27 AUGUST 1887, Page 2

Some English fishing-smacks and their crews have, during the past

week, been subjected to very severe ill-usage by the fishermen of Ostend. The local authorities seem to have done all in their power to protect the Englishmen ; but so serious became the rioting on Wednesday, that no less than six men- Belgians—were shot in the disturbances. The origin of this, the most serious of the affrays, was a rush made upon two small English smacks by the Ostend men. When summoned by the Civic Guard, the rioters refused to leave the smack. The Artil- lery fired, killing two and wounding four others very seriously. The real cause of the riot is that the English fishermen under- sell their Belgian rivals.