THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 539 



under express statement that the step was taken prepara- 

 tory to the entire abolition of premiums. The stone was 

 now set rolling ; and it was generally understood that the 

 whole of sea-fishery legislation was at issue. 



The measure of course elicited strong opposition. The 

 whole of the fishing interest, from this moment downward, 

 clamoured against a step which, as they represented it, 

 deprived their tottering trade of its sole support ; but failed 

 to see and to appreciate the equivalent of liberty for boun- 

 ties, which was being prepared for them. Parliament had 

 approved the measure before it was taken. The budget 

 estimate of sea-fishery bounties for 1851 had been lowered 

 by about one-tenth, in accordance with the intentions of 

 Government, and upon previous recommendations by a 

 majority in the Second Chamber. During the debates on 

 the budget, in a memorable night sitting on December 2 1st, 

 1850,* a Conservative member, Mr. Wintgens, who in the 

 next years gave much of his attention to fishery matters, 

 moved an amendment to carry the estimate up again to 

 fl. 1 72,000, or the sum granted in the preceding year. The 

 honourable gentleman declared himself, as protectionists 

 without number have done since, an adherent of free trade 

 in principle, and, as such, averse to bounties as a rule ; but 

 he claimed circumspection in the rule's application, and this 

 circumspection, in his opinion, was inconsistent even with 

 a 10 per cent, reduction of premiums. A protracted debate 

 ensued, in which the whole of the arguments for premiums, 

 such as they were, were brought out. The importance of 

 the Grand Fishery, even in its then reduced state, and the 

 folly of letting it go to ruin, were exposed at a length the 

 more remarkable, as the debate opened at one and lasted 

 till past three in the morning, an occurrence extremely rare 

 * Handelingen v. d. Staten-Generaal, 1850-1, p. 461, sqq. 



