PROTECTION OF DEEP SEA FISHERIES. 473 



them rapidly, instead of doing them piecemeal to save their 

 own pockets, to the detriment of others, especially in cases 

 where they have duplicate and triplicate cables, and are 

 consequently in no great hurry. Powers should be given 

 them to lay buoys, if necessary, for the repairs, but they 

 should also be bound to execute them in a suitable and 

 expeditious manner after due notice has been given. 

 Recently the telegraph companies addressed a letter to the 

 Board of Trade suggesting the enactment of certain pro- 

 visions for the protection of their cables. They asked for 

 penalties to be imposed for wilful damage to cables either 

 by anchorage or gear ; and, on the other hand, offered to 

 compensate vessels for loss of anchors or gear in cases 

 where they were lost to save damage to cables. This 

 would put the whole affair into the hands of the companies, 

 for they would be at liberty to dispute any claim they 

 liked, and the practical result would be victory for them, as 

 individual owners possessing, 'as a rule, only moderate 

 means, would rather bear the loss than go to law with a 

 company. The companies should be compelled to exhibit 

 in prominent places at fishing ports, charts showing 

 the route of the various lines of cable belonging to each, 

 and their bearings. These should be corrected from time to 

 time, as they may be underrun for the purposes of ex- 

 amination or repair, as each time this process is gone 

 through the position of the cable is altered to a certain 

 degree according to circumstances, such as tides and winds. 

 They should be also compelled to have a sufficient number 

 of cables laid, so that if one gets broken the repairing 

 would not be so urgent as to prevent them from giving 

 proper notice of their intention to commence repairing, and 

 of the probable locality, on a certain date, or as soon there- 



