372 INTERNATIONAL LAWS FOR THE 



the boats to save making two trips to the carrier, and con- 

 sequently, not leaving enough freeboard, and further, 

 preventing those in charge from having sufficient room 

 to manage the boat properly ; the breaking of tholes ; 

 the sending of inexperienced hands in charge, which is 

 caused in some instances by experienced men, who, know- 

 ing the danger, if no rules are laid down, ship on condi- 

 tion that they shall not be liable to go in the boat for 

 ferrying purposes. The principal loss of life from this 

 cause will be found to have occurred at the fleets which 

 fish most northerly. And this for two reasons : one that 

 there is invariably more sea, the other that these fleets 

 get heavier catches in the shape of offal fish (princi- 

 pally haddock), and the boats are overloaded to avoid 

 making two trips. The more southerly fleets, which fish 

 principally for prime, seldom get more in one night now 

 than a boat will fairly carry. As before remarked, in some 

 fleets the admiral is charged with the duty of signalling 

 whether the weather is fit to board the carrier or not. If 

 he signals " No," the carrier hoists the same flag, and refuses 

 to receive any fish, should any one try to disobey the 

 admiral's order, which is seldom the case. 



A few points of importance may here be noticed. 

 The greatest loss of life will be found to have occurred 

 where the fleets are tended by steam carriers. Where 

 sailing cutters are employed the sails are so set as 

 just to keep the vessel steady and "dodging" ahead, 

 whereas in steam carriers the propeller would have to be 

 kept going to do this, and would be dangerous to the 

 boats hanging on.* It must be borne in mind that 

 this boarding is not merely two or three boats going 



* The steamer's sails are sometimes set, but are only of use to 

 steady her, and cause her to blow to leeward. 







