Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-30
POLICEMAN OF THE FISHERIES
HOW ENGLAND PROTECTS HER
RIGHTS IN NORTH SEA.
Keeps Foreigners From Poaching on
the British Coast-Boarding
French Trawler.

the British Coast-Boaro1nG
a French Trawler.
From the London Saturday Journal.
The small cruiser passed like a shad-
ow from the quiet harbor where lay the
1.-THE, slim yachts. their lights glittering
In the placid water, then starboarding her
helm she got round the pierhead and
Topped away into the gusty darkness of
the North sea.
She was the policeman OF the fisheries.
one of those smart little craft whose
duty it is to prevent foreign fishing craft
encroaching within our waters (Which
stretch three miles to sea from the coast
line) and there plying their trade.
Her crew were typical British blue
jackets. clean-shaved. sturdy of limb and
keen of eye. able to handle the breaker
erection.
from the cushions of the tiny cabin and
we'll wrapped in thick clothing, including
two stout wooden sweaters for the
August night was cold at sea-, went up
and thence by easy stages to the bridge.
All around was the black heaving sea,
coming now and then over our fo'c'sle in
a rattle of cold, lashingtspindrift. The
officer of the watch was peering shore
ward at the big beam OF light that denot-
ed the presence of a dangerous headland.
"Going to have any luck?' asked, 60
ing up to the dark figure.
Goodness knows" he answered, placing
his night glasses under his arm LAS
you have come out with US to see some
fun. should say the chances are twenty
to one against our seeing even one Of our
own craft. let alone a foreigner
That's the usual luck, mumbled with
been very rotten on the continent lately,
and some of the poor beggars have to
choose between waiting at home, hoping
and starving, and a dash across the
North sea during the darkness, and then
bit OF poaching among the soles. After
all. our men retaliate when their luck's
out.
Difference in Magistrates.
quite right he nodded. with a wea-
Their eye on the dark shadow that mark
ed the eastern shores Of England; but
there's a difference. When we catch the
beggars red-handed with fish in their
hold what happens? Why, they are lug
ged before the magistrate. and promptly
pitch a pathetic yarn, are fined q five
pound note and allowed to sling their
hook as soon as they have dubbed up.
Then just imagine that one of our
boats gets caught at the game. over on
the other side of the North sea. Her
master is promptly put in prison. where
he may remain for week, perhaps.
Then, when they condescend to try the
poor beggar. it's nothing less than a
his catch and gear as a matter of course.
and perhaps, Furthermore, they may col
lar every blessed thing they lay their
hands on A loss of over 200 pounds
may have to be faced by. the owners.
That's why poaching within the terri
torial limit is more popular on this side.'
He strobe across the bridge to the muf-
fed figure at the wheel. and proceeded to
give orders. then came back to me and
gave forth strange yarns Of the sea IN
by and half-past two was showing on
the face of my watch ere anything hap
pened Suddenly from the shadowy
black mass that marked the whereabouts
of our bow there came faint cry. Then
sailor-just blur Of glistening oil
skins-reported he had seen the loom of
a sail inshore.
Instantly night glasses were glued to
our eyes, and there, sure enough, was
smack with her lights out: black. SIN
lister object against the scudding clouds:
"stop'' The engines instantly ceased
to thud us ahead.
The Poacher Boarded.
"Out lights!'' In the darkness we
rolled on the swell waiting and watching
in silence. with only the lap Of the sea
and the scream of a sea bird in the dis
lance to break the calm
The officer leaned over the bridge to
another oilskin.coated figure. Call the
captain" he said. Tell him I am going
to board a Frenchman."
Then he turned to cluster or dark
&c., hat nod ont hnQt
"Seaboat's crew. man your boat!
second after the crisp order dark forms
were in her. and she was dancing under
our lee. We clambered in with the rest
and cast of.
In the far distance glowed white the
beam of Orfordness light, and far to
the north we could still see the sparkle
of the Lowestoft High light AS I sat
bordering we were dancing nearer and
capstan proclaimed the fact that she
was hurriedly hauling in her nets, and
the rattle of the rings told US more; that
she was getting up sail, with the hope of
giving us the slip.
nant with stified excitement. Not a man
spoke; those at the oars pulled with the
same stiff steady stroke. We were try
ing to cut her off and prevent her Slip
ping out of the three-mile limit ere we
could secure her. for up to now. owing to
the darkness. we could not make sure
that she was actually fishing.
Under Arrest.
At last we came under her lee and
hooked tight. On the instant, nimble men
clutched any available object, vaulted her
bulwarks and squelched along her wet
decks, while but two and a half miles
away Southwold, filed with it's summer
crowds. slept in peace. little knowing
that out at sea in the darkness British
bluejackets were boarding a foreigner as
our men did in the days of long ago.
A burly form came lurching forward,
and on seeing the strangers voiced loud
French oath and ran aft again. Quick
on his heels were the cruisers men, and
they told him plainly that he and his
crew were under arrest. The trawl was
still down, and fish-poached fsh-in the
hold. so that it was a case of caught red
handed.
AS the wet haze that came blowing up
blotted out the Southwold lantern and OBJ
scured Orfordness in the far souwest.
our puny warship doomed up and cast us
q tow rope; and as the prize crew" aired
their French and smoked a cigarette with
their sullen prisoners. I returned to the
gunboat, and, with the appetite Of the
proverbial horse, retired for hot coffee
and the necessary etceteras as the gray
tinge far at sea told of the coming OF
another day.