SCOTTISH WHITE FISHERIES. 345 



which, when cured and dried, were equal, if not 

 fuperior to thofe caught on the coaft of Shetland; and 

 though the fale of the filh amounted to a confiderable 

 fum of money, yet from the great expence attending 

 the fitting, victualling, and manning thefe veflels, 

 we loft money by the adventure. Not difcouraged 

 by the lofs we fuftained in this our firft attempt, we 

 next feafon fitted out the fame veflels, and the fuc- 

 cefs was much the fame as in the former feafon j but 

 finding the trade could not be profecuted without 

 lofs, we dropped it, and that branch of bufmefs has 

 not fince been attempted by any adventurers from 

 the Clyde. Had we been allowed a bounty by go- 

 vernment, it would have enabled us to have carried 

 on the bufmefs, fo as not to be a lofing one, and 

 in a fhort time it would have become a confiderable 

 trade from this place. 



We were for a confiderable time concerned in the 

 white herring fifhery, but from the many reilrifrions 

 laid on that branch of bufmefs, we found it not 

 worth the profecuting , and as you have got very 

 full and authentic information refpecting the hard- 

 Ihips that the herring fifhery labours under, from thofe 

 who are immediately concerned therein, we fhall not 

 pretend to fay any thing on that head. 

 A Letter Jigned by the principal Merchants and Adven- 

 turers in Port GlaJgoWy after enumerating the many 

 Obftruflions to the Succejs of the Herring FJhery, both 

 from the exifting Afts of Parliament, and t&c Mr/in- 

 terpretation thereof y by the CommiJJioners of the Cuf- 

 tomsy gives the following Intelligence reJpcRing the 

 White Fijhery. 



But the chief depcndance is upon the 'cod and 

 ling fifhery, which happily occurs at a feafon of the 

 year different from the herring, but like it, is at- 

 tended with great expence, and cannot, without the 

 aid of government, fupport itfelf. Many of the 

 buifes are 'particularly well adapted for this employ- 

 ments we would therefore fuggcft that a bounty 



from 



