The Sun.
London, England, 1860-09-08 00:00:00

THE OYSTER FISHERY.

We are happy to be able to congratulate our
hardy fishermen on the opening prospects of the
oyster fishery, which commenced on Saturday, the
Ist inst.—also on the improved condition and in-
creased number of the boats, mostly of an enleiged
size and better materials for the fishery. The take
on Saturday ranged from 13,000 to 30,000 of oysters
on a boat—the size in general not large, but the
quality good, and the wholesale price for exportatibn
from ss. to is. 6d. per thousand. On Monday the take
was good, and the price fell to 4s. to ss. 6d. per thou-
sand. Among the many important advantages which
a kind and all-wise Providence has conferred on
Wexford, at the entrance, and for miles to the north-
ward of the harbour, a mine of submarine wealth has
been placed, which neither the rapacity of man nor
his neglect of paying fostering attention to it any
way for a vast number of years, can destroy. The
position of Wexford, in a geographical view, is pre-
eminently the most commanding for the Irish chan-
nel trade, foreign or domestic, and for intercom-
munication between Ireland and England ; it also
possess other resources of vast importance. In
early days its advantages were known and made
available, and the rude Scandinavian invaders of
Ireland were not slow to avail themselves of all it
presented to them. We are not able historically
to state that the Danes were induced hither by the
luscious oyster, and the abundance of them here
supplied, but there is no reason to think that it
was not a " native" before the invader from any land
disturbed the waters of Wexford Bay by his bold
and adventurous keel. From the days of our grand-
fathers to those of our fathers, Wexford abounded in
oysters, and it was a regular rule with our local
gentry to send their market cars into Wexford 'for
so many hundreds (120) of oysters, and so many
pair of widgeon, or winyard, or even of barnacle
(which Soyer himself has pronouncd to be incom-
parable), giving the market man is. for the pur-
chase of each named luxury. When the war of the
French Revolution, protracted by the ambition of
the First Napoleon, came to an end, the fame of
Wexford for abundance and cheapness of what
elsewhere were considered luxurious was notorious,
and the brave men who had taken part in the
warfare became residents in -Wexford. But peace
produced its changes as well as war had, and
steam came to create greater changes than the
bayonet and gunpowder had done ; and the sur-
plus luxuries of Wexford found a better market and
a readier conveyance elsewhere. Want of protec-
tion and the uncontrolled encroachment of strangers
at length reduced the produce of the beds so low
that the fishery was all but abandoned, a few
old men alone manning the fast-decreasing
boats, the young men engaging in the increasing
merchant vessels of the port. The general
fishery also fell off to the lowest condition, and the
business was merely nominal, when the law of
fisheries became more operative, and its provisions
more strictly enforced, and from it the best results
have followed, although at first it was considered
unjust and cruel. Under protection, or a strict
prohibition of oyster dredging from the first
day of May until the first day of September
in each year, the increased advantages have been
immense—indeed, incalculable. Boats now bring
in daily loads ever before dreamt of ; a ready ex-
port and home demand is created and kept up ; and
by the steamers to Dublin, Liverpool, and Bristol,
we are safe in stating that last year over one hun-
dred and fifty tons of oysters left our port weekly
during the open season, independent of home use and
of the quantities that went by land carriage in-
wards. Vast quantities of all sizes were bought up
by purchasers from the east coast of England, the
small to be laid down at Grimsby and other places,
so that the oysters spat which whilom formed its
shell on the Wexford beds is now fattening in the
waters of the German Ocean to please the palates
of London aldermen andrich gourmands.— Wexford
Independent.

DEATH OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN'S DAUGHTER.;
At the ordinary meeting of the Kensington vestry brought
nesday evening, Mr. Wilkins in the chair, Mr. Roy?risfr,,.
under the notice of tbe member. the ...darn .1‘,...' t of St.
Gell, the wife of the Rev. J. P. Gell, inc 12
which had
unlieelispoke in
John's, Notting-hill, and one of their body; which
cala—ea that a vote
loss he had
a very feeling manner of the heav
fallen upon the rev. gentleman, and P P
larBewvsrfunfortunateee‘.
of condolence should be passed forotfhhe
event,
sustained in the sudden demise e also
said that interest was attached to the
f thelate lameted sir
as Mrs. Gell was the only child
worth • shuttlewor , one of then church •
John Franklin. Captain
seconded the propo • •
wardens of St. John's, it
to tho salon, end said
they felt the loss as a calnamwyn,
ft. 0 parish. Mrs. Gell
was no ordinary she'wo A d e
of
thel 13_.11t alone, unknown,
poor
doing good amongs.ruously and a
tion was carried unaair Gell copy was requested to
1.4.
be sent to the Rev. •
AND
GARIBALDI . NAPLES.—The cry at Naples
lines are being con, .
,mitted to paper is still of
whilst these .
val of
the proximate artri Garibaldi, at the head of the revo-
lution. Before hey areublishd there will probably be
an and of the dynasty of the Neapolitan Bourbons. Every
off from
one is falling
the King. He has no longer even the
'avian:mi of the Neapolitan quays, or any considerable body
of foreign mercenaries on whom he may rely in the hour of
his need. Empire has literally passed from the hands of
Francis 11. Ile is now but titular sovereign of Jerusalem.
Domestic conspiracy has been added to the miseries and
misfortunes of the last days of the Bourbons in Naples.
The Prince Luigi, than whom a man more contemptible
could be found with difficulty, even upon the bead-roll of
emasculated Italian princes, would have succeeded to his
inheritance before he was dead. Francis 11. overcame that
difficulty, but he cannot overcome the greater difficulty of
Italy in arms and Garibaldi at its head.—Once a Week.
PRICK or GOLD.—The quotation of gold at Paris
is about at par, and the short exchange on London
is 25.16 per £1 sterling. On comparing those rates with the
English Mint price of £3 17s. 100. per ounce for standard
gold, it appears that gold is about 1-10th per
cent. dearer in Paris than in!London. By advices from
Hamburg the price of gold is 4251 per mark, and the short
exchange on London is 13.4 f per £1 sterling. Standard gold
at the English Mint price is therefore about 3-10ths per
cent. dearer in Hamburg than in London. The course of ex-
change at New York on London for bills at 60 days' sight
is 110 per cent., which, when compared with the Mint
par between the two countries, shows that the exchange
is slightly in favour of England ; and, after making allow-
ance for charges of transport and difference of interest,
the present rate leaves a small profit on the importation of
gold from the United States.
" A fact of great importance to the turf," says
the Sport, " has just been officially announced, namely,
that Count F. de Lagrange and Baron Nivire have entered
into partnership. The two stables of Royal-Lieu and La
Morlaye will nevertheless bo kept on separately for some
time to come."
In consequence of the demand for lads for the
eklY
naval service, an additional number will be entered we
en the books of the Fisgard flag-ship. A number of able
seamen are now required for veonsell fitting out,