184 



POKTER*S JOURNAL, 



found necessary, therefore, to stimulate seamen to the un- 

 dertaking voyages of such length and importance, (where 

 their sutierings were like to be so great,) by every motive 

 of interest. To this end, on the 22d June, 1795, the Bri- 

 tish parliament passed an act for farther encouraging and 

 regulating the southern whale-fisheries, in which it is en- 

 acted, that for eight whale ships or vessels which shall sail 

 from England on the last day of December of every year, 

 for three years, and proceed into the Pacific, either by the 

 way of the Streights of Magellan, or around Cape Horn, 

 and shall not return in less than sixteen calendar months, 

 nor be absent longer than two years, premiums shall be al- 

 lowed as follows : 



The ship bringing the greatest quantity of oil and head- 

 matter, provided it exceeds thirty tons, is entitled to six 

 hundred pounds : and each of the other seven ships (pro- 

 vided the oil and head-matter exceeds thirty tons) is enti- 

 tled to five hundred pounds. And on the 25th May, ISII, 

 it was enacted, that premiums should be paid for the three 

 succeeding years to ten ships, under the conditions afore- 

 said. 



It was also further enacted, (with a view of extending the 

 whale-fisheries, and giving encouragement to foreigners to 

 establish themselves in England, and particularly Ameri- 

 cans, who were supposed to be the most skilful in that pur- 

 suit,) that forty families of foreigners, who had carried on 

 that business, might establish themselves at the port of 

 Milford, in the county of Pembroke, bringing with them 

 twenty ships, with their crews, on giving bond that they 

 will reside in the kingdom of Great Britain during three 

 years, and that they will not absent themselves during thai: 

 time without the consent of his majesty, except it be on a 

 whaling- voyage. Those ships, on their first arrival, and 

 afterwards, were allowed to import cargoes of oil, on pay- 

 ing the same duties as are paid on oil imported in British 

 vessels, provided the owner had taken the oath of alle- 

 giance to his majesty ; in which case, he enjoyed the same 

 privileges and advantages as a British subject, and was en- 

 titled to all the bounties and premiums granted to any Bri- 

 tish ship employed in the whale-fishery, but subject to the 

 same regulations and penalties. An enterprising quaker, 

 liamed BenjamiB Rotch, who had long conducted thq 



