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A60466
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The trade & fishing of Great-Britain displayed with a description of the islands of Orkney and Shotland. By Captain John Smith.
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Smith, John, Captain, lieutenant under Col. Rainsborough.
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1661
(1661)
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Wing S4097; ESTC R220078
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12,883
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24
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ground by the violence of the wind was forced to creep on my hands and knees to the next wall and going by the wall got into an house or else must have stayed by the wall till the violence of the Wind were over Sometimes it lasteth half a day and sometimes more There are several Towns in Shotland so called being about eight or ten houses together where they plow and sow corn as Oates which is their chiefest Bread and if my memory do not much deceive me there was good Barley growing in my time But the Land might be much improved if the inhabitants were industrious they are like unto the idle Irish not improving any thing either by Sea or Land spending that in the Winter which they get in Summer although their Winter might be very profitable unto them if they were laborious and industrious as the Hollanders are The Goods and Commodities that are vendible in Shotland are Hooks and Lines for the taking of Ling and Cod Nets for the taking of Herring Strong-Beer Bisket Wheaten Meal Salt Pease Fruits of all sorts Strong Water Monmouth-Caps and many other particulars which is not needful at this time to mention The Inhabitants of the Island of Ounst usually have a Bark that they Trade with to Norway where they may buy Timber for Houses ready framed also Deal-Boards Tar Ships Barks and Boats of all sorts and other necessaries for their use With their small Fishing-Boats called Yalls they will Row into the Main about two or three Leagues more or less where the Banks are that they lay their Hook and Lines for Ling and Cod in one of these Boats Rowing with two men and sometimes four according to the largeness of the Boat they do usually bring to Shore every morning that they go to Sea about fifty or sixty Ling and Cod. There are many Barrels of Herrings taken by the Inhabitants with their small Boats in the Sounds and at Sea not far from Land which are the gleanings of the Hollanders Busses for the Busses driving at Sea break the Skull or Shole of Herrings and then the Herrings flee near the Shore and through the Sounds where these small Boats with those Nets they have take them But if they had better Tackling and Boats they might take five hundred Barrels for one which would much enrich the Islands and by encreasing of Trade would augment his Majesty's Revenue I was an eye-witness of the Hollanders Busses Fishing for Herring on the coast of Shotland not far from Ounst one of the Northermost Islands demanding the number of them was informed by several persons of quality that the Fleet consisted of 1500 Sail and that there were above 20 Wafters as they call'd them which were Ships carrying about 30 Guns a piece being the Convoys of the Fleet of Busses which said Busses were of the burden of about 80 Tun. There were also a small Fleet of Dogger-boats which were of the burden of 60 Tun and upward which did fish onely with Hooks and Lines for Ling and Cod. Many of these Boats and Busses came into several Havens or Sounds to fit and trim themselves 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. The Composition of the Hollanders as I was informed after my comming into England was an Annual Rent of 100000 l. and 100000 l. in hand and never having been paid or brought into the Exchequer as I could hear of there is in Arrearages above 2500000 l. an acceptable sum and which would come very happily for the present occasions of his Majesty As for the charges in Building Rigging and setting forth the Busses to Sea with Nets and other Materials for the Fishing as also Dogger-Boats for Ling and Cod I refer to several Books in Print as The Royal Herring-Buss Fishing and A Narrative of the Royal Fishing both set forth by Mr. Simon Smith who is well experienced in those affairs If God would please to put it into the heart of our Gracious King and his Subjects to set out such a Fleet of Busses as before mentioned for the Fishing-Trade being in our own Seas and on our own ground and that the Hollanders and all Strangers may be discharged from Fishing in those Seas and the Hamburgers Breamers and Lubeckers and all Strangers from Trading in the Islands of Orkney and Shotland and that onely the Subjects of the three Kingdoms may have the Trading and Fishing it would make our King one of the greatest Monarchs in the world for Riches and Glory and the Three Kingdoms the happiest people in Christendom and there would not be one wanting Bread but the hearts of the Subjects would be lifted up with praises to God and our King For it is well known that Trading is the life of all the habitable world and therefore much more of these Three Kingdoms which are but Islands and so populous that we are ready to devour one the other and if Trading be not encreased and maintained amongst us we shall in a short time be the most despicable People in the world and the derision of all Nations Having in thirty years Experience in Travelling England Scotland and Ireland and other parts observed That without Trading no Nation can subsist which I humbly conceive I shall be able to make good against all opposers thereof which are enemies to your Sacred Majesty and these three Kingdoms And that if there be not an increase of Trade powerfully carried on we are an undone People as I shall make more fully appear by my ensuing Discourse Now it is well known to all who are not quite ignorant of the course of Trade and Merchandise that the Traffick of Europe hath been engrossed into the hands and carried on all along by the Venetians Genoese Portugalls Easterlings Hollanders and English all which I shall briefly run through and shew how the failer and decay of One was the original rise to Another till the whole at present is divided between the Hollanders and us I shall begin with Venice That City therefore and Genoa at first two pretty equal Common-wealths by reason of that mutual advantage they had one of another and community of Trade to the same places were counter-ballances one to another in one thing the Venetians than the Genoese in another the Genoese than the Venetians being better supplied for if the Venetians had better Shipping the Genoese had richer Merchants and a greater Bank and so they continued Till Venice disdaining to be confin'd in so narrow limits as was the compass of its City encreased its Dominion and adding to its Power greater Industry utterly undid the Genoese undersold them in their best Commodities and so wore them out which they could well do being better in this continuance of time provided as to Men Mony and all
about the Transportation or Exchanging of their Fish for other Commodities So that in all Holland you shall scarce see one Beggar there being so many thousand things or particular Trades or Imployments belonging to the Fishing-Trade out of which they may find a Livelyhood They employ also hereby great store of Ships and in the industrious management hereof make us in England at what rate they please buy our own Fish The great quantity of Herring every year they take they transport to Dantzick Melvin Quinbrough Leghorn and other parts and with the Returns they make of them buy Corn Hemp Flax Pitch Tar Clap-boards and other Commodities and in Holland store them up into a Magazin whence they again disperse them into Italy France Spain yea England and all over Europe Fish and the Fishing-Trade being the onely Stock upon which they continually live and spend putting off most there where they find the best Rates and this hath encreased their Shipping and Wealth that now they have lengthned their power all over the World and in most Countries have a considerable Stock And this growing and encreasing of theirs hath been within the space of 70 or 80 years and yet they are not come to their heighth for every day they glory in some new addition to their Sway. And if care be not taken of this their growth they will within few years not onely be Master of our Seas but of our Trades too His Majesty hath been graciously pleased to take this into his Princely consideration and if it be seconded with the prudent management of those Commissioners he hath already imployed in the carrying it on I dare be bold to say the Hollanders are at their Meridian For first of all England is not inferior to the Netherlands nay we are before them in all the Advantages both of Art and Nature The scituation of our Country is such that for the convenience of all kind of Marts the world hath not the like and being seated between the North and South so that it is fix'd as it were by Art and Nature the fittest Staple for both Northern and Southern Commodities Secondly our Ports and Harbours are fairer and safer having good Anchoring and more in number throughout the three Kingdoms than any Country in Christendom can boast of And then thirdly which exceedeth we have valuable Commodities as to the quantity and quality of them such as are the inriching of all those that trade with them So that if we are not our own Enemies and will but be a little industrious one quarter of that will serve and be enough in England which is but necessary and scarce sufficient in Holland adding thereto providence for the employing our own Shipping and not any Forreigners we shall within few years have the greatest power at Sea and make our selves Master of all Trades and the Hollanders a servant to that Wealth and Power of which at present he is the sole Master But for the quicker advancement of so great and noble a work there is necessary to be a Protection and Favour of his Majesty to all manner of Trades so that they be not carried on by Strangers and acted by them as at present it is in and about the City of London there being thousands of them up and down the Suburbs French and Dutch and others who live as it were upon the ruines of the poor free-born Citizens vending any unmerchantable ware and at lower Rates than any other honest Tradesman can And this I humbly conceive is the reason why Trading hath been so bad and dead in this great City for these late years But the prudence of his Majesty is such and under his prosperous Reign all things so readily begin to run in their old Chanel that we doubt not but in a little time Trading and Merchandize will do so too and not be any longer the burden of the Land for the lack of it but of the Sea in bringing it hither After men comes mony and without this sure Foundation we shall never be able to make any Superstructure to stand There must be a Stock of Shipping Mony and Commodities for Commodities in Traffick will bring in more Mony and Mony commands all Commodities and to attempt this without both or at least one of these two is like a Soldier going to Battel without his Offensive and Defensive Weapons with the one we offend all our Enemies the Engrossers of our Trade and with the other we defend our selves against their most powerful assaults In antient times Merchants and Tradesmen were very careful to provide and lay up a Stock of Mony for the building of Ships and buying of Commodities to Trade with But in these latter years as within 40 or 50 years they have disbursed much mony in purchasing Land and building stately Houses minding pleasure more then profit and have neglected Trade to the undoing of many of them and that great cause of the decaying of Trade Therefore to preserve and uphold Trade I humbly offer unto his Majesty's consideration and His Honorable Council that all Merchants and Tradesmen within the Three Kingdoms may be restrained from purchasing Land above the yearly value in Rent of pounds This being effected and the Fishing-Trade carried on will within few years make the greatest Bank of Mony and the greatest Trade in the three Kingdoms to be equal if not greater than any Trade or Bank of Mony in the world For hereby great and vast sums of mony which are now consumed in continual Purchases will be expended onely in and about Trade and Traffick in general and the best security for this Mony will be a setled Bank which all will of necessity use Having not read any of those Books which are in Print concerning the Fishing-Trade but referring to several Books that I heard of and not knowing the number of Busses allotted or appointed to be bought or built neither how they shall be disposed of as to their Ports or Harbours therefore I make bold to offer my judgment That a certain number of Busses be bought or built as also Dogger-Boats the number of Busses to consist of 1000 or 1500 or thereabouts for that some years 15000 may as soon catch their Lading as 500 and therefore more considerable as to the charges of the three Kingdoms for a small number of Busses will not do the work The Dogger-Boats which Fish onely for Ling and Cod would consist of 400 or thereabouts These Busses and Dogger-Boats being fitted for Sea to proceed in their Fishing that then they be sent or appointed to several Ports or Harbours of the three Kingdoms that lie most convenient for the Fishing And that the Counties or Shires that these Ports do belong to be enjoyned to keep the same number of Busses and Boats perpetually well Rigged and Furnished to Sea for the Fishing as was delivered to them And if by reason that those Counties which have the most and best Harbours and that lie most convenient for the Fishing Trade will bear the greatest burden by reason the greatest number of Busses will be sent to these Ports Then thirdly I humbly offer that the Undertakers of the said Counties have allowance out of the main Stock or Bank of Mony proportionable to their Charges And I do further humbly offer unto consideration that there be a Corporation made of all the Adventurers for the Fishing-Trade and that Merchants and Tradesmen be admitted into this Corporation And that tâ—is Corporation be armed with large Privileges and ample Immunities for the Transportation of the said Fish I might have also told you of the Pilcher-Fishing and for Ling and Cod on the Wâ—st and North-West of England and that great Pilcher-Fishing and Fishing for Cod on the West Coast of Ireland frequented by those of Biscay Galicia and Portugal but they are so well known that I forbear to mention them The Islands that belong to Scotland and lie on the North North-West and West of Scotland which are useful for the Fishing-Trade are in number 94. And whereas it is credibly reported thâ—t above 220 Fisher-Towns are decayed and reduced to extream poverty for want of favour succour and protection On the contrary by diligent endeavouring to make use of so great a blessing as is offered unto us by the Seas we might in a short time repair those decayed Towns and add both Honor Strength and Riches to our King and Country The Premises being taken into serious consideration it maketh much to the ignominy and shame of our Nation that God and Nature offering us so great a Treasure even at our own doors we do notwithstanding neglect the benefit thereof THE CONCLUSION AND to conclude such is the clear and indubitable right of our Soveraign Lord the King to the Superiority of the British Seas that no man can produce clearer evidence for any part of his Estate And as those Seas under God are the principal means of our Wealth and Safety so it doth much concern all his true Subjects who are bound by the Law of Crace and Nature with heart and hand to preserve and maintain the same with the hazard of their Lives Goods and Fortunes FINIS