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from time immemorial herrings have abounded on our British coasts, in such plenty, that the fishers may be always certain of catching enough for their own supply; and the waste of a few nets and boats may be easily borne even in the less successful years of the fishery.

But how can they convey their fish to market without the expence of larger vefsels? Just as they do their kelp. When that article began first to be made here, it was sold to chance buyers as low as 15 s. per ton. The makers were glad to take whatever unrivalled buyers offered. The case is now widely altered. Vefsels.come yearly to this certain kelp market, and the price has risen to L. 5. L. 5. 10s. and L. 6 per ton. Is it to be doubted, that vefsels would also come in time to fetch the herrings, so considerable an article of the food of our own people, and so necefsary for feeding our West India slaves? Why then has not such a trade been already established? This is a political question, of too long discussion for a journal. The causes may be fhortly stated; first, though there be some people to catch fish along those coasts, yet they are few, and they are scattered and dispersed, neither collected into towns nor villages. Secondly, the industrious people are not free; they must, in general, work for the person in whose land they are settled. Most of them are bound to perform one day's work of this kind every week, or fifty-two days in the year, a sixth part of the year, But if we deduct bad days, on which no work can be performed, the proportion will be found still greater. Salt is very inaccefsible,-fish cannot be cured for sale

May 16. unless the salt be exempted from duty.. If exempted from duty for fish, numberless regulations must be adopted to prevent the abuse of this indulgence. These are so many cobwebs, in which the poor feeble fishers are liable to be entangled to their destruction. Thirdly, the want of towns, where people might freely settle, is absolutely fatal to industry. Fort William and Stornaway, are the only spots where a freeman could build a house; whereas, lots of this kind fhould be laid out in every sea loch.-Perhaps nothing has tended more to force emigration than this defect. On our eastern coasts, where improvements in agriculture occasioned joining many small lots into one farm, the ancient occupiers of them betook themselves to towns, and became useful citizens, as artizans and manufacturers; in the Highlands that is impofsible, because there are no towns. An obvious improvement on the condition of the people, would be that of making all the subtenants tenants to the proprietor, and granting them leases for life; and encouraging them to settle their children round them on the waste lands of their farms. For it is certain there are large tracts of very improveable land in an uncultivated state. This will be obvious on considering the state of the Isle of Sky, which is said to be sixty miles long, and thirty-five broad, and a most beautiful and improveable island, every where intersected by arms of the sea. It may contain six hundred thousand The rents are said to be L 6000 a-year, or about twopence sterling per acre.

acres.

Through the Highlands and Hebrides, what little ground is cultivated lies near the coasts. This is

divided into very small lots. Along with each lot is annexed a large tract of ground, called a beelling, or grazing in the interior part of the country. Five hundred acres is no large grazing for a coast-farm, Paying L. 5 of rent. The grazing is thus doomed to perpetual sterility, on which cattle pick up a wretched subsistence for a few months in summer. It is inaccefsible for want of roads; and the cattle prevent the growth of natural wood, with which it would otherwise be soon covered. Another great drawback on the Highlands and Hebrides, is want of capital to employ in their improvements. The land in general belongs to rich non-resident proprietors. This carries the rents they annually yield out of the country. The other inhabitants are tacksmen, or gentlemen farmers, and small farmers, mostly subtenants to those tacksmen.

The tacksmen being gentlemen, live as such; and what money they can spare, necefsarily goes to the education of their children, and placing them out in life, and to the maintenance of widows and aged relations. Besides that, few of them have leases of sufficient indurance to justify expending their capital on improvements. Some leases are for nineteen years, a few longer; but many are let every five or seven years. This is called a new sett, when a rise of rent is expected; and when any improvements are made upon the land, or even the dwelling-house, they expose the imprudent tenant to be out-bid by the envy or avarice of his neighbour. As to the small tenant or subtenant, improving his land, the same difficulties and others stand in his way. Here and there some

May 16. merchants are to be found, who, if they make rich, by their traffic, cannot easily find land to employ their money in improving, as we see done round our towns on the east side of the island. Such is the accounts given of the state of the Highlands and Hebrides. These may be exaggerated, although they seem to be confirmed by the actual state of these countries. Are the people unhappy? That is another question. Do riches constitute happiness? These inquiries are rather directed to the prosperity of the country than the happ nefs of its inhabitants. It is justice to them to say they do not seem unhappy. They are contented with their houses such as they are. They dispense with all kind of furniture except a black cast iron pot. They in general have plenty of fuel; and potatoes and fish supply them reasonably well with food. When they have no salt, which is a scarce article, to cure their winter provisions, they can eat them sour. It may be added, that whether protestants or papists, they seem deeply impressed with a religious turn, and attend public worship when within reach very pointedly; nor are they lefs distinguished by their bravery in war, than by their gentle, kind, and affectionate disposition in time of peace. One cannot help wishing such a people had a larger share of what are generally reckoned comforts, liberty, and money. One would with all the inhabi tants of a high taxed country like ours, to take a reasonable share of the burdens of the state in time of peace as well as war. The inhabitants of the six northern counties of Scotland, exclusive of the land-tax, pay about the seventy-fifth part of a penny yearly, one

with another in other taxes; and it is fully as much as they can afford ;-they are computed to be four hundred thousand in number. The great proprietors, from the extent of their property, and the number of their people, may be considered as so many princes. Quere, would it not be of advantage to themselves, to give the inhabitants a constitution, a Magna Charta, to secure them, in the absence of the proprietor, in the enjoyment of some privileges? Their lands might be measured and valued, and the tenants secured for a term of years in their pofsefsions, as long as they paid the rent punctually; revolutions to take place at stated periods: All personal services might be abolished; a baillie might be appointed to preside over the justice of each barony, and settle disputes among the tenants by jury. Is there any thing in our law to prevent a baron baillie summoning a jury of the tenants, letting them try causes through the whole extent of his jurisdiction, instead of trying them himself, and adopting the verdict of the jury as his own decree? The people are so far removed from the county courts, as not to be able to attend them, but at a great expence of time and money.

It is a good custom some great proprietors in the south of Scotland adopt, particularly the late duke of Queensbury, to name two or three friends to act as his commifsioners, and with salaries for their trouble. Nothing would afford greater protection te tenants in the proprietor's absence.

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