194 CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 



and sometimes at supper, but never at breakfast; but 

 since you have taken so much trouble to procure them, I 

 must try the Tyree herrings." His Grace was so much 

 pleased with their nice flavour, that he ate two of the 

 boiled ones ; upon this Forbes produced the other dish, 

 saying, " I hope your Grace will taste the broiled ones," who 

 answered, " Duncan, you are a most extraordinary man, 

 there is no resisting your entreaties." And having par- 

 taken of them also, he declared they were " the most de- 

 licious fish he had ever tasted," praised the Lord President 

 for his public spirit and ingenuity, in having allured the 

 fishermen to a sense of their interest, it being evident 

 that before this they had been ignorant of the herrings 

 being on the coast so early ; and it is said that the Duke 

 resolved to cause the fisheries to be pushed forward with 

 vigour; but other affairs seem to have prevented him, and 

 for many years the fishery on that coast was neglected.* 



In the year 1749, King George II., at the opening 

 of the Session of the British Parliament at the close 

 of the year, pointed out in his address the advantages of 

 encouraging the herring-fishery, upon which a committee 

 was appointed by the House of Commons to examine and 

 report as to the best means of improving the white her- 

 ring, and other fisheries. This committee was appointed, 

 after a resolution of the House of Commons had been 

 passed, in the following terms : " That the carrying on, 

 and improvement, of the British white herring and cod 

 fisheries are of great importance to these Kingdoms, as 

 they may be of evident advantage to the trade and navi- 

 gation thereof, and may be a means of employing and 

 providing for great numbers of industrious poor ; provided 

 the said fisheries be carried on by a large joint stock com- 



* Loch on the Trade and Fisheries of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 167. 



