172 ON THE ECONOMICAL USES OF FISHES. 



had the effect of increasing the quantity qf fish pro- 

 duced, yet it is very questionable whether that re- 

 sult was attended with ultimate success. Although 

 the hounty system is now discontinued, and the 

 number of those engaged in the fisheries much re- 

 duced, yet, according to Mr. Barrow, the value of 

 the entire annual produce of the foreign and do- 

 mestic fisheries of Great Britain is as much as 

 <8,300,000 ; and, although the accuracy of this 

 estimate is disputed, and even by a most competent 

 judge* reduced to less than one-half, yet the fisheries 

 must ever be regarded as an important source of 

 national wealth. Besides giving employment to 

 some, and contributing to the necessities of others, 

 the British fisheries may be considered as a nursery 

 in which are reared a large portion of our finest 

 seamen, furnishing a ready supply from which to 

 recruit the navy and the merchant service. 



The Dutch owe much of their prosperity to the 

 fisheries, and so do the Americans, always noted for 

 their enterprise and the zeal with which they carry 

 on their undertakings. The French, too, and many 

 other nations, carry on this branch of industry to a 

 greater or less extent. 



Perhaps the esteem in which fish is held as food 

 (in this country at least) cannot be better illustrated 

 than by attending to the fact, that 120,000 tons of 

 fish are annually imported into the metropolis alone, 

 and in order to procure this supply, whole fleets of 

 vessels are employed, manned by their thousands of 

 * Maculloch. 



