Fishery Board for Scotland. 
ployed in the herring fishery at the various stations, when the return 
was made up. 
LOANS TO FISHEBMEN TO PURCHASE BOATS AND 
GEAR. 
By the 32nd section of the Crofters Holdings (Scotland) Act, Treasury to 
1886, the Lords of the Treasury are empowered to advance to thls ^^Money 
Board such sums as may from time to time be placed at their Loans to 
disposal by Parliament, for the purpose of enabling them to make ^* h g™^ ^ 
advances, by way of loan, to persons engaged in the prosecution of qJJ^ oa fe au 
the fishing industry in crofting parishes abutting upon the sea in 
certain counties to which the Act applies. The purposes to 
which such loans may be applied include the building, purchase, 
or repair of vessels, boats, and gear for fishing purposes, and any 
other purpose of the like nature, for the benefit or encouragement 
of the fishing industry, within the localities referred to, which may 
be sanctioned by the Board, with consent of the Secretary for 
Scotland. The loans are to be made upon such terms as to repay- Secretary for 
ment, security, rate, and payment of interest and otherwise, as the consent d of Wlth 
Secretary for Scotland, with the consent of the Treasury, shall t reasury, to 
determine. Under the Sea Fishing Boats (Scotland) Act, 1^.5,^^^^^ 
further provision is made for the registration and mortgage of are to be made, 
fishing boats, so that they may become a valid security for loans; 
and under the authority of that Act, an Order in Council was 
issued for carrying out these provisions. Kules were made by the Rules made 
Secretary for Scotland, with the consent of the Treasury, as to the accordingly, 
terms on which the Board might make loans; and forms of pro- 
posals, with instructions for filling them up, are sent to those 
fishermen who apply for money. 
The parishes which have been defined by the Commissioners Parishes to 
under the Crofters Act to be crofting parishes are situated in the apphes^ 0 *' 
following counties, viz., Argyle, Inverness, Boss and Cromarty, 
Sutherland, Caithness, Orkney, and Shetland. 
During the past year 134 applications for loans were received Applications 
from crofting parishes, the applicants numbering 504, and ijhe ^Safe^wid 
amount asked £21,069, 15s. By far the largest number of appli- amount asked, 
cations were received from the districts of Stornowuy and Wick. 
Full inquiry was made into each case, and of the applications Number and 
received, the Board, after the fullest consideration, decided to grant i^ns granted 
106, the sum sanctioned amounting to £14,463, 16s. Eighty-two and completed, 
loans were completed, the amount paid over being £9114, 8s,, 
while the remainder are either in course of being carried out, or 
are awaiting the completion of the building of new boats. 
Since the Crofters Act was passed in 1886, 795 applications Particulars of 
have been received from 2888 persons; the amount asked being since 
£93,347, 15s. Of these, 321 have been sanctioned, amounting to wa ° passed? 
£36,750, 16s., and 197 carried out, the sum paid over being 
£20,926, 6s. 7d. 
The details in regard to the granting of loans to fishermen, in Details 
the districts situated within the counties defined by the Crofters f^BWftfJpg 
Commission, as containing crofting parishes, are as follow: — districts. 
