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A n t i q u i t y o p
T H E F I SH E R Y ,
G a i n s o f t h e
D u t c h .
being in roe, their backs and the part next to the tail were
double the thicknefs of the others, and the meat rich beyond
expreflion.
Mr. Anderfon * gives to the Scotch a knowlege o f great antiquity]
in the herring fiihery: he fays that the Netherlanders reforted toj
thefe coafts as early as A. D. 836, to purchafe falted fifli of the!
natives; but impofing on the Arrangers, they learned the art, and]
took up the trade, in after-times of fuch immenfe emolument to the•
Dutch.
Sir Walter Raleigh's obfervations on that head, extraded from tliej
fame author, are extremly worthy the attention of the cu rio u s, and]
excite reflections on the vaft itrength refulting from the wifdom of'
well-applied induftry.
In 1603, remarks that great man, the Dutch fold to differen|
nations, as many herrings as amounted to 1,759,000l.fierling.
In the year 1615, they at once fent out 2000 buffes, and employeJ
in them 37000 filhermen.
In the year 1618, they fent out 3000 ihips, with 50,000 men, tJ
take the herrings, and 9000 more ihips to tranfport and fell th l
fiih, which by fea and land employed 150,000 men, befides thofe firfl
mentioned. All this wealth was gotten on our coafts ; while oul
attention was taken up in a diftant whale fiihery.
The Scottijh monarchs for a long time feemed to direft all|
their attention to the prefervation o f the falmon fiihery; probably!
becaufe their fubjeCts were fuch novices in fea affairs. A t length!
III. endeavoured to ftimulate his great men to thefej
Dis. Commerce, I. 41.
p a tr io tic
Will
M
patriotic undertakings ; for by an aft of his third parlement,
:[e compelled “ certain lords fpiritual and temporal, and bur-
11 r0WS) to make ihips buihes and boats with nets and other
| pertinents for fiihing. That the fame ihould be made in each
« burgh ; in number according to the fubftance of each burgh
1“ and°the leaft of them to be of twenty tunn : and that all idle
“ men be compelled by the flieriffs in the country to go on
¡“ board the fame.”
But his fuccefiors, by a very falfe policy, rendered this wife
inftitution of little effeCt*; for they in a manner prevented their
I fubjeCts from becoming a maritime people, by directing that no
white fiih ihould be fent out of the realm, but that ftrangers may
[come and buy them * ; that freeports be firft ferved ; the cargoes
[ fold to the freemen, who are to come and tranfport the fame h*
| The Dutch at this very time having an open trade.
I It is well known that there have been many attempts made to
fecure this treafure to ourfelves, but without fuccefs : in the late
feign a very ftrong effort was made, and bounties allowed for the
encouragement .of Britijh adventurers: the firft was of thirty fiul-
liils per tun to every bufs of feventy tuns and upwards. This
bounty was afterwards raifed to fifty {hillings per tun, to be paid to
fuch adventurers who were entitled to it by claiming it at the places
| of rendezvous. The buffes are from twenty to ninety tuns burden,
[ but the beft fize is eighty. A veffel of eighty tuns ought to take
| ten lafts, or a hundred and twenty barrels of herrings, to clear
expences, the price of the fiih to be admitted to be a guinea a
B o u n t y .
B u s s e s .
* James V . Partem. VII. t ™ • & 7 ™“ VI'
B b b barrel :