THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 65 



an immense outlay indeed, considering the value of money 



at the time. The expenses of the trade appear to have 



augmented fast, notwithstanding the prohibition against 



exporting fishing materials. In 1669 a herring ship was 



estimated at fl.455o, and its equipment at fl.55oo.* In 



1768 the hull was calculated at fl.9OOO, and the equipment 



at fl.6ooo for two voyages, and fl.Sooo for three.f As for 



the trade's returns, each buss is stated in Semeyns' time to 



have brought ashore on an average forty last of herring in 



a season. The herring-prices at the time are not known ; 



but such sums as 37 and 43 millions, stated to have been 



the fishery's annual revenue by several foreign authors,! 



are certainly strong exaggerations. 



It is not certain how long this golden period of the 

 Grand Fishery lasted. Statistics were not then in use, 

 and, as regards the herring fishery, did not begin to be 

 published till the trade's decay had very decidedly set in. 

 The College, whose business it was to swear in every herring- 

 skipper and appose their seal to the license without which 

 none were allowed to sail, will probably have kept some 

 record of the number who sailed in each year. But their 

 books and accounts, if any, are no longer extant ; nor do 

 any of the authors on the subject give any chronological 

 details as to the duration of the trade's greatest prosperity. 

 As for legislation, some slight additions to the placards 

 before spoken of, and many resolutions of both the States- 

 General and those of Holland, about convoying-ships to be 

 sent out and subsidies to be granted, compose the whole 

 of it on record during the subsequent years ; but these give 

 no clue to the fishery's annual condition or progress. 



* P. de la Court, Heilzame Politique Maximen. 



f Den Koopman, i. p. 354. ^O S 



Ibid. i. p. 231;. 



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