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Mr Knox, in his obfer various on the. 

 Northern fifheries, printed in 1786, mentions 

 many companies being formed at different 

 periods, but from fome unforefeen accident 

 they always failed. What has happened in 

 former ages may happen in this. 



One great caufe why many of thefe com- 

 panies failed, was fitting out vefTels with the 

 proper apparatus, fifhing tackle, &c. at a 

 great expence, employing failors and fifhers, 

 at fo much per month, who had no intereft 

 whether the fifhing fucceeded or riot. I was 

 informed, by a very intelligent perfon who 

 was employed in the fifhing within thefe fif- 

 teen years, that the fhipmafters went into one 

 anothers veffels and caroufed ; which not on- 

 ly made the expences very high, but likewife 

 neglected the bufinefs for which they were 

 fent. 



Another great caufe of their failure was 

 the fhips being at a great difiance from any 

 proper harbour ; and when their nets gave 

 way, they had not others to fupply their 

 place. Sometimes in want of fait, and a, 

 fufficicnt quantity of barrels to hold their 

 herrings. Or, if any misfortune happened 

 to the fliip, they often, from one or other of 



thefe 



