PREFACE 



The distinguishing feature of the commercial development 

 of Britain during the seventeenth century is the entry of 

 the idea of co-operation and unification of effort into national 

 trade, the displacement of the individual by the State- 

 directed company. Throughout the century England assidu- 

 ously set herself to develop her trade resources, both foreign 

 and domestic, by the estabhshment of manufactories and 

 companies. Inspired by the efforts of her neighbour and 

 rival, Scotland sought to build up her commerce in a 

 similar fashion. 



It was but natural that the directors of these efforts in 

 both countries should at an early period turn their atten- 

 tion to the development of the fisheries. To Scotland, in 

 particular, poor in soil and scanty in resources, the fisheries 

 upon her coasts seemed the one natural source of wealth. 

 Those in both countries who strove to estabhsh a national 

 fishery were the more impelled to effort by the knowledge 

 of the value of her State-controlled fishery to Holland, a 

 nation whose great commercial prosperity had already 

 inspired that spirit of jealous rivalry which was to domi- 

 nate the foreign policy of Britain until maritime supremacy 

 no longer remained with the Dutch. 



Thus, the Royal Fisheries of the seventeenth century 

 represent not only a particular phase of a general commercial 

 development, but also a determined effort to wrest from a 



