i8 



of feeding ; but it never pursues, as true migrants do, any 

 settled route. The fishermen have to search for their fish 

 day by day. In the day-time the fish are taken by the 

 scool or shoal in shallow water by the seine net, a net shot 

 ahead of and around them. In the night-time they are 

 taken by the drift-net, a net shot over the boat's side, 

 and fastened at one end to the drifting boat, which goes 

 with the wind or tide or both as may happen. The fleet 

 represents a capital of about 240,000, the property of 

 bond fide fishermen, and certainly deserves the protection 

 which it requires. The drifters are much put upon by 

 trawlers. These latter drive in hours which belong to the 

 former. Trawling is a day fishery ; driving is a night 

 fishery, and every now and then the slow moving, helpless, 

 illegally fishing trawler comes across the nets of the equally 

 helpless but legally fishing driver and carries them away. 

 This happens in the night time ; the driver never has a punt 

 with her and cannot ascertain the trawler's number. In 

 fact she does not know that the mischief is done until she 

 hauls her nets, and she has no remedy. I have known 

 400 of damage done to the drivers in this way in a single 

 week. The thing could be easily prevented ; a gunboat 

 or even a Government cutter cruising on the fishing-ground 

 during the two months in Spring in which the mischief 

 happens, would stop the whole thing. Some years since we 

 had reasons for expecting to see that gunboat come round 

 the Lizard every day for three seasons in succession, but she 

 never came, and we gave up expecting her. 



There is another matter in connection with our Mount's 

 Bay fleet, and I believe it affects also some of the other 

 fleets, which I think may interest you. Just before the 

 Jane, of which I spoke just now, was lost, a Mutual 

 Fishing Boat Insurance Club was started for the Mount's 



