NATIONAL WEALTH. 187 



The fact is, though the strife be peaceful, the Dutch 

 are at this moment contending with us, seeking to re- 

 gain the prestige of their herrings, gradually diminished 

 in consequence of the improved quality of the Scotch 

 cured herrings. The number of busses employed by the 

 Dutch has suffered very serious diminution, and the 

 supply of fish has likewise been lessened in even a 

 greater proportion. The herring-fishing of this country, 

 on the contrary, and especially of Scotland, has made 

 signal progress, and constitutes a branch of national 

 industry deserving to be developed by all the appliances 

 which can be brought to bear upon it by the combination 

 of enterprise and capital guided by intelligence. Of 

 the 91,139 people directly employed in the Scottish fish- 

 eries, 39,266 are fishermen ; but, observes Mr Mitchell, 

 " If we add those employed indirectly by the money 

 derived from the fishery namely, the boatbuilders, 

 sailmakers, ropemakers, mastmakers, saltmakers, gro- 

 cers, carters, porters, shipowners, sailors, and other 

 trades the number will appear incredible to those who 

 have not an opportunity of closely observing the incal- 

 culable benefits accruing to the nation from the pros- 

 perous state of such a fishery. Here we see employment 

 to the industrious classes, while they are adding an 

 abundant supply of cheap and wholesome food for the 

 numerous population of the British Islands, when other 

 animal food is becoming so scarce and expensive. 



" The great increase of this fishery has tended in no 

 small degree to increase the wealth and the number of 

 the population of the Scottish coasts ; and the annual 

 addition of the value of the herrings must have a great 

 and beneficial influence on the prosperity, not only of 

 Scotland, but of the British Islands. The addition of 

 nearly one million sterling every year to our national 

 wealth must be extremely gratifying to every patriotic 

 mind." 



In the reign of Henry VIII. one of the statutes thus 

 recognises the importance of the fishermen of Kent and 



