New-York tribune., 1880-09-26
MORNING IN BILLIAGSG1TE.
From The London Standard.

Who would see BlllIngsgate at ITS busiest must b.
there by O'Clock IN the morning. for at , o'clocS
all the year round, the policeman, perinaneuty ap-
pointed to this post. rings the great bell. aud at Inc
first tone OF Its iron ougIe tue iron gates rver side
and city side. are unc barred aud swinging wide
open admit such coucnurse as IL not seen ~ any
other citv under the sun. Men in so-cal led white
smocks, with head-dresses partly fir. partly
leather-some with leaves of leather harq half
way down the back, make furious ritaes frou
Lower Thames-st. t. the river side. whore they
met by fel!ow-labOreiT. who bave reached there by
some mysterious mems already, and WI" searcn
about eagerly Tor work to DO y lie steamers tha5
have out for d9ys IN search of the leeC OF fish
ing boats from the North Sea, aud which may lavs
overlaued them close 10 Hegoiand, or nearer %.
further from, our shores are mOOrcd aOngsile the
dummies by the landing aud into each Of the srelow
cred two timber gangways,up one OF hcn Climb the
porters with trunks OF fish upon their heads whilst
down the other trD other porters with their empty
boxes or trunks. as they are lnddeTenIiy cdlle-i.
reasty for q fresh load. These steamers may have
arrived in the river during the early morning, or
they may have come late the previons afternoon;
or should your visit lie liked for Monday, they may
have been there from saturday afternoon, lying
aZ.ly IN the sufOcatu9 weather, which,. not cal
culatcd to improve the flavor of the cargo. Bot
there also ice ships about. and the know ledge II
their presence lensis sentimental GOODNESS TO the
atmosphere.
Now the streets become noisy with the arrival of
carriers carts from the railways whose systems
touch the sea- carry river tish from Scotland or
from ireland OF course The Irish and scotch salmon
are the most highly prz ID. for those OF The English
rivers are not rated so highly, and the prfduce Of
mafkes. But for this class of fish the IL
neary f not compet ly, at end, for the speckled
trou ont 0f fashion at the close OF the Pariia-
megtary session, with lis oriy relative the silver
coated salmon. Cod and skate which lie ABOUT IN
ali dr c.lons, are just coming H. and whilst had
docks and paice eem numerous enough, tnro0. and
oysters rather shy or putting IN plentiful
UeaTance. Norway Holsters are not JUST now IN sea-
500. that one visiting the market at present lose.
the sight of their sorting in the " haddorA-rO0u.'
the ground floor market, sight we'll worthy
of behOlaing
As aud z O'clock approach. the business be-.
comes fast aud furious. The fish arriving by boat
and by rail are boing rapidly sold of, for the m0s5
part by auction. There Is but little time 10 haggle
about prices the market figures are tolerably we'll
established almost hon the moment the gates ara
unbaned. and customers are too anxious to obtain
then required supply, ana to carry u OIL TO distant
parts OF the Metropolis. 20 waste time IN beating
dOwn for pence, tor shilllGgs. or even Tor POUNDS
sterling. From the steamers and the Dutch eel
boats, hung with cages rOand the sides, aud htted
with wells inside to keep the fish alive; from tho
heavy barges laden with shrlmps. which aro
shovelied like gram into baskets or with mud-c0l-
Ored founders caught Nv and beyond Biackfrlars
Bridge; from the railway vans III the NARROW road-
ways crowded with tat-tsh and fresh-water iish.
or with huge baskets running over with SHINY eels.
the porters make their way IN and cut Oi the mar
ket. ! 5e numerous narrOw b}-wsys that radlate
fro the base OF the " tall bully that lfs the head
and lies in l.atin-ar, thronged WIKI costermon-
gers carts aud barows that for the general pub
he thosp 3-a led lhoron oh fares are pSitiyelv inn
passabie up o. or 10 O'CLOCK.
As the market exists Its business - carried os
with all posi- bic prOprety and taking INTO con
sheraton that its lowest chamber wPich, by the
way, Is scarcely ever used, is ten feet below the
level Of the river 1t Is kept remarkably Gry. lhis
has TO be effected, however by means of steam
power which keeps continually pumping the water
our from under the flooring. and which would. Il
allowed to rise, Hood the building IN thrty-six
hours. Strange 10 say. too, this drainage is Not
water from the river, for it IS perfectly pure and
tssielcss. bnt is supposed to percoate through the
eartn from the Coal Exchange opposite. where 10 Is
said the Romans OF old had established spring
baths.