20 CODANDTURBOTFISHERIES. 



twelve lines, of a hundred and twenty fathoms each, and two or three hundred 

 hooks ; fix heading iinives, twelve gutting, and twelve fplitting knives. They 

 take in eighteen tons of fait at^Leith, at the rate of three tons to every thou- 

 fand fifh, of which fix or feven thoufand is a load for a vefTel of this kind. They 

 go to fea about the middle of April; return by the Orkniei, to land the menj 

 and get into their port in the latter end of Angitfl, or beginning of September. 



Pytheas fays, that IcelandViy fix days failing from Great Britain. A veffel 

 from Yarmouth was, in the laft year, exactly that time in its voyage from the 

 Orkfiies to Iceland. With a fair wind, it might be performed in far lefs time ; but 

 the winds about the Feroe ifles are generally changeable. 



l^yil^ The coaft of Emhden is noted for the place on which commences the great 



turbot fifhery, which fupplies the market of our capital. It begins very early in 

 April. The fifh come to the ground from the north, and move progreflively 

 fouthward. Towards the latter end of April the fifliermen lay their long lines on 

 the coaft of Holland ; and towards the latter end of May they go on the Flemijk 

 ceafts, and continue till the latter end of Auguji ; about which time the turbots 

 fpread, and are caught almoft half channel over. They extend even to our nor- 

 thern coafts, but not in numbers fufficient to encourage a flationary fifhery. The 

 lyutch draw from us largefums, honorably indeed ; but the produce of their fiflieries 

 is in the hands of a few of ourfalefmen, who by help of what are c?l\ed Jloreboats^ 

 which lie in the fait water oS Gravefend, bring up to the London market juft the 

 quantity of the fifh which they judge will be wanted ; and by thofe means keep 

 up the price, to the great injury of both rich and poor : the reft is fufFered to 

 be fpoiled ; and what might fill the hungry is flung over-board by the cruel mono- 

 polizers. Moft of the plaife fold in the metropolis are alfo bought from the Dutch^ 

 It is cuftomary for our people to purchafe thefe fifh at fea : but the Dutch them- 

 felves bring the turbots to Grav-efend. It is computed that they annually import- 

 about eighty thoufand in the feafon, which continues from April to Auguji, The 

 fifli with which the market is fupplied from November to March., is conveyed by 

 land from Bath and Brijlol. This may be hereafter treated of. The Dutch em- 

 ploy in their fifhery about fifty veffels, at an average burden of fixty tons. Had 

 the a<a for taxing the tonnage of thefe velTels paft, it would have amounted to aa 

 exclufion. There is greaf reafon to believe that our own coafts would not have 

 furnifhed turbots fulEcient to anfwer the demands of the luxury of the times ; 

 the markets would have been worfe fupplied ; and the power of monopolizing 

 increafed manyfold, by lelTening the number of fifhermen. Thofe of Great 

 Britain have every fea, in which they may by the law of nations fifh, open to 

 5 them* 



