THE FISHERMEN 261 



The cabin should be at least 6 feet high. To obey 

 this prescription the builder would have to advance it 

 almost amidships. Again, there must in no case be more 

 than two bunks superimposed. Now, " the sailing vessels 

 of Boulogne," says M. Soe, " have at present eighteen 

 bunks in the forecastle, nine being arranged on either side 

 in tiers of three. If they were arranged in two tiers only, 

 the forecastle would have to be lengthened by the length 

 of a bunk, or by at least 6 feet, plus the width of a bunk, 

 which is 2 feet, but even if two of the bunks could be 

 set transversely against the after bulkhead, as is done in 

 steamers, it would be difficult to arrange for a hatch and 

 companion against the bulkhead, to give access to the 

 forecastle. And what would be the result of the suppres- 

 sion of the third tier of bunks ? To lengthen the forecastle 

 by the necessary amount would mean taking about 8 feet 

 from the hold. Now, the compartments of the hold are 

 nearly 8 feet long, and such a compartment will contain 

 more than 150 barrels of herrings." 



My object has been merely to give some indication of 

 the profound perplexity into which this law of April 17 

 has plunged the builders and owners ; the latter, on account 

 of the enormous and unforeseen expense involved, are 

 ordering no new vessels, and the former see their slip- 

 ways deserted. In a letter which he wrote to the deputy 

 M. Chaumet, M. Bordes, then President of the Central 

 Committee of the Shipowners of France, estimated the 

 cost which would be entailed by the new law at over 

 .340,000. It is hardly worth while to grant subsidies to 

 the merchant marine if the left hand takes back what the 

 right hand gives. 1 



1 A draft of a law modifying the law of April 17, 1907, has been put 

 before the French Parliament, 



