HISTORY OF THE 



This fifhery, which had been profecuted for many 

 centuries with unremitting vigour, became now of lefs 

 importance to England, in confequence of the inex- 

 hauftible treafure on the banks of Newfoundland^ 

 and the North-American feas, to which England 

 claimed an exclufive right, in virtue of the difcovery 

 of thofe leas by Sebaftian Cabot, in the fervice of 

 Henry VII. 



The banks of Newfoundland are of various di- 

 menfions, and known by different names. The 

 Great Bank is fuppofed to be a fubmarine moun- 

 tain, 500 miles in length, and near 300 in breadth. 

 The feamen know when they approach it by the 

 great fwell of the fea, and the thick fogs that gene- 

 rally impend over it. Its fituation is fouth-eaft from 

 Newfoundland, between which and Cape Cod in 

 New-England, there is a chain of lefTer banks^ as 

 the Green, French, Porpoife, and Sable Banks \ 

 Brown's and St. George's ditto, Befides thefe 

 banks, the whole coaft of Newfoundland, New-Eng- 

 land, Nova-Scotia, and Labrador, is one continued 

 fifhery; the greateft that hath yet been difcovered 

 by Europeans, and confifting of boundlefs variety, 

 fome for the table, others for oil, and fome for both, 

 as the cod fifhery, the great obje<5t of the Britifh, 

 Irifh, French, and American States, who, by virtue 

 of treaties, pofTefs thefe fifheries exclufively. 



England long contended to engrofs the whole of 

 thefe fifheries, to which France never would fubmit> 

 as it muft have rendered that kingdom dependent on 

 England, not only for home fupplies of fifh, but 

 alfo for the fupport of her Weft India colonies. 

 The American provinces were permitted the full 

 enjoyment of the fifhery, with permiffion to fupply 

 Europe and the Weft Indies, but fubjecl: to certain 

 duties upon importation into England. Lord Shef- 

 field, in fpeaking of the late treaty of peace, fays, 

 <c that France did not intend the American ftates 

 fhould have a fhare of the Newfoundland fifhery, 



which, 



