ENGLISH WHITE FISHERIES. 



for the defence of the kingdom on that fide, where it 

 is moft expofed and vulnerable. 



Refpe&ing the weftern fifhery, we have before- ob- 

 ferved, that part of the weftern brigade, after vifiting 

 the coaft of Scotland, pafTes down the Irifli channel, 

 till it is loft in the Atlantic. I have been informed 

 by Mr. Pennant, that in 1766 and 1767, great quan- 

 tities of fhotten herrings appeared on the coaft of 

 Fiintfhire towards autumn, and continued till De- 

 cember; but they have ever fmce abandoned that 

 coaft, as well as Carnarvon/hire. Their arrival in 

 the Briftol channel, particularly the bay of Barnfta- 

 ple, is more certain, into which they are forced by 

 the great fwell of the Atlantic, and where they are 

 fometimes taken and cured for exportation, in very 

 confiderable quantities. 



Of fife Englijh WbiteFiJheries. 



England was chiefly fupplied in ancient times with 

 white fifh taken on the coafts of Shetland, Iceland, 

 and the Farro iQands *. The king of Denmark fet up 

 an exclufi ve claim to thofe feas, which gave rife to fre- 

 quent bickerings between his lubjc5ts and the Eng- 

 lifh filhers. Queen Elizabeth's inftruc~tions,.in 1602, 

 to her plenipotentiaries for treating with the king of 

 Denmark on this fubjecl, are too curious to be 

 omitted. " But it is very unreafonable fervility, to 

 look for fuch a power over another monarch, in a fea 

 of fuch dimenfions as is between his countries and 

 Iceland, when it is well known, that none of our 

 Ihips do ever come within fight of land. We/' 

 adds the queen, " may as well impofe the like toll 

 upon all friips of his country that pafs through any 

 of onr channels, or about our kingdoms/' The 

 king of Denmark, in his reply, quoted old treaties 

 between England and Denmark, but which the queen 

 would not allow to be of any force in her days, 



* The Shetland ificslie from the North of Scotland 100 miles. 

 The Farro ditto ditto. 140 



Iceland ditto ditto 400 



