Dr Hibbert on the Discovery of the Shetland Cod-banJv. 
land. He saw 1500 sail of busses, of 80 tons each, taking her- 
ring on the coast of Shetland, with twenty rafters or ships of war, 
carrying 20 guns each, as convoys. But the confirmation which 
he adds to this narrative, relating to a distinct establishment 
which the Dutch possessed, for the purpose of prosecuting the 
cod fishery, is so remarkable, and is so involved in the question 
of the importance of this new accession to our national resources, 
that I shall give Captain Smith’s account in his own words. 
Besides 1500 sail of herring busses and 20 wafters, “ there were 
also,” he adds, a small fleet of dogger-boats, which were of 
the burden of 60 tun and upward, w^hich did fish only with 
hooks and lines for ling and cod. Many of these boats and 
busses came into several havens or sounds, to fit and trim them- 
selves. One thing was observable^ that within eight or ten days 
after the dogger-boats went to sea, they came into the sound again 
so full laden as they could swim. The certain number of dogger- 
boats I could not learn, but the general report was about 400 
Upon the narrative of Captain Smith, I have certain remarks to 
make. The dogger-boats are stated in very general terms to fish 
for ling and cod ; but which of those fish was the leading object of 
their pursuit, our early narrator does not on this occasion inform 
us. It is well known, that the mode of prosecuting the white 
fishery, inasmuch as it has for its leading object the taking of cod 
or ling, differs in certain essential points. The ling is sought 
for in deep water ; the cod, on the contrary, is taken in the 
greatest quantity upon banks or on shoals. For the taking of 
ling, long lines, baited with many hundred hooks, are allowed 
to remain in deep water all night. Hence the intent of employ- 
ing open boats, that may not be driven to a distance from their 
lines. Cod, on the contrary, is caught by hand-lines, baited 
with single hooks, which are dropt into the water from the 
sides and stern of decked vessels. 
It is possible to conceive, that the Dutch, in prosecuting the 
ling-fishery, by means of their doggers, had recourse to the ex- 
pedient of a drove sail, which, by restraining the motion of their 
vessels, prevented them from being driven far from the lines which 
they had laid. But it may be remarked, that whenever the 
Dutch fleet of doggers is described, with regard to its particu- 
lar object, it is distinctly stated to be intended for the cod-fish- 
Smith’s England’s Improvement revised. 
