342 HISTORY OF THE 



tire, affords great variety of white and flat fifh, 

 though lefs in fize than thofe in the open feas. It is 

 therefore obvious., that with due encouragement, and 

 by means of proper regulations, the Scottifh white 

 fiiheries may be gradually extended from their pre- 

 fent infant ftate, to a height that can only be fur- 

 pafled by thofe of Newfoundland, from which incre- 

 dible wealth is derived. In fome refpe&s, the Scot- 

 tifh fiiheries have the advantage of the former. The 

 banks of Newfoundland lie at the diftance'of 2500 

 to 3000 ryiiles from London, Briftol, Liverpool, 

 Dublin, Cork, and Glafgow, and can only be fre- 

 quented during the months of February, March, 

 April, May, and June. The Scottifh fiiheries, when 

 the propofed navigations fhall be opened, will, upon 

 a medium, be within a week's failing of thefe com- 

 mercial emporiums, whom they can fupply in fea- 

 fons when the Newfoundland fifhery cannot be 

 carried on. 



The meafures to be adopted for the extenfion of 

 this valuable branch, will appear in the following 

 obfervations, with which, amongft many others, I 

 am furnifhed by perfons who are, or have been, en- 

 gaged therein. 



Extrafl of a Letter from a mercantile Company at 

 Greenocky Oft. n, 1784. 



S I R, 



Being informed that you are on a journey 

 through Scotland for the purpofe of enquiring into 

 the prefent flate of its fifheries, the caufes of their 

 decline for many years paft, and the moft effe&ual 

 means for reftoring them ; and judging that every in- 

 formation that will tend to throw light on the fub- 

 jeft will be acceptable, we beg to communicate to 

 you our fentiments on thefe important objecls. 



The ling, tufk, and cod fifhing on* the coafts of 

 Shetland and the Hebrides, appear to us to labour 



under 



