530 BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 
hoped-for result, the suppression of the evil by entire prohibition of the diving 
apparatus, is not yet accomplished. 
KALYMNOS. 
In Kalymnos results were at last obtained by the promulgation, in 1902, of 
an irade from the Sultan, which in the extent of its prohibitions exceeded the 
expectations of both factions interested. In execution the irade has, however, 
been defective. Provision was not made for the confiscation of diving machines 
nor for their exclusion from Turkish import and export. And in spite of the 
prohibition, a considerable number of Greek and Turkish sponge divers worked 
until lately in Turkish and Cretan waters without being prosecuted. They 
contended that they worked in neutral waters, since they fished at a distance 
of 3 maritime miles from the coast, where, according to them, everything was 
free to everybody. This interpretation of the neutrality of waters is absolutely 
arbitrary and sophistical, since it is the sponges that are here in question and 
not the waters, and since the sponges, with the banks on which they grow, 
even if 20, 30, and even more maritime miles from the coast, belong to particular 
states, generally to the one whose coast is the nearest. But even if the owner 
does not wish to protect his sponge banks or if he can not do it, as happened 
with Crete, on account of the lack of a revenue cutter, the wrongdoers need by 
no means be allowed to carry on illegal operations, even in neutral waters. 
Civilized nations are solidary in this respect and do not overlook such crimi- 
nality, as was shown in 1905, by the four protecting powers of Crete, Great 
Britain, France, Italy, and Russia, and lately again by France in Cretan waters. 
The sponge fishermen following the three older methods of fishing are naturally 
displeased at the disregard of the prohibition, and there have been some dis- 
orders on this account in Kalymnos and Syme. 
SAMOS. 
The Duchy of Samos possesses good sponge grounds, but no native sponge 
fishermen, and by reason of its small size would be of slight importance in the 
sponge fisheries had it not been the first autonomic country to prohibit diving 
machines. This prohibition took place in 1898, and in 1902 was revoked, but 
in 1904 the law was again changed, prohibiting the diving machine and reper- 
mitting the dragnet, which in the meantime had been prohibited for an interval. 
CRETE. 
There are no sponge fishermen in Crete, with the exception of a few who 
allow themselves to be tempted to work on foreign sailing vessels in diving 
apparatus. But there are excellent sponges there, especially, on the coast of 
