FISHERMEN AND FISHERIES. 179 



system, which, in the case of herrings, was extended in 



1750 by the payment of a considerable bounty on vessels 



fitted out for the fishery for a certain period and under 



certain conditions. To guard against fraudulent claims for 



this bounty the most minute regulations had to be made 



as to the proper equipment of the fishing vessels, their Inconvenience 



dates of sailing and return, and other matters ; and, instead regulations. 



of an encouragement, these regulations were often a serious 



hindrance, to the fishery. " Great inconveniences have 



arisen," said, for instance, the Act 19 Geo. III., c. 26, from 



certain clauses, as to the rendezvous of the fishing fleet on 



the fishing grounds, enacted in an Act passed only eight 



years earlier ; and six years afterwards these provisions, 



though then amended, had to be repealed altogether. 



Again, the specified outfit of nets required to be carried by 



vessels fitting out for the bounty were found to be unsuited 



to the Yarmouth fishery, and here also the law had to be 



amended by a special Act for the purpose. 



The payment of a bounty on exported fish, even if it had 

 the desired effect of stimulating the fishing industry and 

 commercial enterprise generally, resulted in neutralising, if 

 not completely defeating, the efforts of the legislature to 

 secure an abundant and cheap supply of fish for the large 

 towns of England, and of London in particular. The 

 energies of the fishing population and of " the trade " were 

 centred in the one object of qualifying themselves for the 

 State bounties, and the English consumer had to go 

 served, as the Act of Elizabeth said, " in very evil sort ; " 

 so, after twice relaxing the law in order to admit Swedish 

 herrings to the English markets, Parliament, in 1801 (by 

 41 Geo. III. c. 77), first granted a bounty on salmon and Bounties on 

 cod imported from Newfoundland, and next (by 41 Geo. III. in 

 c. 99), actually offered a similar bonus to all persons 



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