OUR SEA FISHERIES. 181 



be worse than useless for my purpose. Mr. William 

 Andrews, the President of the Natural History Society 

 of Dublin, has written a good deal upon this subject, 

 and has written it well, and with much and valuable 

 experience. 



Formerly, one of our most valuable fisheries was 

 the Newfoundland Fishery. The quantities of cod 

 and ling which we got thence were enormous, while 

 the Banks formed the best school for sailors we had. 

 Let us see what Mr. Andrews has to say about New- 

 foundland. Quoting from a paper read by him before 

 the Eoyal Society of Dublin, I find the following. 

 Speaking to the same effect that I have, of the im- 

 portance of our fisheries, as a school and training- 

 ground for sailors, he says : — 



"In 1663, a document was issued by Charles the 

 First, and directed to the Lord Treasurer and others, 

 desiring them 'to erect a common fishery for the 

 nursery of seamen, which contained the first regula- 

 tions for the governing of his Majesty's subjects in- 

 habiting in Newfoundland, and trafficking in bays ; ' 

 but from the earliest periods the policies pursued by 

 the Government, especially the Board of Trade, tended 

 much to weaken the position of the original settlers 

 there, and to damp their energy and perseverance in 

 extending the fisheries. The Act, however, of 10th 



