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it to say, that the mouths of all the rivers, the banks of the lakes/and the creeks along the sea-shores of the Highlands and He-brides, are peculiarly adapted for this purpose. Oban , Tober-mory, 1'ort-William, Arisaig, &c. have been pointed out by someof the agricultural Reports. And in Knox’s Tour, and Dr Wal-ker’s History of'the Hebrides, and the Essays of Dr Rennie,Kilsyth, and General Dirom of Mount-Annan, many excellenthints may be found on this subject.
It is true, that the inhabitants of these districts are generallyunable to purchase the apparatus requisite for Fisheries. Thelandholders, too, may be unwilling to aid them, or embark insuch a business. On these accounts, the legislature ought tointerfere. If a few boats, and nets, and barrels, and a sufficient'quantity of salt, were furnished at the expense of Government,the interest might be paid in fish annually by the settlers; and,if successful, they might be enabled ultimately to refund the ca-pital ; if not, the sum would be sunk to good purpose ; and ex-periments might be made, and fisheries established, sufficient toindemnify the public for such an outlay. If but one new fishingstation were discovered, and one village to succeed where noneexisted before, this would be an ample remuneration.
It may bo said that these new settlers would be utterly igno-rant of the secrets of the art of fishing, especially in the deepsea, and still more ignorant of the best mode of curing fish, whencaught. But the cure of this evil is obvious and easy. Govern-ment ought to call in the aid of the most skilful fishers along thecoast of Holland. By every encouragement in their power, theyought to invite these men to settle on the coast of Scotland , andthe British shores. By this means, that most useful and essen-tial branch might be transferred from the Continent to our coasts.If but ten men of capital and skill in that branch were to besettled in different stations along our coasts, they might com-mence and carry on a national undertaking, which would enrichthemselves, and add to the national resources of Britain ; onewhich might ultimately be of incalculable benefit.
4. Packet-Boats ought to be established by Government.These ought to plv weekly, or more frequently, as need requir-ed, between the different stations along the coasts of Scotland, '-and the great market towns, and likewise between them and thechief islands of the Hebrides ; especially where villages and fish-eries were established and encouraged. The want of these isfelt as a grievous evil, and great obstacle to improvement, inevery branch of political economy. And that want cannot besupplied by the landlords, far less by the inhabitants of these dis-tricts. Yet there is no doubt that if Government were once toestablish such communications, all the inhabitants of all rankswould rejoice to encourage, and even contribute, liberally', tokeep them up.