If the Island were well fortifi’d, we might Command all those of other Nations that come to Fish in New-found Land, to pay Contribution in Fish or otherwise, for their Priviledge to Fish there, the said Island being first Planted by English, and pertaining to the Kingdom of England; or if occasion should require, they might be utterly debarr’d of Fishing there.
The Trade of Fishing is of so great concernment to France, Spain, Portugal, the Straights, and other Parts, that they cannot well be without that yearly Supply in Fish which comes from that Island: Neither can the Hollanders, Spaniards, or Portuguese, well set any Ships to the West-Indies, without New-found Land Fish, there being none that will endure to pass the Line sound and untainted, but the Fish of that Countrey, salted and dry’d there. And so long as the Act continues still in force, That no Fish be Transported from the said Island, but in English Bottoms, it will contribute very much to our encrease of Shipping there, and by consequence, of the employment of Mariners; and the Fishing of that part of the Island will be solely appropriated to the English Nation, to whom of right it belongs, which will prove the greatest Ballance of Trade in that part of the World; and that whereas above two hundred Sail do Trade thither yearly to Fish, if a thousand Sail come, if there be but Fisher-men enow, they may all have Fraughtage there.
The French, if once the Island be fortifi’d, will be depriv’d of their Nursery of Mariners, this being the onely place, besides Canada, and one or two adjacent Coasts, where they come for supply of Fish, with which that Nation cannot be furnish’d so well from other Parts.
By well Planting and Fortifying New-found Land, the Trading to Virginia, New England, and those Parts, would be much encourag’d, New England having had of late great Traffick with New-found Land, where they vend the Growth of their Plantation. Besides, New-found Land is a Key to the Gulf of Canada, which if the English had again in their possession, as they had in the Years 1628. and 1632. they might give a Law to all foreign Kings and People interested in any of the parts of America, and a Protection to all the English Plantations upon that Continent, whereby great security, comfort and profit would arise to the Nation and People of it: whereas on the contrary, if the French, Spanish, or Dutch, should possess themselves of the said Plantation, they would not onely deprive this Nation of all the Advantages aforesaid, but would also derive to themselves so great a Power to prejudice all the Plantations of the Coasts of America belonging to this Nation, that the Inconveniences thereof are scarce to be imagin’d or express’d.
After the granting of the Patent aforesaid of 13 Car. 1. Sir David Kirk’s great Pains there, and constant Endeavours, were beyond expectation bless’d with a continuance and preservation of Trade in that Place; in the carrying on of which, he had always a special regard to the real Advantage of this Kingdom, and the particular Service of His Majesty.
The wonderful Bank of Terra Nova.
The Baccaloos.
Before this Island, right over against Cape Ray, at the distance of twenty four Leagues or more, there lieth an huge Bank or Ridge of Land, extending it self in length out of the Sea, above a hundred Leagues, but in breadth not above four or five and twenty, when it is broadest, and in other parts much less, sharpning towards each end into a Conus, or narrow Point. It is accounted one of the Wonders of the Sea, which round about, at some distance, is very deep, and hardly to be sounded, especially betwixt the Bank (for so they commonly call it) and Cape Ray, but drawing nearer, it grows by degrees more and more shallow, insomuch that nigh the Land there is not much more Water than is necessary for the Ships to Ride in. It runneth out in length, as was said, from North to South, from forty one Degrees of Latitude to fifty two; and round about it there lie scatter’d a multitude of lesser Islands, which Sir Sebastian Cabot, when he first discover’d the Place, call’d by one common Name Los Baccaloos, or The Islands of Cod-fish, from the great quantity of that sort of Fish he there found; which was such, that they hindred the passage of his Ships, and lay in such multitudes upon the Coasts, that the very Bears would come and catch them in their Claws, and draw them to Land.
The Isle of Assumption.