FISH.
OF all the enhancers of prices in this great metropolis, the fish- mongers, we have had repeated occasion to observe, are the most. no- torious. Not content with the indefinite surcharge which the laxity of the credit system has introduced—not content with that surcharge, equally indefinite, but, like the former, ever erring on the safe side, which the perishable nature of the commodity in part justifies—not content with even the ordinary advantages of what is as real a mono- poly as if it were constituted by act of Parliament—these dealers, imi- tating in this respect the worst features of the worst monopoly of which commerce supplies us with an example. are in the daily habit of destroying their goods rather than abate their prices—of foregoing the profit which they might reap from supplying the poor, rather than give up even by implication their e,laim to plunder the rich. There wanted but one aggravation to finish this picture, and a letter from a correspondent at Ramsgate, that now lies before us, supplies it. " It is an undisputed fact," says our correspondent, "that while the inha- bitants of London cannot but at an extravagant rate obtain this healthy article of food, there are hundreds who from lime to time be- come a burden to the parishes along the coast, because the returns from Billingsgate Market are not sufficient to keep their vessels and gear in repair ! " In illustration of the prices which the fish mono- polizers pay to these poor men, our correspondent states the following remarkable fact :—two vessels belonging to Ramsgate have carried to Billingsgate during the last month 160 pots, as they are called, each containing 401bs., or on an average 30 pairs of soles, for the supply of the Lenten fast of the metropolis ; and what do our readers imagine has been the price received by their proprietors shillings per pot, or one penny one-fifth per sole ! .Our readers, by consulting their household books, will be able to tell what has been the average rate at which they have purchased this excellent fish during the same period. When such is the return to the fisher- men on the choice species of fish—for in turbot and brill the same rule holds as in soles—no wonder. that "many tons of skate and plaice are thrown away or sold to the French fishermen for a mere trifle, beeause they won't pay the expense of carriage to London."
What is the remedy for this wicked abuse P—Open more fish-mar- kets. The restoration of Hungerford Market, to compete with Bil- lingsgate, will do something; but not enough for this huge town. Let Cheap Clubs accomplish the rest.
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