540 THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 



in Dutch parliamentary habits. But no one succeeded in 

 proving, or indeed attempted on logical and historical 

 grounds to prove the point at issue, viz. that bounties could 

 save the fisheries ; and the fact that British herring-fishery 

 had increased rapidly since the discontinuance of bounties 

 in 1830, was the only truly relevant and conclusive argu- 

 ment preferred in the course of the debate. The result of 

 the night's proceedings was the rejection of Mr. Wintgens' 

 amendment by forty-five votes against sixteen ; in other 

 words, a sentence of death passed on premiums, and im- 

 plicitly on the fishery legislation system in general. 



A very important point was now gained ; and a reform 

 leading to the ultimate establishment of free fishery was 

 but a matter of time. Government made no secret of its 

 preoccupation to examine into the subject of fishery law 

 repeal, and on several occasions declared in Parliament 

 that the matter was under its constant consideration. It 

 was now to be considered how far, and how fast, the 

 reform was to go. A considerable majority in the Second 

 Chamber of the States-General (or House of Repre- 

 sentatives) from 1851 downward lost no occasion to de- 

 mand immediate and complete repeal of all fishery laws 

 and regulations ; but as yet the many evident and latent 

 difficulties of the subject forbade such a course. Existing 

 laws were extremely complicated, sundry interests were 

 involved in the matter ; and although in a rational state 

 of things those interests might have been in perfect 

 harmony, monopoly laws had since centuries brought 

 them into collision. Some points, such as the propriety of 

 laws for the protection of fish-life, were overhung 

 with positive uncertainty ; all were darkened by con- 

 tending one-sided representations from the various parties 

 concerned, each of whom, as usual in cases of this nature, 



