GENERAL REVIEW 



which pour treafures into every river, bay, and lake, 

 in continual fucceflion, and in immenfe bodies, on 

 whofe numbers the petty captures of man can 

 fcarcely make any imprefiion. 



To avail ourfelves completely of thefe treafures, 

 requires, as before obferved, certain aids fuited to 

 the nature of each refpective fifhery. But all fchemes 

 calculated for that important end, upon a contracted 

 plan of economy, will prove delufive to the flate, as 

 well as individuals. Nothing lefs than a general 

 bounty extending to veflels of every fize, and to fifhe- 

 jies of every denomination, will be found effectual 

 upon the experiment j neither can any plan be adopt- 

 ed fo fimple in its operation, or lefs fubjecl: to frauds 

 and grofs impofitions. * 



* At the time of the union, the exporters of white herrings from 

 Scotland, and ibon after from England, were entitjed to los. 5d. 

 Jfterling per barrel, which mode of public bounty proved the ruin of 

 their trade ; the whole buiinefs became a fcene of fraud and perju- 

 ry, on the part of the exporters ; of connivance and breach of trufr, 

 on the part of the revenue officers. Barrels, inilead of being filled 

 with good and fufficient herrings, well cured and packed, were 

 partly filled with ftones or rubbifh ; frequently the fame barrels 

 were entered a fecond time ; every art and device was ufed for ob- 

 taining the public money ; and the traders being regarcllefs of the 

 condition of the herrings fo exported, that article fell into difrepute 

 abroad ; few merchants would pnrchafe our herrings at any price ; 

 and mould government again hold out the fame temptations, fimilar 

 confequences may be expected. 



The emperor of Germany, though his mother the queen of 

 Hungary owed her elevation to Great Britain, who fought her 

 battles, and thereby incurred many millions of debt ; hath lately 

 publifhed an edict, which almoft prohibits the importation of 

 Britifh produce and manufactures, into his dominions ofAuftria, 

 Hungary, Bohemia, and the Auftrian Netherlands. The duty 

 upon the importation of herrings is los. 6d. per barrel, and as 

 the Netherlands hath ever been a great market for herrings, the 

 only means of obtaining a mare in that trade, under the heavy 

 duty now impofed, will be, to keep off the Flemifli veflels who 

 have hitherto fifhed upon our fhores, through the indulgence of 

 the Britifh court ; or, by laying fuch veflels under a contribu- 

 tion equal to the duty on'Britifli taken herrings. 



