A HUMANISING AGENCY 213 



I have had long talks with some of the coper's 

 former friends, and have received proof enough of 

 the havoc which was wrought in the dark days of 

 old. But the coper has disappeared from the fleets, 

 and where he in former years spread corruption and 

 misery, the " Bethel-ship" the Dutchman pronounces 

 it "battle-sheep," and the name is more appropriate 

 than he imagines now attends to every spiritual and 

 physical want in the trawler. 



A Mission ship is one of the most interesting vessels 

 afloat. She is a cruising hospital, a place of worship, 

 a tobacco shop, a clothing establishment, a free library, 

 a club-room, an hotel, and a recreation ground. If a 

 smacksman is sick or injured, he will be fetched on 

 board and receive skilled attention until he is better ; 

 if he wants to attend service and hoists a signal to 

 indicate his wish, the Mission boat will call for him ; 

 tobacco he can obtain at cost price ; warm woollen 

 " helmets," mufflers, stockings, and mittens he is able 

 to buy for next to nothing ; if he longs for something 

 to read, he can have magazines and papers for the 

 asking ; if he has a craving to converse with fellow- 

 men, he can satisfy it on board the " Bethel-ship." 

 If, again, he desires to escape for an hour from the 

 surroundings of his own vessel, he can pace a clean, 

 attractive deck and almost forget the smell of fish. 

 With the exception of the woollen articles for which 

 the Mission makes a small charge, as it has no in- 

 tention of pauperising in any way and the tobacco, 

 everything is free, and there is plenty of it. 



I have before me the manuscript of a description 

 of a lady's visit to the Short Blue Fleet when it was 



