BRITISH, COLONIAL AND OTHER CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. 563 



from my correspondents in Spain and Italy. While the supply is 

 thus augmented, the consumption of Fish is considerably decreased in 

 those countries, by the grant of indulgences by the Pope to -the 

 Roman Catholics to eat other food than Fish in the time of Lent; 

 and indeed, such is the general disregard of the church's mandates, 

 that Fish is now commonly used only as a cheap or eligible food, and 

 not as a religious abstinence; and as in consequence of the family 

 compact, Spam greatly increased the Duties upon Baccolo, or dried 

 Fish, it now comes so dear to the people, that its consumption as a 

 cheap food is greatly decreased, and the manner of laying the Duty 

 is particularly grievous to the British trader; for if upon finding a 

 want of demand, or too low a price, at the port he first enters his 

 cargo at, he should remove it to another, the Duty he first paid is not 

 drawn back, and it is again exacted at the second port. The want 

 of justice at the Spanish tribunals, and of protection from the British 

 Government, is also to be numbered amongst the discouragements the 

 British Fishery labors under ; and he could produce to the Committee 

 authentic documents to prove the facts, if it be thought proper to call 

 for them ; but he shall now proceed to the more agreeable talk of sug- 

 gesting remedies for the evils he has pointed out, and such regulations 

 and encouragements as he conceives will restore and increase the 

 British Fishery : and the first he would recommend, is to recur to the 

 old idea of the island of Newfoundland being considered as a great 

 British ship, and to invest the Governor and his Surrogates by law 

 with the authorities and powers he and they formerly exercised with- 

 out law ; but instead of their coming away, in times of peace, the 15th 

 or 20th of October, before the Fishing business is ended, or the dis- 

 putes between parties can be brought before them, or settled, they 

 should be ordered to remain until the 1st of December; they would 

 then be able to oblige the Fishermen brought out to return; and if 

 they were not permitted to remain in the island, there would be no 

 occasion to oblige their employers to find them a passage, as they 

 would make their agreement accordingly before they went out; and 

 their employer, being sure of their return with him, would provide 

 for their conveyance; as however the preparation for the Fishery 

 requires a certain number of persons to be left at every station during 

 the winter, it would be proper to oblige none to return but such as 

 had been left the former year, or had resided there two years, so that 

 all who chose to stay might remain one or two winters in the island ; 

 this would encourage the carrying out of green men, or youngsters, as 

 they might be left throughout the winter, and employed in such busi- 

 ness as they were fit for, and acquire sufficient knowledge to be useful 

 the next season. As the Shore Fish are now preferred to the Bank 

 Fish in Italy and Spain, a Bounty should be given for the encourage- 

 ment of the bye Boat Fishery, the bye boats being such as belong to 

 the British ships, or are manned by Fishermen brought out by them, 

 and are so called in contradistinction to the boats belonging to the 

 inhabitants ; that Bounty, however, should be given as head money 

 to the Fishermen who have been so employed, upon their return to 

 England. The Bounty to the bankers should be given upon certifi- 

 cate of the ship, manned and fitted as is now required, having been 

 employed in the Bank Fishery from such a day in May to such a day 

 in September; and having taken in all that time 10,000 Fish or 

 upwards, that number being sufficient to ascertain her employment. 

 92909 8. Doc. 870, 61-3, vol 6 44 



