ENGLISH HERRING FISHERIES. 281 



though they are matters of Norway, frequent the 

 Scottilh fhores in the nlhing feafons, to the number 

 of 30 or 40 bufles. This preference to the Scottilh 

 fifhery, muft either be owing to the fuperior quality 

 of the herrings, or the turbulence of the ocean on 

 the coaft of Norway, and the dangers of a lee-fhore 

 during the wefterly winds. v 



About the fame number of bufles frequent the 

 coaft of Shetland, from Pruflia, Oftend, Dunkirk, 

 and France, for which permiffion the Britiih court 

 hath a claim to fome exclufive commercial privileges 

 from thofe ftates, though hitherto neglected. 



Of the Englijh Herring Fijheries. 



To a temperate climate, a fruitful foil, and rich 

 mines, England is abundantly lupplied in great vari- 

 ety of fifh, as herrings, cod, ling, haddocks, whitings, 

 pilchards, falmon, mackarel, flat and flieli fifh; info- 

 much, that the capital, though at the diftance of 50 

 miles from the lea, is well iupplied at all feafons, be- 

 fidcs an export trade amounting to about 100,000!. 

 annually. 



Of thefe ftfheries, that carried on from Yar- 

 mouth, for herrings, is the moit antient upon record 

 in the national annals, and which, it is conjectured, 

 from its magnitude and long duration, hath brought 

 a lum into the kingdom equal to 20,000,000!. of 

 the prefent money. 



It appears from antient records that the place 

 where great Yarmouth now {lands was originally a 

 fand-bank in the fca; that by degrees it appeared 

 above water, and became dry land : and that fifher- 

 men from different parts of England, tfpecially the 

 Cinque ports, and aifo from France, and the Low 

 Countries, rdbrted hither annually to catch herrings 

 at a certain feafon of the year, when the fca afforded 

 great plenty. That, as the faid land was then un- 

 occupied, 



