FIELDS AND HARVESTERS 43 



stores, and even then failing to join their fleets. Wire- 

 less telegraphy on the carriers and at least the admirals' 

 vessels would abolish this evil, and it is surprising that 

 keen business men, such as those who control the great 

 North Sea fleets, have not yet made use of this in- 

 vention. 



The Germans have more than half a dozen steam- 

 trawlers fitted with wireless apparatus, and special 

 measures have been taken to instruct skippers and 

 fishermen in the use of it. The German purpose seems 

 to be to employ the system not only in connection with 

 fishing operations, but also to give warning of approach- 

 ing storms. In existing circumstances no advantage 

 could be taken of such warnings by British trawlers, 

 except the single-boaters, which might run for shelter. 

 The fleeters have to ride out gales and make the best of 

 them, although the splendid modern boats have little to 

 fear from wind and water. Occasionally, however, a 

 steam-trawler founders with all hands, and there is the 

 ever-present danger of serious damage being done and 

 life lost through shipping heavy seas. 



The gloomiest of prophecies have been made con- 

 cerning the harvest fields of the North Sea. Every year 

 for generations has brought forth its dismal seer who 

 has foretold the utter depletion of the banks ; yet these 

 Jeremiahs have been consistently confounded, for, despite 

 the vast growth of the fishing industry, the total quantities 

 of fish increase annually. This is largely due, of course, 

 to the opening of new and distant grounds ; but while 

 there has been a falling off in some heavily trawled 

 localities, notably the Dogger, other regions have been 

 developed and the shortage more than made good. The 



