THE ae 
MONTHLY MAG 
AZINE... 
No. 196.] 
—_——- 
MARCH i, 1810. 
[2 of Vox. 29. 
%* As long as thofe who write are ambitious of making Converts, and of giving their. Opinions a Maximum of 
‘© Infiuence and Celebrity, the moft extenfively circulated Mifcellany will repay with the greatett Effect the 
&* Curiofity of thofe who read either for Amufement or Inftrustion.”—— JOHNSON. 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
account of the HERRING FISHERY at 
-wick; by SIR JOHN SINCLAIR, BaRT. 
OR some years past, a herring-fishery 
has been carried on along the east- 
erm coast of Caithness, more especially 
in the neighbourhood of Wick, Staxigo, 
Clyth, Lybster, Dunbeath, &c. which is 
likely to become a very, great national 
object. It is of considerable importance 
indeed, even in,its present state, as will 
appear from the following’ general view 
fit; but that is nothing to the exteut 
to which it will probably be brought, 
wheh the harbour of Wick is completed, 
(which will be effected in the course of 
next year); when the other creeks along 
that coast are betcer fitted for the accom- 
modation of boats and vessels; and when 
the fishery isextended to Thurso, and the 
northern coast of Caithness, which there 
‘is every reason to hope will be the case 
ju the course of the ensuing summer, 
Present and general State of the Wick Fisbery. 
4. Number of vessels, averaging 50 tons 
each, employed in bringing to: Wick, &c. 
the raw materials of the fishery, as salt, casks, 
staves, &c, 150. 
2. Number of hands employed on board 
these vessels, 750. 
3. Number of boats. and other vessels em- 
ployed in the fishery itself, 550. 
4. Number of hands employed on beard © 
these boats and vessels, 2750. 
5, Number of hands employed in various 
other branches of the fishery, as coopers, 
net-niakers, gutters, packers, é&c. 2,200. 
6. Total number of hands employed in the 
fishery, and the various branches therewith 
' connected, 5,700. 
7. Number of barrels of smoked and salted 
herrings, on the average of this and the pre- 
ceding year, about 50,000. - ' 
8. ‘otal number o: herrings caught and cu- 
red, at the rate of 700 herrings per barrel, 
(besides great quantities consumed in a fresh 
state,) thirty-five millions. 
9. Number of vessels employed in frans+ 
porting the herrings from Wick, &c. to other 
ports, 150. 
Montury Mac. No. 196. 
‘ carried, under adequate encouragement. 
10: Number of hands employed thereiny 
750. J 
14. Number of acres which the nets, when 
spread out for drying, would cover, 368. 
12. Number of miles the total length of 
the nets, one following the other, 114. 
13. Value of, the herrings exported from 
Wick, 8c. at 32s. per barrel, $2,000/. 
14. Price of each herring at that rate, 2° 
farthings, and about one-fifth of a farthing. 
15. Value of each barrel of herrings, on 
-the calculation that a barrel of herrings is 
equal to one of beef, 5/, 19s. 
16. Annual value of the fishery on that 
calculation, 28,000/. ° | 
There can be no doubt that a barrel 
of ‘herrings, properly cured, is equal to 
one of beef; and many have calculated 
the proportion ata still higher rate. It 
is of the utimost importance,’ therefore, 
to increase that brauch of the fishery, 
more especially for the advantage ofthe 
_ poor, as salted herrings not enly give a 
relish to the potatoes* and, other vegeta- 
bles they consume, but are also of the 
greatest benefit to the poor, from the: 
nourishment they afford. The import- 
ance of the fishery as a nursery for sea- 
men, need not be dwelt upon. - 
Tt may be proper to add, that this fish. 
ery is not carried on solely for the lo- 
—_— 
* The best mode of using salted herrings 
with potatues, is as follows:—Let the potas 
toes be parboiled, and then the skins taken 
off; let the herrings and potatoes be then 
thoroughly boiled together, and put on adish - 
for consumption. Some take out the bones, 
and nash tne herrings and the potato¢s toge- 
ther, which makes a most excellent’ meal. If 
this mode were more generally practised, the 
internal consumption of herrings throughoug - 
the country would indeed be great. . Tivére ig 
hardly a family in the kingdom’that would 
not find it for their advantage to piarchase 
from one to two barrels of salted herrings, and 
upwards, to be consumed in this manner, 
~When tg this is added foreign and colonial 
exportation, it is difficult to, point out the li- 
mits to which the herring-tfishery might be 
cal 
