FISHING STATIONS— IRELAND. 395 



The first-class boats, consisting of trawlers, large 

 line-boats, and some drift-boats, give an average of 

 23 tons, but if the trawlers were exclnded, the average 

 size would be considerably less. Taking the other 

 classes into consideration, we find the second averaging 

 less than 4 tons, and the third under 2 tons. All three 

 classes are represented in the number of boats regularly 

 employed in fishing ; but it must be remembered that 

 these, the true fishing boats, do not amount to one- 

 fourth of the number passing under that name on the 

 register. 



Of the prospects of the Irish sea fisheries generally 

 it is difficult to form an opinion. No one doubts the 

 capacity for hard and excellent work of various kinds in 

 the class to which the fishermen belong. This capacity 

 is shown as soon as they leave their own country ; 

 but at home they are too often subject to disturbing 

 influences, and are too familiar with improvident habits 

 for us to believe that any amount of assistance would 

 do permanent good to them as a body ; or would lead 

 to what we must all desire to see — the Irish sea fisheries 

 being properly worked by Irish fishermen. 



The Eeport for 1873 of the Inspectors of Irish 

 Fisheries lately published is not very cheering so far 

 as it relates to the sea fisheries. Unfortunately a 

 difference again appears between the returns of the 

 number of fishing boats and fishermen as given by the 

 Customs and the Coastguard. Taking the latter as 

 probably the more correct of the two, we find there 

 were 7181 fishing boats of various kinds and 29,307 

 fishermen, showing a decrease since 1872 of 733 boats 

 and 2004 in the number of the men. Of the entire 

 number of boats and men thus given it is stated that 



