2 66 DEFENCE OF THE BUSS FISHERY. 



and, in fhort, all ranks of people, have multiplied in 

 the fame proportion. Trade, commerce, and ma- 

 nufa&ures ; induilry, humanity, friendlhip and be- 

 nevolence, dwell and flourifh among the inhabitants 

 of this town and neighbourhood; who, from the 

 profits of the fifheries, procure all the conveniencies, 

 and enjoy all the comforts that can be wanted, or 

 fhould be wiihed for in this tranfitory life. Such 

 are the good effects arifing from the fifheries in this 

 part ; and fuch will continue to be the happy confe- 

 quences wherever they are eftablifhed, if the bounty 

 were continued under certain regulations, and due 

 attention paid to this favourite child, who, though 

 now out of leading-firings, flill requires fome fetter- 

 ing care to bring him to a ftate of maturity : then 

 will Britannia be the umpire of the fea, and be ren- 

 dered the firfl commercial and moft powerful nation 

 in Europe." 



cc Campbeltown," (fays Mr. Pennant in his tour 

 1 772)> <c ls now a ver 7 confiderable place. It was 

 created by the filhing; 260 vefTels have been feen in 

 the harbour at once , but their number declines fince 

 the ill payment of the bounty." 



Doftor Smith makes an eftimate of the quantity, 

 of fait ufed upon the herrings cured by the weft 

 country bufles, during a period of 1 1 years ; and cal- 

 culates the amount of duty which government re- 

 mits upon every barrel of herrings cured or exported 

 duty-free. This he confiders as a lofs to govern- 

 ment. But would not government have fuflained an 

 equal lofs had there been no bufs filriing, and confe- 

 quently no fait ufed ? 



We now come to the grand argument, whereon^ 

 the doctor chiefly grounds his objeftions to a bufs 

 fifhery, viz. the fmall quantity of herrings taken fince 

 the commencement of the bounty, which, he fays, hath 

 not been adequate to the expence of government. 

 There is fomething harfh in this kind of reafoning; 

 and it comes with a very bad grace from a commif- 



fioner 



