The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-08 00:00:00

ODD FISH.

Some strange fish of a monster character have lately
been working their way towards Ireland, whether as
avant couriers of good or evil, time and t►de must
disclose. On Tuesday last two enormous animals of
the skate tribe came into the river Coil near
Downpatrick, and after a resolute struggle with their
captors were captured. They were male and female,
and the latter gentle fair one measured 5 feet iu length
in the body, and 2 feet in the tail, total 7 feet, and
in breadth 5 feet 2 inches, and weighed upwards ot
2 cwt., exceeding in the latter respect the famous
monster of the deep sold by a fishmonger at Cam-
bridge to St. John's College in 1770, and which dined
120 persons, for that one weighed only nearly 2 cwt.
The male companion of our fair friend above was
not deficient either in latitude and longitude
of good degrees, for he measured 4* feet in
length of body, and 1i feet of tail, giving a
good total of 6i feet, and in breadth 4f feet, with a
dead weight of 1i cwt. There were also caught
lurking about the same neighbourhood some enormous
eels of gigantic dimensions, one of which measured 6
feet in iengtb, and weighed 401 b.; and thee, again,
on the Shannon, the other day a Brobdignagian
salmon fought a tremendous fight with three suc-
cessive assailants, and beat them all. The first
man be grappled with he battled with hand
to band for five consecutive hours, and worked him
three miles down the stream until at last the man
combatant fainted, and a companion took his place.
This reserved force fared but little better, for although
he kept up the conflict with game, he found him-
self, after eight hours' fight, seven miles more down
the river, and day just breaking upon him; for the
conflict commenced at about three in the afternoon,
and with as little chance of a triumph as when
he began. A gentleman residing ne ir toe river side,
and hearing of the extraordinary battle that was
raging in his vicinity, rushed from his bed to the
scene, and in the vigour of replenished strength after
sleep gave the all but vanquished angler a p',,und-
note for the hold ot his rod, and chance of his
game, which was joyfully accepted as a lucky re-
lief from a shameful discomfiture. Nor was the
hoped-for prize unworthy of the bid, for he had given
his opponents several hints of what he could de, by
bowing his physical capabilities in various plunges
out of the water during the contest, and his power
was calculated, at 70;bs. weight. Tne third hero no
sooner Neu; to work than he felt he had it to do, but he
manfully tackled to it, and fought with all his might
(for tour miles further and nine hours) until at last the
god of war (Neptune I suppose in this case) took part
with General Salmon, and in one desperate charge he
dashed through all impediments, and carried off hook,
line, and rod, nearly to the wheel, leaving to his op-
ponent to meditate on the remains in his band. The
whole time occupied in this desperate affair was
twenty-three hours, and the field of battle extended
over nearly twenty miles. Surely these phenomena
must forebode something out of the common.—Frorn
a Correspondent of the Morning Post.

THE MERCANTILE MARINE ACT
AMENDMENT BILL.
The Mercan il. Marin«. Act Amendment Bill, prepared
and brought in by Mr. Labouchere and Sir Francis
Baring. contains the fallowing new clauses:-
1. to 3. If any loc,a marine board fails to meet or dis-
charge its duties, the Board of Trade may maim() its du-
ties or direct a new elecion.
4. Increased powers of canoelling or suspending certi-
ficates.
5 Certificates. of maters and mates may be either
appropriate to the station of the holder or of a superior
grade.
6. Certificates of masters and mates to be produced
to shipping-masters, who are to certify the same and
the proper execution of the agreement for the satisfac-
tion of the officers of customs.
7. Eng4geinents and discharges for colonial skips to
be made before shipping master, and schedule C to be
delivered by such ships.
8, Colonial ships merely touohing at Ports in the
United Kingdom not to be deemed ou that account sub-
jr,ct to the M,,rcantile Marine Act.
9. Foreign-going ships making short voyages may
have running agreements. Manner of entering into and
tt rminating them.
10. Manner of engaging and discharging men in the
meantime.
11. Duplicates of such agreements may be either re-
turned or kept by shipping master.
12. Fees to be paid on such agreements.
13. General law concerning agreements to apply to the
running agreements.
14. Shipping masters are to assist in binding appren-
tices, and may take fees.
15. Coasters to be relieved from carrying official logs,
and if less than 80 tons burden, from carrying agree-
ments. .

16. Advance notes may be given at the time of sign-
ing agreement.
17. Repeal of section giving powers to sue on advance
notes, and substitution of amended clause.
18. rowbr of dispensing with lime juice extended.
19. Power to substitute other articles for lime juice.
20. Penalty for harbouring deserters to extend to har-
bouring men who refuse to join.
21. Misconduct in pilots endangering ship, life, or
limb, a inisde meanour.
22. Costs of procuring imprisonment may, to extent of
31., be deducted from wages. ,
23. Naval courts constituted under the Mercantile
Marine Act to have power to make certain decisions us
to wages.
24. Such courts to have the powers of sending home
effeuders for trial given to consuls by 7 and 8 V►ct., c.
112, secs. 59, 60.
25. Orders of such courts to be entered in official lcg.
26. Entrance of offence in official lug to be read over
to offender.
27. Reduction of sums to be deducted from wages.
28. Accountant to naval department of Board of Trade.

LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH-COAST
RAILWAY.
Traffic—Week ending July 5,1851 £11,097 12 10
Traffic—Week ending July 6, 1850 11,199 19
Total of the half-year, to this date, 1851 ... 13,097 12 10
Total of the half-year, to this date, 1850 ... 11,199 19 0
Total number of Passengers—Week ending
July 5,1851 ... 95.231
Passengers ... £10,844 0 4
Goods ... ... 2,25312 6

Total... £13,097 12 i 0
Total miles open, 1851, 17314 ; ditto, 1850, 17114.
London Terminus, July 7, 1851.

FRENCH RAILWAY TRAFFIC.
The following are the last returns of the gross re,
ceipts of the principal French Railways :
NORTHERS.—From June 25 to July 1: Passengers.
314,6291.; goods, 179,4151.; total, 494,044 f.
ROI:FEL—From June 22 to June 28 : Passengers,
93,2261.; goods, 84,8891.; total, 178,115 f.
HAVRE.—From June 22 to June 28 : Passengers,
37,2711.; goods, 43,025 f. ; total 80,2961.
ORLEANS.—From June 23 to Juno 29 : Passengers.
88.0111: ; goods 103,315.; total, 192,326 f.
BORDEAVX.—From June 23 to June 29: PadsengerY,
52,162 F.; good!, 54,4981.; total, 106,6601.
VIERZON —From Jive 23 to June 29 : Passenger:;,
36.493£; goods, 35,832 f.; total, 72,3251.
NANTES,--FICHILI JllllO 21 to June 27 : Passengers,
23.4941.; goods, 21,9071.; total, 45,401 f.
STRASBURG.—From June 25 to July 1: Passengers
103.460; goods, 66,782 t, ; total, 170.242 f.
AONTEREAU.--From June 18 to June 24: Passengers.
10,6821.; goods, 13.020`:; t-tal, 23,7021.
MARSEILLES,—Frow J unt 18 to June 24: Passengers,
42.098 t,; gorth, 19,740 f.; total, 61,8381.
LYONS.—From June 15 to June 21 : Passengers,
217.065 f. ; goods, 58,3371.; total, 275,402 t:
CHARTREB.—From June 16 to June 22: Passengers,
31,7624; goods. 12,2541.; total, 44,016 f.

MARKETS.
went of the quantities of
London from the ports in
, to the sth July, 1851,