Nothing can more strongly exemplify the beneficial effects arising from the free use of salt, without being subject to bonds, pains, or penalties, than the privilege granted by Parliament to the inhabitants of the Isle of Man, to import salt from England duty free, not only for curing fish, but for all other domestic purposes, as will appear by the statement made in the Appendix, No. II, to this work, page 15, which is a republication of a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House of Commons, on the subject of the Fisheries during the last peace, to which also we beg leave to refer for a more detailed account of the British Society in the Western Isles and coasts of Scotland in that Appendix, and also in Appendix, No. III, by the late Earl of Kinnoul. We shall now conclude, by earnestly wishing some public-spirited individuals of influence and talent, will take up this subject of repealing the duties on rock salt in Ireland, and of forming a society or company for the extension of the Fisheries, and improving the sea-coasts of that part of the United Kingdom, and that these important subjects should be brought under the consideration of the House at an early period in the next session of Parliament. And for the purpose of having the whole of the most important objects to the islands of Great Britain and Ireland fully investigated, we would, with great deference, humbly suggest that Parliamentary commissioners be appointed for the extension of the Fisheries, and the improvement of the sea-coasts of the United Kingdom, with particular instructions that the extension of the Fisheries, and the improvement of the sea-coasts of Ireland should be immediately attended to and carried into effect.

The advantages which Scotland has received from a parliamentary commission for roads and harbours, has been very great, and such a measure, respecting Ireland, would be of incalculable utility.

It would put an end to all that vile and low jobbing system which is said to have taken place since the union, in many grants for public purposes. It would bring the true means of improving ing the natural resources of that fertile island within the knowledge of the legislature of the empire. It would early discover the best means of rendering Ireland, what it is calculated to be, the happiest and most prosperous country in Europe, and a great addition to the wealth and strength of the British empire.*

* In the year 1800, the author of this review had the honour to propose the formation of statistical reports of the different counties in Ireland, on a plan improved by the experience of what had been done in Great Britain. But all the funds which the Irish minister would consent to grant amounted to only £3000, or about £80 for each county. This was represented to be wholly inadequate to the intention of inviting those who had distinguished themselves in

England by superior abilities for this kind of investigation, which, to be properly carried on, requires a great variety of extensive knowledge with regard to rural affairs and political economy. On application being made to several individuals, eminently qualified for such inquiries, it was found that they would not undertake these surveys in Ireland, unless the sum of £300 was to be granted for the investigation of each county, amounting to about £10,000,-which could hardly be said to be an extravagant sum for so important a purpose. The consequence was, that although reports have been made of about 20 counties, they have been made in a very imperfect manner, and not renewed or revised, as it was proposed should have been done. It is now submitted for the consideration of Government, that surveys, on an improved principle, be now carried on with the utmost accuracy and the best information. And as an act has been passed for the enumeration of the people of Ireland, the whole state of the country may be, by such surveys, speedily laid before Parliament and the public, so as to enable the best means of improving that important BRANCH of the BRITISH EMPIRE to be adopted, by which that interesting island may be raised to that distinction amongst nations, to which she is so truly entitled, and to that happiness and usefulness for which she is naturally so eminently calculated.

END OF THE REVIEW.

APPENDIX.

NUMBER I.

DECLARATION of ISAAC DUNNAGE,
Master of the Phoenix Well-Boat.

Midalesex, viz.-ISAAC DUNNAGE, master of the Commercial Packet of Berwick, maketh oath, and sayeth, that he was regularly (L.S.) bred to the well-boat fishing, and served his apprenticeship thereto out of Harwich, and was eighteen years in the wellboat fishery on the Dogger, north of Scotland and Iceland. That in or about the month of February 1803, he was appointed master of the Mary well-boat, purchased by the Waterford Nymph Bank Fishing Company in the river Thames, and carried by deponent round to the harbour of Waterford, where he arrived on the 18th day of March said year. That there was also the Phoenix well-boat, purchased by said Company, and brought round about the same time. That instead of a full complement of hands, accustomed to the well-boat fishery, there were only the deponent and two lads who had never been in the fishery farther than the coast of Lincoln. That the said well-boats were not furnished with lines, hooks, or other gearing fit for the fishery, nor with whelks for bait, as is usual in the vessels proceeding to the northern fishery.

That when arrived at Waterford, much time was taken up in procuring fishermen, lines, and hooks: That after employing some men who had been at Newfoundland, and finding them soon become expert, the Directors of the Fishing Company, thinking their wages, at 30s. per month, too high, dis

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charged them; but not being able to find any others for a less sum to man the vessels, they remained idle for some time in the river of Waterford: That afterwards, a few lads being found to go for a guinea per month, went out to sea and fished, under orders to come into the harbour every Thursday evening with whatever quantity of fish they caught. That deponent and the master of the other vessel, were ordered to go up with the fish to Waterford on the Friday morning, and report to the Committee of Directors; it was therefore Friday evening before they were able to return to the fishingvessels; Saturday, Monday, and often Tuesday, were taken up in procuring bait, and it was thus generally Monday evening, or Tuesday, before they could proceed to the fishing-ground, and being obliged to return on Thursday, they had seldom more than two days in the week to make any trial of the fishing.

That from this method, so different from the conduct of other well-boat fishings, it was found that there was a loss, as deponent was informed, of between three and four hundred pounds on the additional outfit of the vessels, and the maintenance of the hands, above the produce from the fish caught, the Directors proposed to dissolve the Company, and sell the well-boats; but on a general meeting of the subscribers, the first Monday of September 1803, at the representation of Edward Lee, Esq. M. P. for Waterford, it was resolved to put one of the said vessels under his direction for three months, and he requested Captain Fraser to take the management of the same, viz. the Phoenix, of which deponent was then master, and to order her to fish in the usual manner of such vessels, and to carry the fish to the Bristol or London market, as might be found most eligible, but to have nothing to do with the Waterford market, and for that purpose Mr. Lee ordered the Phoenix round to the harbour of Dungarvan, where the deponent met Mr. Lee, Captain Fraser, and Major Cole. That on the 10th of said month, Captain Fraser came on board the Phoenix, and after examining, by Mr. Lee's orders, the harbour of Dunabrattan, proceeded to the fishing-ground to try the fishing on different parts of the bank, we found very few fish until sailing to the eastward, about a league off the great island of the Saltees, we caught, on the 15th, 16th, and 17th, great plenty of cod, besides garnet, bream, and some makarel.

We then returned to the harbour to procure bait, fresh water, and provisions, and both the Phoenix and Mary being then put under Captain Fraser's orders, returned to the fishing, and, in another week, caught a sufficient quantity of fish to send in one of the well-boats to Bristol, but before Captain Fraser could procure leave to order one of the vessels to be sent off, the fish died very fast, from the bottom of the vessels being foul, and the augur holes stopt up, so as not to admit the water freely.

Captain Fraser then ordered the fish to be salted, and the well-boats to be cleaned and smoaked, as is customary in such cases.

Towards the end of October they were ready to proceed to sea, properly manned and victualled, still, however, deficient in bait. Captain Fraser remained at Duncannon Fort, for the purpose of trying to find out if a sufficient quantity of whelks for bait could be procured in the bay of Waterford,