32 THE HERRING FISHERIES. 



for them to be in the vicinity of open boats using either 

 nets or lines. 



Trawling cannot be abolished without an international 

 convention, nor is it generally desired that it should be 

 even without this ; but that some effective measures which 

 will meet all cases is requisite, and urgently demanded, the 

 baneful system of coopering alone will show. A cooper is 

 a floating public-house, under the colour of a fishing smack. 

 The worst is that these bumboats sell or barter poisoned 

 drink in return for fish ; and cruel evidence has been 

 proved against this villainous traffic, where in many cases 

 not only do they take all the money first, but have as often 

 succeeded in securing fish, nets, gearage, and even the 

 boats too, in return for a maddening drink that has made 

 some victims leap overboard through its effects. Evidence 

 of a worse nature than this was brought against foreign 

 fishermen, chiefly Belgian and Dutch trawlers, to the effect 

 that not only were the nets purposely run through, but the 

 warp was cut in a deliberate manner by an instrument 

 called the " devil." This instrument resembles the end of 

 a huge scythe, and when fixed at the stern of the ship it 

 can be used with terrible effects to the helpless fishermen. 



International protection is both needed and asked for as 

 a guarantee against these nefarious proceedings, for the 

 regulations at present existing only apply to territorial 

 waters, and the application of the law is the fault at issue. 

 Even where ordinary grievances prevail fishermen can raise 

 an action for damages, but as a rule they have neither 

 opportunity nor means to do so. Some useful remedies 

 have been often suggested, such as empowering our coast- 

 guardsmen at their respective stations to act on the com- 

 plaint of a fishing crew, or to have at least four swift 

 cruisers in the German Ocean, representing England, France, 



