198 CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 



the British Fishery at the King's Arms Tavern," says, 

 "It is with great pleasure I observed the motion in the 

 House of Commons to promote the fishery on the coast 

 of Scotland ;" and also, " it is very desirable that every 

 discouragement should be removed in the first place ;" and 

 says " that the fishery was formerly a royalty, and every 

 fishing-boat was taxed according to the number of men it 

 employed and of the nets used, and the tax was for every 

 net L.IO Scots money, or 16s. 8d. sterling; and on the 

 accession of James VI. to the crown of England, he 

 granted the tax to certain of his nobles, whose descend- 

 ants levy it to this day ;" and advises its abolition. He 

 recommends the employment of the seamen of the ships 

 of war discharged in consequence of the peace, and says 

 " that to carry on this beneficial trade, at least 400 

 vessels from 50 to 100 tons will be necessary, each vessel 

 to be navigated by ten men ;" and suggests a bounty of 3s. 

 per barrel on each barrel exported, and that the produce 

 of the fishery be divided thus. " That (the provisions 

 being defrayed out of the fish taken) the residue be 

 divided — one-third for the use of the vessel, nets, &c., and 

 two-thirds to the hands employed therein, then the fisher- 

 men's proportion to be twenty-four shares, to be divided 

 among them in certain rates ;" but he does not suggest 

 how the money for the undertaking is to be obtained. 



The author of " A Proposal for Encouraging and Pro- 

 moting the Fisheries of Great Britain, and for the Kais- 

 ing and Increasing of Mariners for the Service of the 

 Eoyal Navy. By N. W.," says " that the fisheries have 

 always been esteemed one of the best nurseries for the 

 training and bringing up of hardy and industrious sea- 

 men and that 10,000 such men, with the usual comple- 

 ment of mariners and landsmen, will always be sufficient 



