DUTCH HERRING FISHERY. 



port it. If, therefore, the Scots wifh to recover 

 their hereditary patrimony, theftaple fource of com- 

 merce, navigation, and national confequence, thev 

 will endeavour to fecure the northern fifheries to 

 themfelves and their fellow fubjects of England, 

 either by a total prohibition of all foreigners from 

 rendezvoufing and fifhing within a limited diflance of 

 the Shetland Iflands , or, by fubjecting them to fu'cli 

 tonnage, or duties, as will prevent them from en- 

 grofiing foreign markets. This Britons have a right 

 to expect : it is the law of nations, the language of 

 common fenfej even the Dutch themfelves could 

 not deem it unreafonable. On the contrary, they 

 have fet the example in their infignificant fifhery 

 upon their own fhores, which they farm, or let out 

 to the belt bidder 3 thereby making a property of 

 the fea. 



CHARLES I. In 1636, HTued a proclamation, 

 prohibiting their fifhing on our coaft, which the 

 Dutch difregarded, on a prefumption of right, de- 

 rived from the (lender pretext of an occasional 

 toleration from fome of his predeceflbrs. Upon 

 this, the king fent the earl of Northumberland with 

 a fleet to the north feas, where the Dutch bufies 

 were bufily employed : the earl having in vain re- 

 quired of them to defrft, he funk fome, took others, 

 and put the reft to flight. The ftates were then glad 

 to folicit the lord high admiral to intercede for them 

 with the king, for permiflion to continue their fifh- 

 ing for that ieafon only, for which they would pay 

 his majefty 30,000!. their requeft was granted and 

 they paid the money. They further offered to be- 

 come tributary forever, for the fame amount, but 

 the propofal was rejected. 30,000!. annually, with 

 its accumulated intereft, would, at the prefent day, 

 have exceeded 17,000,000!. which is more than we 

 have realized by the whole empire of North America, 

 after deducting the expence of that country in wars, 

 protection, bounties, and civil eftablifiiments. Fur- 



s 4 ther, 



