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number of barrels of merchantable herrings； therefore； caught
during these eleven years will amount only； according to this
account； to 252；231 1/3。 During these eleven years the tonnage
bounties paid amounted to L155；463 11s。 or to 8s。 2 1/4d。 upon
every barrel of seasticks； and to 12s。 3 3/4d。 upon every barrel
of merchantable herrings。
The salt with which these herrings are cured is sometimes
Scotch and sometimes foreign salt； both which are delivered free
of all excise duty to the fish…curers。 The excise duty upon
Scotch salt is at present 1s。 6d。； that upon foreign salt 10s。
the bushel。 A barrel of herrings is supposed to require about one
bushel and one…fourth of a bushel foreign salt。 Two bushels are
the supposed average of Scotch salt。 If the herrings are entered
for exportation； no part of this duty is paid up； if entered for
home consumption； whether the herrings were cured with foreign or
with Scotch salt； only one shilling the barrel is paid up。 It was
the old Scotch duty upon a bushel of salt； the quantity which； at
a low estimation； had been supposed necessary for curing a barrel
of herrings。 In Scotland； foreign salt is very little used for
any other purpose but the curing of fish。 But from the 5th April
1771 to the 5th April 1782； the quantity of foreign salt imported
amounted to 936；974 bushels； at eighty…four pounds the bushel：
the quantity of Scotch salt； delivered from the works to the
fish…curers； to no more than 168；226； at fifty…six pounds the
bushel only。 It would appear； therefore； that it is principally
foreign salt that is used in the fisheries。 Upon every barrel of
herrings exported there is； besides； a bounty of 2s。 8d。； and
more than two…thirds of the buss caught herrings are exported。
Put all these things together and you will find that； during
these eleven years； every barrel of buss caught herrings； cured
with Scotch salt when exported； has cost government L1 7s。 5
3/4d。； and when entered for home consumption 14s。 3 3/4d。； and
that every barrel cured with foreign salt； when exported； has
cost government L1 7s。 5 3/4d。； and when entered for home
consumption L1。 3s。 9 3/4d。 The price of a barrel of good
merchantable herrings runs from seventeen and eighteen to four
and five and twenty shillings； about a guinea at an average。
Secondly； the bounty to the white…herring fishery is a
tonnage bounty； and is proportioned to the burden of the ship；
not to her diligence or success in the fishery； and it has； I am
afraid； been too common for vessels to fit out for the sole
purpose of catching； not the fish； but the bounty。 In the year
1759； when the bounty was at fifty shillings the ton； the whole
buss fishery of Scotland brought in only four barrels of
sea…sticks。 In that year each barrel of sea…sticks cost
government in bounties alone L113 15s。； each barrel of
merchantable herrings L159 7s。 6d。
Thirdly； the mode of fishing for which this tonnage bounty
in the white…herring fishery has been given （by busses or decked
vessels from twenty to eighty tons burthen）； seems not so well
adapted to the situation of Scotland as to that of Holland； from
the practice of which country it appears to have been borrowed。
Holland lies at a great distance from the seas to which herrings
are known principally to resort； and can； therefore； carry on
that fishery only in decked vessels； which can carry water and
provisions sufficient for a voyage to a distant sea。 But the
Hebrides or western islands； the islands of Shetland； and the
northern and northwestern coasts of Scotland； the countries in
whose neighbourhood the herring fishery is principally carried
on； are everywhere intersected by arms of the sea； which run up a
considerable way into the land； and which； in the language of the
country； are called sea…lochs。 It is to these sea…lochs that the
herrings principally resort during the seasons in which they
visit those seas； for the visits of this and； I am assured； of
many other sorts of fish are not quite regular and constant。 A
boat fishery； therefore； seems to be the mode of fishing best
adapted to the peculiar situation of Scotland； the fishers
carrying the herrings on shore； as fast as they are taken； to be
either cured or consumed fresh。 But the great encouragement which
a bounty of thirty shillings the ton gives to the buss fishery is
necessarily a discouragement to the boat fishery； which； having
no such bounty； cannot bring its cured fish to market upon the
same terms as the buss fishery。 The boat fishery； accordingly；
which before the establishment of the buss bounty was very
considerable； and is said have employed a number of seamen not
inferior to what the buss fishery employs at present； is now gone
almost entirely to decay。 Of the former extent； however； of this
now ruined and abandoned fishery； I must acknowledge that I
cannot pretend to speak with much precision。 As no bounty was
paid upon the outfit of the boat fishery； no account was taken of
it by the officers of the customs or salt duties。
Fourthly； in many parts of Scotland； during certain seasons
of the year； herrings make no inconsiderable part of the food of
the people。 A bounty； which tended to lower their price in the
home market； might contribute a good deal to the relief of a
great number of our fellow…subjects； whose circumstances are by
no means affluent。 But the herring buss bounty contributes to no
such good purpose。 It has ruined the boat fishery； which is； by
far； the best adapted for the supply of the home market； and the
additional bounty of 2s。 8d。 the barrel upon exportation carries
the greater part； more than two…thirds； of the produce of the
buss fishery abroad。 Between thirty and forty years ago； before
the establishment of the buss bounty； fifteen shillings the
barrel； I have been assured； was the common price of white
herrings。 Between ten and fifteen years ago； before the boat
fishery was entirely ruined； the price is said to have run from
seventeen to twenty shillings the barrel。 For these last five
years； it has； at an average； been at twenty…five shillings the
barrel。 This high price； however； may have been owing to the real
scarcity of the herrings upon the coast of Scotland。 I must
observe； too； that the cask or barrel； which is usually sold with
the herrings； and of which the price is included in all the
foregoing prices； has； since the commencement of the American
war； risen to about double its former price； or from about three
shillings to about six shillings。 I must likewise observe that
the accounts I have received of the prices of former times have
been by no means quite uniform and consistent； and an old man of
great accuracy and experience has assured me that； more than
fifty years ago； a guinea was the usual price of a barrel of good
merchantable herrings； and this； I imagine； may still be looked
upon as the average price。 All accounts； however； I think； agree
that the price has not been lowered in the home market in
consequence of the buss bounty。
When the undertakers of f