PROTECTION OF DEEP SEA FISHERIES. 429 



masters are illiterate, it would be impossible for them to 

 make the entries required, and therefore, until the period 

 of seven years is passed, all entries required to be made by 

 the master should be legal if done by some one else at his 

 dictation ; or in the case of a master not being able to 

 read, he should be compelled to verify such entries before 

 a proper officer at stated periods, after the same had been 

 read to him ; or perhaps, if only one man on board could 

 write, as is sometimes the case (and sometimes none), and 

 he were ordered to enter a fine or deduction against him- 

 self, he might enter it to some one else, or make a different 

 entry altogether. Further, to enact that no deduction be 

 made unless it be included in the account delivered to the 

 seamen, would create hardship, as an error therein could 

 not then be rectified, and it should be borne in mind that 

 fishermen sailing by the share are, with the masters and 

 owners, somewhat in the nature of partners, and errors in 

 their accounts, as in other partnerships, ought to be open to 

 rectification. It will not be out of place here to suggest 

 that all fishing vessels should keep a simple log, of an 

 approved form, to embrace loss of life, casualties, miscon- 

 duct of crew, fines, and cash advances, subject, as regards 

 its being compulsory, to the before-mentioned term of 

 seven years, after which it might beneficially be made 

 compulsory. 



Subsection 3 provides for the final settlement of the 

 seaman's wages being left, with his consent, to the Superin- 

 tendent of the Mercantile Marine Office, and the receipt of 

 the superintendent to operate as a release under section 175 

 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854 ; but it not having been 

 proposed that fishing vessels should be foreign-going ships 

 under section 175 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854, it 

 does not appear that the owner would be entitled to the 



