THE RISE OF THE HERRING FISHERIES 109 



tion was, however, only one cause of the rise of the British herring 

 fisheries, now the greatest in the world. 



In 1750 an Act for the Encouragement of the British White 

 Herring Fishery was passed, and the incorporation of the Society 

 of the Free British Fishery followed.^ 



The Society of the Free British Fishery of 1750,'' the last of its 

 kind, originated at a meeting held at the King's Arms Tavern, late 

 the Swan, in Exchange Alley, the loth day of January, i749. Mr. 

 Alderman Jansen, Sheriff of London, in the Chair. A minute^ of 

 the meeting of the 2nd March, 1749, contains a list of 121 names of 

 " gentlemen, merchants and others who propose to encourage the 

 British White Herring and Cod Fisheries, in consequence of a 

 Resolution of the House of Commons and of a Bill brought in there 

 upon." The subscriptions ranged from £100 to £25,000, the latter 

 sum being furnished by " Francis Grant, Esqr., for himself and the 

 Chamber of the City of Edinburgh." The total amount forthcoming 

 at this meeting was £214,900, the Lord Mayor subscribing £2000. 

 At the next meeting, 9th April, 1750, at the Queen's Arms Tavern, 

 St . Paul's Churchyard, nets for three busses were ordered to be ready 

 before the 26th May ; three busses to be built at the same date ; 

 " one or more messengers " to go to Holland to engage persons 

 experienced in the " sorting, curing, gypping and barrelling of 

 herring." 



On the 17th May the record states, " sent for and examined three 

 Danish skippers lately arrived from Holland as to several par- 

 ticulars relative to the fishery, and received satisfactory answers." 

 Subsequently two Danish skippers and twelve Danish seamen 

 were taken on as part of the crews of the two busses which were 

 being built at Southampton. Later in the same month, " Launched 

 the first buss from Whetstone and Grevilles Yard, Limehouse 

 Bridge, and named her Pelham. The next buss to be launched on 

 Friday." 



Evidently the first two busses were built on the Thames, the 

 other two at Southampton. The second buss referred to was 

 launched " on the river " on the 25th May, and was named Carteret. 



The minutes for the 31st May state, " Recommended to Mr. 

 Janssen to write to Mr. Bosanquet about sending a present of the 

 first herring to the King (George II) at Hanover." Each " buss " 

 had a " tender," and they sailed for the Shetlands on the 3rd June, 



* A number of fraudulent fishery companies were floated at the time of the 

 South Sea Bubble (1720-1). Reference may be made to Anderson, History of 

 Commerce. 1787, Vol. Ill, p. 105, 106 and 108. 



* For fuller particulars see An essay towards a Natural History of the Herring, 

 by J. S. Dodd, London, 1752, p. 154, et seg. 



' I am indebted to Dr. Fulton for a transcript of the minutes of this Society. 



