FISHERIES AND THEIR PRODUCE. 25 



ried on in more distant places, and among them 

 we may particularize those of Newfoundland 

 and the coast of Labrador. " The great bank 

 of Newfoundland is the principal station of the 

 distant cod-fishery ; the fish found on it being 

 not only of excellent quality, but in the greatest 

 abundance. The bank began to be resorted to by 

 fishers early in the sixteenth century. In 1578, 

 France had on the bank of Newfoundland 150 

 vessels ; Spain, 120 or 130 ; Portugal, 50 ; and 

 England, from 30 to 50. During the first half 

 of the last century, the fishery was principally 

 carried on by the English (including the 

 Anglo-Americans) and the French ; but the 

 capture of Cape Breton, and of their other 

 possessions in America, gave a severe blow to 

 the fishery of the latter. 



" The American war divided the British 

 fishery ; that portion of it which had been pre- 

 viously carried on from New England being 

 thereafter merged in that of the United States. 

 Still, however, we contrived to preserve the 

 larger share. At an average of the three 

 years, ending with 1789, we are said to have 

 had 402 ships, 1,911 boats, and 16,856 men, 

 engaged in the American fisheries. During 

 the last war, the French being excluded from 

 the fisheries, those of England attained to an 



