78 WHALE-FISHERY. 



every vessel of 200 tons claiming the above boun- 

 ties, should be provided with four boats and thirty 

 men, including the master, surgeon, and four ap- 

 prentices ; and that every ship of 200 to 400 tons 

 burthen, sliould carry an additional boat and six 

 men, for every 50 tons above 200. 



Similar advantages, under certain restrictions, 

 were extended, as on former occasions, to British 

 Americans adventuring on the same fisheries *. 



The liberal extension of the encouragements 

 thus offered to adventurers in the whale-fisheries, 

 was not carried in the House of Commons without 

 considerable debate. A retrospect of the state, 

 progress, and success of the British fisheries was 

 produced, from whence it was apparent, that with- 

 out Parliamentary encouragement, the trade could 

 not be pursued but with great loss to the merchants; 

 and that a more extended act than had usually been 

 passed, would be productive of advantage, by secur- 

 ino* to the adventurer such a continuation of the 

 bounties, as would be sufficient to induce him to in- 

 cur the extraordinary expencc attending the equip- 

 ment of ships adapted for this trade f . At the same 

 time it was shewn, that during the twenty years, 

 ending in 1769, since the bounty of 40s. per ton 

 took place, there had been paid to tlie owners of 



* nth Geo. III. c. 38. 



•f" Macpherson's Aiinals of Commerce^ vol. iii. p. 511. 



