216 HISTORY OF SEA.-FISHERIES. 



The quantity of herrings branded in 1859, on 

 which the fee has been paid, though less from the 

 bad fishing than the quantity branded in 1858, 

 is, in proportion to the quantity cured, equal to 

 the average brandings of the previous twelve 

 years, when the brand was given gratis. It is 

 obvious, therefore, that the change from a gratis 

 to a paying system has not disturbed the ordinary 

 current of business. This is all the more remark- 

 able, as the payment of the fee is optional, and 

 is not, as in other cases where a principle of 

 payment has been suddenly introduced, com- 

 pulsory. Whatever falling off there has been is 

 attributable solely to the diminished supplies of 

 fish. It will be easily understood that when the 

 quantity cured is so short the demand upon it 

 becomes so urgent that sales are promptly 

 effected, and that this position of the supply 

 being unequal to the demand, unbranded herrings 

 have far greater facilities for being disposed of 

 than they have in a plentiful fishing. Nor is this 

 the only advantage derived by the unbranded out 

 of such circumstances. The time and opportunity 

 afforded to prepare the herrings carefully, arising 

 out of the small quantity of fish delivered, enables 



