ORKNEY AND SHETLAND ISLES. 151 



accommodation; and being habituated to indifferent fare, 

 would not require that expensive victualling which is indis- 

 pensable to an English crew. 



The rules observed by the Dutch curers are now generallr 

 known*, and in socio degree practised. But still it would 

 probably be of considerable advantage if the iniluence of 

 government w^re employed to encourage some fishing-fama- 

 Ijes from Holland to settle in Shetland. A i'ew Dutch curers 

 thus dispersed among the British smacks, might prove ex- 

 ceeding i/usefid. 



May it not be hoped that some opulent English and The markets 

 Scottish companies, — under the fostering care of a paternal ^^^ S'^^.^^ and 

 Government,T-wi!I undertake this Shetland fishery on ^ ^^^^°"^*^' 

 great scale,— a speculatioa which if persevered in, would 

 surely, in the event, become ex;ccedingly profitable. The 

 Ha.nburgh market alone would take oif the produce of a 

 hundred sloops, except the laste for Shetland herrings has 

 declii.e.i in ?hc north of Germany. There is a great de- 

 mand tor herrings from our West India colonies,'' for the 

 fooc\^oi Negroes ; and the home consumption would surely 

 .not be inconsiderable. If every inhabitant of the island 

 were to eat only two herriiigs in the year, it would open a 

 markei. for the produce of another hundred sloops, even 

 supposing them to fish with tue greatest possible success. 

 The herring fishery is an undertaking, indeed, of national 

 iraporiaiice, not merely as a source of wealth, but as an 

 addiiional nursery lor our navy. 



If this fishery were to be extensively carried on from 

 Shetland, some additional villages would become necessary 

 and winter-employments would be wanted. The manufac- 

 ture of herring-nets- might properly and advantageously 

 occupy many during the winter : and with this," might 

 coramodiously be joined the manufacture of lines for the 

 cod and ling fishery. 



To these very cursory and imperfect hints on the impor- Particulars by 



'iar.ce of this fishery, I shall subjoin a few remarks con- ■'^'■•^^t'''^^y 



respecting the 

 herring. 



* They are printed In the Transactions of the Highland Society of 

 isdinburgh, Vol. 11. 328— 345. 



nected 



