OF ALL COUNTRIES. 



47 



Rebellion of 171 5 ; and it was constituted upon a 

 petition for a Grand Fishery Company presented in 

 January, 17 18, and signed by seven peers and many 

 merchants and gentlemen. Many petitions on such 

 matters were presented at the same time, and all were 

 opposed by counsel, the Fishery alone excepted. On 

 this the Crown lawyers reported that a Fishery Charter 

 under proper regulations might be very beneficial to the 

 nation. In regard to the same, the House of Commons 

 passed a resolution on the 27th of April, 1720 : "That the 

 undertaking proposed to be carried on by the name of the 

 British Fishery, wherein the seaports and royal burghs are 

 concerned, may be successfully carried on, and thereby 

 prevent great sums from going annually out of the nation ; 

 may secure a valuable trade ; and may, upon any emer- 

 gency, furnish seamen to man the royal navy ; and there- 

 fore highly deserves encouragement." The following ex- 

 tract shows an inflation startling enough no doubt to the 

 speculators of those days, though they rather pale before 

 the records of Ballarat and San Francisco : — 



