taking was, however, too considerable for a single individual; and he was compelled to resign the measure. But he had established its practicability and value; and from that period to the present, large quantities of fish have constantly, from time to time, been conveyed to London, on the plan which he had arranged, from seaports, where the industry of the fisherman is proportionably excited by this additional facility of sale. The Committee have endeavoured to extend the like measure to the supply of the interior with fresh fish. They have offered to towns within a circuit of about one hundred miles from the metropolis, to afford them a supply of fresh and corned fish, by carriages which contain from about 20 to 30 cwt. if at a distance exceeding forty miles, and by light carts, which will carry about seven hundred weight, should this method bé preferred, where the place is within that distance, on respectable persons in the particular towns undertaking the superintendance, and for early returns. The fish is sent as regularly as the cost price in the market will permit; to this is added a sum to cover all expenses of carriage, &c. The Committee may mention Marlow and Wickham, in Bucks; Birmingham, with the adjacent towns; Henley, in Oxfordshire; and Maidenhead, in Berks; as having received a supply. At Birmingham, a very few months after it commenced, and a proportionate demand was raised, private individuals began to embark in the measure. The Committee were much gratified at being informed that the dealers were bringing great quantities of fish from the Yorkshire coast, on such moderate terms as would render it necessary for the parties to close their engagements with the Association. At Maidenhead, in Berks, which is a place by no means of large population, the quantity of fish purchased within about the last six months is estimated at no less an amount than fifteen tons; for which, and all expenses, 5017. have been charged; being little more than threepence-halfpenny per pound for the fish, and all the costs of conveying it thither. It has been nearly of all the sorts the season afforded,— cod, soles, turbot, salmon, &c.; and they state that the demand appears to be limited only by the price. They have received the fish, with little variation, regularly two days in the week. The Committee, have succeeded at this place certainly beyond expectatation, and attribute much to the excellent and judicious arrangements which are made for the success of the plan by the gentlemen of that town. The same success must, however, be attainable by the same means in the many other towns which are in like cir cumstances. The Committee cannot pass this subject without acknowledging the benefit of a special exemption from post-horse duty, after the thirty-first day of January last, of all horses solely employed about the conveyance of fish, as another proof of the interest taken by Government in this important subject, and of their obliging attention to the applications of the Committee. The Committee have thus pointed out some of the hindrances to this source of national prosperity, and the principles and measures of encouragement which they have adopted for the relief of the fishermen, and for the benefit of the community. They have, perhaps, stated enough to establish the practicability of extending this important good to all classes, both in the metropolis and the interior, and they now sum up their report by earnestly appealing to the British Public for their support and co-operation, and entreating them to reflect, whether the zeal which so long distinguished them for prompting the success of their own fisheries, and the important interests connected with them, should now be permitted to droop or to expire. The objects of this appeal relates to assisting our fishermen in their career of toil and hardship; augmenting our naval strength, and maintaining its superiority; increasing the general supply of food, by an article which seems the common birth-right of an islander; rendering the benefit accessible to the lower and needy class of society; keeping open an inexhaustible resource in any emergency of want; and, in short, daily doing good to all without exception. As long as the Public shall continue to provide the Committee with the necessary means, they will not relax their exertions; and they particularly invite every person into whose hands their Report may fall, to use any influence he may possess in any countrytowns in order to induce some respectable inhabitants to take the trifling pains of making the arrangements above suggested, for the benefit of themselves and their neighbours. After the offers which the Committee have made for furnishing parts contiguous to London, and so large a part of the country, with a supply of this invaluable article of food, should the evil so justly complained of still exist, it must be because the object having been too long overlooked, sufficient public spirit is not now felt to sustain the little trouble and expense which is requisite for the purpose. But this surely cannot be the case. An appeal on this subject was perhaps never before made to the British Public in vain. A LETTER, &c. SIR, At those appalling words, Reform in Parliament, I beseech you not to start: I do not mean by them a Revolution of Parliament. I do not mean such measures as some few turbulent spirits would propose or adopt, but I mean a very moderate or slight alteration of the present system. I When we consider the proportion which the number of the members returned now for England bears to the population of the kingdom, and compare it with that, which the number of members but a century ago bore to the population then, we shall conceive that some increase of the Representatives ought to take place. Being, from local causes, out of the reach of necessary books of reference, I am unable to state accurately the increase of the representatives of the country in the century-but of this you can easily inform yourself. The population we know, has very Without anticipating the subject of our respectable correspondent, we think it right to mention, in justice to his propositions, that they bear considerable sanction from their similarity to two plans of Reform anticipated and brought forward by Mr. Pitt. |