19$ HISTORY OF THE 



fales, and fupported, apparently, by liberal boun- 

 ties, aflumed for a time, every appeafance of nati- 

 onal, and individual benefit. But thefe flattering 

 appearances were of fhort duration : the*4ncitements 

 held out by government proved fallacious and rui- 

 nous to all thofe who had turned their attention and 

 capital to that bufmefs. 



The bounty granted by parliament was tolerably 

 well paid till the year iy66> and the adventurers, 

 whofe cifcumflances in general admitted of no 

 delay, had till then, either obtained payment in a 

 few months, or got their bounties difpofed of to 

 bankers at 5 to 7! per cent, difcount. But, on the 

 return of the fleet in January 1766, fuch of their 

 owners as had the misfortune to refide in Scotland, 

 were thunder-ftruck on finding they could neither 

 receive payment of the bounties, nor prevail on any 

 banking companies to difcount them at any price ; 

 while their companions in the fame fifhery from the 

 weftern coafts of England, were paid at fight. * 

 The Scottiih adventurers were told that the fund 

 appropriated for paying the bounties within that 

 kingdom was already anticipated for fome years, 

 and no money could be paid till the prior bounties 

 were difcharged. 



Thefe perfons had, by their induftry, perfever- 

 ance, and the afliftance of friends, increafed the 

 number of bufTes between 1762 and 1768, from r/ 

 to 261. The aggregate burden amounted to 

 1-2,476 tons ; the number of perfons whom they 

 had drawn into their fervice, from idlenefs;, indi- 

 gence, the fpade or the plow, and who were now 

 become expert feamen, was 2881. 



From this deduction and flatement, the reader 

 may eafily conceive the bad policy of thus over- 

 turning a bufmefs of fuch coniequence to the ilate ? 



* "!The Englifh bounty was paid from the general revenue of the 

 nation ; while the payment of the Scottifh bounty was iffued from 

 one branch only of the revenue in Scotland ; which, falling fhoit of 

 the demands made upoji it, left t&e pocr filhers of that 

 without remedy. 



