Frasers of Philorth > Volume 1

216 THE FE.ASERS OF PHILOKTH, LORDS SALTOTJN. '
iustaut, I communicated it to the Secretary of the Trustees of the Fisheries.
I also mentioned it to a sensible, intelligent officer at the Custom-house, but
neither of them can discover any law which prohibits the boats you mention
from plying or fishing upon the coast. I am glad that your Lordship has
written to the Treasury, because they may be better acquainted than we are
in laws of treaties respecting nations mutually fishing on their respective
coasts. The country is certainly much obliged to your Lordship's attentions.
" I have the honor to be, with esteem and regard,
" My Lord,
" Your Lordship's most obedient and most humble servant,
" J. Hunter Blair."
" Edinburgh, 25th May 1786."
Endorsed in Lord Saltoun's hand : " Eespecting the Dutch fishing on the
coast of Scotland."
Amongst other local affairs in 1787, Lord Saltoun interested himself in a
question concerning the minister's glebe at Strichen, a village about eight
miles from Philortb, which came before the General Assembly in that year,
and he was induced to do so by his friendship for Alexander Fraser, then
Laird of Strichen, great-grandfather of the present Lord Lovat, on whose
behalf he wrote to the famous Henry Erskine, the celebrated Scottish barrister
and wit, whose reply is here inserted : —
"Edinburgh, May 11th 1787.
" My dear Lord, — I should immediately have acknowledged the honor
of your Lordship's very friendly letter of the 5th current, had I not delayed
until I should have an opportunity of seeing Mr. James Fraser.
" From what I have seen of that case, I am clear the zeal of the Eev d
gentleman has a very different source from that of regard for the interest of
the church, which can at best be very little affected by the issue of the
question.
" I shall give Mr. Fraser of Strichen professionally the best advice in my
power as to this business, and the conduct thereof. I am very happy to
think that, from the view I now take of it, I shall be able in my place
as member of Assembly to resist the application of the funds of the church
to defray the expense of disputing a transaction that has now nearly run the