APPENDIX to the CHRONICLE. 109 



selves In the investigation of such 

 farther measures as might tend to 

 produce either an increase in quan- 

 tity or an economy in the con- 

 sumption of food. 



Among measures of this nature 

 the supply to be derived from the 

 fisheries on the coast of Great Bri- 

 tain, and especially the lierring 

 fishery, appeared the most consider- 

 able in point of extent and the 

 most pressing in point of time ; 

 which reasons have induced your 

 committee to make it the subject of 

 a separate report. 



The attention which has been 

 paid to the herring fishery by several 

 committees appointed in former 

 sessions of parliament has collected 

 a very considerable mass of infor- 

 mation on the subject; in addition 

 to which your committee have 

 called for such evidence as appeared 

 to them necessary. 



Their first inquiry was directed 

 to ascertain the places from wlience 

 a supply maybe obtained during the 

 present season, and the extent to 

 which it may be carried. 



With respect to the first point, it 

 appears, both from the evidence 

 given to former committees, and 

 from recent information, that the 

 herring fishery carried on during the 

 winter on the north-western coasts 

 of Scotland is neither considerable 

 in its present extent nor capable of 

 any very immediate addition, being 

 nearly concluded for the present 

 year, except in Loch Roag, in the 

 isle of Lewis, a remote and thinly- 

 peo])led district, to which tlie navi- 

 gation in winteris difficult anddan- 

 gerous. With res)iect to the her- 

 ring fisheries on the English coast, it 

 also appears tliat the season is nearly 

 terminated, and the high piii'e at 

 which their pioduce has been sold 



may reasonably be supposed to have 

 encouraged the adventurers to give 

 thera the greatest extension of 

 which they were capable; but for 

 the last six or seven years a great 

 and increasing winter fishery has 

 been carried on in the Firth of Forth, 

 which in the present season has 

 commenced with very considerable 

 success. This fishery, which begins 

 at the end of October and continues 

 in full season till February, pro- 

 duces such an abundant supply 

 that, in the opinion of every person 

 who has been examined, it may be 

 considered as inexhaustible. 



It is stated to your committee, 

 that in each of the two last seasons 

 not less than one thousand two hun- 

 dred boats were employed in the 

 fishery; and the total quantity taken 

 has, by the best judges, been sup- 

 posed equal to five hundred thou- 

 sand barrels, each containing about 

 one thousand herrings. On a sup- 

 position that, by any exertions, this 

 quantity could be doubled in the 

 present season, an additional supply 

 of animal food would be obtained 

 nearly equal to the consumption of 

 tvi'o millions of persons in three 

 months, allou'ing three herrings 

 daily to each person; and none of 

 the witnesses examined, either be- 

 fore former committees or recently, 

 appear to entertain any doubt of the 

 ])ossibility of an extension as great, 

 or even greater, than is supposed, 

 except what arises from the diffi- 

 culty of suddenly collecting a great 

 additional number of fishermen, 

 j)rovidL(l with proper boats, nets, 

 salt, and other materials for taking 

 and curing the fish. On this point, 

 it is material to observe, that the 

 Firth of Forth riirnung into the 

 richest and most populous part of 

 .Scotland, and being accessible by 



