325 WIIALE-nSHERY. 



consideration, that the auxiliary ship would not, 

 probably, have become tlic possessor of this lish, had 

 it not been previously struck by the other : ^cUy, 

 That as the boats were sent out with the view to 

 assist the then possessors in the capture, they ought 

 to fulfil the object for which they embarked in the 

 cause, and not convert it into a plea for taking the 

 fish to themselves ; and, ^dly. The golden precept, 

 already mentioned, " Whatsoever" ye vrould that 

 men should do to you, do ye even so to them." 



From what has been now advanced, it will pro- 

 bably appear to be a matter of doubt, whether or 

 not, on the whole, any alteration in the Greenland 

 fishing laws would be beneficial to the trade. Un- 

 certain, however, as this point is, there can be no 

 doubt, but that the speculators in the fishery in ge- 

 neral, as well as the underwriters of their ships, 

 would be materially benefited by some amendment 

 in the custom relative to the stores and cargoes 

 saved from Avrecked vessels. 



At present, the fishing laws are extended to the 

 case of wrecks, which, together with their cargoes 

 and stores, are considered, equally with a loose fish, 

 as free prizes. This extension of the fishing laws 

 is frequently acted on : stores are saved from 

 wrecks and appropriated entirely to the use of the 

 savers, and no account of them whatever, rendered 

 to the original o\vners. But although this applica- 



