Piles of magnificent fish lie rotting in the sun.
The sides of Kinsale Harbour are strewn with them, and
frequently, when they have become a little 'touched,' whole
boat-loads are thrown overboard into the water. This great waste
is to be attributed to scarcity of hands to salt the fish and
want of packing-boxes. Some of the boats are said to have made
as much as 500L. this season. The local fishing company are
making active preparations for the approaching herring fishery,
and it is anticipated that Kinsale may become one of the centres
of this description of fishing."
[9] Statistical Journal for March 1848. Paper by Richard Valpy
on "The Resources of the Irish Sea Fisheries," pp. 55-72.
[10] HALL, Retrospect of a Long Life, ii. 324.
[11] The Commissioners of Irish Fisheries, in one of their
reports, observe:--"Notwithstanding the diminished population,
the fish captured round the coast is so inadequate to the wants
of the population that fully 150,000L. worth of ling, cod, and
herring are annually imported from Norway, Newfoundland, and
Scotland, the vessels bearing these cargoes, as they approach the
shores of Ireland, frequently sailing through large shoals of
fish of the same description as they are freighted with!"
[12] The following examination of Mr. J. Ennis, chairman of the
Midland and Great Western Railway, took place before the "Royal
Commission on Railways," as long ago as the year 1846:-
Chairman--"Is the fish traffic of any importance to your
railway?"
Mr.
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