THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 189 



North Sea herring fishery. Some export trade in herring 

 was then kept up by the unlawful processes of re-packing 

 imported foreign herring and cured " pan-herring," caught 

 in the Zuider Zee ; a sure proof that the Grand, or North 

 Sea Fishery could not supply the market But, although 

 obliged by the troublous times to refrain from their trade, 

 the Grand Fishery would not allow others, who acted under 

 more favourable circumstances, to interfere with it. Several 

 herring dealers in July 1799 applied to Government for a 

 prohibition against the re-packing of foreign herring, and a 

 strict application of the herring laws of the former Republic, 

 which had never been repealed, and were expressly main- 

 tained in force by publication of November 2Oth, 1798 ; 

 and the Committee of the Grand Fishery of course seconded 

 the application. In consequence, on May 3Oth, 1800, a 

 publication was issued to the effect that all herring im- 

 ported from abroad should be re-exported in the same 

 barrels, without undergoing any manipulation whatever ; 

 and that no " pan-herring " caught in the Zuider Zee should 

 be cured or laid in barrels as pickle-herring. The con- 

 siderations upon which this edict is based are a remarkable 

 instance of the spirit of monopoly surviving the trade, and 

 excluding competition even when competitors had the 

 market all to themselves. Zuider Zee herring, says the 

 publication, cannot be packed so as to acquire the taste of 

 the Grand Fishery's produce ; the former is never cured on 

 board, but always ashore, and while being carried home 

 uncured is crushed into a jelly,* by the motion of the 

 vessel ; and it is generally caught in spring, when it can be 

 sold at very low prices, so as to seriously depress those of 

 early cured-herring from the North Sea, and injure the 

 reputation of Batavian brand-herring abroad. The same 

 * " A Is in hare pap wordt gaar gekookt" 



