IRISH HERRING FISHERIES. 311 



as efficacious and permanent as the nature of things 

 and our prefent infight will permit. The hitherto 

 greateft impediments to the progrefs of the Britifh 

 tifheries carried on from Scotland, has been owing 

 to the ill calculated laws, reftrictions, and duties 

 laid upon fait, ufed in curing of herrings. Let not, 

 therefore, infignificant fait duties be a ftumbling- 

 block with us; as we have feen the abfurdity in 

 others, let fuch provifion be made at darting, as may 

 prevent any fuch accident from blafting the rirft pro- 

 grefs of the Irifh fiiherics." 



The fifh that frequent the Irifh fhores are gene- 

 rally the fame fpecies as thole upon the Englifh 

 coaft, the pilchard excepted, whofe refort is to the 

 eaft fide of Cornwall, and no where elfe in the Bri- 

 tifh feas. 



Previous to a detail of thofe fifheries, the follow- 

 ing geographical fketch of that kingdom and its 

 ihores may be deemed expedient by Britifh readers. 



The comparative dimenfions of Ireland to Great- 

 Britain, in ftatute miles, is thus, viz. 



Miles, 



England and Wales, with their iflands, 49,450 



Scotland, with the three divifions of 



- , - - 27,794 



Size of Great Britain, - : ~ 77>244 



Ireland^ with the ifles, 



Bting nearly equal to Scotland, and above one-third 

 of the fize of the two Britifh kingdoms. 



Ireland is fitu^ted or> the weft fide of Britain, 

 from which it is feparated by a narrdw fea, called 

 the Irifh Channel. It is environed by the Atlantic 

 Ocean on the fouth, weft, and north, between which 

 and America there is no intervening land, \vhich 

 gives it an, eafy communication -with that great con- 



u 4 tinent, 



