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coast was because the vessels had to go right away out to 
sea, and when a gale of wind came on it was impossible to 
try to run home to harbour, because there would be more 
danger in so doing than in stopping where they were. 
The greatest danger lay in large fleets being congregated 
together. The heavy railway rates making the fish 
cost so much in sending from the ports, made it almost 
impossible for the single boats to get a living, and led to 
the fleeting system, and sending the vessels further out. 
If they could send their fish at a reasonable rate from any 
port, they would not be obliged to congregate in such large 
fleets. The dangers of fleeting were very great; lots of 
lives were lost by boating. Although a man might walk 
about on deck with a life-jacket on, when he had to pick 
up a large box of fish and hand it up higher than his head, 
he did not want to be crippled with life-belts and jackets, 
he wanted to have everything free about him so that he 
could use his strength. That was why they did not like 
these appliances, not because they were afraid of one 
another chaffing. Fear was a word unknown amongst fisher- 
men. Unfortunately there was a discussion going on at Hull 
amongst the fishermen, which precluded him from saying 
as much as he might with regard to the fleeting, lest it 
might be thought that he was a partisan. But great losses 
took place last winter amongst the Hull vessels, especially 
amongst those who had been fleeting. It was proved that 
there was more loss of life through the fleeting or boarding 
system during the winter months than in single vessels. It 
was said that vessels should go fleeting to have a fresh and 
regular supply for the public; but he urged that this was not 
so, providing railway rates were made so reasonable that 
the public could have their fish brought from any part of 
the coast to the great centres. The reason for the great 
