i6S 



HISTORY OF 



to be paid them annually, out of the cuftoms of the 

 port of London, for every dogger or lujs they fhould 

 build and fend out for feven years to come. A flock 

 of 10,980 was immediately advanced, and after- 

 wards 1600 more. This fmall capital was foon 

 exhaufted in purchafing and fitting out bufies, 

 with other incidental expences. The company made, 

 however, a fuccefsful beginning ; and one of their 

 buffes or doggers actually took and brought home 

 ^2,000 cod-Em ; other veflels had alfo a favourable 

 fifhery 



Such favourable beginnings might have excited 

 frelh fubfcriptions, when an unforefeen event ruined 

 the whole defign beyond the poffibility of recovery. 

 Mofh of the buffes had been built in Holland, and 

 manned with Dutchmen; on which pretence the 

 French, who were *hen at war with Holland, feized 

 fix out of feven veiTels, with their cargoes and fifh- 

 ing tackle, and the company being now in debt, fold', 

 in 1680, the remaining ftores, &c. A number of gen- 

 tlemen and merchants raifed a new fubfcription of 

 60,000, under the privileges and immunities of the 

 former charter. This attempt aifo came to nothing, 

 owing to the death of the king, and the troubles of 

 the fubfequent reign. 



Soon after the revolution,, this bufmefs was again 

 refumed, and upon a more extenfive fcale, the pro- 

 pofed capital being 300,000!. of which ioo,oool. 

 was to have been raifed by the furviving patentees, 

 or their fucceffors, and 200,000!. by new fubfcribers* 

 Copies of the letters patent, the conflitution of the 

 company, and terms of fubfcription, were lodged at 

 f jndry places in London and Weftminfter, for the 

 perufal of the public, while the fubfcription was fil- 

 ling. It is probable, that King William's partiality 

 to the Dutch fifheries, the fucceeding war, or both 

 of thefe circumftances, fruilrated this new attempt, 

 of which we have no further account, in the annals 

 of that reign, or fince. 



The 



