156 THE HERRING FISHERY 



owing to the character of the country in which 

 they lived, to engage in agricultural pursuits, 

 they depended on their fishing, but could not 

 cure the fish for want of salt, casks and a 

 market within reasonable distance. 



The new Act " for the more effectual en- 

 couragement of the British fisheries " (1786) 

 offered an annual bounty of 20^. per ton, to 

 continue for seven years after June 1st, 1787, 

 to every decked vessel of 15 tons burthen, or 

 more, built in Great Britain after January 1st, 

 1780, and carrying five men for every 15 tons 

 burthen, and one man for every 5 tons above 

 that weight. Every such ship was also to have 

 on board 12 bushels of salt for every last of 

 herrings she was capable of carrying, and as 

 many new barrels made of staves half an inch 

 in thickness, and full bound, as she could 

 stow ; also 250 square yards of net (of any 

 dimension most convenient), with proper appen- 

 dages, for every ton of her burthen ; she must 

 sail between June 1st and October 1st direct to 

 the fishmg station and there continue fishing 

 for three months, reckoning from the day of 

 wetting the nets, unless she shall have sooner 

 obtained a full cargo, wholly caught by her crew. 



A further bounty of 4^. for every barrel of 

 repacked herrings landed at the port of arrival 

 was allowed in the proportion of two barrels 

 and a half for every ton of the vessePs burthen, 

 and of 1$. for every barrel beyond that propor- 

 tion, the barrels to be counted at landing, 



