still more interesting to lookers on. The sun shone brilliantly and added much to the artistic effect of about thirty luggers which were scattered over the waters and numerous ferry-boats loading and unloading their finny cargoes. On Thursday the animated scene was further enlarged, nearly 50 fishing-boats being in view at the time of high water, all of which had been successful in varied degrees, the quantity of fish differing between four thousand and twenty thousand and realising at the least £13.10s. per last. This kind of fishing was prosecuted with somewhat diminished success until November 14th, which was also a Sunday, when large quantities of herring were again landed. Then on the 17th, catches ranged from ten thousand to sixty thousand, which being sold at from £7 to £10 per last, realised for th heaviest boat-load £70. Two days later the numbers landed ranged from a few thousand to 2½ last; but none of the boats came to shore entirely empty.
One of the most successful fishermen along the coast during the season was Henry Blacklock, of Lydd, he having landed no fewer than 72 lasts, which were sold at over £10 per last, and thus enabled his crew to share £40 each.
In the meantime some “bewleys”, weighing upwards of £60 lbs were brought ashore; also a fish of the grampus species, about half grown. A third curiosity of the deep was a gigantic skate, which weighed 180 lbs.
Proposed Net Manufactory
At a meeting on the 22nd of February, Mr. Ross, in moving that it is desirable to establish a net manufactory, said that it had struck him that Hastings, one of the largest fishing towns, ought not to go to Bridport for its nets, especially when they considered that £3000 left the town annually for that purpose, at that at times there was a difficulty in getting the nets. A statement drawn up by himself showed that twenty large boats used sixty dozen of nets each year at 28s. a dozen; 30 second class boats used thirty dozen each; and 40 trawl-boats, two trawls each; the total value of which was £3,300. The Rev. W. W. Hume, in seconding the motion, said that having had three years’ experience in Hastings, among the fishing people, he had some knowledge of the importance of the proposition. Finding them frequently in poverty, he used to ask them why they did not make nets; and the invariable answer was because they could buy them at Bridport much cheaper than they could -
