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enough to withstand the heavy seas they sometimes 
encounter. He suggested that fishing vessels should be of 
200 tons, and propelled by steam. He knew that fisher- 
men would not wear the cork life-belts ; in fact, at one time 
he would not wear one, though he had now altered his 
opinion with regard to them. He had tried to induce the 
men under him to wear air-belts, but they would not put 
themon. On one occasion he persuaded them to put them 
on before they went into the boat to convey the fish to the 
carrier, but he noticed when they returned they had not 
them on. He thought the admiral of the fishing fleet, and 
the captain of the cutter, should have authority to give 
orders when the operation of conveying the fish to the 
carrier might be performed with safety ; at present they had 
not the power, and if the men were ordered to convey the fish 
they were bound to obey the orders, or else they would have 
to go to gaol for neglect of duty. In conclusion, he sug- 
gested that the master of every fishing vessel should be 
qualified in the same way as pilots were by the Board of 
Trade. 
The Conference then adjourned for luncheon. 
Mr. SMITH (Brixham) said the place from which he 
came had a population of 7,000, the number of fishing 
vessels being 180. The insured capital invested in the 
business was £90,000, but there was not harbour accom- 
modation for these 180 vessels. He need not go back to 
1866 and narrate the results of the terrible gale of wind 
which then occurred, as it would be, no doubt, within the 
recollection of all, when wives sat at their windows and 
witnessed the loss of their husbands close to their own 
doors. There were 100 fishermen on board their vessels 
at the same time, riding to a piece of large chain which 
