DUTCH HERRING FISHERY. 277 



Notwithftanding the unwearied attention of the 

 Hates of Holland to this fifhery, the fale hath gradu- 

 ally fallen off fmce the middle of the laft century, 

 infomuch, that the bufTes, which on an average of 

 years, exceeded 2000, fcarcely amount at prefent to 

 200 -, but as every bufs makes two or three cargoes, 

 we may ftill eflimate the annual cargoes of herrings 

 taken on the Scottifh coaft, at 500; befides the 

 augmentation in the tonnage of the bufles which of 

 late years hath doubled the antient dimenfions. 



When popery was more univerfal, and when the 

 lent was rigidly obferved, the Dutch market ex- 

 tended over great part of Europe j it is now chiefly 

 confined to their own country, Germany, the Auftrian, 

 and French Netherlands. 



This trade is greatly facilitated by means of fundry 

 large rivers, as the Rhine, the Maefe, the Wefer, the 

 Ems, the Elbe, and the Schield, with their branches. 

 At Frankfort, and the hither parts of Germany, 

 a Dutch herring fells at the price of two pounds of 

 beef or mutton. 



In Bohemia, and other diftant parts, the price is 

 enhanced to fix pence, owing partly to the numerous 

 tolls or tonnages in pafflng through' different Hates. 



It would feem that the Dutch have always been 

 iealous of the interference of Great Britain in the 

 herring fiiheries. A certain author attributes the 

 mifcarriages of the Britifh eftablifliments in the laft 

 century to the gold and influence of that people. 



When the Britifh government, in 1749, refumed 

 the bufmefs of the fiiheries, the Dutch took the 

 alarm, and immediately publifhed frclh placarts on 

 pretence of enforcing the fifhery laws, which they 

 a Hedged had been neglected, and Cf from whence, 

 fay they, it is to be apprehended that the now al- 

 ready much lefiened foreign fale of the Dutch her- 

 rings, and the good repute thereof, will entirely 

 ceafe, and, on the contrary, become in difefteern, to 

 the great detriment and prejudice of the trade, and 



s 3 confe- 



