278 ;DEEP-SEA FISHING. 



remarkable that the objection to the change should 

 have been so persistent in the face of the numerous 

 disasters and the great loss of life which have resulted 

 from the use of open boats. The advantages of decked 

 craft have been publicly and privately pointed out to 

 the fishermen for many years past, but have been met 

 by objections on their part which should be of equal 

 importance now, if they were ever of much value. 

 The logic of increased profits, however, is no doubt 

 convincing, for the Report goes on to say : — 



" This improvement in boats is not confined to Eye- 

 mouth, but extends over the whole east coast. The 

 Officer at Leith reports that a great change has taken 

 place there in the size and construction of the boats, 

 those recently built being all decked, and having from 

 42 to 45 feet keel^ equal to a length over all of 45 to 

 48 feet ; these boats cost from 250^. to 300^. each, 

 and the village of Newhaven alone, in the Leith Dis- 

 trict, had 13 such boats supplied to it within the last 

 eighteen months. At Anstruther, several new first- 

 class boats have been added during the year to the fine 

 fleet of boats in that district. From Buckie, uj^on the 

 coast of Banffshire, the Officer reports that there are 

 now about 400 boats full-decked in his district ; that 

 64 first and 11 second-class boats were built in it during 

 the year 1872 ; and that the boat-builders continue to 

 be fully employed. At Lybster, upon the coast of 

 Caithness, 15 new boats were added to the port; 6 

 having been built in the district of Lybster, 1 at 

 Peterhead, and 8 at Wick, all of them from 38 to 43 

 feet keel ; 8 of these boats were full-decked. At Wick, 

 the boat-building showed more activity than it had 

 done for several years; 37 large herring boats were 

 turned out in 1872 as against 15 of the same class in 



