Thoughts on the laws relating to salt; with arguments for the repeal of those laws, collected from a variety of sources, and arranged under distinct ... the Honourable the Board of Trade, on the 8th - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1817 Excerpt: ... On The British Fisheries. 20. Extension of the Fisheries. Page 56, line 7. A noble Lord who has lately published an instructive little volume on political economy has the following observation: "Our fish are prolific beyond all other creatures, and are bound to an appointed course. The finger of God, visible as it is throughout all his works, seems here to be more distinct and manifest; pointing with a benevolent clearness to this inexhaustible source of food. The supply has been always a great national object: but improvement has not reached its height, and never can reach it whilst a most improvident and enormous duty upon salt, amounting to thirty times and upwards of the value of the commodity, is suffered to remain as it is at present."--Armata, page 141. On the means which we naturally possess for the increase of our fisheries, Sir John Sinclair, bart. has the following striking remarks: "The great advantage," says he, "which Nature has given us for maritime power, in consequence of the variety of fish with which our seas abound, peed not be strongly insisted upon. It is indeed universally acknowledged, that there is no part of the world where such quantities are to be met with at every season of the year, better calculated either for the purposes of maintaining the inhabitants of the kingdom, or of serving as a lucrative branch of commerce with other powers, or for raising a valuable addition to the number of our seamen. "Foreign commerce is undoubtedly a great "source of naval strength; and Great Britain, it is certain, enjoys that advantage to as great, if not a greater extent than any other power in Europe.--But the trade carried on along the coasts of the island is of a more permanent and lasting nature, neither depending upon the fancy of foreig...