The Sun.
London, England, 1856-09-02 00:00:00

THE HERRING FISHERY AND THE

NAVY.

Those conversant with the habits of our fishermen are
aware that a bad herring season is to them what a bad
harvest is to the country. It is to the produce of the
herring fishery that they look for the redemption of their
debts, for the payment of the tradesmen who supply them
with their boats, nets, and other " work gear," and for
the provision (if any is made) against the shortcomings
of other parts of the year.
The present season has been on the whole a very bad
one, and though some of the boats, by good fortune or
good management, aided by higher prices, have made
out their average profits, others have had to return with
half a dozen fish in the bottom of their boat, as the sole
reward for the right long toil of four or five men.
Under these circumstances it is not to be wondered at
that people view with alarm and distrust the large fleet
of French luggers which every year resort to the east
coast for the purpose of fishing. A visitor sees from the
cliffs of Tynemouth or Oullercoats, in the season, from
15 to SO large three-masted vessels, each manned by 14
or 16 sailors, and wanting nothing but guns to convert
them into a formidable gun-boat flotilla. The French
system of bounty and protection sends them here, partly
for the purpose of catching herring, and partly to train
and exercise seamen, which the naval conscription can
at any time of emergency draft into the French navy.
The Government pays a bounty upon the fish taken,
which would otherwise find their way into the French
market, as into the markets of other countries, from the
hands of the English fishermen.
The herring fishing is carried on here in small boats, or
" nobles," containing three to five men and boys. In
the dark nights, therefore, the large and heavy French
vessels, powerfully manned, run down over the nets of
our men, and, while dragging in their own nets by means
of grappling irons, often carry off the nets and fish of
our fishermen. Remonstrances are of no avail in a
high wind and a foreign tongue, especially with those
who have might on their side ; and the bitterness which
is thus engendered will probably find expression some
night in a volley of fire arms, as was threatened last
summer by some of the northern fishermen.
Such a state of things passes rapidly from bad to
worse, and it will be wise to take steps to prevent such
an explosion.

The French Government;with that attention to details
which seems to be beneath the notice iof ours, sends
every year three war steamers to cruise on the coast,
for the purpose of watching the movements of their
fishermen, principally to prevent them from buying in-
stead of catching their fish. There is no doubt, how-
ever, that any misconduct of the French fishermen,
which comes under the notice of the French naval
authorities, would be punished and repre,sed. The
French consul here, too, is readily accessible, and it
is but just to that functionary and his officers to
say that they have, in !previous years, promptly ex-
erted themselves to obtain redress for losses sustained
by our fishermen from the aggressions of the French. On
our side there is the Fishery Board, costing the country,
we believe, some 30,0001. a-year, and confining itself to
the pretence of earning its salary by stamping crowns
upon herring barrels and punching holes in codfishes'
tails. A. fisherman who had some nets carried off by our
allies two seasons ago was simple enough to write to the
Fishery Board with his complaint, and received for an-
swer a recommendation to apply to the French com-
mandant the next time he visited the coast the following
season.

The coast guard, thinly scattered over miles of fright-
ful rocks and-dismal weather-beaten beach, have enough
to do without putting to sea at night, in unsafe boats, to
protect their natural enemies, the fishermen.
It is to our navy, then, that we roust look, and where
is that ? Northumberland and Durham never see it.
We suppose that the climate is too cold and the
weather too boisterous for the sailors of the Solent. It
is pleasanter to smoke cigars out of the windows of the
marine hotels of the Isle of Wight, or to swagger in uni-
form up the Higla street of Portsmouth, than to face
northern blasts, where nothing in the shape of prize-
money is to be earned. Sir C. Wood we think can
scarcely know there is such a river as the Tyne, or he
would deem it worth the presence of a ship of war. If
be would consult the hydr >graphers of the Admiralty,
they would inform him, and furnish him with admirable
surveys of the coast. With these and ample sailing di.
rections, two or three small steamers might surely fol-
low in the track of La Corse, La Biche, and La Reine
Hortense.

No man acquainted with our fishermen and seamen
could read without a smile the solemn platitudes of the
First Lord of the Admiralty on the expediency of making
our seafaring population familiar with her Majesty's
ships, the best and most obvious means of doing so,
which we have here pointed out, being so constantly
and consistently neglected.—Newastle Chronicle.

NoRTHAMPToNSMIMIThe past week has been
one of better promise for the harvest. Since yes=
terday week no rain of any amount has fallen, and,
with little sunshine, the corn has had the benefit
of strong daily breezes. A good deal of corn has
in consequence been carried, and in many cases in
better condition than was expected. We are in-
clined to think that, havin2 been greatly blessed
by suns of enormous ripening power, the rains that
followed them have not done by any means so
much injury as had been supposed. That positive
benefit was zonferred upon the turnip and mangold
wurtzel crops is certain, and has been made evident
by the rise in the price of stock accustomed to feed
upon those roots. The mischief that has been '
done is principally local and individual. The barley
that has been laid is, no doubt, somewhat damaged
in that portion of it next the ground, but the
changes from south to north and from north to
south in the wind have prevented the barley from
being much laid. Mown barley has undoubtedly
suffered. Some of the early cut wheat may have
been a little grown, particularly in the bindings,
but not, we think, to any serious extent. The chief
injury has been to those that have been induced to
• Lrry their corn, and that into barns, too rapidly,
and to the needy farmer, that was anxious to con-
vert his corn into cash iu a state fit for immediate
grinding. As to tho community at large, they
have probably been benefited to a certain extent by
the increased quantity which the rains had given
to the corn that had grown " too quick," and be-
come a little shrivelled. In this way also the far-
mers have benefited, in addition to the escape they
have had from an unnatural depression and fluc-
tuation in prices. Had the weather continued fine
a week longer than it did, we think the price of
wheat, from the hurry of agriculturists to realise,
might, and would, have fallen below 60s. the
quarter, only to rise again with unwholesome
rapidity. Upon the whole, we are inclined to
think that the British average of produce will be
rather below than above the ordinary amount, and
that till another seeding season has been followed
by another harvest, the Russian territory must
prove less than usually productive.—Northampton
Herald, Aug. 30.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE.—The weather since our last
has been very showery and unsettled; still the rains
have not been of any long continuance. During
the intervals of fine weather a great deal of corn has
been secured in good order iu this neighbourhood.
We are afraid, however, that in some instances
the wheat, being over ripe previously to being cut,
a great deal of waste has arisen in carting it from
the field to the rick. The unfavourable weather
which has thus prevented in some degree the in-
gathering of the wheat crop appears to have been
pretty general throughout the United Kingdom.
In the more northern counties complaintsare made
of the cold as well as the wet, and the harvest is
not likely to become general in Yorkshire
and other parts adjacent for at least a fortnight
hence. The reports respecting the potato crop are
various, still, upon the whole, we are inclined to
think that it will be found that this precarious
root will prove quite as productive as last year. In
the neighbourhood of Hereford complaints are
made. of the sprouting of the crop to an extent
likely to prove injurious ; this probably occurs only
amongst the earlier varieties, which, becoming
quite ripe and dry owing to the hot forcing weather
we experienced at the beginning of the month,
sprouted in the ground after the drenching rains
of last week. Under present circumstances it
would be premature to speculate upon the amount
of damage done in this vicinity to the wheat and
barley crops ; but from all we can gather, we be-
lieve it will be found much less than it was at one
time apprehended. We append the following com-
munication from a trustworthy source :—" A most
timely change in the weather took place on Friday
the 22d inst., and we have had good weather for
the harvest from that time till now, with the ex-
ception of a passing shower, which has kept us on
the alert to secure every available hour. Great
progress has been made, very many noble ricks
have been got together in good condition, and the
harvest prospects are decidedly cheering. The
stubbles will be ready for the sportsman by the Ist
September in this neighbourhood, but bagging,'
although an improved mode of cutting Lammas
wheat with a clean stubble, exposes birds to the
net of poachers."—Gloucestershire Chronicle, Aug.
30.

THE MOORS IN THE .NORTH.

(Front the Inverness Courier.)
The experiences of sportsmen throughout the country
this season are not generally favourable as to the extent
of sport. The returns show that on almost alt shooting
moors a great proportion of the birds shot are old ones,
and there is little doubt that the heavy rains in the early
part of the season did much damage to the broods of
newly-hatched grouse. In some places the birds are
packed, and as wild as in the month of November, though
on many moors our reports show good sport. A corres-
pondent, writing from Caithness, says-" That for many
years past, grouse have not been so abundant as they are
this season. Some of the birds are weak, owing to the
cold and backward spring, which must have retarded
their breeding much, yet the sport has been goad. On
the Strathmore moors, Capt. Phelps, Mr. Dawson, Mr.
J. Dawson, Mr. Simpson, and Mr. Chandless, killed in
days'shooting, 801 brace (1,602 head) of fine birds-
each gun killing 18 to 30 brace per day. At Brawls
Castle, Capt. Fendall and Mr. Brown have had excellent
sport-killing 388 head in,7 days' shooting, on the 12th,
421 brace ; on the 18th, 361 brace ; on the 19th, Mr.
Brown was out alone, and killed 271 brace; and on the
20th the two guns were out and killed 36 brace. Birds
very numerous." On the Fors° moors (Caithness), on the
12th, Major Stuart, of Edinburgh, had a good day's
shooting, having bagged 581 ; on the same day 11. W.
P. Smith, Esq., of Olrig, bagged 261 brace of grouse on
the Achalibst6r moors; and at Langwell, T. E. O. Horne,
Esq., who usually makes a heavy bag, killed 47 brace.
On the Stirkoke moors on Monday, the 18th, Mr. Ken-
ney and Mr. Ogilvie shot 65 brace, and on the 19th Mr.
Kenney shot 23 brace after 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
Besides other weighty bags of birds, Mr. Horne we learn
shot two handsome stags on the Glut Ground in Strath
more, towards the end of last week. In Argyleshire the
birds have suffered inure orless from disease, and young
birds are very scarce and smell. At Knockdon, J. La-
mont, Esq., bagged 25 brace with his own gun on the
12th, 20 brace on the 13th, and 10 brace on the 14th,
af:er 4 o'clock in the afternoon. The birds were generally
string on wing, but fewer young birds than usual on
account of the early season being so wet. From Strath-
conon, we learn that the grouse are very scarce. On the
idigh grounds there are no birds, old or young; and on the
low grounds only one or two young birds are to be seen
here and there. The old birds are also few, and many of
them still diseased. The black game aid ptarmigan ap-
pear te have suffered in the same way. At Scatwell on
1.2.1, Aug., Mr. Mackenzie, of Muirton, and Mr. John
Mackenzie, shot 23 brace of grouse and 4 hares. Oa the
16th in't., the same party shot 23 brace grouse and 4
hares. On the 214, the same parties shot 2 roe deer,
8 hares, 5 brace blackcock, 3 brace grouse, and 2 couple
of woodcock. At Lochiuichart, Lord Sydney was out
on the 13th fur a few hours, and killed 8 brace ; and on
the 14th, his lordship, accompanied by Mr. Milemay,
shot 16 brace. Oa the 15th, Mr. Milemay shot 11
brace. On the 16th, Lord Sydney, 131 brace. On the
18th, Mr. Milemay, 171 brace. Oa the 20th, Lord
Sydney and Mr. Milemay, 161 brace and 4 black-game.
The birds are generally very small. On the 12th, James
Kaye, the Lochluichart keeper, shot 9 brace in a short
time. At Gladfield, Bonarbridge, Mr. Lamont, on the
lsth, bagged 35 brace to his own gun, and on the fol.
lowing day 30 brace. On Tuesday last, at Shieldaig, in
Geirloch, Mr. Ward Hunt and Mr. Frederick Eden killed
57 brace of grouse, 1 plover, and 1 hare. Since the 12th
the two Mr. Hunts and Mr. Eden have, we hear, killed
379 head of game, 339 being grouse. On the Hill of
Cahaae, marching with the forest of Strathconan, Mr.
Gordon of Nethermuir had three days fair sport, consi-
dering the season ; and Mr. G. Gordon, in four days last
week,!balged 491 brace of grouse and 8 mountain bares
-a very large proportion of the birds being old cocks.
From Knockie we learn that the birds are in a very goad
condition, and the sport there has been good. On the
12tb, Colonel Adair and Captain Grant shot, in two
hours. 12 brace of grouse ; on the 13th, Colonel Adair
and H. E. Adair, M.P., shot, in four hours, 22 brace of
grouse; on the 14th, the same two gentlemen shot, in a
few hours, 141 brace of grouse and some hares ; on the
16th, in two hours, 121 brace of grouse; and on the 18th
the same two killed 91 brace of grouse ; on the 19th,
Captain and H. E. Adair, Esq., shot 27 brace of grouse
and some hares ; on the 21st, H. E. Adair killed, after
1 o'clock, 181 brace of grouse and one hare; and on the
22d, H. E. Adair shot 161 brace of grouse. At Tulchen
Lodge the sport continues very good. On the 20th,
Mr. Wynn Williams shot 17 brace ; and on the 22d, 12
brace. On the 21st, Mr. F. Walker bagged 40/, and
on the 221, 24 brace. The salmon fishing is excellent.
At Glenlivat, Mr. Caldwell had but moderate sport, the
grouse being very scarce on the high gr mind. On the
14th, in two and a half hours, be killed brace; on
the 16th, 43 brace and 4 bares ; on the 19th, 311 brace;
on the 221, 23 brace ; and on the 23d; 211 brace. At
Gien-Rothes, Mr. Maclean and party shot, in six days,
247 brace of grouse and upwards of 24 hares. On the
Strathmashie moors, on the 12th, Mr. Fen wick killed 24
brace; Mr. W. S. Deacon, 29 brace; Mr. J. R. Edwards,
32 brace. On thel4th,Mr.R.Barnett,l9 brace; Mr. Fen-
wick, 29 brace; Mr. Deacon, 30 brace; Mr. J. R. Edwards,
22 brace; the bulk being old birds, and broods excessively
small. At Nuide, in 6 days'shooting, F.L. Bodeham, Esq.,
and party, bagged 207 brace of grouse. From Balbair
we learn that the grouse has turned out more plentiful
than was at first ant;cipated. Sir Philip Egerton and
Mr. Degh, in four days, bagged 118 brace. At Gleedi-
bidale, on the 17th, Mr. Lamont bagged 33 brace of
grouse, with a good proportion of young birds. On the
12th, Mr. Ross shot 24 brace of grouse in a few hours.
At Tulloch Castle, on the 26th, Major Hirst,' and F.
H. Birse, Esq., in three hours, bagged 74 brace grouse,
64 brace black game, and 2 hares. On the following day
the same gentlemen were out for about five hours, and
bagged 20 brace grouse, 1 brace black game,
and 3
hares ; and -a considerable addition to the bag could
1
easily have been made. On the 16th, at Foyers, F. G.
Urquhart and brother killed 11 brace grouse, 1 wood-
cock 2 Aniperi, 2 bares, it rabbits, And 1 roo-deer ; on

In deer-stalking there has been much done this sea-
son. At 13rahan Castle, the Duke of Hamilton, the
Right Hon. Lord Lovat, and Mr. Keith Stewart Mac-
kenzie, have shot several bucks. Lord Dipplin, at Fan.
dich, killed 2 stags ; Mr. Vaughan, 2 stags and 1 hind ;
Mr. Waloh, in Fannich, had 2 stags. At Straiahvaich,
Mr. Pryar, had 1 Et;g ; at Garve, Captain Mackenzie
had 1 stag, And Captain Barring, a hind. Lord H.
B mtiack, on the 18r,h, brought dawn 2 splendid stags.
At Invermoriston, Sir H. Mocx killed 3 fine stags on
the 21st, at one stalking, out of a herd of 5 stags. They
weighed respen+ively 18 stone 3 lbs., 17 store 10 lbs.,
and 16 stone 12 lbs,, all fat stags. In the forest of
Gildermory, on Thursday and Friday last, Lord Selkirk
shot luir stags, one of them with horns of ten tines. At
Gleo-Dibidale, &c., Mr. Ross and party have shot 18
red deer this season. They are in very fine condition,
and ,some have been shot with perfectly clean hea'l4.
Oa the Strathconon moor, the deer are very numerous
and in fine condition. John La T ,uche, &A., who has
been very succes4ul, has alr..ady klled 13 stags, 11 of
them being very fine, heavy deer, and two or three with
royal beads. Only one, however, had a clear head, and
was a very fine animal, weighing 17 stone 8 lbs. ; another
killed the following day, weighed 16 stone 11 lbs.
On the 19th the parties from Castle Leed, Garve, and
Lochbae, met on the summits of \Veavis for hare shoot-
ing, and killed upwards of 300 head.