Lowestoft equally encouraging results have been obtained, the value of the fish caught being estimated at £50,000; one boat alone having taken 1,000,000 fish. The fishermen are paid according to the success which follows their exertions, and some of them will have £30, £40, and even £50 to receive at the hands of their employers.”
The Sharing Out. In reference to the foregoing paragraph, the Hastings News, of Dec. 28th, remarked – “We have made enquiries of Mr. Breach, fishmonger of Commercial road and Robertson street, respecting the Hastings fishery and the result is appended below. The common practice among fishermen who are not paid any regular fixed amount is to share out at the end of the season in certain fixed proportions. The owner takes a share with the crew, and the boats ‘siver(sic)’ is frequently divided between twelve to sixteen persons. Our informant estimates that the larger boats have caught on an average 35 lasts each, and the smaller boats 20 lasts each. Of the first class there are nearly forty boats, each carrying eight or ten men. The boats numbering from fifty to sixty have crews of five or six men. The ‘sharing out’ or ‘making-up’ in east-country lingo in the larger boats (which pursue their avocation from September to the end of November) has amounted to £42 down to £15 per man; & that of the smaller craft from £22 down to £10. The smaller sums, however, hardly pay the expenses of the voyage. At a rough guess about 2,500 lasts may be set down as the quantity of of fish taken by our boats. The luggers (larger boats) are now preparing for mackerel voyage, and eight or ten of them are expected to leave for the Devon and Cornwall coasts next week.”
The Fortunate and Unfortunate “Endeavour”. It has been omitted to state in its more appropriate place that this lugger which with its crew, was lost on the 2nd of June, landed at Hastings on or about the 1st of the previous February 16¼ thousand of fish, which sold at 20s. per hundred, and thus realised £160. Another Hastings boat, the “Mary Ann” James Geering master, was in company with the “Endeavour” on the fishing ground, and netted 24,000 fish at the same time. The latter were taken to Portsmouth and were sold for £228. But these successes were exceptional.
Maritime Casualties.
On the 28th of January, the Phoenix (Eastland, master) nominally owned by Messrs. Kent was “knocked up” at Pevensey in consequence of the mooring hawser having broken, the sea being turbulent at the time.
On the following Monday, the schooner Fairy (Morfee, master) belonging to Messrs. Burfield, whilst unloading her cargo, was endangered by a rising gale, and had to be drawn up with the tide, for safety.
