76 THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 



From a very succinct list of the college's annual balances, 



to be found on p. 45 of v. d. Lely's ' Recueil,' it is 



evident that yearly arrears, ranging from fl.2i,ooo to 



fl.3O,ooo, occurred between 1670 and 1679, and that in 



1672-75 and 1677-78, no proper accounts have been kept. 



The quality of the fisheries' produce appears at the same 



time to have been in decline, as a proof that even by the 



most vigorous control and detailed legislation it is impossible 



to warrant the excellence of any article against the effect 



of the dealer's cupidity. In July, 1683, Dantzig merchants 



complained that the Dutch brand-herring brought to staple 



in their market was frequently either found unsaleable or 



sent back to the seller from the inland German towns in 



consequence of the fish being bad, the barrels half filled 



with salt, &c. Complaints of a similar nature were sent to 



Dutch herring dealers by their correspondents at Stettin ; 



and the States of Holland, besides admonishing the college 



to better enforce the statutes, resolved to write to the 



magistrates of the said German towns and beg them, in 



case of any further complaints, to note the marks on the 



barrels returned, and communicate them to the States, in 



order to facilitate the detection and punishment of the 



culprit fishing steersman, cooper, or brander.* Again, in 



November, 1687, complaints on the quality of herring 



exported to Sweden were laid before the States by the 



Dutch Ambassador at Stockholm, who represented that, if 



such dealings continued, Dutch herring was in danger of 



losing the Swedish markets to the Scotch produce, f 



A short return of relative prosperity appears to have 

 dawned upon the herring fishery after the peace of 

 Nijmegen. At least, no other statistics being extant, such 



* Res. Holl. 1683, pp. 256, 260, 309. 

 f Ibid. 25 Nov. 1687. 



