HERRING FISHERY. 



Would herrings cured in the Dutch manner be preferred for 

 the internal confumption of Great Britain, and what would be 

 the bed means of encouraging the ufe of them in this country? 



I have known fo many Englishmen abroad who have had oppor- 

 tunities of tafting Dutch herrings, and have thought their tafte 

 very agreeable, that if our herrings were cured as well, 1 have no 

 doubt that there would be a great demand for them, and that 

 they would be purchafed as a cheap, wholefome, and palatable 

 food, both in London and other parts of England. But it is 

 not furprifmg that the falted herrings, whether Scotch, or him, 

 or Ifle of IVJan herrings, which are at prefent expofed to falc by 

 the London Fishmongers, are not much fought after ; for though 

 they pofTefs the lirft quality, that of cheapnefs, they are quite de- 

 fective in the two lafr, being neither palatable nor wholefome ; 

 they are either over-falted, and their flefti rendered hard, as well 

 as briny, or, on the other hand, they are cured in the contrary 

 extreme, and tafte as if they came out of train oil. 



What further obfervations occur to you, either refulting from 

 your obfervation or information you may have collected, and ap- 

 plying to the herring fifhery, or any other, which can be carried 

 on upon the Britifh coafh ? 



I have no other obfervation to make, than that which refults 

 from the preceding ftatement, namely, that the only method of 

 promoting the fale of Britim falted herrings at home, as well as 

 at the German market, is to adopt the Dutch mode of curing, 

 to adopt it to its full extent wherever it is poffible, and, where 

 it is not, to adopt fo much of it as circumftances will permit. It 

 would be likewife a great advantage, if meafures were taken, as 

 foon as poffible, to introduce the Dutch method in fome parts of 

 North Britain, in order that the German merchants may be con- 

 vinced before the war is over, and the Dutch vefTels can get out 

 again, that we are capable of furniming them with good falted 

 herrings ; whereas if we wait till the Dutch have regained the 



German 



