134 



great marts of Europe.* Of France I may remark, that her ffshermeife 

 founded her marine, and that chief among her early offensive opera- 

 tions upon the ocean was the armament fitted out by this class of her 

 people, under the royal sanction, to relieve themselves from the real or 

 fancied oppressions of their English competitors, while employed on the 

 waters common to the subjects of both crowns, in the pursuit of fish. 



Of the origin dnd rapid increase of the commerce of England, snP- 

 ficient has been said elsewhere. + We proceed to consider the course 

 ef the British government towards New England. 



So steadily and successfully were the fisheries pursued by the people 

 of Plymouth, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, that only 

 fifiy^ years elapsed from the landing of the Puritans, before an English 

 wziter of high authority in matters of trade expressed his apprehension 

 as to the events likely to result, in the following remarkable words t 

 "New England," said he, "is the most prejudicial plantation to this king- 

 dom." And why? Because, "o/" aZZ the Amcriean plantations, Ms Ma- 

 jesty has none so apt for huildhig of sJtippmg as New England, nor any 

 comparably so qualified for the breeding of seamen, not only by reason of the 

 natural industry of that people, but principally by reason of their cod and 

 mackerel fisheries ; and, in my poor opinion, thert is nothing more preju- 

 dicial, and in prospect more dangerous, to any mother kingdom, than the 

 increase of shipping in her colqnies, plantations, or provinces" Sir Josialb 

 Child was alarmed too much, probably, at what really was in his own 

 time, but still saw with a prophet's eye what was to be. But the 

 policy of England, from the restoration of the Stuarts down to the 

 Revolution, was in strict accordance with the apprehensions expressed 

 by him, and she not only neglected and declined all support to the nav- 



* The naval power of Denmark dates from an early period of modem history. TSis king» 

 issm consists for the most part of islands aind portions of the contineat separated froip each 

 other by deep and steimy seas. Intercommunication naturally produced scamtn, while itS! 

 poor soil drove its people to fishing for subsistence. Canute tlie Sixth, who died in the year 

 1202, paid great attention to the herring fisheries of his dominions. A Sclavonian chronicler 

 describes this branch of industry at this period as productive and profitable, and as bringini^ 

 into the countiy "gold, silver, and all other precious things." The exports of herriags from 

 Nalburg, in 1720, were more than twenty-three thousand tons, but in 1765 only about eight 

 thousand tons. Two years later, a herring company was established at Altona, by royal grant, 

 for ten years ; the King, however, bought up the deeds before the expiration of the term, an^ 

 commenced the fishery on his own acconnt. 



While the fisheries of Denmark were in a prosperous condition, CopemBiagen, Altona, ^iel, 

 and other ports, were crowded with ships. At present, the commerce of the Mngdom is in » 

 languishing state. In 1801, the Danish navy consisted of tweaty-three shsps-of-the-liiie, thirty- 

 one frigates, guard-ships, and other vessels ; but in 1833 it had diminished to four ships-of-the- 

 line, seven frigates, and eighteen smaller vessels. The diminution of the commercial marina 

 was quite as large. The seas abound with fish, and, imder regjulations, BUght now, as in Ca- 

 nute's time, bring into Denmark all manner of " precious things." 



t It may be added here, that about the year 1,U00, there was but one quay or wharf m th© 

 city of London. The first was at Billingsgate, the great fish-market. The wharfage or toll 

 was a half-penny for every boat-load of fish which was landed. 



It maybe said, fiirther, that the first dock which was constructed in tie same city (now so 

 celebrated for its immense docks and warehouses) was used by the Greejkland whale-fisbers. 



So, too, Liverpool, England^the presentmart of Americancommerce — was once a poor fish- 

 ing village. It derived its first importance, towards the close of the 12th century, from the 

 circumstance of Henry II having used it as a station for the embarkation of troops to IreSaad. 



And Glasgow, in the reign of James I of Scotland, was a small village, " consisting of llttl© 

 else than the houses of the clergy belon^ng to the metropolitan church. A merchant of the 

 name of Elphinston, engaging in the fisheries upon the coast, and aocumulating conflideraljte 

 wealth, inspired his fellow-citizens with a einular ambition." 



