HISTORY OF SEA-FISHERIES. 209 



the country for fishing, have quite beaten the 

 English out of this trade, as may be instanced in 

 many of the outports of our nation, and par- 

 ticularly Barnstaple and Bideford, which formerly 

 employed in this trade above fifty ships, and now 

 do not fit out above six or eight small ships. 



By the treaty of Utrecht, which acknowledged 

 the sovereignty of the whole island to be in the 

 crown of England, the privilege of fishing on part 

 of the coast was reserved to France, notwith- 

 standing which the English fishery there in- 

 creased to a great extent. 



In 1763, there were taken and cured by the 

 English at the fisheries of Newfoundland, 386,274 

 quintals or hundredweights of cod-fish, and 694 

 tierces of salmon, besides 1598 tons of fish oil. 

 In that year there were 106 vessels employed in 

 carrying on the fishery, 123 ships for conveying 

 the fish when cured to England, and 142 ships 

 for its conveyance to British colonies. The prin- 

 cipal fisheries of Newfoundland are prosecuted on 

 the banks which nearly surround that island. 

 The object of these fisheries is solely cod-fish. 



Salmon, mackerel, herrings, and some other 

 kinds of fish are taken oft' the coasts of the island, 



14 



