THE FISHERIES. 9 



tion ; yet the whole amount of tonnage employed 

 did not equal that of the port of New Bedford at 

 the present time. The enterprising Hollanders, 

 however, surpassed the English in this trade, and 

 during nine years preceding the year 1778, their 

 ships bore to those of Great Britain the proportion 

 of two to one. 



Previously to the American Revolution, the cod 

 fishery of Massachusetts employed 28,000 tons of 

 shipping, and four thousand seamen. The annual 

 value of their industry and enterprise was about 

 $1,000,000. 



In 1775, Great Britain deeming the various fish- 

 eries of essential importance to the colonies, and 

 like an unnatural parent, desirous of enforcing 

 obedience by arbitrary and oppressive measures 

 at the instigation of Lord North, passed the ob- 

 noxious act, prohibiting the colonies the exercises 

 of the right of fishery on the banks of Newfound- 

 land. This unwise act of arbitrary power drew 

 forth the powerful invectives of Fox and Burke, 

 and sixteen peers regarded it with so much dis- 

 pleasure as to enter their protest against the pas- 

 sage of the bill. It was in a debate preceding the 

 passage of the act, that in allusion to the enter- 

 prise of the Americans in the whale fishery, the 

 eloquent Burke said — 



" While we follow them among the tumbling 



