CHKONOLOGICAL HISTOKY OF THE HEKRING-FISHERY. 199 



to man (of different rates) near a hundred sail of his 

 Majesty's ships of war ;" and suggests a registry to be kept 

 of volunteers, to be paid certain rates ; and recommends 

 the abolition of impressment. 



The next to be noticed is the address " To the Com- 

 mittee appointed to receive Proposals and prepare a Plan 

 to be laid before Parliament for Extending and Improving 

 the Fishery ; by A. B, C, Sword Blade Coffeehouse," who 

 properly enough considers " that all fishers and curers 

 ought to be henceforth exempted from the grievous tax 

 of excise or teind, as well as from all vassalage dues and 

 service whatever ;" he recommends a bounty of 30s. per 

 ton on all vessels fitted out for the fishery ; and the forma- 

 tion of a joint-stock company, which should be guaranteed 

 and paid by the nation L.3 per cent, on all money ex- 

 pended ; and the building of towns and settlements on the 

 coasts." 



Another is " A Scheme for Ketrieving and Supporting 

 a Decayed Branch or Two of the British Fisheries," by 

 Joseph Cockburn. He proposed " that all strangers 

 fishing be kept off our coasts, not suffering any to come 

 nearer than in former times, or they should be obliged to 

 take licences from us for fishing in our district, or be 

 liable to seizure ;" and the granting of a bounty to en- 

 courage our own fisheries ; and the building of shallops of 

 forty-five tons each, which, with nets and provisions, he 

 reckons will cost each L.750. 



We have " Some Observations on the Present State of 

 the British Fisheries, and Means of Improving them." This 

 work describes the mode of fishing and curing then prac- 

 tised by the Dutch, and says, " We want only encourage- 

 ment to carry this trade entirely from the Dutch, and one 

 of the greatest would be to make early herrings fashion- 



