516 



THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



busses and men. 1 Early in 1675 a detailed scheme was laid 

 before Charles for the setting up of a fishery company with 

 forty busses and a capital of 40,000, the estimated profit in 

 the first year being placed at 31,463. 2 Among the objections 

 urged to the setting up of the fishery by the king were the 

 want of seamen and experienced curers; the acquaintance 

 of the Dutch with the markets and their spare living, which 

 would enable them to undersell us ; and the laziness of English 

 seamen. These objections were apparently answered satis- 

 factorily, 3 and in 1677 Charles issued a commission to the 

 Duke of York, the Earl of Danby, and others for a new society, 

 to be called " The Company of the Royal Fishery of England," 

 granting a number of privileges and 20 per annum from 

 the customs of the port of London for each buss or dogger. 

 Stock was subscribed to the amount of about 12,500, which 

 was spent in purchasing busses; but as they were Dutch- 

 built and manned by Dutchmen, the French, then at war 

 with the United Provinces, seized six of the seven belonging 

 to the company and brought the work to a stop. Although 

 the company was reconstructed later, and an attempt to 

 raise 60,000 to carry it on made with some success, the 

 death of the king and the troubles which followed caused 

 the enterprise to be suspended. Thus the endeavours of 

 Charles II. to create a great national fishery in England 

 were no more successful than those of Charles I. 



1 England's Great Interest, 38. State Papers, Dom., cccxi. 86 ; cccxv. 196 ; 

 cccxxxvi. 295. 



2 State Papers, Dom. , ccclxix. 263. It is endorsed by Williamson, " Herring 

 Fishery : Given me by ye King to keepe. Sunday, 24 Ap. 75," and is unsigned. 

 Each buss was to be of 70 tons, with a master, mate, pilot, and 12 seamen, to 

 be all paid partly by results. The whole charge for the first year was put at 

 58,537, and the earnings at 90,000, on the assumption that each buss would 

 catch 100 lasts of herrings, 15,000 cod, and 10,000 ling. 



3 State Papers, Dom., ibid., 264, 265. 



