92 PRESENT STATE 



to the number now employed in all our remaining 

 fettlements, the Newfoundland fifhery excepted. 



Of ftill greater confequence will thefe fifheries 

 appear, when it is known, that the herring and the 

 white fifheries, upon the coafts, lakes, and firths of 

 Scotland, could raife. and keep in conftant readinefs 

 for the naval and mercantile fervice, 50,000 hardy 

 feamen, and at no greater expeiice to the public 

 than a fmall moiety beftowed in bounties to the 

 boats and bufTes, who engage in that hazardous and 

 flavifh bufinefs, upon the boifterous feas of the 

 north. 



The war at the revolution employed 45,000 fea- 

 men. The number hath increaled every fucceeding 

 war; and in 1782 it amounted to 110,000. The 

 great efforts which France, aided by Holland and 

 America, is now making in the naval department, 

 require the fame attention on our part, and in all 

 probability the Britilh fleet, at the breaking out 

 of another war, will far exceed "that of the year 

 1782, great as it was. An additional number of 

 men will confequently be wanted : and as the man- 

 ning of the navy hath ever been attended with con- 

 iiderable difficulty and expence to government, and 

 with circumflances of oppreflion towards many 

 who are dragged into that fervice againfl their 

 confent , there is not, in the whole fyftem of Bri- 

 tifh politics, an object of greater importance to 

 the defence and prosperity of thefe Kingdoms, than 

 that of increafing the number of hardy, intrepid 

 feamen, by means of the northern fifheries,, and 

 coafling trade. The arguments for a vigorous at- 

 tention to this national object^ derive additional 

 force, from the fober manners, and tractable difpor 

 fitions of thofe men, a circumftance well known 

 to the naval officers, and much approved of by 

 them. 



Scotland 



