no ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



an easy navigation botli by the east- 

 ern and (by means of the great 

 canal) from the western coasts of the 

 klngilom, there is no spot where 

 the advantage of a high price would 

 more readily attract numerous ad- 

 venturers, or where any unusual 

 encouragement held out by the 

 legislature, in a case of particular 

 emergency, might he expected to 

 operate with greater effect. Ac- 

 cordingly it is stated, that in the 

 three last seasons the Firth of Forth 

 was frequented by vessels from 

 Ireland, from the western coast of 

 P^ngland, and from the whole east- 

 ern coast of the kingdom, as well 

 as from the pcu'ts in its immediate 

 vicinity. Vour committee being- 

 informed that the resort of pur- 

 chasers to the Forth is in this pre- 

 sent season great beyond example, 

 and that there is every appearance 

 of as large a supply of fish as ever 

 has been known, think thei'e is rea- 

 S(m to hope that the quantity taken 

 will much exceed tliat in any for- 

 mer season, especially if the legisla- 

 ture should think it expedient to 

 adopt extraordinary measures to 

 encourage and facilitate tlie efforts 

 of the adventurers. 



With respect to the duration of 

 the supply, it must be observed, tliat 

 herrings sprinkled (or, as it is term- 

 ed, "roused or corned") with a 

 moderate quantity of salt, will con- 

 tinue perfectly good at least two 

 months, and are much superior in 

 flavour and in nutritive qualities to 

 those whicli are prepared ibr export- 

 ation to distant countries with a 

 greater quantity of salt. If, there- 

 fore, the herrings in the Forth con- 

 tinue in full season till towards tlie 

 middle of February, (beyond which 

 time it is represented, by tlie best 

 judges, as injurious to the fishery to 



permit them to be taken) they will 

 Ire'preserved till the middle of April 

 by the ordinary method of curing in 

 bulk; but it requires only a small 

 addition of salt, and s"omewhat 

 greater attention to make them fit 

 for keeping a much more consider- 

 able length of time. 



The ordinary price of herrings in 

 the Forth, when fresh out of the 

 water, has not in former years ex- 

 ceeded 5s. or 6.9. per cran, a meai- 

 sure containing about two gallons 

 more than a barrel ( i. e. about thir- 

 ty-four gallons); but in the begin- 

 nh)g of this season an unusual com- 

 petition amcmg the buyers raised the 

 price to 12*. and even to Ifi-v. and 

 l(),y. per cran. This extraordinary 

 price was not expected to continue 

 after the principal shoals set in to the 

 Forth, which appears to have taken 

 place towards the eiid of Novem- 

 ber; and it has in the mean time an 

 obvious tendency both to attract the 

 greatest possible number of fishers, 

 and to excite them to the utmost 

 industry; and it should be farther 

 observed, that, at the very highest 

 price, it has been found that tlie 

 Forth heri'ings could be retailed in 

 London (in the state of roused or 

 sprinkled herrings) , with a moderate 

 allowance to the persons employed 

 in retailing them, at the rate of two 

 for one penny, a price greatly 

 belovv^ what fish of much inferior 

 quality have usually been sold for. 



Your committee are persuaded 

 that tlie circumstances which they 

 have stated will point out theesscn- 

 tial importance of insm-ing the full 

 beneiitof asupply so well calculated 

 to afford the most immediate and 

 most extensive relief under the pre- 

 sent temporary pressure, as well as 

 to pi-cveat the danger of its recur- 

 rence ; and they derive great addi- 



