Ixx 



Fourth Annual Be'port of ilie 



Commander's 

 services much 

 appreciated. 



Services of 

 other Vessels. 



* Firm ' and 



* Eagle ' in 

 Shetland and 

 Orkney. 



' Active ' on 

 East Coast. 



'Firefly' and 

 ' Adder ' on 

 Northumber- 

 land Coast. 



Nature and 

 value of their 

 services. 



Board's 

 obligations to 

 Admii'alty. 



between beam trawlers and drift-net and line fishermen. In the 

 performance of these duties, Mr McDonald, her commander, showed 

 great zeal and activity, and his services were much appreciated by 

 the Board. 



In regard to the supernumerary vessels granted by the Admiralty 

 for the protection of the great summer herring fishing, H.M. 

 gunboat 'Firm,' and cutter 'Eagle,' were employed round the 

 coasts of Shetland and Orkney, where large fleets of fishing boats 

 were assembled ; H.M. cutter ' Active ' was employed between Red 

 Head in Forfarshire and Aberdeen; and H.M. gunboat 'Firefly ' and 

 cutter * Adder,' upon the Northumberland coast. The services of 

 these vessels were of great importance, and the proceedings of their 

 commanders were valuable in carrying out the regulations for the 

 lettering and numbering of fishing boats and vessels, and in settling 

 disputes at sea between the different classes of fishermen. The 

 Board take this opportunity of acknowledging their obligations to 

 the Admiralty for the protection afl'orded to the fisheries by these 

 vessels, and also for supplying a manual for the guidance of their 

 officers in carrying out their fishery duties, of which this Board 

 have availed themselves for their own officers. It would rather 

 appear that further demands will require to be made on the 

 Admiralty for assistance in carrying out the provisions of the Sea 

 Fisheries Acts. 



New Tele- 

 graphic 

 Stations 

 opened. 



Amount of 

 guarantees 

 reduced. 



Benefits of the 



Telegraphic 



Extensions. 



Boats brought 

 back from 

 Ireland in time 

 to fish at 

 Barra. 



TELEGEAPHIC EXTENSION TO EEMOTE FISHERY 

 DISTRICTS. 



The telegraphic extensions to the fishing stations of Castle Bay 

 in the Island of Barra; St Mary's, Burra, and St Margaret's Hope 

 in Orkney ; and Eeawick and Vaila Sound (Walls) in Shetland, 

 regarding which particulars were given in the Board's last Eeport, 

 have been in full operation during the past year. Owing to the 

 fine weather which prevailed when the cables were being laid, the 

 cost of these extensions was less than had been anticipated, and the 

 Postmaster-General, with the sanction of the Treasury, reduced 

 the amounts of the guarantees which the Board gave against loss 

 as follow Castle Bay, Barra, from £1095 to £858 ; St Mary's, 

 Burra, and St Margaret's Hope, Orkney, from £298 to £281 ; and 

 Eeawick and Vaila (Walls) in Shetland, from £281 to £255. It 

 is gratifying to find, from reports which have been received, that 

 these telegraphic extensions have been highly appreciated by 

 fishermen, fishcurers, and others engaged in the fishing industry, 

 and that they afforded them valuable facilities in conducting their 

 operations. As regards Castle Bay, Island of Barra, had it not been 

 for the extension of the wire to that place, very few boats would 

 have been fishing in Barra section last year. Owdng to the fears 

 which were entertained that there might be war with Eussia, and 

 that the large orders for cured herrings, which are always received 

 from that country, would consequently cease, the fishcurers had 

 engaged beforehand only a few boats for the season. When, 

 however, any danger of war breaking out passed away, there 

 was yet time to engage by telegraphic messages boats from 

 Ireland, where many had gone, and these arrived soon enough 



