OF ALL COUNTRIES. 



507 



Rebellion of 1715; and it was constituted upon a 

 petition for a Grand Fishery Company presented in 

 January, 1718, and signed by seven peers and many 

 merchants and gentlemen. Many petitions on such 

 matters were presented at the same time, and all were 

 opposed by counsel, the Fishery alone excepted. On 

 this the Crown lawyers reported that a Fishery Charter 

 under proper regulations might be very beneficial to the 

 nation. In regard to the same, the House of Commons 

 passed a resolution on the 27th of April, 1720 : "That the 

 undertaking proposed to be carried on by the name of the 

 British Fishery, wherein the seaports and royal burghs are 

 concerned, may be successfully carried on, and thereby 

 prevent great sums from going annually out of the nation ; 

 may secure a valuable trade ; and may, upon any emer- 

 gency, furnish seamen to man the royal navy ; and there- 

 fore highly deserves encouragement." The following ex- 

 tract shows an inflation startling enough no doubt to the 

 speculators of those days, though they rather pale before 

 the records of Ballarat and San Francisco : 



Original Money 

 paid in or due. 



Royal Fishery Commis- 

 sion, 



Fish pool, for bringing 

 fresh fish by sea to 

 London (Sir Richard 

 Steele's project). 



Orkney Fishery. 



For a Whale Fishery 

 (Sir John Lambert). 



National permits for 

 a Fishery (George 

 James's) 50,000 per- 

 mits at six pounds 

 each. 



The Grand Fishery. 







10 



d. 



o per cent. 



25 o o 

 o 10 



500 per share 



Highest sold for 

 in 1720. 



s. d. 



25 o o per cent 



1 60 o o per share, 



before any 

 money paid 

 down. 



250 o o 

 3 10 o 



60 o o each permit 

 before any 

 money paid 

 down. 



o 10 o per share 500 



