

PROTECTION OF DEEP SEA FISHERIES. 363 



over cross-pieces across the bottom boards under the deck 

 beams. Then the ballast could not possibly shift. After the 

 terrible January gale a few years back, when many smacks 

 were lost and others laid on their beam ends for hours, 

 all that arrived in port had their ballast more or less 

 shifted ; one vessel, which the writer saw when she was 

 being dismantled, was a notable instance ; the iron ballast 

 which was stowed in her bottom had got to the top of 

 the shingle, and the fish which had been on the top were 

 found next to her keelson, her boards being mixed up with 

 the whole. Another instance occurred at another port in 

 which the vessel's trawl rope was found under the ballast, 

 and the side lights which were usually kept aft on the 

 water-casks were found under the ballast forward. The 

 hatches are frequently without proper means for their 

 security, though where vessels are in good clubs this is 

 specially attended to, but when at sea they are fre- 

 quently stowed away and are either not forthcoming at the 

 right time, or neglected to be used, owing to the careless- 

 ness which is caused by constant exposure to danger. 

 Here again there is a difference between a cargo ship and 

 a fishing vessel. The former has her hatches well secured 

 before leaving port, and they remain so till her destination 

 is reached, while the latter is constantly uncovering and 

 using the hatchways in all weathers. 



The next point is the provisioning of the vessel. In Provisioning, 

 cases where the crew sail entirely by the share, the pro- 

 visions are charged to the owner who is responsible, and 

 are either ordered by him or the master. At the end 

 of the voyage the amount of these is deducted, with other 

 expenses, from the gross earnings, and is kept by the 

 owner to pay the various accounts, the net amount only 

 being divided. If the vessel happens to be unfortunate 



