The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-14 00:00:00

BILLINGSGATE FISH MARKET.

The new front building on Billingsgate-quay is now
nearly finished, and when the scaffolding is taken away,
will present a noble appearance from the river. The
structure is not unlike the letter T turned upside down,
resting upon twenty arches supported by iron pillars,
there being three towers, a short one at each end, and a
tall tower where a clock is to be placed in the middle.
The building seems substantial and fire-proof, there
being little other material observable than bricks, free-
stone, and iron. The subterranean shell-fish market is
also in a forward state, and may very readily be finished
when it suits controlling powers. One object, which
very forcibly strikes every visitor to Billingsgate, is the
row of houses that stands betwixt Darkhouse .lane and
the market where business is carried on. In consequence
of the great increase of fish to this market since it was
first built, the confusion and uproar that
.go on in the
morning between the hours of five
and nine, is inde-
scribable. The question suggesting itself is:—" Are
those houses to come down for the purpose of making
more room for transacting business?" And then, again,
when you look at the new front building, and see that it
is carried from one end of the quay to the other, darken-
ing the window lights of some of the houses in this row of
building, and.otherwise putting them completely in the
shade, as regards beauty of structure, it immediately
occurs to you, Oh! yes, they must come down."
This question, however, although several times mooted,
is not yet finally settled. Besides the improvenseets
going on at Billingsgate market, in the shape of beauti•
tying it, &c., it is also cheering to observe that there is
now a spirit of enterprise afloat for the purpose of pro-
ducing a first•rate quality of fish for the market, by
resuscitating the decaying system of deep sea fishing.
Latterly two-deckecLwelled vessels of large tonnage have
been built, and are now engaged in their respective
trades. One is named the -Pearl of Harwich, dandy
cutter rigged, 80 tons burthen; the other is named the
Spirit of Greenwich, schooner rigged, burthen 114 tons.
Both are beautiful models of vessels, possess excellent
sailing and weatherly qualities, and looking more like
yachts, when under canvas, than vessels built for fishing
purposes. There is always a feeling of pleasure when a
person has to record advanced improvements in any
department whatever; that feeling, however, is different
when obliged to notice any retrograde movement Bil-
lingsgate-market is not now what it used to be with
respect to proper regulations as regards cleanliness. The
order at one time was, " The market should be opened
at four A.m., sales to commence at five, and the market
must be scrubbed and clean washed out by one P.M."
This order, good whilst in operation, has sadly relaxed.
You may now go sometimes at threw and four o'clock in
the afternoon, and see the place not much unlike a horse
stable, covered over with teraw and filth; and there is
oftentimes a smell about the market, particularly when
the weather is warm, that is quite unpardonable, when
such an abundance of water is always at hand.