GREAT VALUE OF THE FISHERY. 169 48,000 tons of shipping, and from 6000 to 7000 sea¬ men ; and that ten years before, since which time the fisheries had greatly increased, the produce of the fisheries in foreign markets amounted to L .35,000. What rendered them particularly valuable was, that all the materials used in them (the salt for curing, and the timber for building the vessels, excepted) were purchased in Britain ; and that the nett proceeds were remitted in payment. But the merchants of Poole, and other places engaged in the Newfoundland fishery, presented a second petition, in direct opposition to that of . It represented, that the bill against the Eng¬ land fishermen would not prove detrimental to the trade of Britain, which was fully able, with proper exertions, to supply the demands of foreign markets : that the Newfoundland fishery bred a great number of hardy seamen, peculiarly fit for the ser¬ vice of the navy ; whereas the England seamen were, by act of Parliament, exempt from being press¬ ed : that the fishing from Britain to Newfoundland employed about 400 ships, amounting to 360,000 tons, and 2000 shallops of 20,000 tons, navigated by 20,000 seamen; and that 60,000 quintals of fish were taken every season, the returns of which were annually worth, on a moderate computation, L .500,000.* * In 1795, 22,000 seamen engaged in the Newfoundland trade, and 400 ships, 38,000 tons, valued at L .8, - - L .304,000 Caught and cured 600,000 quintals fish, at 18s. - 540,000 Carry forward, - L .844,000