BOUNTIES OF 1786 157 



when they were in the condition of sea-steeks 

 (herrings salted and barrelled at sea), and 

 four barrels in that condition were reckoned 

 for three barrels of repacked. As some 

 encouragement to the boat fishery a bounty 

 of Is. per barrel was allowed for herrings 

 properly salted and cured, landed from open 

 boats. All casks entitled to bounty were to 

 have a distinguishing mark, and also the curers' 

 name, branded upon them on penalty of for- 

 feiture. The Act, however, did little. An 

 official account given in to the Committee of 

 the House of Commons in 1798 shows that in 

 1787 one vessel of 27 tons, belonging to Ilfra- 

 combe, received a bounty of £27 in virtue of 

 this Act, no other vessel belonging to England, 

 and not one vessel belonging to Scotland, 

 having ever received anything at all. Yet for 

 the further encouragement of the deep-sea 

 fishery on the north and north-east coasts of 

 this kingdom, premiums of 80, 60, 40, and 

 20 guineas were allotted, in addition to the 

 tonnage and barrel bounties, to the four 

 vessels having the greatest quantities of her- 

 rings caught by their own crews landed between 

 June 1st and the last day of November in each 

 of the seven years. Further, in order to extend 

 the sale of fish and to provide a cheap and 

 wholesome article of food, the duties, hitherto 

 payable on the carriage of fish caught by 

 British subjects for home consumption, were 

 now abolished, except in the case of fish carried 



