372 THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 



From a very succinct list of the college's annual balances, 

 to be found on p. 45 of v. d. Lely's ' Recueil,' it is 

 evident that yearly arrears, ranging from fl. 21,000 to 

 fl. 30,000, occurred between 1670 and 1679, and that in 

 1672-75 and 1677-78, no proper accounts have been kept. 

 The quality of the fisheries' produce appears at the same 

 time to have been in decline, as a proof that even by the 

 most vigorous control and detailed legislation it is impossible 

 to warrant the excellence of any article against the effect 

 of the dealer's cupidity. In July, 1683, Dantzig merchants 

 complained that the Dutch brand-herring brought to staple 

 in their market was frequently either found unsaleable or 

 sent back to the seller from the inland German towns in 

 consequence of the fish being bad, the barrels half filled 

 with salt, &c. Complaints of a similar nature were sent to 

 Dutch herring dealers by their correspondents at Stettin ; 

 and the States of Holland, besides admonishing the college 

 to better enforce the statutes, resolved to write to the 

 magistrates of the said German towns and beg them, in 

 case of any further complaints, to note the marks on the 

 barrels returned, and communicate them to the States, in 

 order to facilitate the detection and punishment of the 

 culprit fishing steersman, cooper, or brander.* Again, in 

 November, 1687, complaints on the quality of herring 

 exported to Sweden were laid before the States by the 

 Dutch Ambassador at Stockholm, who represented that, if 

 such dealings continued, Dutch herring was in danger of 

 losing the Swedish markets to the Scotch produce.f 



A short return of relative prosperity appears to have 

 dawned upon the herring fishery after the peace of 

 Nijmegen. At least, no other statistics being extant, such 



* Res. Ho II. 1683, pp. 256, 260, 309. 

 f Ibid, 25 Nov. 1687. 



