PROTECTION OF DEEP SEA FISHERIES. 409 



a constant irregularity, which occurs among fishing vessels 

 in this respect ; it is this : Fishing vessels frequently 

 damage their mainsails, and out of such a large number of 

 vessels this must frequently be expected. The rule in this 

 case is not to lose time by waiting for it to be repaired, but 

 to borrow a sail either from the sailmaker's, or a fellow- 

 owner, or, where an owner has two or more boats, to 

 substitute a sail belonging to any other of his boats 

 which does not happen to be in use. This sail of course 

 is numbered, and this number does not agree with the 

 number of the boat borrowing it, therefore, under present 

 circumstances, she is acting illegally by going to sea in 

 this manner. It would be impracticable to alter these 

 numbers as often as this occurs, therefore, to enable a 

 vessel of any nation legally to proceed to sea under these 

 circumstances, the master or owner of such vessel should 

 be compelled to apply to a proper officer for a permit, 

 which should be issued with the particulars of the cause 

 of its issue stated on it, and a copy should be retained 

 by the officer. It should be granted for a reasonable time, 

 according to the nature of the cause, and it should be 

 compulsory for the master or owner to deliver it up at the 

 expiration of the time, or as soon after as the vessel 

 returns to port, under a penalty. It should be renew- 

 able, if required, on reasonable grounds, or, if the cause of 

 it is removed before expiration, immediate notice of same, 

 with return of permit, should be given by the owner or 

 master. Then, in case of damage or offence, the vessel 

 could be easily identified, or in the case of a cruiser 

 overhauling her, under Article 27, the master could produce 

 the permit to show that he was acting legally. This 

 suggestion should extend to any portion of the gear in a 

 certain manner, as nets are sometimes borrowed in cases 



