2IO 



HISTORY OF THI 



from London to the herring fifhery off Yarmouth, 

 upon a bounty that to be entitled to this bounty, 

 they were required to rendezvous upon a rixed 

 day in Ramfgate harbour, at the mouth of the 

 Thames -, but, upon a reprefentation of the difficul- 

 ties and delays in making that harbour, and alfo in 

 getting out of it, parliament Ihould pafs an act 

 whereby the veflels might have it in their option to 

 rendezvous at Ramfgate, or if the winds did not 

 ferve for that harbour, they might fleer for the port 

 of Calais, on the oppofite fide of the channel, Ihew 

 themfelves to the cuftom-houfe officers of that port, 

 and from thence return to the fifhing grounds off 

 Yarmouth. 



The cafe of the bufTes from the Clyde is exactly 

 Tnnilar; they'muft either flop their courfe, however 

 fair the winds, and put in at Campbeltown, or bear 

 f away to the extent of forty miles out of the track of 

 the fifheries, to which they mufl again return through 

 the fame navigation. Whoever, therefore, advifrd 

 government in the framing thefe laws, knew little of 

 the nature of maritime affairs; neither were thofe 

 laws necefTary in any refpect whatever. The vefTels 

 fitted out at Campbeltown and Stranrawer, rendezvous 

 at thofe places only j may not alfo, the vefTels fitted 

 out at Greenock, Port Glafgow, Rothfay, and other 

 ports of the Clyde, rendezvous at their refpe&ive 

 ports, each of which being accommodated with a 

 cuftom-houfe. If the rendezvous of the buries 

 hath any meaning or object, it is this ; that the 

 cuftom-houfe officers fhall have free permiffipn 'to 

 go on board, examine the fize of the refpective 

 vefTels, their nets, and number of men ; which is 

 ^nothing more than a repetition of what had been 

 done upon clearing out, and is therefore unnecef- 

 fary, or may be rendered fo by an amendment' in 

 the act, ordering a fecond examination by his ma- 



