OF THE FISHERIES. 373 



.till about the year 1763, when (he began to try the 

 experiment, and with fuch fuccefs, that, inftead of a 

 cuftomer, fhe hath become a formidable rival to ( 

 Britain at the Weft India market, and even in Eng- 

 land. France alfo, though the herrings on 

 coaft are of the worft kind, hath, within t 

 years, attempted to fupply her Weft India colonies, 

 partly from her own fhores, and partly by I 

 fitted out for the coaft of Scotland. 



Thefc three nations have alfo becrim the trade of 

 drying herrings for the Italian and other markets in 

 the fouthern parts of Europe. Amongft all thefc 

 competitors for trade, Scotland enjoys a luperior ad- 

 vantage, from the early arrival of the herrings and 

 their long continuance upon her coafts. The Swc- 

 dilh fifhery on their own coaft begins in October, 

 and continues fix weeks. The French fifhery is near- 

 ly about the fame period. The Dutch, and other fo- 

 reigners who frequent the Scottifh fhores, generally 

 quit that fifhery at the commencement of the winter, 

 on account of the inclemencies of the feafon, when ic 

 cannot be carried on to advantage in the open feas, 

 without the aid of adjacent fhores or ports. In Ire- 

 land, the herrings begin to appear in fomc lochs to- 

 wards the end of June, if the wind be favourable; 

 .but the great fifhery feldom commences before No- 

 vember, and fometimes, as in 1/84, not before De- 

 cember. Upon an average, the Irifh fifhery for ex- 

 portation does not laft above fix weeks or two 

 months, every year. 



Let us now examine the fifheries on the Scottifh 

 coaft, fuppofing them carried on to the fullcft extent 

 by the natives. The herrings that furround Great 

 Britain are compofed, firft, of ftationary or native 

 herrings, fpawned in the Britifh fcas, and found upon 

 the coaft at all feafons of the year. Of thefc hcr- 

 rins a few are taken off the coaft of Norfolk and 

 Suffolk, during the fpring, for the London markets ; 

 and, of late years, the Scottifh caft country boats 



A A 3 have 



