PREFACE 
THE distinguishing feature of the commercial development 
of Britain during the seventeenth century is the entry of 
the idea of co-operation and unification of effort into national 
trade, the displacement of the individual by the State- 
directed company. Throughout the century England assidu- 
ously set herself to develop her trade resources, both foreign 
and domestic, by the establishment of manufactories and 
companies. Inspired by the efforts of her neighbour and 
rival, Scotland sought to build up her commerce in a 
similar fashion. 
It was but natural that the directors of these efforts in 
both countries should at an early period turn their atten- 
tion to the development of the fisheries. To Scotland, in 
particular, poor in soil and scanty in resources, the fisheries 
upon her coasts seemed the one natural source of wealth. 
Those in both countries who strove to establish a national 
fishery were the more impelled to effort by the knowledge 
of the value of her State-controlled fishery to Holland, a 
nation whose great commercial prosperity had already 
inspired that spirit of jealous rivalry which was to domi- 
nate the foreign policy of Britain until maritime supremacy 
no longer remained with the Dutch. 
Thus, the Royal Fisheries of the seventeenth century 
represent not only a particular phase of a general commercial 
development, but also a determined effort to wrest from a 
