he was insensibly led to collect a great mass of materials for a general Review of the Domestic Fisheries, some parts of which he has been induced to submit to public attention, without any great pretensions to novelty, on a subject on which so much has been said by men of superior eloquence and more extensive information.
The proposition brought forward, for raising a fund by subscription, for the purchase of lands on the seacoasts of Ireland, and building thereon free towns and villages, is submitted, with the most perfect confidence, that it will be taken up by public spirited individuals.
The formation of a society for this purpose, under the sanction of Parliament, has been long the subject of the Author's attentive consideration. The bill is proposed to be framed on the precedent of the act for enabling the British Society to purchase lands and build towns and villages on the north-western coasts and isles of Scotland, which was obtained in the year 1786.
As the proceedings of this society (which, in some respects, are proposed to be followed) are little known to the public, an account, drawn up by the late Earl of KINNOUL, of those proceedings for the first twelve years from the passing of the act of Parliament, is given in an Appendix, from which it will appear, that a great deal was effected, with very small means. A great quantity of land was purchased, on very moderate terms, in excellent situations, and buildings erected on them fully sufficient for establishments at their commencement. And, although it is said that no dividends have hitherto been made to the subscribers, the lands alone must now be of very considerable value.
In proposing to raise a fund for similar purposes in Ireland, it is not intended to hold out any extraordinary returns of profit. If land can be obtain