302 CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE HERRING-FISHERY. 



The summer herring-fishery is less considerable ; the 

 herrings are about Class 6 to 8, of superior quality to the 

 winter herrings, and are caught in July and August. 



The Norwegian Government has passed important laws 

 lately for the regulation of the fishery ; and several vessels 

 belonging to the Eoyal Navy, each commanded by a naval 

 officer, are appointed to remain on the coast to maintain 

 order, and see that the laws are obeyed, and there are also 

 officers appointed to see that the size of the barrels are of 

 a legal dimension, and that the quality of the herrings are 

 such as they ought to be ; and at some of the principal 

 fishing harbours there are stationed several open row boats, 

 under the command of an officer of the Norwegian Koyal 

 Navy, constantly moving among the fishing boats to pre- 

 vent injury to boats or nets by disorderly fishermen. 



The dangerous state of the harbour of Wick or Pulteney- 

 town has long excited the attention of all those interested 

 in the safety of the fishermen and the preservation of the 

 herring-fishery; and we fully believe the following remarks 

 on the state of that liarbour, which is in near proximity 

 to that which is much more valuable to this nation than 

 all the gold mines in the British dominions : — 



Wick Harbour. — " During the approaching herring- 

 fishery season we shall have from 1120 to 1150 boats 

 engaged in this perilous enterprise. They will be collected 

 from various districts. Each lawful night 6000 men will 

 leave the shores of Wick on board of these boats, which, 

 with the materials, may be estimated at L.120,000. Spend- 

 ing the night at sea, rowing, and casting and hauling their 

 nets, at distances varyiug from three to thirty miles, they 

 return in the morning to their respective stations ; and 

 when the tide is out, it is no uncommon thing to see 800 

 boats lying at anchor within an area of 240 acres, with 



