260 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Dutch fishery. 



A commerce still more considerable is car- 

 ried on by the Dutch with this fish : Mr. Garle- 

 son asserts, that it is a gold mine to that nation j 

 and it is a fact, that the Dutch receive more 

 money for this article, than Spain from her 

 mines of Peru and Mexico. At first, as we have 

 already seen, the Dutch purchased herrings of 

 the Scotch fishermen. Their industry, and the 

 judicious regulations that were adopted, soon, 

 gave their herrings a decided preference, not 

 only to the Scotch, but even to those of Flan- 

 kers, which were celebrated for their excellent 

 quality. Their fishery at present is not, however, 

 so extensive as formerly. In 1416, the first large 

 net was made at Hoorn, and from that period 

 the Dutch have sent out busses to the fishery. 

 In 1552, the town of Enckhuysen alone employ- 

 ed one hundred and forty vessels in fishing for 

 herrings; and in 1C01, the whole republic sent 

 put one thousand five hundred busses for the 

 same purpose. Since that time the commerce 

 has declined. In 1736, only two hundred and 

 nineteen busses and thirty-one yachts were em- 

 ployed; and in 1773, the Dutch sent out no 

 more than one hundred and sixty-nine busses. 

 The fishery would have declined still more, had 

 not the states of Holland, in 1775, proposed a 

 premium of five hundred florins for each buss 

 that went out to fish for herrings. Notwith- 

 tanding its decrease, this fishery still continue^ 



