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they were legislating. He would not blame them, because 
they did it from the best of motives; this was mainly due 
to their technical ignorance, which caused them to fall into 
the errors which they had committed. This was brought 
before them very forcibly some two or three years ago, 
when without any warning they were told that a new 
regulation respecting lights to be exhibited by fishing- 
vessels was arranged all cut and dried, and simply put 
forward to be accepted, whether suitable or not, As soon 
as practical people had their attention directed to it, they 
saw that instead of preventing loss of life, it would be 
a fruitful source of increasing that loss. The gentleman 
who had brought forward a model showing arrangements 
of lights for indicating the position of the vessel’s helm, 
-and various other features which were very good indeed, 
had accomplished a good work ; at any rate he had shown 
that attention had been directed to a matter which was 
calculated to be an immense benefit. There might be little 
faults which could easily be overcome on consultation with 
practical men, and he cordially gave it his general support. 
In continuation of the remarks of his colleagues from 
Grimsby he would say this, that having been connected 
with commercial transactions since he gave up the sea, his 
ideas had become broadened, and he apprehended the 
difference between people all at once coming to a conclusion 
on a certain subject, but not giving effect to their opinions 
there and then without further consideration, and submit- 
ting them to the judgment of people who possessed superior 
intelligence, and a man rushing at once to a thing which 
his instinct told him was necessary. For instance, his 
friend Mr. Helyard, who had had charge of fleets, spoke of 
the size of the vessels, and said they were not large enough ; 
he would have a vessel 200 tons, but he might tell him, 
