542 THE HISTORY OF DUTCH SEA FISHERIES. 



occasioned Mr. Thorbecke's Cabinet to withdraw from 

 office in the spring of 1853, before the inquiry had led to 

 satisfactory results. Before this, however, the great 

 statesman had taken further steps in the path npon which 

 we have seen him enter. By decree of January lOth, 1852, 

 the reduction of bounties had been carried, for that year, 

 to 25 per cent; and it was carried to 50 by decree of 

 January 5th, 1853. The prohibition from trawling in winter 

 contained in the decrees of 1825 and 1837, and mentioned 

 in the preceding chapter, was also withdrawn under 

 Mr. Thorbecke's administration ; the initial term of pro- 

 hibited trawling being shifted from November I5th to 

 December I5th, in November 1852, and the prohibition 

 removed altogether in January 1853.* The latter measure 

 consisted in the entire repeal of the decree of November 

 I5th, 1825, including the control over the nets used in coast 

 fishery, and the premiums for hook-and-line-fishery, during 

 the time when trawling was prohibited. Coast fishery was 

 now free, both in the choice of its implements and the 

 regulation of its fishing time ; and the only measure for 

 the protection of fish life still in vigour was the decree 

 of 1842, on the use of the shrimp net or saayem. 



Minister van Reenen, Mr. Thorbecke's successor in the 

 Home Department, found the sea-fishery question in this 

 state on coming into office. Being unacquainted with the 

 precise bearings and antecedents of the matter, he was not 

 prepared at once to act in it, and for the moment stopped 

 the process of repeal, by leaving premiums for 1854 at the 

 rate of the preceding year, or half the original amount. t 

 The Minister stated his intention to this effect when laying 



* Decrees of November 24th, 1852 (Stbl. No. 202), and January 

 29th, 1853 (Stbl. No. 8). 



t Royal Decree, January gth, 1854 (Stbl. No. 9). 



