Telegram-herald., 1890-11-30

Scotland IN 1856 was CO, ,550,77S, of
winch herrings represented 81 400, 1881.
The boats IN use at the middle of the
present century were about twenty
four feet of keel. unlocked and carried
twenty-four hemp nets, forty yards
long. seven yards deep, with thirty
three meshes after years use. The
boats built within the past five years,
are from fOrty-eight TO fifty-five feet of
keel. They are decked and carry an
average drift OF fifty cotton nets, each
sixty Yards long and eleven yards deep.
with ABOUT thirty-tye meshes 10 the
yard after years use. There are
three classes; Firth boats, straight IN
stem aud stern, htty-hve feet of keel
and hfty-seven and One-half feet ex-
treme length above; the Skatfie boats,
"hddle-shaped" bow aud slOped stern,
with thlrty-tOur feet keel and fifty feet
length above; ana the Zulu boats, with
straight bow and slOped stern, with
forty-tve feet of keel and tifty-fve feet
length above. The general rig Is lug
sail, llj aud ligger. large number
are smack-rigged. the latter beng IN
common use here in Shetland tor Its
convenience n tacking up the narrow
woes or bays. A boat of nifty
feet keel Firth built, with
saIhng gear included, will cost about
$500. the fishing gear costing from ESQ
20 giS0, requiring an outlay of at least
E475, before equipment tor herring
fishing Is complste. 1t was calculated
IN 1873 that there were over 1000 boats
engaged IN the Scotch herring fisheries.
These carried nets nearly $4,000 miles
long; sufficient TO cover n superficial
area of 20 square miles. The number
OK boats employed, in 1888, in Scotland,
IA the herring and other sea fisheries,
numbered li,904, with a tonnage OF
Ia. .452 tons. OF these AIT we're boats
OF the FIRST cisss, or above 80 feet of
keel, exclusive Of i07 vessels employed
IN fishing with the beam trawl. For
the same year the number OF fisher
men and boys BY which the boats were
manned was 4s,6ls There were l047
fsh-Curers. The coopers numbered
1910. Others employed IN the work,
suca As packer, cutters. oarters and
laborsrs. numbered A. s06, giving =
total of persons employed IN the fshing
industry Of 81 .ssl souls.
East coast summer herring fishing
begins about the first week OF July sud
continues until the i0th of September.
Here in Shetlaud the season opens q
month earlier. Fishermen. laeorers,
c0rsrscrews and whst-n0t, come 20 All
tie east coast ports and to Shetland
from every portion Of the north and
west OF Scotland, including tie outer
Hsbridss. They are SIMPLY the crofters
T have spoken Of N previous articles.
vno take this method Of securing the
money WITH whlch - pay the rent of
their Crofts. and without which they
could not eNst throughout the yssr
At Wick fifteen wears ago, the hsher-
mru helpers received ssch wage OF
from e. to - for sess0n of about ST
months with board and lodging. A
few Vesrs suce Is was SIS 60 -. WITH
one smiling Cor each crsn Of herring
andsd. wh,cb. vith ether perauisites.
increased their earning 81 El5 or f20.
AZ present IN shetland, tue pFn-
cpal seat of tae herring indus
tfV. the system generally pre-
vl'ng a - sii0v oue-bsf Of tne
proceeds Of TIE 6sainx b the ovser or
owners of the boat, Who provides az
faster,al. TIE other kslf beng equally
asvfded between members Of the crew,
the owner receiving a share as saca e
hs he oaa of the crev. On Ne east
cossf it - aiso hsConlinz general - give
red fishers one ssillnx on esch ooand
sterling vslae Of herring isnseo. AZ
ssrse ports men receive a certain p-c-
porno1 of The bo&ts sarnLngS provld-