138 THE HERRING FISHERY 



Herring caught at the beginning of the season 

 made large prices. In 1763 two barrels con- 

 taining 1,600 herring were sold in Shetland at 

 570 guilders (£52 sterling) per barrel, and 12J 

 barrels were sold at 460 guilders (£42 sterling) 

 per barrel, making a total of £639 for 12,000 fish, 

 or over a shilling per fish. (See Macpherson's 

 " Annals of Commerce," Vol. III. p. 373.) 



But the Dutch were not our only rivals. 

 During the years 1764 — 5 the Swedes exported 

 from Gothenberg 20,000 barrels of herrings to 

 Ireland, whence they were carried to the 

 British Colonies, which also received a great 

 quantity from the Dutch and Danes by clan- 

 destine trade from the Islands of St. Eustathius 

 and Santa Cruz. The years 1770 — 80 were also 

 successful years for the Swedish fisheries. In 

 one year alone 800,000,000 herrings were boiled 

 down for the purpose of producing oil, the 

 yield being 1,250,000 gallons. It is plain that 

 Thomson's protest had lost none of its force, 

 when he exhorted the British seamen of 

 George II.'s reign to learn 



" with adventurous oar 

 How to dash wide the billow : nor look on, 

 Shamefully passive, while Batavia's fleet 

 Defrauds us of the glittering finny swarms 

 That heave our firths, and crowd upon our shores ; 

 How all enlivening trades to rouse, and wing 

 The prosperous sail, from every growing port, 

 Unchallenged, round the sea-encircled globe, 

 And thus in soul united as in name, 

 Bid Britain reign the mistress of the deep." 



During the year 1764 the movements of the 

 herring were very capricious. They deserted 



