FISHER Y. 409 
generally the fame bottom, gravelly, with fliells; and 
wherever we hove to, we never failed to catch fifh, both 
cod, hake, and ling, except in fome fpots where we found 
the bottom to con lift of fine land. There we caught no 
fifii. At fix o’clock, P. M. we again anchored on the 
bank ; the ground, fhells and gravel ; Helvock-head, the 
fouthern point of the harbour of Dungarvan, bearing 
north-eafi, diftant thirteen leagues. Here we again caught 
abundance of cod, hake, and ling. 
“ Having afeertained thefe points, and being deficient 
in bait, we flood for Dungarvan-bay to trail for bait. We 
then again, on the 28th, at ten P. M. flood out for the 
bank, with a light breeze, being refolved to examine its 
furthefl extent, both to the fouthward and weft ward. 
At eight o’clock next morning, the 29th, the high lands 
of Dungarvan bearing north and by weft diftant fifteen 
leagues, hove to, and founded in the fame, forty fathom 
water ; ground gravelly, with fliells ; caught cod of a very 
large fize, and full fed, alfo ling, and remarkably fine hake; 
of all which we might have caught any quantity ; but at 
noon, faw a cutter to the north-eafi, feemingly inclined 
to bear down upon us. Took in our lines, and made fail 
for her, hoifting our colours, and firing a friendly gun ; 
receiving no anfwer, we gave chace, which the cutter 
-obferving, hauled her wind to the fouth weft.” 
The foundings on this bank are from thirty-feven to 
forty fathoms ; the foundings on the Newfoundland Bank 
are from twenty-two to fifty fathoms. Captain Wilby, in 
his certificate, adds, that he confiders the Nymph Bank 
as more advantageous for taking fifh, and more conve¬ 
niently fituated for fending to market, than the Dogger 
Bank; in fupport of which opinion he adds :—“ As the 
Nymph Bank is fcarcely 150 leagues from Gravefend, 
having alfo generally favourable and fmart gales along 
the Britifh fliores ; without bruiting or wafting the fifh, 
the voyage might be eafily performed in three or four 
days; whereas the well-boats from the north-eaflern banks 
and coafts, are frequently as many weeks, and by means 
of conftant agitation of the fea, the fifh are much bruifed 
and wafted. Befides, in very contrary winds, they would 
have the choice of Dublin, Liverpool, Briftol, &c. and if 
in the Channel, tome good markets, particularly Portf- 
mouth, where there is always a good demand for all kinds 
of fifty.”—A very (hiking demonflration of the propriety 
of Mr. Frafer’s zeal in thus recommending and promot¬ 
ing a national fifhery on the coaft of Ireland, is tiie follow¬ 
ing : “Ini 553, the lad year of the reign of Edward VI. 
(lays fir John Boroughs, keeper of the records in the 
Tower of London, in his Treatife of the Sovereignty of 
the Britifh Seas, pr 80,) Philip II. king of Spain, ob¬ 
tained licenfe for his fubjedls to fifh upon the north coaft 
of Ireland for the term of twenty-one years, paying yearly 
for the fame one thoufand pounds ; which was accordingly 
brought into the exchequer of Ireland, and received for 
the king’s ufe of fir Henry Litton, then treafurer there.”— 
Thefe confiderations are certainly of the utmoft importance 
to Ireland, as well as to every part of the united kingdom. 
Why the Britifh fiftieries have never been eflabliflied 
on a grand and permanent foundation, appears to be a 
myftery pall finding out. Yet ferious endeavours feem 
not to have been wanting either in our parliaments, or 
our kings. Charles I. ordained an affociation for a gene¬ 
ral fifhery within the feas and coafls of his three king¬ 
doms ; and for its government ordained, that there fhould 
be a Handing committee chofen and nominated bv his ma- 
jefly. Several perfons of diftinction embarked in the de- 
fign, which the king honoured with his patronage, and 
encouraged by his bounty. He alfo ordered the time of 
Lent to be more ftridtly obferved ; prohibited the importa, 
tion of fifh taken by foreigners; and agreed to purchafe 
from the company all the filh for his fleets. But the well- 
founded hopes of the adventurers were fruftrated by the 
civil war, and the tragical death of the king; 
Charles II. in 1661, relumed the fcufinefs of the fifhe- 
ries with apparent vigour; and the moll falutary laws 
Vol, VII. No. 437. 
were enabled, and in virtue of which the materials ufed 
in, or depending upon, the fifheries, were exempted from 
all duties, excites, or impofts whatfoever. In England, 
the company were authorifed to fet up a lottery, and to 
have a voluntary collection in all parifli churches; lioufes 
of entertainment, as taverns, inns, ale-houfes, were to take 
one or more barrels of herrings, at the Hated price of 30s. 
per barrel; alfo 2s. 6d. per barrel was to be paid to the 
flock of this company on all imported fifh taken by fo¬ 
reigners. Some Dutch families were alfo permitted to 
fettle at Stornaway; the herrings cured by this royal 
Englifh company gave general fatisfadlion, and brought a 
high price for thofe days. But the necefiities of the king 
obliged him to withdraw his bounty, and the company 
was difTolved. 
In 1677, a new royal company was eflabliflied, -at the 
head of which was the duke of York, the earl of Derby, 
&c. Befides all former privileges, the king granted this 
new company a perpetuity, with power to purchafe lands ; 
and alfo 20I. to be paid them out of the cufloms of the 
port of London, for every dogger or bufs they fhould 
build and fend out for feven years to come. A (lock of 
10,9801. was immediately advanced, and afterwards 1600I. 
more. The company made a fuccefsful beginning ; and 
one of their billies actually took and brought home 32,000 
cod-fifh. Such a favourable beginning might -have ex¬ 
cited frefli fubferiptions, when an unforefeen event ruined 
the whole defign. Mod of the billies had been built in 
Holland, and manned with Dutchmen ; on which pretence 
the French, who were then at war with Holland, feized 
mod of the velfels, with their cargoes and fifhing-tackle ; 
and the company being now in debt, fold, in 1680, the 
remaining (lores. A number of merchants raifed a new 
fubfeription of 6o,oool. under the privileges and immu¬ 
nities of the former charter. This attempt, however, 
came to nothing, owing to the death of the king, and the 
troubles of the fiibfequent reign. 
Soon after the ever-glorious revolution, this bufinefs 
was again agitated, and upon a more extenfive feale. The 
propofed capital was to be 300,0001. of which ioo,oool. 
was to be raifed by the furviving patentees or their fuc- 
ceffors, and 200,000k by new fubferibers. But whether 
it was owing to the fuperior fuccefs of the Dutch fifheries, 
or to the fucceeding war, this attempt vanifhed ; and we 
have no further account of it in the annals of that reign, 
or fince. 
George II. at the opening of the parliament in 1749, 
warmly recommended the improvement of the fiftieries; 
and a fubfeription of 500,0001. was immediately filled in 
the city, by a fociety of merchants, who were incorporated 
for twenty-one years, by the name of The Society of the 
Free Britifh Fifhery. A bounty of 36s. per ton was to be 
paid annually out of the cufloms, for fourteen years, to 
the owners of all decked veffels or bufles, from twenty to 
eighty tons burthen, which fhould be employed in the faid 
fiftieries, whether by the fociety or any other perfons. Yet 
the Diitch not only maintained their ground againlt this 
formidable company, but alfo faw the capital of their 
competitors gradually finking, notwith(landing the various 
aids and efforts of government in their favour, particu¬ 
larly in 1757, when an advance of 20s. per ton was added 
to the bounty. 
In 17S6, under the aufpices of George III. the public 
attention was again called to the (late of the Britifh fifhe¬ 
ries, by Mr. Dempfter, in the houfe of commons ; in con- 
fequence of which, a committee was named to enquire into 
this great fource of national advantage. An a£l was in con- 
fequence pafled for incorporating certain perfons therein 
named, by the ftyle of The Britifh Society for extending 
of the Fifheries and improving the Sea-coafls of this King¬ 
dom : and to enable them to fubfcribe a joint flock, and 
therewith to purchafe lands, and build thereon free towns 
and fifhing-fhitions, as well in the north-weftern coaft of 
England, as in the iftands in that part of Great Britain 
called Scotland. The Iiie of Mull, Loch Broom, the 
5 M I(let 
