FISHERMEN AND FISHERIES. 237 



to be "ships" within the meaning of any act relating to 

 offences committed on board a ship, whilst under the term 

 fishing-boat is included every vessel, of whatever size, and 

 however propelled, used for the business of a sea fisher- 

 man. They must (under the Act of 1868) carry on their 

 masts two lights, placed over each other three feet apart, 

 and these must burn all the time that the boat's drift-nets 

 are in the sea between sunset and sunrise. 



Trawlers are not permitted within three miles of the 

 fishing ground of a drift-net vessel, nor may a decked-boat 

 shoot its nets within a quarter of a mile of an undecked 

 boat. 



Fishing vessels must be registered, lettered, numbered, 

 and conspicuously named ; in default they are not entitled 

 to any of the privileges of the Act, although they continue 

 subject to its liabilities. 



The letters, which are usually the first and the last of the 

 name of the port of registration, must be at least ten inches 

 in depth on boats under fifteen tons, and not less than 

 eighteen inches on those over that tonnage. 



The fact may here be noted, that until 1880 the question 

 of fishing-boat lights required fresh legislation. The 

 Merchant Shipping Act of 1862 directed fishing vessels 

 to carry one "bright white light," and no others. The 

 Fisheries Act of 1868 required two perpendicular lights. 

 An Act of 1875 declared that the Fisheries Act of 1868 

 should alter no regulations in the Merchant Shipping Act 

 of 1862. The Merchant Shipping Act of 1862 therefore 

 appeared to be the main Act regulating fishing, lights : 

 but these vicissitudes of legislation occasioned much con- 

 fusion in the understanding of the ordinary fisherman. 



An Order in Council of I4th August, 1879, altered cer- 

 tain of the provisions in regard to lights contained in the 



