"One may term Billingsgate,” says old Fuller, “the Esculine gate of London." The market opens at 5 o'clock throughout the year. All fish are sold by the tale except salmon, which is sold by weight, and oysters and shell-fish, which are sold by measure. The salmon imports are from Scotland and Ireland, and from Holland, and the north of Europe. The best cod is brought from the Dogger-bank, and the greater number of the lobsters from Norway. The eels are chiefly from Holland. The oyster season commences 4th August. Many attempts have been made to estimate the value of the fish sold or consumed in London. The consumption is less than the sale, the opening of railways having made London the fish-market of at least half of England. Salmon is sent in boxes on commission to agents, who charge 5 per cent. and take the risk of bad debts. This business is in few hands, and those engaged in it are the most wealthy of all dealers in fish. "I ascertained," says Mr. Mayhew, writing in 1850, "from the authorities at Billingsgate, and from experienced salesmen, that of the quantity of fish conveyed to that great mart, the costermongers bought one-third; another third was sent into the country; and another disposed of to the fishmongers, and to such hotel-keepers, or other large purchasers, as resorted to Billingsgate." Here every day (at 1 and 4), at the "Three Tuns Tavern," a capital dinner may be had for 1s. 6d., including three kinds of fish, joints, steaks, and bread and cheese. The COVENT GARDEN MARKET, the great fruit, vegetable, and herb market of London, originated (circ. 1656) in a few temporary stalls and sheds at the back of the garden wall of Bedford-house on the south side of the square. The present Market-place (William Fowler, architect) was erected (1830) at the expense of the late Duke of Bedford. The market is rated (1849) to the poor at 48007., rather under than above the amount derived from the rental and the tolls. stranger in London who wishes to see what Covent-garden Market is like, should visit it on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday morning in summer, between 3 and 7 o'clock. To see the supply of fruit and vegetables carted off, 7 A.M. is early enough. To enjoy the sight and smell of flowers and fruit, the finest in the world, any time from 10 A.M. to 4 or 5 P.M. will answer. The centre arcade at mid-day is one of the prettiest sights in London. Saturday is the best day. NEWGATE MARKET, between NEWGATE-STREET and PATERNOSTER-ROW, the great carcase-market of London, originally a meal market. It is much frequented, and grew into reputation from the time when the stalls and sheds were removed from Butcher-hall-lane and the localities adjoining the now destroyed church of St. Nicholas Shambles. The West End carcase butchers come to this market for almost all their meat; and Newgate-street, on a market morning, has not been unaptly likened to one continuous butcher's tray. LEADENHALL MARKET, between Gracechurch-street and the East India House. A large market for butchers' meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, leather, hides, bacon, &c. The manor-house of Leadenhall, which gave the name to the market, belonged (1309) to Sir Hugh Neville, knight, and was converted into a granary for the City by Simon Eyre, draper, and Mayor of London, in 1445. It appears to have been a large building and covered with lead, then an unusual roofing on halls and houses. The market escaped the Great Fire of 1666. "Would'st thou with mighty beef augment thy meal Leadenhall is no longer celebrated for its beef, but is deservedly esteemed as the largest and best poultry market in London. Of the minor markets in London, HUNGERFORD MARKET and FARRINGDON MARKET are the two largest. The former is a general market for butchers' meat, fish, poultry, flowers, and fruit. Farringdon is the great water-cress market of London. "To visit Farringdon Market on a Monday morning [not later than six] is the only proper way to judge of the fortitude and courage and perseverance of the poor."-H. Mayhew. The greatest number of horses are sold at TATTERSALL'S in Grosvenor-place, close to the Duke of Wellington's, and entered by a narrow lane at the side of St. George's Hospital. The mart was so called after Richard Tattersall (d. 1795), originally a training groom to the second and last Duke of Kingston, who laid the foundation of his fortune by the purchase, for 2500l., of the celebrated horse "Highflyer." All horses for sale must be sent on the Friday before the day of sale. The days of sale are Mondays throughout the year, and Thursdays in the height of the season. Here is a subscription-room, under the revision of the Jockey Club (who have rooms in Old Bond-street), and attended by all the patrons of the turf, from noblemen down to innkeepers. Days of meeting, Monday and Thursday throughout the year. Settling days, Tuesday after the Derby, Monday after the St. Leger. It is necessary to have an introduction from a subscriber. Annual subscription, 21. 2s. The number of members is stated to be between three and four hundred. The betting at Tattersall's regulates the betting throughout the country. X.-BREWERIES. AMONG the many curiosities to be seen in London few will be found more interesting to the agriculturist than a visit to one or other of the great breweries. The following statement of the malt used by the most eminent London browers in one year, is supposed to be an average of the consumption for some years past : Barclay, Perkins, and Co., Park-street, Southwark Reid and Co., Liquorpond-street, Gray's Inn-lane Qrs. 127,000 105,022 59,617 56,640 Whitbread and Co., Chiswell-st., Old-street-road, St. Luke's 51,800 Combe and Co., Castle-street, Long Acre Calvert and Co., 89, Upper Thames-street Thorn and Co., Horseferry-road, Millbank 43,282 29,630 24,030 22,023 21,016 15,870 Their At Barclay's (the largest, extending over 11 acres) 600 quarters of malt are brewed daily. Among the many vats, one is pointed out containing 3500 barrels of porter, which, at the selling price, would yield 9000l. The water used is drawn from a well 367 feet deep. One hundred and eighty horses are employed in the cartage department. They are brought principally from Flanders, cost from 50l. to 80%. each, and are noble specimens of the cart-horse breed. There are four partners in Barclay's house, who conduct every department of it in the most liberal manner. head brewer has a salary of 1000l. a year. The founder of the firm was Henry Thrale, the friend of Dr. Johnson. The business, at Thrale's death, was sold by Johnson and his brother executor, in behalf of Mrs. Thrale, to Messrs. Barclay Perkins, and Co., for 135,000l. "We are not here," said Johnson on the day of sale," to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice." Robert Barclay, the first of the name in the firm (d. 1831), was a descendant of the famous Barclay who wrote the Apology for the Quakers, and Perkins was the chief clerk on Thrale's establishment. While on his tour to the Hebrides, in 1773, Johnson mentioned that Thrale "paid 20,000l. a year to the revenue, and that he had four vats, each of which held 1600 barrels, above a thousand hogsheads." The amount at present paid to the revenue by the firm is nine times 20,000l. The visitor should exert his influence among his friends to obtain an order of admission to any one of the largest I have named. Foreigners wearing moustaches had better abstain altogether, remembering the disgraceful treatment which an Austrian officer received in one of these establishments. The best London porter and stout in draught is to be had at the Cock Tavern, 201, Fleet-street, and at the Rainbow Tavern, 15, Fleet-street, immediately opposite. Judges of ale recommend John O'Groat's, 61, Rupert-street, Haymarket; and the Edinburgh Castle, 322, Strand. XI.-WATER COMPANIES. THE cities of London and Westminster, and the borough of Southwark, and certain parishes and places adjacent thereto, are at present supplied with water by nine Companies, who exercise absolute and irresponsible discretion in the quality, price, and quantity, of the article they sell. These Companies are:-NEW RIVER COMPANY; EAST LONDON WATER WORKS COMPANY; SOUTHWARK AND VAUXHALL WATER COMPANY; WEST MIDDLESEX WATER WORKS COMPANY; LAMBETH WATER WORKS COMPANY; CHELSEA WATER WORKS COMPANY; GRAND JUNCTION WATER WORKS COMPANY; KENT WATER WORKS COMPANY; HAMPSTEAD WATER WORKS COMPANY. The daily supply at present (1856) is nearly 46 millions of gallons per day, of which 20 millions are from the Thames, and 26 millions from the New River and other sources. This supply is equal, it is said, to a river 9 feet wide and 3 feet deep, running at two miles an hour. The City is entirely supplied from the New River and the River Lea! not by the Thames. The nine companies supply 271,795 tenements; the New River supplying 83,206 of that number. At present (1856) the Thames is at once our cistern and our cesspool; but this great disgrace to Government and individual enterprise is in some degree remedied, as far as supply is concerned-an Act passed in 1852 directing that on and after 31st of August, 1855, no companies, except the Chelsea Company, shall take water from any part of the Thames below Teddington Lock. The NEW RIVER is an artificial stream, 38 miles, 3 quarters, and 16 poles in length, about 18 feet wide and 4 feet deep, projected 1608-9, and completed 1620, by Sir Hugh Myddelton, a native of Denbigh, in Wales, and a member of the Goldsmiths' Company, for the purpose of supplying the City of London with water. Nearly ruined by his scheme, Myddelton parted with his interest in it to a company, called the New River Company, in whose hands it still remains, reserving to himself and his heirs for ever an annuity of 1007. per annum. This annuity ceased to be claimed about the year 1715. The river has its rise at Chadwell Springs, situated in meadows, midway between Hertford and Ware, runs for several miles parallel with the river Lea, from which it borrows water at Ware, and at last empties itself into 83,206 tenements, or the throats of 800,000 persons, having run nearly double the number of miles required by a straight line from its source to London. The principal spring, marked by a stone erected by the Company, is now a spacious basin with an islet, containing a monument to Myddelton, erected, in 1800, by Mylne, the architect and engineer. The dividend for the year 1633, which is believed to have been the first, was 15l. 3s. 3d. A single share bequeathed by Myddelton to the Goldsmiths' Company for charitable purposes, produces 900l. a year. The main of the New River at Islington was, it is said, shut down at the time of the Great Fire of London in 1666; and it was believed by some, who pretended to the means of knowing, that the supply of water had been stopped by Captain John Graunt, a papist, under whose name Sir William Petty published his Observations on the Bills of Mortality. The story, however, it is reasonable to think, was a mere party invention of those heated times. One of the figures in Tempest's Cries of London, executed and published in the reign of James II., carries "New River Water." XII.-SEWERAGE. THE ordinary daily amount of London sewerage discharged into the River Thames on the N. side has been calculated at 7,045,120 cubic feet, and on the south side 2,457,600 cubic feet, making a total of 9,502,720 cubic feet, or a quantity equivalent to a surface of more than 36 acres in extent and 6 feet in depth. Of the 9 square miles of the London district on the S. side, three miles are from 6 to 7 feet below high water |