The Fishery Question. 1 1 



Dorchester and London. Fishing could only 

 be carried on in the season, "Spare hands," 

 left on shore and furnished with a winter's 

 outfit, were the first New England colonists. 

 Such was the beginning of the settlement of 

 Cape Ann in 1623. Quiet prosecution of the 

 Fishery was, moreover, favored by the peace 

 recently concluded between James I. and the 

 King of Spain. By charter, dated 1606, the 

 Atlantic coast was parcelled out for the bene- 

 fit of the London and the Plymouth Trading 

 companies, the latter to utilize the terri- 

 tory between Delaware Bay and Port Royal. 

 This instrument was subsequently modified. ^^ 

 It was through the exertions of Gorges that 

 the Plymouth Company obtained a renewal 

 of the original concessions. When James 

 asked the spokesmen of the Pilgrims what 

 profit might arise from their purpose to settle 

 on these coasts, they replied in a single word, 

 " fishinof." 



Fishing supplies were carefully furnished 

 the emigrants who settled Salem. Fish were 

 presently exported from Massachusetts to 

 Spain, England, the West Indies and even 

 to Holland. A trade commenced with the 

 southern colonies. Winthrop, in 1641, esti- 



