The Sun.
London, England, 1849-12-19 00:00:00

DEEP SEA FISHERIES.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE, SUN.
SlR,—Llaving fully inquired into the circum-
stance
that has caused the depreciation of
quality in London fish market for several years
back, particularly cod fish, in addition to what
I before stated, the following particulars will at
once show where the root of the evil rests (as
far as London fish market is concerned), and how
very easily the market might again be resuscitated
and assume its former state, if the old adage is to be
acted upon—" 'fast a stitch in time saves nine."
The " London Directory" exhibits a list of upwards
of 400 fishmongers and salesmen, none of whom, I
am toll, have a shilling's worth of property invested
afloat. There are only a few fish salesmen (perhaps five
or six) who are owners of smacks. The fishmongers
having no interest in smack property, and since rail-
way communication renders such facilities to the
coast fisherthen to send to market their along-shore
cod, the fishmongers being enabled to purchase them
cheaper than the real deep sea cod, they do so, much
to the depreciation in quality of cod fish in London
market. From the port of Barking, a few years
since, there were seventy welled smacks sailed regu-
larly to the Dogger Bank, the Well Bank, and other
banks in the North Sea, engaged in the deep sea cod
fishery. Properly speaking, now there are only seven
engaged in that trade. The greatest number of the
welled inacks are either engaged in the trawling
trade, or long line fishing alongshore.
The deep sea fisheries are cnieily carried on with
hand lines—the men holding the lines is hand ever
the vessel's side. moving them up and down, con.
stantly on the alert. So soert as a nibble is felt the
line is jerked upwsrde, when the fish are invariably
hooked by the lip. When the fish i 3 hauled oil hoard
it is little injured. The hook being removed the fish
is put into the well, where it is kept alive. The
welled smack ow tiers finding such a co:op:talon
offered against them whearailways were opened, they
found themselves in a manner compelled to alter their
tactics, so as to enable them to hold their ground,
and prevent if possible a leeward course. Instead of
engaging the welled smacks in the deep sea codfishery,
they have employed them as trawlers and long line fishing silorgashore. To keep them as constarday en the fishing ground as possible, their owners have had
built a class of fast-sailing, dry-bottomed cutters (or
carriers). The duties of these vessels are to attend
upon the smacks at the fishing ground, receive on
hoard their cauchings, and then proceed direct to
Billingsgate Fishmarlict. This enrrying system in
dry- bottomed vs-ssels from the fishing ground to the
market is a recent ides, it cannot be considered as an
improvement upon the plan that brings fish living
into market. Contrary winds :sad calms must act
disstivantalseously to the dry bottomed carrying
system. Fiala
,thatt are full of spawn, and fish that
have just spawned (such as are invariably caught
along-shore), arc far inferior to those caught in deep
water.

From what has been already shown on this subject
it must appear quite evident that to mend the sore
complained of is a question that rests almost exclu-
sively with the fishmongers of London to do it in a
very short space of time. It is only for them to give
preference whilst making purchases to such fish that
have been caught in the deep seas, and brought to
market living. If the fishmongers do not act upon
this suggestion, or if a company do not arise to keep
the welled smacks going, 1 am pretty certain from
present appearances that this day twelvemonth there
will scarcely be a decked welled smack regularly
engaged in the deep sea codfishery.—l am, &c.
H. DEAIPSTER.

PROTECTION AGAINST DEFEC-
TIVE FIREARMS.
TO THE .EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir,—The providential escape from the bursting of
a pair of Messrs. Deane's new steel barrels mentioned
in the Times of to- day may lead you to turn your
attention to the defective state of the law of proving
gun barrels, and thus induce an amendment in it, by
which you will most essentially benefit the public.
Few persons are aware of the utter fallacy of the
supposed security given by the Proof-house stamp,
not from any want of due care of the establishment
(which would be the natural supposition), but from
the circumstance that although the Act of Parlia-
ment of 1815 imposes a penalty of 201. on any gun-
make; selling an unproved gun, there is none on a
far more dangerous practice of modern date, adopted
by some cheap manufacturers, technically called
"sweating," i. e., having barrels bored perhaps at a
, gauge of 15 or 16 bore, of the due thickness at
which they are proved and eamped as safe
these !makers, win absurdly pretend to combine
lightness of metal with safety. rebore and file away
i the insides of the barrel to a most dangerous
j tenuity, nt which they would not again bear a proof
to which they are never submitted before sale,
leaving, however, the apparent guarantea of the proof-
mark on the outside, but which has really been ren-
dered invalid. I have now a letter before me from an
eminent maker at Birmingham, stating that ha
witnessed last week a reboring for some "light
guninaken," which was reducing barrels proved at
the weigh', of 81b. to 41b.
Trusting you may deern this subject not unworthy
of your attention, and may lend your powerful aid to
insure sonic more efficient protection to the public
against the dangers to which they are now exposed,
I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
Dec. 18.
S. C.

REPOB T.
Sir,--After the most mature inspection and consi-
deration of the burs►ing of the barrels forwarded to
me on Saturday last, I ascrile their bursting to the
following cause* :

1. The total want of judgment displayed in fitting
into a stock originally made for barrels of 14 bore
the increased size of 12 bore, and, to meet this insu-
perable difficulty, filing away more than one-half the
thickness of each barrel, to get them to joint close
enough to admit them into the stock—rendering the
barrels thus not half the actual strength in the joint
which they possessed in the other portions, and hence
the fact of their bursting where they have done. An
inspection of the thickness of the joint will convince
the merest tyro in mechanical knowledge.
2. They have been intended to be brazed, or hard
soldered with brass (the most injurious practice iron
can be subjected to), but, from inattention in the
workman, a cohesion or attachment has never been
effected between the two barrels, and must have been
loose for at least three inches from the breech ends.
The soft solder used to fasten the top and bottom ribs
was, in fact, the only attachment holding the barrels
together ; forming the most careless end ill-conducted
work I ever saw come out of a London maker's shop,
and undoubtedly adding to the danger already existing
in the barrels by the excessive reduction.
3. The barrels appear to have been proved, but
the removal of the Proof-house number of bore, which
is always stamped between the proof-marks, justifies
the suspicion that the barrels have been bored to a
larger bore since such proof; how many sizes it is
impossible to say.
Lastly. The barrels are not constructed of all steel,
but a mixture of half iron and half steel, formed into
a variety of Damascene figures by no means approxi-
mating to the tenacity of laminated steel barrels, of
which they are a spurious imitation.
This I feel justified iu saying,—the barrels were
unsafe before leaving the maker's shop, and the frac-
ture cannot in any way be ascribed to any careless-
ness in loading, as examination will show the barrels
to have separated at the extreme end where the charge
of powder lay, and which would not have been the case
had space existed between the powder and cartridge;
the fracture would in this case have extended farther
up the barrel.

WILLIAM GREENER.
Aston New town, Birmingham, De;;. 14.

PASSAGES IN THE LIFE OF MRS. MARGARET
MAITLAIsaI, OF SUNNYSIDE.—This charming story con-
tinues to he received with the favour it deserves by our
principal critics. The Examiner, in its review, says,
"We have read this book with unusual pleasure. It has
points of merit in the delineation of Scottish life and
character which may compare with Mi,,sFerrier, Galt,
Lockhart, and Wilson, and the spirit in which it is
writer, is at once singularly quiet and modest, and full
of shrewdness and good sense. Every page of the book
testifies te the author's sincerity, her simplicity of feeling
and good faith, and her une:inting piety. The moral of
the story is an eseelient one. The tader will enjoy the
unafftcted tone of the hook, and be as touched by its
truth as if Mire Ferrier were not yet silent, or the
authors of'Light:; and Shadows' and 'Adam Bair'
were peopling Scottish manses rgaip,."
Mr. John Wood, the chairman of the Coal, Cotn,
and Finance Committee of the City cf London, et ter-
tained last evening a numerous party at the Albion
Tavern, Aldertgate-street, Amongst the conirany we
noticed the Right lion, the Lord Mayor, Sir James
Duk,, Bart., M.P.,Sir John Key, Bart., Sir Wm. Mai nay,
Bart., Mr. Masterman, M.P., Alderman Gibbs, Alder-
man Moon, Alderman Lawrence, Alderman Carden, the
Town Clerk, Mr. Deputy Stevens, Mr. Deputy Peacock,
Mr. Deputy Holt, and a number of other gentlemen
connected with the corporation. The dinner and wines
were of a sup- tier dt-seription, end did great credit to
the taste of Messr. Staples.
CITY COMMISSIONERS:OF SEWERS.—Yesterday the
Court met, Mr. Deputy Peacock in the chair. Th, re
w ere but few members present. The reports of the
several inspectors showed that the persons employed in
cleansing the streets and alleys were generally attentive
to their duties. Nothing of any importance took place
at the meeting.