The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-10 00:00:00

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1 boats employed, a early one-half of the . caught,
37
and there can be o doubt that if, up to this time,
Lowestoft had been left without a railway communica-
tion to London, the fishery must have been given up,
learoregfde
or the produce taken to some place that poe-
teased that advantage. The past year has shown
a q
ar
theei
rnien renewal a
altered
utshuteatltaeyfisehferythieigna. a
Largerform stated
s
to
re of capital can no longer prsfi-
tably be worked, from the decrease in the mean price of
the fish; but the harbour affords facilities to the empley-
meet of smaller, commonly called half and half boats,
from their being a mean size between a punt and a lug-
ger; these boats being worked at less expense, and re-
quiring a smaller outlay of capital, are enabled to carry out
the herring fishery with profit and success, and an increase
to the returns of 1839 may with confidence be expected.
But a greater source of profit than even the herring
fishery remains dead to Lowestoft, although off its very
shores. Situated on a promontory stretching towards the
centre of the great German ocean, with a harbour acees-
sible at all times, and railway communication to every part
0: Great Britain, with boats and men idling cat shore,
hitherto no effort has been made to trawl the shoals of
ground fish, such as plaice, 50155, and turbot, with which
the great, banks situated within twenty or thirty males
of our harbour abound; but I am happy to state an
effort is to be made now; several king friends have
joined me for this purpose, our object being in the first
place to give employment to our numerous uuemployed
fishermen, and iu the second to increase the traffic of the
port, and consequent profit to ourselves. Having made
every inquiry, and given this subject mature considers-
den, I am persuaded that if a sufficient number of the
large herring boats are perfectly equipped for trading,
and conducted in a proper manner, this object will profit-
ably be effected. lam also persuaded that it can only be
dune by a number of boats, and systematic manage-
ment. If one boat only was to attempt it, the result
would be a failure; but if ten or twenty, or more (the
more the better), commence, tee result will be success-
ful. We commence with ton boats, and I hope this will
soon increase to 100; a steam-boat will leave the har-
bour each night for the fishing ground, and return each
day in time for the market train, bringing not only the
fish of our own boats, but of the other vessels who
choose to send by this mode of conveyance. I speak
within bounds when I say that each boat will earn 4004
per annum, for, with the exception of very bad weather,
the boats will remain on the fishing ground the whole
year, only'returning to port for a few days once in six
weeks. -New when it iaconaideked that whtmdred bohts ..
would employ 500 men, would yield an income to the
town and port of 40,0004 besides 7,000/. a year to the
railway and 1,2001. a year to the harbour, giving at the
same time a large interest to the capital embarked in
them, it is surely worth the trial. The supply of fish
is inexhaustible; the means of transit to the great mar-
kets certain and economical; the demand increasing and
unlimited. Our men, trained to the sea from their in-
fancy, and accustomed to look to it for their support,
are ready and willing to engage in this mode of fishing,
if properly directed and encouraged—shall we then
withhold our aid? I hope not; but encourage to the
best of our ability an enterprise so promising and bene-
ficent; and in my humble opinion the harbour and rail-
way will not have fulfilled their destiny until they have
given employment to every honest and industrious fish-
erman in the place. Nor is it the fisherman alone that
will be benefited—every tradesman and mechanic must
feel its influence; the 500 men alone employed in the
boats will consume 182,0001b5. of meat annually, be-
sides a like quantity of bread and small stores. Boat
builders, sail makers, twine spinners, and other trades,
will all feel its benefit; and last, although not least, oar
more wealthy inhabitants and friendly visitors will enjoy
the luxury of an abundant supply of all kinds of fresh
and wholesome fish. Another source of revenue now
opening is the formation of a company under the title
of the Northern Steam Parket Company, established
for the purpose of conveying passengers, goods, but
principally cattle, from the coasts of Jutland, Holstein,
and Schleswig, to this country. The attention of the
feeders and shippers of foreign cattle, for the supply of
the London market, has long been directed to the ob-
ject of reducing the length of the sea voyage, which so
materially deteriorates the condition of the cattle ex-
ported by them. The petition of Lowestoft, on the
extreme eastern point of England, and consequently the
nearest to that country, pointed it out as the most eligible
point of debarkation; its possession of a good harbour
and railway communication to London decided its se-
lection. A communication was last year opened with
the principal shippers in Denmark, and ultimately,
through the kindness of the Government agent (who at
once saw the advantages possessed by this place), with
the Government of Denmark itself, who have granted to
the Northern Steam Packet Company certain concessions
highly favourable to the company; the company are al-
ready in possession of two vessels, and a third, of great
capacity and speed, is in course of construction, and will
be ready in May. Every preparation is being made hero
for the facitity of landing and forwarding the cattle to
the London and other markets—a large stable capable
of accommodating 200 head of cattle is in course of
erection, and a steam factory with lathes and machinery
for repairing the engines of the packets in course of pre-
paration. When it is considered that 40,000 head of
cattle are reared in that country, and that during the
past autumn 12,000 head were shipped from the port of
fonningen alone; we may reasonably expect that a por-
tion of this quantity will find its way to Landon by the
way of Lowestoft, which reduces the sea voyage by
twenty-four hours, and enables the shippers to produce
1 their cattle in the market in a shorter space
of time, at less expense, and in better condition.
Having thus far explained my views of the present con-
dition of the trade and prospects of the harbour, I hope
you will bear with me whilst I trespass a little more on
your time and patience with reference to the harbour
iteelf. lam induced more particularly to do so at this
time when the harbour is so near completion, and even
those inclined to view it in an unfavourable light are in-
duced to confess that all that was practicable for the
capital expended has been done. Yet such erroneous
impressions have been expressed as to its durability and
stability, even by our friends, that I think it right and
only justice to our shareholders to put them in posses-
sion of the facts relative thereto. It has been said that
the harbour cannot be kept open at the same depth of
water for any number of years without considerable ex-
pense: that the worm will ultimately eat away the piles,
and that the masonry will consequently give way. Now
it certainly is the duty of a prudent gezeral not to un-
derrate his foe or even to turn a deaf ear to rumours of
a force, that may be sent to oppose him. We are per-
fectly aware of the causes constantly at work to dete-
riorate the efforts of our labour, and being so, are pre-
pared to prevent the effects resulting therefrom acting to
our prejudice. The enemies we have to contend with
are the incessant action of the waves of the sea caused
by winds and currents; the washing of the sand acted
.uil,i,orinby t thereby;hesamtehue
ndtei
1p
do deposit
oosfi t se idl t
wo ri
tmh
inu d held
t,
he -
harbour,
ein
consequence of the cessation of the motion of the waves;
and the remorseless and ever vigilant Teredo Navalis or
sea-worm. Against the first of these enemies we op.
pose the stability of our outer piers and the experience
of three winters, even when in an incomplete state, shows
that they were equal to the contest. It is well known
that the piers are fixed upon a stratum of blue cloy, open
which the sand is laid at an angle formed by the waves
of frcm six to eight degrees; the piling of the piers
being driven through the sand, and from fifteen to
twenty feet into the blue clay, is a sufficient guarantee
for their stability. The whale of the internal space be-
tween the outer pilings, twenty-five feet wide, being
filled in with solid masonry, form a barrier against
which the waves of the German Ocean may in vain ex-
pend their force, so long as the masonry and piles are
kept in good order and repair. Against the washing
of the sand through the foundation of the masonry, and
the deposit of silt, we have the remedy of dredging; and
that this is sufficient, not only to maintain the present
depth of water, but to increase it to a very consider-
ablewe have experience to prove. During the
lest year no less than 236,667 tons have been dredged
extenout
up in the 'ter and inner harbour, and the depth of
water increased over a very large space from six to
twelve feet at low water. Admitting that a hundred
tons per day of sand and silt was deposited in the har-
bour, which I estimate at a very large average, it would
be but 365,000 tons annually, which could be dredged
up in the course of three mouths, at an expense of 5001.
We must bear in mind that our harbour is an artificial
one, and must be kept open and maintained by artificial
means. Tho accumulation of sand on the outer side of
the piers, which occasioned some anxiety to several of
our friends, we have not only been enabled to keep under
control, but turn to a source of profit. Bych,liace dintgheinbaonuf,
tramways from the ballast wharf,
on the nor
same means of
6281. 4s. 4d. for ballast, and we have the
thby 20,000 tons,
takeplace on the
turning any accumulation whichwheahsayerldeee a revenue cf
that may . .
With reference to
specimens of a piece of one
Prepared by creosote, that has
south side to the same advantage-
- the harbour, and is untouched by the
p r e pa red,
repulsive which
been four years in
• eosote is a preparation of tar, oil, and
and is
eaten
poisonous -
siderably. Creosote
othfethweoprmilOswe fileth a ve
hays before
been us
the worm, that neither the ter
o piece
excessivelyun
cdo nor the simnoria
to
will touch .
any substance thz.t has beenprepared by 1
The whole of the piles of which the harbour Is composed
are prepared with this substance, which is forced into
other substances, a;uabnitdanaclseos,as
the timber under a pressure of a hundred pounds to the
square inch; thoroughly saturating the whole or the,
outer portion of the wood, varying in thickness accold-
iug to the hordn4s of the timber and closeness of the
grain. As long as this substance c retinues in the wood
it is perfectly protected against the encroachments of
the worm. Another source of protection to the piles is
the accumulation of silt around them, which it is our
policy to encourage, for the worm cannot attack the
timber surr“undeci by mud; from these causes, and by
carefully costing the whole of the timber and piles of the
harbour each year with a preparation of coal tar and ere-
mote, there cart be no difficulty in preserving the wood for
any reasonable number of years. Although not particu-
larly in my department, I beg to make a few sta7e-
'welts with reference to our railway traffic, which,
but as the working expenses increase from the nature
the
I am happy to state, shows the same steady increase;
the traffice in the same proportion as theharrebe(e,utprts,
Thethe
Railway
receipts for thin past half-yea.!
ld. The -e
' d being 2,7461. 18s. . receipts for the
se.ree period
:car of 1843 were 1,8931. is 7d the
or ly, are 3,446/. 7s. lid.; 'be working es—entes for they
corresponding haif-ye
wriluz4,, expenses being 1,1351. 10s, 4d. The. receipts
present half-year, therefore, show an increase of
of 41 veer cent. This increase has been derived 81 per the
cent. and an increase in the worldag expenses
princi-
pally from goods, of which fish bears a large proportion.
been
During
forwarded
past half-year 26,476 packages of fish have
14,354 packages to other
places.
The cash received at the station during the
orwarded to London, and
same period has been 5,6741. Bs. 5d., and if we calculate
a like sum for goods forwarded to pay, we make the
annum, as the contribution of our branch to the maul
total earnings 11,3481. 16s. 10d., or 22,6871. 13s. Bd. per

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