198 THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 



second meetings on the first Mondays in March and May, 

 having previously conferred with the shipowners in the 

 several towns and on the sea-coast, and taken their 

 instructions as to the subjects to be considered for the 

 several interests of the cured and fresh-herring fisheries. 

 They shall annually render an account of their financial 

 administration to a delegate from Government, in presence 

 of such shipowners as shall choose to attend their meeting 

 designated for the purpose ; and their account is to be 

 ultimately submitted to the Commissioners of the National 

 Accounts (or supreme Government Board of Control) for 

 liquidation. The said administration involved, as receipts, 

 the last-money mentioned in the above law, and Govern- 

 ment subsidies ; as expenditure, the equipment, manning, 

 and victualling of hospital-ships, the salaries of committee 

 officers, and other general expenses. The committee's mem- 

 bers were entitled to nothing beyond travelling expenses 

 under a certain tariff. They were under oath to Govern- 

 ment strictly and honestly to fulfil their several duties. 



The form of commissions for commander of hospital- 

 ships annexed to the law of 1801 throws much light upon 

 the convoying institutions of the time. The hospital-ship, 

 also called " buss convoyer," appears to be the ultimate 

 result of a gradual transformation of the " direction-ships," 

 anciently sent by the college after the herring fleet to 

 protect them against enemies, and to enforce the rules of 

 fishery police upon them.* 



The "hospital-ships " of 1801, if they were still armed 



* " Hospital ships" were sent out with the herring fleet under the 

 old republic, in time of peace, when convoy properly said was un- 

 necessary; v. d. Lely's Recueil mentions the cost of two " hospital- 

 ships " in 1714 and following years, without stating their precise 

 nature at the time. 



