THE BOUNTY SYSTEM 179 



of the duty on whalebone take care to have the fins 

 cut up fit for use before they are imported, and so 

 being made up in small parcels, usually cast the 

 same overboard, in some marked place, where it lies 

 until a convenient opportunity occurs of taking it up 

 unobserved. This is very generally practised by 

 those who cut their fins beyond the sea. 



In a further broadside of this time are set forth 

 reasons humbly offered to the Honourable House of 

 Commons against laying any impositions on whale- 

 bone caught and imported by the Greenland 

 Company. The Company say that on the en- 

 couragement of certain Acts for the development of 

 the Greenland trade (25 Car. II., 4 and 5 William 

 and Mary, 7 and 8 George I.) they have, noth with- 

 standing all the difficulties, discouragements, and 

 vast losses by them sustained, continued their 

 endeayours for the recovery and settlement of the 

 said trade. 



They complain they cannot carry on the same 

 on equal terms with other nations, for they cannot 

 fit out their ships, nor victual their men at such easy 

 rates as other nations, and yet are forced to employ 

 and pay extraordinary wages to foreigners to help 

 and serve them in their fishery. 



The Company import but a very small part of the 

 whalebone consumed in this country ; they import all 

 the fins, pieces, and chucks, good and bad, which are 

 all extremely moist and green, and which daily do 

 much diminish in weight, so any imposition would 

 rise very high. 



