634 A. D. 1779. 



the only obftrudions to the fuccefs of that important nurfery of feamen, 

 and fource of opulence. The ad, [11 Geo. Ill, c. 31] by which the 

 bounty was reduced to thirty (hillings per tun, obliged the bulles to be 

 at the place of rendezvous on or before the 22'^ of June for the lummer 

 fifhing, and on or before the 1" of Odober for the winter fifliing. And, 

 as if the reftridions of the ac^ had not been fufficiently opprelfive, the 

 officers of the revenue at Edinburgh declared, by a very aftonilhing 

 conftrudion of the ad, that, if they failed before the 22'' of June, or 

 i"ofOdobcr, they fhould forfeit all title to the bounty, for that the 

 words 0.7 OJJ before mufl be underflood to mean on and kot before*. 

 The owners of the bufles, after having in vain remonftrated with the 

 commifTioners upon the obvious meaning of the words, applied for re- 

 drefs to parliament, who, as the former ad for the bounty was now ex- 

 pired, continued the fame bounty of thirty fliillings per tun for feven 

 years more, to be computed from the 22" of Odober 1778, and left it 

 to the fifhers to be at the rendezvous at any time between the i" of 

 Auguft and the 1" of Odober. To the former places of rendezvous 

 there were now alfo added Stornoway in the ifland of Lewis, and Siran- 

 rawer in the fouth-weft corner of Scotland f. [19 Geo. Ill, c. 26.J 



An embargo had been laid in the year 1776 on the exportation of 

 faked provifions from Ireland, in the apprehenfion of the French fur- 

 nifhing themfelves with a ftock of Irifh provifions for vidualing their 

 fleets in the impending war ; and it was flill in force. The French 

 fleets, however, were not difappointed of provifions. Neither did the 

 French Weft-India iflands fuffer any inconvenience from the want of 

 Irifli provifions, the American market being open to them. But it was 

 a grievous, and a ruinous, difappointment to the Irifli to have their 

 ftores filled with beef, pork, butter, &c. which were periihing on their 

 hands. Their difcontent was almoft converted into indignation by a 

 belief, which prevailed very generally among them, that the meafure 

 did not originate from the profefled motive, but from a defign of giving 

 enormous lucrative contrads to minifterial favourites. Neither was the 



750 men, and a population of above 7,oco iiiliabi- fjhery, whence it is extrafted by tliat zealous 



tants in tbc year 1777. But that increalc ii a friend of the fidieries, Mr. John Knox, whofe r/Vw 



fmall objtft, in point of national utility, when cf the Britjjh empire mzy he cQa{\A\.cd. hy the. vezA- 



compared with the increafe of fcaraen produced by cr, who wilhes to fee a fuller account of the na- 



the bounty, it being calculated, that two thirds of ture of tlie fifheries, and the hardlliips that prevent 



the feamen who laan the (hipping of the Clyde, their fuccefs, than my bounds will admit of. 

 btfides a confidi-rable proportion of thofe in the ■\ But experience has proved, that even tliefc re- 



veflels belonging to Liverpool, Brillol, and even laxed reftrictions are incompatible with tlie fuccefs 



London, and great numbers in the navy, have been of the fithery, which without any limitation of time 



bred in that fifhery. or place, fliould be free to follow the (holes of the 



* Though I have myfclf feen, and alfo fuffered herrings, which, as Mr. Knox has well obferved, 



by, as grofs perverfions of law, yet I think it ne- pay no regard to a&s of parliament, and are, perhaps 



cefiary to fupport my account, of what may fecm more irregular on the wefl coall, than in any other 



improbable, by faying, that this ftrange mifcon- place, owing, apparantly, to the changes of winds, 



ftruftion is pofitively alTcrted in the printed Memo- currents, &c. in a lea fo remarkably crowded v\'ith 



rial of the adventurers of the BrliiJ}} ■while herring iflands. 



