fell, diftinguishing the feveral forts of fuch fish, and the quantity of every fort thereof refpectively; and if, at any time before the market of that day fhall be over, any fuch other fifh fhall be brought to fell, every fuch person, before he fhall expofe to fale any part thereof, fhall add a true account thereof to the account before put up, which fhall continue up until all the fifh fhall be fold, or the market be over, under 10l. penalty, and under the penalty of 40s. for any one's taking down or oblig terating any fuch account. No perfon is to have in his poffeflion, or expofe to fale, or exchange for any goods, any spawn of fish, or any fish unfizeable or out of feafon, or any fmelt which shall not be five inches from the nofe to the utmost extent of the tail; and if any one fhall offend in the premifes, any perfon, under the authority of the act, may feize the fame, with the basketsand package, and charge a peace officer with the offender; and after fuch feizure, the fpawn, or other fish as aforefaid, together with the baskets and package, is to be delivered to a peace officer, who is to take the fame, and alfo every fnch offender, before fome juftice, to be dealt with according to law; and on conviction, every such spawn or fish, together with the basket or package, is to be forfeited, and be delivered to the profecutor of the offender; and the offender is to forfeit 20s. The under water-bailiff of London, and the yeomen of the water fide, are to take care that the provifions made by this act are carried into execution; and alfo to prevent all regrating of fish at Billingsgate, or within 150 yards of Billing gate dock, under 51. penalty. And the perfons appointed to fupervise the fish market of Westminster, are to take care and fee, from time to time, that the provifions made by this act are in like manner put into execution, under the penalty of 51. The act directs how the penalties are to be recovered and applied, and gives power to any perfon, aggrieved by the determination of any juftice, to appeal to the next feffion of the peace, which fhall be held for the place wherein the conviction was made, and the determination of fuch complaint at the feffions is to be final. The feafons wherein feveral forts of Fifh are allowed to be taken, and the fizes Fish expofed for fale ought to be of. Fish, which may be taken at any time of the year. 12 inches in length from the eye to the end of the tail. Bafs or mullet, but by ditto, not under 12 inches in length from ditto to ditto. Bret or turbot, under ftat. 33d Geo. II. of any fize, fo as fuch thereof as are under 16 inches in length from ditto to ditto, be not fold by retail at above 6d. a pound. Brill or pearl, under ditto of any. fize, fo as fuch thereof as are under 14 inches from ditto to ditto, be not fold by retail at above 6d. a pound. Soles, but by ftat. 1ft Geo. I. ftat. 2d, chap. 18. not under 7 inches from the eye to the end of the tail. Flounders (not taken in the river Thames, or waters of Medway ;) but by ditto not under 7 inches from ditto to ditto. Flounders (taken in the river Thames, or waters of Medway ;) but by ftat. 30th Geo. II. and the regulations made pursuant thereto, not under 6 inches from ditto to ditto. Plaice or dabbs, but by ftat. ift Geo. I. ftat. 2d, chap. 18. not under 7 inches from ditto to ditto. Smelts (except taken in the river Thames, or waters of Medway ;) but by ftat. 33d Geo. II. not under 5 inches from ditto to ditto. Whitings (except in ditto) but by ftat 1ft Geo. I. ftat. 2d, chap. 18. not under 6 inches from ditto to ditto. Fresh fturgeon, fresh ling, haddock, halybut, fcate, maid, thornback, mackarel, herrings, pilchards, and fprats, may be taken of any fize. OD fish, but by ftat. Geo. I. Wm. III. chap. 24, is not to be Citat. ad, chap. 18. not under taken under Binches in length from the the peak of the nose under the end of the middle fin of the tail: and by ftat. 9th Geo. II. chap. 33. no lobfters are to be taken on the coaft of Scotland from the firft of June to the first of September. Salmon, by ftat. 1ft. Geo.I.ftat.2d, chap. 18. is prohibited to be taken in particular rivers between July 31 and November 12, and is not at any time to be taken in fuch rivers, not being of the length of 18 inches or more from the eye to the extent of the middle of the tail; and no falmon is to be fent to London of lefs weight than 6 pounds. Trout, by ftat. 1ft Eliz. chap. 21. is not to be killed out of feafon; but the feafon for trout in feveral rivers in England is different; but no trout is to be taken not being in length 8 inches or more. Sea trout, by ftat. 24th Anne, chap. 21. is not to be taken in particular rivers, creeks, or arms of the fea, between June 30 and Novem ber 11. And the feafons for taking the feveral forts of fifh, herein after fpecified, in the river Thames and waters of Medway, under the ftat. 30th Geo. II. chap. 21. and the regulations made in purfuance thereof, together with the weight and refpective fizes fish taken in the said river or waters of Medway ought to be of, are, as hereinafter specified, viz. No falmon is to be of lefs weight than 6 pounds, or to be taken between November 11 and Auguft 24. No trout is to be of lefs weight than one pound, or to be taken between November II and August 24. any time except from January 25 to June 1.' No fmelt is to be taken of lefs than five inches from the eye to the end of the tail, or to be taken at No whiting is to be taken of less fize than fix inches, from ditto to ditto, or at any time but only from Michaelmas day to Ember week. No fhad is to be taken but only from May 10 to June 30. No pike or jack is to be taken under 12 inches from the eye to the end of the tail, and only between Auguft 24 and March 21. No perch is to be taken under 6 inches, from ditto to ditto, and only between Auguft 24 and March 21. No roach or dace are to be taken, under 6 inches from the eye to the end of the tail, and only between Auguft 24 and March 21. No barbell is to be taken under 12 inches, from ditto to ditto, and only between Auguft 24 and March 21. No chub is to be taken under 9 inches, from ditto to ditto, and only between Auguft 24 and March 21. No gudgeons are to be taken, but only between Auguft 24 and March 21. No leaps or rods for eels are to be laid, but only from April 21 to October 30; but eels be hooked for all the year. may Lamperns are only to be taken from August 24 to March 30. White bait is only to be taken from Auguft 1, to October 1. White fhrimps are only to be taken from Bartholomew day to Good Friday. Red fhrimps in the river Medway are only to be taken from April 25 to July 1. Buntings are only to be taken from September 1 to April 1. Regu Regulations of the Fish Markets in general in Holland, and particularly that at the Hague. cuts it open, from the tail up the fide of the belly to the gills, as a mark of its being lefs in value than the rest of the fish. HERE are three overfeers The turbot, according to its fize, Tappointed by the magiftrates are placed in lots, from three to of the town to attend the fale of fith, who are bound, by oath, to do juftice to all parties, and receive a falary for their attendance, not exceeding 151. English money, per ann. and are obliged to give fecurity for the truft repofed in them; the firft is called the Affslager, or falefman, the second is his afliftant, and the third is called the Keurmeefter, or examiner of the fith, whether it is fresh and fit for fale. The cargo, which is brought to market, arrives generally about nine o'clock in the morning, in cars or light waggons, and before ten, the whole is placed upon an open piece of ground on one fide of the ftalls where the retailers fell their fish; at ten o'clock the falesman rings his bell, which 'can be heard above half a mile's distance, to open the market. The fifh is placed in lots upon the ground; if the whole number of cod-fifh brought to the market amounts to no more than ninetynine, it is divided into the fame number of lots; but if it is a hundred, then it is divided into fifty lots; that is to say, two fish in each lot, and never more, though the quantity brought to market thould be ever fo great. It fhould have been mentioned, in its proper place, that the examiner (before the fale begins) looks over all the lots, to fee that they are freth and fit for fale; if any be found that are stale and unwholesome, he orders it to be buried or thrown into the water; but if any fhould be found that is not quite fresh, tho' good enough for immediate ufe, he eight or ten in each; the plaice, which are near as large as turbot, are mixed among whitings, haddocks, and finaller fish, and are divided into lots by their bulk;. foles are generally twenty in a lot, if large, or more in proportion to their fize; upon the whole, the number of lots are near equal `at every day's fale, whether the quantity brought to market is more than ufual, or otherwife. At ten o'clock the falefman begins to fell to the highest bidder (whether retailers of fish, or other inhabitants of the town) in the following manner: He fets a price upon the first lot (fuppofe it be fifty pence, which is two guilders and ten ftivers of their money) and continues to lower it by one penny, or two-pence,till any one of the buyers call out, Mine; at which time the price may be reduced to thirty pence or lefs, and fo goes on with each lot till the whole is fold: The fishermen, as they arrive at the market with their cargoes, give in their names to the falefman and his affiftant, and each is ferved in his turn, and the number of lots belonging to every fisherman is fet down in the two falefmens' books, and both books must agree in their accounts for the fecurity of the fifhermen, who have nothing more to do at market, the salesman being accountable to them the next day, or whenever they return to demand the money for their fifh. By this method they are not detained from taking every advantage of wind and tide in returning to their fifhery. The |