120 THE HERRING FISHERY 



probably have captured the trade of red 

 herrings long before but for two reasons : 

 (1) that fish must be brought fresh to land 

 to be cured, as at Yarmouth, which the Dutch 

 could not do because the herring are found 

 near our own coasts, and at too great a distance 

 from their own ; (2) that they must be smoked 

 with wood, a source of difficulty to the Dutch, 

 because Holland was not a woody country, 

 and high prices had to be paid for fuel. 



" A Discourse of the Fishery, Briefly laying 

 open not only the Advantages, and Facility of 

 the Undertaking, but likewise the Abiolute 

 Necessity of it, in Order to the Well-being 

 both of King and People," by the famous 

 pamphleteer Sir Roger L'Estrange, of Hun- 

 stanton, Norfolk, who bore the nickname 

 " Oliver's fiddlet," 1674, deals with the riches 

 Holland has gained from the fisheries, to which 

 she owes all her greatness, and is now " taking 

 from his Majesties Seas no less than Ten Million 

 of Pounds Sterling worth " of herring, cod and 

 ling. L'Estrange urges that we have the advan- 

 tage of situation, the fish being found upon our 

 coast, and our vessels not being detained by 

 contrary winds, but safe in their own harbours ; 

 that the fishery, whether bringing profit or loss, 

 would still abundantly answer the expense ; 

 that it is " the only Nursery of Seamen," and 

 therefore essential to the safety of the nation ; 

 and that since fishermen already act as coasting 

 pilots, and had proved indispensable to his 



