SAFETY FISHING-BOATS. 275 



SAFETY FISHING-BOATS. 

 To the Editor of the ' Star? 



SIR, It has often been observed, on the subject of the annual 

 average take of herrings on the Scottish seas, that there have been 

 fluctuations and variations good seasons and bad all, however, 

 reducible to one uniform cause of success or failure. The one 

 element which determines the result is weather. In rough and 

 stormy seasons the boats cannot get to their work or get through 

 it, and therefore the catch is diminished, but the harvest is always 

 there if the reaper can reach it. 



I have been led to crave the valuable aid of the ' Star ' to make 

 more generally known, and to call public attention to, the benevo- 

 lent object of the Royal National Life-boat Institution, with which 

 I have the honour to be connected, in devising and reducing to 

 practice a plan of a safety fishing-boat, which has, under my own 

 observation, proved most successful as a convenient boat for the 

 prosecution of the white and herring fisheries on our coasts, and 

 is calculated to enable these fisheries to be prosecuted with greater 

 safety to those engaged in them than has yet been attained by 

 any other means of which I am aware. The element of safety in 

 these boats to which I have referred is attained mainly i. By 

 making the usual fore-cabin a water-tight compartment, the access 

 to it being by a water-tight hatch in the deck instead of an open 

 door ,at the side. 2. By making the usual compartment at the stern 

 also water-tight. . 3. By running a side-deck along each side. In 

 this way a large open main hatchway is left, of sufficient size for 

 working the nets, but which may be covered when necessary by 

 portable hatches and a water-tight tarpaulin cover, to be used in 

 gales of wind. These hatches and tarpaulin are easily stowed 

 away in fine weather, and on the occurrence of bad weather the 

 main hatchway can be securely covered in a few minutes, so that 

 no water can possibly get access below should a heavy sea break 

 on board. In fact, as will be seen, the boat is capable of being 

 converted into a decked water-tight vessel within a few minutes 

 after the occurrence of an emergency, and of being almost instantly 

 restored, if desired, to the condition of an ordinary fishing-boat 

 with a large open main hatchway. 



Your columns attest the fact that scarcely a season passes 

 without the occurrence of some terrible disaster, which in all 



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