2. The shore fisheries, so near at hand, as to enable the vessels to run into port in a storm, and so lessen the risk, for which distant nations must pay insurance.
3. The winter fisheries, which, like household manufactures employ portions of time, which would otherwise be useless.
4. The smallness of the vessels, which the shortness of the voyage enables us to employ, and which, consequently, require but a small capital.
5. The cheapness of our vessels, which do not cost above the half of the Baltic fir vessels, computing price and duration.
6. Their excellence as sea boats, which decreases the risk and quickens the return.
7. The superiority of our mariners in skill, activity, enterprise, sobriety, and order.
8. The cheapness of provisions.
9. The cheapness of casks, which, of itself, is said to be equal to an extra profit of fifteen per cent.
These advantages are of such force, that, while experience has proved that no other nation can make a mercantile profit on the Newfoundland fishery, nor can support it without national aid, we can make a living profit, if vent for our fish can be procured.
Of the disadvantages opposed to us, those which depend on ourselves, are—