444 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



being read a third time on 27th December, was sent up to the 

 Lords. 1 It was, to a large extent, directed against fishing by 

 foreigners on the British coasts and the use of destructive 

 methods of fishing. One of its clauses prohibited trawling, 

 whether by subjects or foreigners, within eight miles of certain 

 parts of the coast. The fate of this important measure 

 was unfortunate. The Parliament was dissolved two days 

 after it reached the Lords, and nothing further was heard 

 of it. 2 



In the following year a measure dealing with the fisheries 

 was passed by the Scottish Parliament. 3 The preamble con- 

 tained the common declarations as to the value of the fisheries 

 to shipping and commerce, to the navy, in the employment of 

 the poor, and as furnishing the materials for a great native 

 export. The Act provided for the formation of societies and 

 companies of free-born Scotsmen, each member to supply at 

 least 500 merks Scots as stock, and they were to receive various 



1 Commons' Journals, viii. 203, 215, 222, 228. Lords' Journals, xi. 2286. 

 According to the Dutch ambassador, the Bill was nob passed without much debate 

 and opposition (De Witt's Brieven, iv. 68), no doubt principally owing to the 

 provisions concerning fish-days. An amendment was carried limiting Wednesday 

 to be a fish-day in all inns, taverns, and victualling houses. 



2 Lords' Journals, xi. 239. De Witt's Brieven, iv. 66. The preamble was of 

 the usual kind : that the honour and greatness of the king and the power and 

 wealth of the kingdom depended upon shipping and commerce, the fisheries being 

 one of the greatest means thereto ; and it proceeded to say that the kingdom was 

 specially suited for fishery by reason of the number of harbours, and the sea from 

 which foreign nations took such great wealth, set their people on work, and made 

 their towns populous and prosperous. The foreigners were not content with a 

 temperate and moderate exercise of the liberty of fishing on our coasts, which was 

 permitted to them by favour of the king, but fished with illegal instruments which 

 served to destroy the brood of fish in some places, causing the greatest poverty ; 

 and in other places they came with whole fleets among the nets and boats of 

 subjects, to the great damage and hindrance of their lawful business. The king 

 was therefore most humbly beseeched to establish completely and vigorously and 

 maintain the rights of his crown over the seas, and to give such orders and instruc- 

 tions to the admirals and commanders at sea as might be necessary to this effect. 

 The first clause prohibited trawling, whether by subjects or foreigners, within eight 

 miles of the coast of Sussex and the coast to the westwards, and other clauses 

 prohibited the use of set-nets or other nets with small meshes on the coast " or 

 within half seas over," or the use of seines by foreigners within ten miles of any 

 part of the coast to the hindering of subjects in their fishing. Offenders were to 

 be brought in as prize. These provisions were in part aimed against the French. 



3 Act for the Fishings and Erecting of Companies for promoting the same, 12th 

 June 1661. Ada Parl. Scot., vii. 259. 





