Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-09
Morning In Billingsgates

Who would see Billingsgate at It's busiest
must be there by o'clock In the morning, for
at 1oeoek all the year ro .ho tne policeman
great bell, and at the first tone OF its iron
tongue the iron gates, river side and city side,
are unbarred, ana swinging wide open admit
such aconcourse as is not seen In any other city
under the sun. Men In sO-called white smocks
with head-dresses, partly felt, partly leather
some with leaves OF leather hanging half way
Lower Thames-st. to the river side, where they
are met by fellow laborers, who have reached
there by some mysterious means already, and
who search about eagerly for work to do. The
steamers thar have been out for days In search
OF the feet OF fishing boats from the North Sea,
and which may have oVerhauled them close to
Heligoland, or nearer TO- or further from, our
shores are moored alongside the dummies by
the landing and into each OF these are lowered
two timber gangways, up one OF which climb
the porters with trunks OF fish upon their
heads, whilst down the other trip other porters
with their empty boxes or trunks, as they are
1ndif1erently called, ready for a fresh load.
These steamers may have arrived In the river
come late the previous afternoon; or, should
your visit be fixed for Monday, they may have
been there from Saturday afternoon, lying
laziiy In the Suffocating weather, which is not
calculated to Improve the flavor of the ergo.
But there are also Ice ships about, ani the
knOWle dye Of their presence lends sentiment
tai GOODNESS to the atmosphere.
Now the streets become noisy with the ar
rival OF carriers carts from the railways whose
systems touch the sea- or carry river fish from
Scotland or from Ireland. OF course the Irish
and Scotch salmon are the most highly priced,
for those Of the English rivers are not rated so
highly, and the produce of the Norway rivers
stand at the lowest figure In the market. But
for his class of fish the season is nearly, IL not
completely, at an end, for the speckled trout
goes out Of fashion at the close Of the Parlia-
mentafy session, With its iordly relative the
Sllver-coated salmon. Cod and skate, which
lie about In all directions, are just coming in.
and, whilst haddockS and plaice seem numer-
Gus enough, turbot and oysters are rather Shy
OF putting In plentiful appearance. Norway
Holsters are not Just now In season, 50 that one
visiting the market at present loses the sight OF
their sorting in the "haddock-room," over the
ground floor market, sight we'll worthy OF be-
holding.
AS and o'clock approach, the business be-
comes fast and furious. The fish arriving by
boat and by rail- are being rapidly sold off. for
the most part by auction. There Is but little
time to hagge about prices; the market figures
are tolerably we'll established almost from the
moment the gates are unbarred, and cuSto-
mefs are too anxious to obtain their required
supply. and to carry it Off to distant parts OF
the Metropolis, to waste time In beating down
for pence, for shilliDgS, or even for pounds
sterling. From the steamers. and the Dutch
eel beats, hung with cages round the sides
and fitted with wells inside to keep the fish
alive; from the heavy barge5 laden with
Shrimps, which are shoVelled like grain into
baskets. or with mud-colOred founders caught
by and beyond BlackfriarS bridge; from the
railway vans in the narrow roadWayS,
crowded with ilat-fsh and fresh water fish. or
with huge baskets running over with Shiny
eels, the porterS make their way in and out OF
the market. The numerous narrow Dy-WayS
that radiate from the base of the tall bully
that lifts the head and lieS'-tn Latin-are
thropged with coStermongers' carts and bar
rows, SO that for the general public these So
called thoroushfares are positively impossible
up TO or 10 o'clock.
AS the market exists, its business is carried
Oh with all possible propriety; and, taking into
consideration that It's lowest chamber. which,
by the way, is scarcely ever used is ten feet
below the level OF the river, it Is kept remark
ably dry. This has to be effected, however, by
means Of steam power, which keeps contin
ually pumping the water out from under the
1loorlrg 6, and which would, If allowed TO rise.
to say. too this drainage is not water from tie
river. for it is perfectly pure and tasteless, but
is supposed to percolate through the earth
from he Coal Exchange, opposite where it is
baths.