244 rHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1792. 



It is an indisputable fact, that many ships, on the return from Archangel, in 

 the latter end of 1789, saw immense quantities of haddocks, no other fish were 

 particularized, for 50 or 60 leagues, I believe, lying dead on the surface of the 

 sea, but could not at that time ascribe any cause for the event. I believe about 

 that time an eruption broke out in Hecla, and perhaps it may with some degree 

 of probability be conjectured, that volcanic matter, of noxious quality, may 

 have burst in the sea, and occasioned the above destruction and failure ever since. 

 The few haddocks caught in 17 89 and 1790, were remarkably large; these 

 keep nearest the shore : the small ones lie more out to sea ; so that, when fish- 

 ermen were wont to catch small haddocks, they desisted, and came nearer the 

 shore to procure the large ones. The shoal generally lay about one league from 

 the shore, was about 3 miles in breadth, and in length extended near the whole 

 coasts of the 3 counties, in constant succession, for about 3 months. The 

 breed of haddocks seems nearly destroyed on these coasts, which is a loss of 

 many thousands of pounds per annum to fishermen and others, besides the loss 

 of a very plentiful and acceptable article of food to persons of all ranks, especi- 

 ally in the winter season, when the price of provisions bears hard on the poor. 



May I hazard one question : Is it probable that, in the ensuing winter, or a 

 few succeeding ones, the fishery may recover by the return of a shoal of 

 haddocks ? For the last 1 winters I have waited with anxiety, but in vain, for 

 such an event to take place. 



In another letter, dated May 27, 1792, Mr. Abbs says, three days ago I 

 was fortunate enough to hear of 2 persons in Northumberland who were at 

 Archangel, in 1789, and waited on them yesterday. As they lived about 2 miles 

 asunder from each other, the one at North Shields, and the other at a village in 

 the country, I had an opportunity of hearing, and asking them questions sepa- 

 rately. Their names are, Mr. John Stoker, of the Ranger, and Mr. John 

 Armstrong, of the Integrity, of North Shields, masters of ships of considerable 

 size and value, men of sober, decent character, intelligent and respected in their 

 line of profession, from whom I received the following account, which I have 

 every reason to believe true. That in the latter end of July, 1789, on the light 

 passage to Archangel, after doubling the North Cape (where they joined 8 or 10 

 sail of large ships from various ports and nations), and reducing their latitude 

 from 69 to 68, between Fisher's Island and Sweetnose, for about 30 leagues east 

 and south, they, to their great surprize, for the space of 3 days, in which they 

 had variable winds, or light airs, fell in with immense quantities of haddocks 

 and coal-fish, and no others whatever, lying on the surface of the ocean, and 

 sufficient, from the view they had of them for the 3 days, to have loaded all the 

 sfiips then in company. That they found them for the space of between 20 and 

 30 leagues in length, and in breadth, to the east, from 3 to 5 leagues, as the 



