770 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



his life, all tbe vessels were damaged, and during a long voyage caught 

 scarcely any fish.* Later the Oldenburg took a good many fish, while 

 the other two Emden "loggers" only caught few. Competent men in 

 Hull have expressed the opinion that the two "loggers" did not carry 

 enough sail. It would be foolish, however, to abandon the whole en- 

 terprise on this account. All maritime enterprises have to go through 

 similar experiences, and they only go to prove that the average sum 

 realized by the winter fisheries would have to be calculated at $2,000- 

 $2,250 instead of $2,500, and the average expenditure at $l,750-$2,000, 

 instead of $1,500-$!, 750. Even with such small profits, one important 

 end would have been attained, viz, to give occupation to the crew all 

 the year round without having to spend any extra money. 



The Emden enterprise had from the very start an advantage over the 

 high sea fisheries of Hamburg and Bremen by always having a sufiicient 

 number of men. As soon as the amount of wages had been definitely 

 settled, as well as the manner in which they were to be paid, plenty of men 

 could be had. But there was a constant coming and going, especially of 

 those who possessed some nautical experience. If once this stock of the 

 crew — perhaps one-third of the fifteen hands per " logger," which are 

 required for the herring fisheries — has been firmly attached to the en- 

 terprise, or if when some of them leave their places can immediately be 

 taken by others, it is a comparatively easy matter to supply the rest of 

 the crew, which in reality are nothing but common laborers, whose oc- 

 cupation — the turning of the windlass to haul in the nets, the killing, 

 cleaning, and salting of the herrings — is a useful one, but does not re- 

 quire much thought. These assistants and laborers are during winter 

 employed chopping wood and doing small jobs which do not pay as 

 well as the herring-fisheries. The only trouble about these men has 

 been that the Dutch (up to the present time without result) have en- 

 deavored to entice them by piomising fixed wages instead of a percent- 

 age, and by representing that the Emden enterprise would soon come to 

 an end owing to lack of funds. It therefore seems all the more im- 

 jiortant for the association to secure a good stock of experienced men, 

 especially captains and mates, and make them firmly attached to the 

 enterprise. Men of nautical experience do not dread the dangers of the 

 sea in winter, but the^'^ want to have steady occupation and pay. They 

 look down upon the summer fisheries, and consider themselves and the 

 "loggers " too good for these. But from August on there are frequent 

 storms, which require nautical knowledge and experience in managing 

 the sails and the nets. To a genuine sea-faring man occupation on 

 shore is only a very poor substitute for his favorite employment. And 

 as they, just like other people, are subject to the force of habit, it would 



• The coast of East Friesland was, as is well known, visited by a storm-flood toward 

 the end of January, 1876, the most violent during this century. A similar flood oc- 

 curred in December, 1863, and experience has demonstrated that winters like that of 

 lS76-'77 occur once in 12-15 years. 



