Class IV. COMMON COD FISH. 17$ 



not know : but it appears, that in the reign of her 

 fuccefTor, our countrymen had not fewer than a 

 hundred and fifty mips employed in the Iceland 

 fifhery. I fuppofe this indulgence might arife 

 from the marriage of James with a Princefs of 

 Denmark. 



But the Spanijh, the French, and the Bretons, had 

 much the advantage of us in all fifheries at the 

 beginning, as appears by the (late of that in the 

 feas of Newfoundland in the year 1578*, when 

 the number of mips belonging to each nation flood 

 thus : 

 Spaniards, 100, befides 20 or 30 that came from 

 Bifcaie, to take whale for train, being about 

 five or fix thoufand tons. 

 Portuguefe, 50, or three thoufand tons. 

 French and Bretons, 150, or feven thoufand tons. 

 Englijh, from 30 to 50. 

 But Mr. Anderfon, in his Dictionary of Com- 

 merce, I. 363, fays, that the French began to fifh 

 there fo early as 1536% and we think we have 

 fomewhere read, that their firfl pretence for fiili- 

 ing for cod in thofe feas, was only to fupply an 

 Englijh convent with that article. 



The encreafe of fhipping that refort to thofe 

 fertile banks, are now unfpeakable : our own coun- 

 try fl'ill enjoys the greateft fhare, which ought to 

 be efteemed our chiefeft treafure, as it brings 

 wealth to individuals, and ftrength to the ftate. 



* Hadhyi's Coll. Voy, III. 132. 



All 



