xii 



Trventy-ninth Annual Reporf 



Types of Motor's installed driving 1910. 



For the large East Coast boats, the favourite engine continues to be 

 the " Gardner," although other makes, such as the " Beardmore- 

 Peck," " Thornycroft," and " Fairbanks," have not been neglected. 

 For the smaller boats on the West Coast, the " Kelvin " motor engine 

 still occupies first place in the favour of the fishermen, but in a few 

 instances other makes, such as the "Thornycroft," "Fairbanks," and 

 " Barcar," find support. 



Running expenses have remained practically unaltered from those 

 quoted in the Report for 1909, and there seems little hope of any 

 material reduction until the engines are generally adapted for the 

 consumption of crude oil. It would almost appear, however, that, 

 before this consummation can be attained, it would be necessary that 

 crude oil should be standardised, as the quality of different kinds 

 varies considerably. 



Earnings of Motor Boats. 



It is very difficult to arrive at a reliable estimate of the earnings of 

 the motor boat fishermen generally, partly because of the unwilling- 

 ness of many of them to divulge the figures, and partly because others 

 do not keep any proper accounts. Generally, however, as a result of 

 careful inquiry, it may be stated that the East Coast auxiliary motor 

 boats occupy a position intermediate between steam-drifters and sail- 

 drifters. 



The following figures, for example, relating to a typical Scottish 

 district, with a fairly large motor fleet, may be regarded as authentic: — 



Summer Herring Fishing. 



Highest. Lowest. Average. 



Steam Drifters, £1,050 £500 £800 



Motor Boats, 910 500 635 



Sail Boats, 600 105 355 



English Herring Fishing. 



Highest. Lowest. Average. 



Steam Drifters, £1,100 £140 £610 



Motor Boats, 540 90 320 



Sail Boats, 310 75 162 



A comparison of these two sets of figures shows, as did a similar 

 comparison in the Report for 1909, that the motor-boats were 

 relatively more successful during the summer herring fishing, this 

 being no doubt due to the fact that the steam-drifter, with its greater 

 " flexibility " or power of regulating speed, and its ability to make a 

 passage more or less direct against a head sea, is more effective at the 

 season of the year (October and November) when the English fishing 

 is mainly prosecuted. 



With regard to the smaller West Coast boats, it is also difticult to 

 obtain data regarding their earnings, but the following figures 

 relating to Campbeltown district (where no fewer than 40 auxiliary 



