THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 439 



this Act to take oath to observe the new law.* From 

 these several enactments it may perhaps be assumed that 

 the Dutch had then a reputation as well-boat builders 

 abroad. It would not be safe, however, to give this law 

 the credit of the considerable increase in the Dutch cod- 

 fishery in 1779 (see Appendix C) ; for the latter fact is 

 amply accounted for by the very favourable fishing returns 

 of the two preceding years. 



The "embargo" laid upon all Dutch shipping by the 

 States in January 1781 brought cod-fishery to a full stop as 

 well as its sister-trades ; and several requests of the 

 Commissioners of the Cod-fishery of Vlaardingen and 

 Maassluis, to have their trade permitted in the North Sea 

 and off Iceland, were declined in the course of that year 

 and the next. The scarcity of fish resulting from this 

 " embargo " took effect upon the cod-fish as well as upon 

 the herring market. While, as shown in a former chapter, 

 herring was now actually imported into the Republic, 

 certain dealers in salt cod-fish applied for leave to import 

 that article and re-pack and re-export it ; which permission, 

 however, was strongly opposed by the Commissioners of 

 Maassluis. It would appear from these proceedings that 

 some particular fashion of packing and arranging cod was 

 then in use in Holland, and Dutch salt-fish and stock-fish 

 were in some way distinguished from foreign produce of a 

 similar nature. The request having been declined, the 

 Commissioners in 1781 obtained from the States-General a 

 permission to sail, by way of experiment.! It does not 

 appear that the experiment was attended with any success ; 

 for several shipowners preferred to sell their vessels abroad. 



* Res. Holl. 1777, pp. 1229, 1414, 1443 ; Res. St. Gen. Ibid. p. 866. 

 Gr. PI. Bock, ix. p. 1309. 

 f Res. St. Gen. 1781, pp. 105;, 1182. 



