A. D.I 797- 435 



have procured from government fome fmall mitigation of the rigour of 

 the execution of the fait laws in favour of their fettlers. But as that is 

 matter of favour, it may be withdrawn at pleafure. The mofl folid 

 advantage in that refpecl to the poor fifliers is, that fome people, partly 

 affifted with fmall fums lent them by the fociety, have laid in ftores of 

 fait, cafks, and other fiifhing utenfils, which they fell to their neigh- 

 bours at moderate prices. But, from the very flow growth of the vil- 

 lages, there is reafon to apprehend, that the fiiheries, reftrided as they 

 are, can never afford any very flattering prorpe<fl:s to the people. And 

 here I mufl; prefume to fay, that it is a mofl alloniflnng thing, that the 

 people of Great Britain are the only people in the world, who are not 

 permitted to enjoy the free fifhery of the Britilh feas *. 



* In April 1800 I thought it my duty to lay before the committee of the house of commons for 

 fisheries, a plan, which, if it shall ever be taken up, and properly matured by the wisdom of the legis- 

 lature, 



JFUl relieve the British fisheries from hardships, hitherto unsurmountalle ; 



idll prodigiously increase the sale of British-cured fish for koine consumption and for exportation t 



JVill probably make Great Britain in all respects superior to Holland in the fishing trade ^ 



JVill furnish a cheap article of food to the labouring poor, and 



JFill reduce the price of butcher meat, which 



JVill promote the manufactures of the counti-y by lessening the expense of living, and thereby 



Will, in some degree, effect a restoration of the value of money, on which depends the preservation of the 



e.vfjort trade} 

 TVill promote the prosperity of the IPest-India islands ; 

 jyill promote navigation by victualing ships cheaper i 

 fVill increase the number offishermen, and 

 Will increase the quantity of fresh, as well as salted, fish ; 

 Will increase the number of seamen, carbenters, coopers, isfc, which 

 Will greatly increase the national maritime power ; 

 Will promote the agriculture of the country, and thereby 

 Will render cmn and cattle more plentiful and cheap, with great advantage (o the land-owners andftrm- 



ers, especially in mountainous districts ; 

 Will particularly increase the breed of sheep, increase the quantity and improve the quality of wool, which 

 Will advance one of the most important of our manufactures ; 



Will in a great measure prevent smuggling, and promote the prosperity of the honest trader ; 

 Will increase the number of industrious people, and advance the general prosperity of all classes, especially 



in those parts of the country which stand most in need of improvement and relief; and 

 ?/';// increase the national revenue by </i»!iKwAi«n^ the expense, and greatly enlarging the amount, of the 



collection. 



Thefe advantages, which would require a volume fifhery, the nation?! profperity, and the naval force, 



to explain them in all their confequenccs, are not to of the empire, are the objects to be promoted or 



■be obtained by the circuitous operations of duties, negledled. But there is another objeft infinitely 



exemptions, bonds, drawbacks, &c. nor by any fuperior to thefe, and to all the above-mentioned 



Ijalf nuafiires ; but by the very fimple means of (j advantages, if the virtue and happinefs of the 



lolal abolition (to be facredly perfevercd in) of all people are to be confidered as objeftsof the highell 



4 'ties iipsn fait, •v.'hetbcr home-maile or imported, and importance, which is, that the lubjcft will be es- 



the impnfitlon of a commutation tax, equivalent to the empted from all the hardfliips and oppreffions, 



iKt proceeds of the prefent fait duties, upon houfe pains, penalties, perjuries, evafions, and other in- 



rents ; a commutation infmicely more uiiexception- numerable evils, which are, and ever mull be, the 



able than that of the tea duty, as there is no perfon infeparable attendants of the fait laws. 

 whatever, who docs not ufe fait. The great in- The committee in their Report [pp. 12, 13] 



creafe of the amount of the reduced duties upon recommended the plan to the attention of pavlia.. — 



tea and coffee proves, how much more produftive meiit. But war permits no improvements but 



moderate duties are than high ones. How much thofc In the aits of deftruftion and finance. 

 more cogent is the argument, when the national 



3T3 



