THE RISE OF THE HERRING FISHERIES 121 



expired or now in being, be revived and continued to the next 

 session of Parliament. 



The second report, which in addition to being concerned with 

 the herring fisheries, also considers the most effectual means of 

 supplying London with fish, contains much interesting information 

 as to the general position of the British sea fisheries of the period. 



Incidentally, the comments of the Committee on the salt duties 

 are worth notice. They could not forbear to state strongly to the 

 House their sense of the inconveniences under which the fisheries 

 labour owing to the salt laws. The most considerable salesmen in 

 London make a constant practice of paying the duty ,on salt used in 

 the fishery, as being on the whole less burdensome than a com- 

 pliance with the regulations for the use of duty-free salt. The 

 weight of the duty was such that in general the fishermen chose 

 rather to throw the fish overboard than to cure it, only taking to 

 the market such fish as could be landed fresh. A substantial part 

 of the supply intended for London had hitherto been destroyed in 

 this manner. The Committee recommend a commutation of the 

 salt duties as being preferable to any possible system of bounties. 

 The Committee refer in terms of eulogy to some of the evidence 

 laid before them, and in particular to an account of the herring 

 fishery in the Firth of Forth by Mr. John Girvin of Leith, " a paper 

 drawn up with great diligence and containing much useful infor- 

 mation " ; and a report of Mr. James Strachan, Land Waiter of 

 the Customs at Burntisland, " which contains a much more minute 

 and complete account of the whole process of the fishery, and mode 

 of curing herrings in its various branches, as practised in the Forth, 

 than has yet been laid before the House." 



According to the Inspector-General of Imports and Exports 

 there is an inverse proportion between the bounties and the industry 

 of the fishermen ; the less the tonnage bounty, the more their 

 exertion and industry. To illustrate this the table above (p. 119) 

 was prepared, the period of thirty-five years being divided into 

 three periods ; of 9, 16 and 10 years, according to the tonnage 

 bounty being either 50s., 30s. or 20s. per ton. If, however, this 

 period be divided into five equal septennial periods a different 

 result is attained : — 



The Scottish Tonnage Bounty System, 1762-1796 



