FISHERIES. 1*9 



national ceconomy offo much importance. No manufactures, 

 no trade can be of half the confequence to Ireland, that many 

 of her fiiheries might prove if encouraged with judgment. 

 There is no undertaking whatever in which a ftnall capital 

 goes fo far ; nor any in which the largetl will pay fuch ample 

 profits. Scotland has the herrings fomewhat earlier, but 

 they come in good time to Ireland for the Mediterranean 

 trade, and in a plenty that ought to- make their capture a fa- 

 vourite object. The bounties hitherto given have been fo far 

 from anfwering that they have in fome refpedls done mif- 

 chief. I was prefent more than once at the meetings of the 

 fifhery committee of the Irilh houfe of commons, and I found 

 them making anxious enquiries how to avoid great frauds, 

 from which 1 found that notorious ones had been committed ; 

 this is the great misfortune of bounties when they are not 

 given with great judgment and care. Relative to the fi- 

 flfferies the profit is fo great, that all acquainted with them 

 will engage as far as their capital will admit, whatever boun- 

 ties are given therefore fhould not be with a view to inftigate 

 men poflefled ofcapital, for they do not exift, but to put ca- 

 pitals into the hands of thofe who will certainly make ufe of 

 them. It appeared in the minutes of the Loch Swilly fifhery 

 that one boat and the nets fuificient coft 20!. ; the bcft boun- 

 ty would be to give boats and nets to men ufed to the filhcry, 

 becaufe few are able to buy or build them. To give a pre- 

 mium on the export of the herrings or upon the tonnage of 

 the boats will not anfwer, for it fuppofes them actually taken, 

 and built, that is, it fuppofes the very difficulty got over 

 which want of money makes perpetual. Btfore the boat is in 

 the fifliery it muft be built, and before the fiih are exported 

 they muft be taken, thofe who have money to do either will go 

 to work without any bounty, the profit alone being lufficient. 

 In countries fo very poor, the firft fteps in fuch undertakings 

 are the mod difficult; and to affift in overcoming the early 

 difficulties is what the legiiTature fhould aim at. Giving boats 

 and nets to men thai would certainly ufe them does this, and 

 would be productive of great national good ; always fuppofmg 

 that frauds and jobbing are guarded againft ; if they are per- 

 mitted to creep in, as in giving fpinning wheels, the mifchief 

 would be far more than the benefit. 2o,cool. per annum thus 

 expended would give 1000 boats, which would foon accumu- 

 late to a vaft number, and if the effedwas fo great as to find 

 the herrings regorge in the home market, then would be the 

 time to drive them out by a bounty on the export, if their owa 

 cheapnefs did not bring the effecl: without -it. I am far from 

 recommending a new iyftem of bounties upon an object that 

 had not received them before, they have been long given or 

 jobbed, all I mean is, that if the public is burthcncd with fuch 

 payments, care Ihould be taken that they are given in the mode 

 that promifcs to be uiofl advantageous. 



EMBARGOES. 



