THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 491 



thus assured to the fresh fishery, the latter were likewise 

 subjected to a complete set of rules. They were, in the 

 first place, strictly forbidden to cure (kaken} any herring 

 either on board or ashore, under any pretence or for any 

 purpose whatever (Art. 93). For the better enforcement 

 of this prohibition, which as will be remembered existed 

 under the former Republic as a bye-law of the Herring 

 College's making,* steersmen of the fresh-herring fishery 

 were prohibited from sailing before September I4th, or from 

 casting their nets before September 2Oth of each year 

 (Art. 91). They were, as formerly, obliged before sailing to 

 take out a peculiar licence under the seal of the Grand 

 Fishery Committee, and take oath to observe the laws and 

 regulations relative to their trade (Arts. 88, 89). They were 

 subject to last-money to the amount of fl. 3 per twelve 

 thousand herrings, the same amount being due for every 

 last, of fourteen barrels, of cured-herring brought into port 

 by the herring busses (Arts. 17, 99). To ensure the 

 recovery of this tax, which, as formerly, was levied by the 

 committee's officers for the benefit of their treasury, the 

 steersmen of all fresh-herring smacks were bound to have 

 their cargoes of " steurharing " examined and counted by 

 municipal officials, who made the necessary declarations 

 to the committee's last-money collectors. The steers- 

 men of the Grand Fishery were subject to no such 

 obligations, for they had to deliver up their barrels of 

 cured herring (or pickle-herring] to the assayer, whose 

 examination was sufficient control over their declaration 

 for last-money to be paid. 



In the third place, the North Sea cod-fishermen's attri- 

 butions as regards herring-fishery were established in 

 detail by the law of 1801 (Arts. 21, 22). They were, as 

 * See part ii. chap. iv. 



