The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-04-23
THE MIGHTY HERRING
Played a Star Role In the History
of Some Nations.
COST ONE KING HIS LIFE.

Nv" hsrfin9 Flsncrtes froved an I'M
portant Factor In the Overthrow and
Ultimate Execution BY the tieadsman
Of Charles .. Of England.
tale as stirring as any fction could
be based on the part played by the sea
herring In the history OF some Of the
principal countries. writes Hugh N.
Smith In the National Geographic Mag
azine. It's spawning and feeding
grounds have determined the location
OF cities. and In several instances the
actual destiny Of nations and the fate
OF monarchs appear to have been In
VOWED In the herring fishery. Even
today the herring IL a factor In en-
pire.
Countries In which the quest OF the
herring In an important industry are
the United States, the Canadian prov
inces Of New Brunswick. Nova Scotia,
Quebec and British Columbia, New
foundland. England. Scotland. Wales
and Ireland. Norway, Sweden and
Denmark, Russia. Germany. Holland,
, Belgium. France. Japan and Siberia.
The prosecution OF the herring hsh-
cry and trade has been considered not
beneath the dignity OF nobility and
royalty. Fitz-Greene Halleck tells US
that
Lord Stafford mines for coal and salt.
The Duke OF Norfolk deals In malt
The Douglas In red herrings.
In 1877 the Duke Of York and other
personages Of rank formed a corpora
tion called ''the Company Of the Royal
Fishery Of England" for the purpose
OF carrying ON the herring fishery In
the North sea. They built q feet OF
Dutch buses" and manned them
with Dutch Usher men and then were
bankrupted by the capture Of their
vessels during war with France. In
ITO some 1000 Of "the principal gen.
tlemen Of Scotland" formed a CON-
pany for herring fishing. but were
quickly disrupted. leaving a mournful
lot OF stockholders.
In 1850 the Prince OF Wales became
president. or governor. OF a herring
fishery. with a capital OF S2.50O.0OO.
whose members "were among the first
men In the kingdom" one Of the pro-
moters being General James Ogle-
thorpe. founder OF the state Of Geor-
gia. Stock was taken with eagerness.
vessels were built quickly, and efforts
were made TO learn the secrets Of the
Dutch methods OF curing herring. but
the company soon suspended, and Its
failure cast on the English herring
fishery an odium that continued for a
long time.
IL Is a matter OF great historical In
terest that the herring fisheries should
have been prime and perhaps the
most important factor I'm the over
throw OF Charles l.. whose attitude
toward the development Of home and
colonial fisheries was most unreason-
able and unfortunate. At a time when
the Dutch herring fishery had attained
such magnitude and importance that
IL was regarded as the right arm Of
Holland" and when the sturdy Dutch
fishermen were pursuing their lucra-
tive calling under the encouragement
OF their government the English peo-
pie were chatting under the grievous
restrictions imposed by royal approval
on all who desired to engage In fishing
anywhere OF the American coast be-
tween the fortleth and forty-eighth de-
grees OF north latitude.
This effort on the part OF the crown
70 interfere with the cherished privi-
lege OF free flshing' had begun under
James and was bequeathed to Charles
and was perhaps the first In the series
OF farreaching differences that sprung
up relative to the prerogative of the
crown as against the rights OF the sub
ject.
At the same time there was another
restriction placed on the fishermen at
home. When James ascended the
throne OF England his navy consisted
OF but thirteen vessels. and Charles
succeeded TO a war deet but little
stronger and utterly inadequate to
cope with the navy Of the Dutch or
French.
After Charles had been successfully
opposed by the commons Ia his plan to
have no fishing conducted on the
American shores except by permission
OF the company OF 'noblemen. knights
and gentlemen" known as the council
OF Plymouth he levied ship money"
on the fishing and mercantile vessels
at home In order to build up his navy,
with the distinct object OF breaking
up the Dutch herring fishery on the
shores OF England and driving the
Dutch from "the four narrow seas"
over which England claimed jurisdic-
tion.
At the expense OF the fisheries and
navigation Charles finally fitted out
the largest war fleet England had ever
had and succeeded In his purpose. so
far as the Dutch were conce; ned, but
the levying Of "ship money" stirred
mp civil war at home. and Charles paid
the extreme penalty.