No. 361.
Mr. Bell
to Mr. Bayard.
Legation of
the United States,
The
Hague
,
July 23, 1886. (Received August
7.)
No. 160.]
Sir: Referring to my No. 150 of the 10th ultimo, in
which I reported the opening in this city of an international conference for
the purpose of establishing order among the fishermen of the North Sea by
putting an end to the abuses growing out of the traffic in spirituous
liquors, I have now the honor to inclose herewith, for the information of
the Department, three copie sin the Dutch text of the law of June 15, 1883,
promulgating the treaty in the French text of May 6, 1882, between Belgium,
France, Denmark, Germany, and Great Britain and the Netherlands on the
question of the fishing-police in the North Sea, and also three copies in
the French text of the Procès-Verbaux of the International Conference held
at the Hague June 10 to 25, 1886.
Your attention is especially invited to the particulars communicated to the
conference by the British delegates.
- (1)
- To the extract from a report on the North Sea fisheries, presented by
Admiral Gordon-Douglas and Mr. Malan to the British Admiralty in
November, 1884, a copy of which is inclosed herewith, and the original
of which may be found printed on pages 23, 24, Annexe II,
Procès-Verbaux.
- (2)
- To the cases of “floating grog-shops in the North Sea,” referred to in
Annexe III, on page 12–15, Procès-Verbaux, a copy of which is also
inclosed herewith.
- (3)
- To the annexe found on page 74, a copy of which is also inclosed,
marked No. 5, containing the particulars respecting the quantity of
spirits and tobacco to be taken on board a smack which was about to
start for the North Sea.
It is understood that the representations made to this Government as well as
to the other powers parties to the treaty of 1882, respecting the cases of
disorder and scenes of dissipation which have arisen in connection with the
liquor traffic amongst the vessels of the North Sea fisheries, fully
confirmed the particulars and circumstances presented by the British
delegate.
It appears that evils arising therefrom had become so widespread as to reach
the homes of those who were dependent upon the fishermen for their
support.
At all events the circumstances left no room to doubt that immediate remedies
were imperatively demanded.
The Netherlands Government having taken the initiative the conference was
convened at this capital.
By reference to the proceedings it will be observed that several interesting
questions were discussed, amongst others, that respecting the [Page 753] right of visit and surveillance
(fourth session, June 17, page 39–47, Proces-Verbaux).
It will be seen that after a full exchange of views upon that subject, the
delegates agreed to adopt the principle that the supervision or surveillance
should be exercised in accordance with the provisions of Article 26 of the
convention of May 6, 1882, with a number of designated cruisers, the names
of which must be communicated to the contracting powers.
It will also be seen that it was agreed that the intervention of the cruisers
should be regulated conformably to the provisions of the convention of Paris
of March 14, 1884, for the protection of submarine cables (page 47).
By reference to the proceedings of the third session, June 12, 1886, page
28–38, it will be seen that the questions relating to the modification of
the customs laws of the several states were also the subject of
discussion.
The exceptional position of the ports of Bremen and Hamburg was referred to
by the German delegate to show that it would not be possible for Germany to
introduce legislative measures contrary to the provisions of the German
constitution guaranteeing freedom to those ports.
It is thought that the measures agreed upon by this conference, if finally
adopted by the several Governments parties thereto, will prove efficacious
in improving the condition of the fishermen.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 160.]
Extract from report on the North Sea fisheries, by
Admiral Gordon-Douglas and Mr. Malan, dated November, 1884, presented to the Admiralty.
coopers.
In the course of our inquiries we heard frequent mention of coopers,
though we found it extremely difficult to obtain any definite
information as to the evil they undoubtedly work amongst fishermen and
boys, especially in the trawling fleet.
The coopers, or “floating grog-shops,” chiefly hail from German and Dutch
ports, and visit most parts of the North Sea where trawlers congregate.
They are, as a rule, of the tonnage and rig of fishing vessels, some
being registered and numbered as such, while others sail as trading
vessels.
One or two English smacks have been known to he engaged in “coopering,”
hut they generally end by being sold in a foreign port, and trade under
a foreign flag.
The distinguishing mark of a cooper is a flag or hit of hunting on the
forestay. They trade in tobacco and spirits of vile quality, in scents,
and latterly in immoral and obscene cards and photographs.
A cooper seldom remains more than three days with a fishing fleet, but
passes from one to another until his stock is exhausted.
The whole trade of the cooper is most immoral and degrading. Fishermen
are tempted to barter their owner’s warps, nets, ropes, sails, and fish
for the drink, and the boys and apprentices are demoralized by the
obscene pictures and cards so freely disposed of.
The drunkenness and debauchery consequent on a visit to a cooper have
often terminated fatally. We may instance the skipper of the Mizpah, of
Yarmouth, who was drowned in February, 1884, and the skipper of the
Columbia, of Grimsby, who was drowned or murdered in September, 1882,
whilst more recently a murderous assault was made by the mate of a
cooper upon a Grimsby skipper during a drunken brawl.
Undoubtedly cheap tobacco is in many cases the first cause of a visit to
the cooper, and in our opinion a great blow would be struck to the trade
if fishermen could obtain their tobacco elsewhere at the same price, and
we would suggest that every smack, or at least the “admiral,” or say one
smack in every fifty sailing in company should be allowed to have a
supply of tobacco out of bond for disposal at sea.
[Page 754]
This would probably check the evil, though there is no doubt that as long
as coopers infest the North Sea some fishermen will find an excuse for
going on board.
As codmen do not fish in company, and herring drifters do not keep the
sea for more than three days, coopers cannot trade much among them, and
they are therefore almost unknown to fishermen in the north of England
and Scotland.
As these coopers are not always registered as fishing vessels, the
commanders of cruisers have no right under the North Sea fishery
convention to board them or make any inquiries. We are, however, of
opinion that they should be instructed when possible to make note of any
boats dealing with coopers, that they may be reported to their owners
ashore.
The coopers whose names we have been able to ascertain from fishermen are
as follows, though the port of registry may not always be reliable:
Present name. |
Present home port. |
Former name. |
Former home
port. |
Diedrich |
Geestemünde |
Billow |
Grimsby. |
Swallow |
Nieuwedip |
|
|
Caroline |
Geestemünde |
Christabel |
Colchester. |
Anna Helene |
do |
Earl of Garborough |
Grimsby. |
Delphine |
do |
Majestic |
Hull. |
Christina (or Martha) |
|
Bocklesby Skipper |
Do. |
Merchant |
Nieuwedip |
Merchant |
Grimsby. |
Cosmopolite |
Schiedam |
|
|
Unknown |
Ems |
Two Sisters |
Do. |
Kenan |
Ostend |
|
|
[Inclosure 2 in No. 160.]
Floating grogshops in the North Sea.
It has from the nature of the circumstances involved been impracticable
to obtain exact particulars regarding the larger proportion of the very
numerous cases of disorder which have arisen in connection with the
traffic carried on by these vessels. No one acquainted with the North
Sea fisheries would however think of disputing the fact that grave and
widespread evils exist. Mr. Higgins’s report, made in 1881, gave a vivid
picture of the shocking occurrences to which the liquor traffic then
gave rise. Subject to one qualification it may be said that there is no
reason to suppose that there has since been any material alteration in
the aspect of the matter. The qualification is that some mitigation of
the evils is said to have been effected in particular trawling fleets
with which the smacks of the “Mission to Deep-Sea Fishermen” cruise,
through the moral influence of the presence of the mission smacks, which
are in reality floating churches and hospitals. But this mission is a
voluntary agency, dependent for funds on the gifts of charitable
persons, with consequently no guarantee for the maintenance and
extension of its work.
In a letter to the Times newspaper, dated April of this year, the
director of the above mission gave the subjoined extract from a
communication then just received by him from the Great Grimsby Ice
Company, which is of interest as an illustration of the surroundings of
the question of the floating grog-shops. The “Edward Auriol” here
mentioned is one of the mission smacks.
“We are informed that the ‘Edward Auriol’ left our fleet on the 26th
March, and there has not been a mission vessel near them since. There is
a cooper in the fleet now, and is doing a very great deal of harm. A lot
of the men went on board for tobacco, and instead of getting the latter
they got that infernal drink. The men got wild with drink, and many of
them did not get on board their own vessels, and some of them have come
in and left the vessels at the fleet undermanned. This state of affairs
is terrible.”
Since 1881 the board of trade have continued to receive the same class of
representations in general terms regarding the evils of this traffic as
they did previously to Mr. Higgins’s inquiry. Shortly before the
departure of the British delegates from England a petition was received
from owners, masters, and crews of fishing-smacks, praying for the
prohibition of the traffic, and stating their belief “that by the
abolition of this abominable traffic great blessings will be conferred
not only on the men who man the trawling smacks and on their wives,
children, and relations, but on the owners of the smacks and on the
property afloat in them.” To this petition one thousand four hundred
signatures were attached, and there is little doubt that had time
allowed the number of signatures could have been enormously
increased.
The following are particulars regarding certain cases of liquor traffic,
the circumstances of which have come within the special cognizance of
the British Government:
[Page 755]
“mizpah,” of yarmouth.
This English smack was one of a fleet engaged in fishing during February,
1884, when they were joined by a floating grog-shop named the “Swallow,”
said to be under the Netherlands flag. Drink was obtained from the
“Swallow,” and a carouse took place in the cabin of the Mizpah. Her
master then went on deck and fell overboard, being intoxicated. Owing to
the drunkenness prevailing on the Mizpah the maneuvers requisite for
saving the master were not executed, and the unhappy man was drowned
under the eyes of his crew. The mate of the Mizpah was prosecuted and
convicted for having failed to take the necessary steps for saving the
life of the master.
disorders off terschelling.
In consequence of a report made to them as to injury sustained by the
mate of the fishing-smack Holmesdale, of Great Yarmouth, in May, 1884,
the board of trade instituted an investigation. This was conducted by
the mayor of Yarmouth, the collector of customs at Yarmouth, and a
barrister acting as their legal assistant.
It was elicited that on Sunday, the 11th May, 1884, some one hundred and
thirty British fishing-smacks, forming the Columbia fleet, were off
Terschelling. They were accompanied by a steamer for carrying fish home
when taken by the smacks. Three floating grog-shops, said to be
Netherland vessels, were also with the fleet, and were selling spirits
and tobacco to the smack men during the day.
The Holmesdale, a fishing-smack of Yarmouth, with a crew of six hands,
was one of the fleet. About 9 a.m. her master, fourth hand, and deck
hand, left her, taking with them the fish caught over night, and
proceeded to the Edith and Mary, a smack lying near. The master boarded
the Edith and Mary and sent on his small boat with the fish to the
steamer. On leaving the steamer the two men from the Holmesdale went to
a grog-shop, from which they bought three bottles of aniseed cordial, an
intoxicating liquor, and conveyed it to their own vessel, where they
commenced drinking.
The master of the Holmesdale returned to her in about two hours. He was
seemingly aware of what was going on, but though he took no share in the
drinking he made no effort to check it. After a time he returned to the
Edith and Mary, taking with him his deck hand, and these two men stayed
on board that vessel until late in the evening.
Drinking continued on board the Holmesdale all day, more aniseed cordial
being from time to time obtained from the grog-shop. Other liquor was
brought from a smack called the Robert and John, which came alongside
the Holmesdale, and a general drinking bout ensued among men of both
crews. Late in the afternoon the master of another smack, the Robert and
Susannah, joined them. During the day there was much drunkenness on
board the Holmesdale, which received visitors from some smacks besides
those already named.
About three in the afternoon the admiral of the fleet signaled for all
vessels to run west. The Holmesdale lagged behind, and her master
consequently had difficulty in rejoining her. He reached her about 9
p.m., and found only members of her own crew on board, but was informed
that just before two men from other smacks had left her the worse for
liquor. At this time Jonah George, second hand of the Holmesdale, was
lying at the tiller in a tipsy state. The master desired him to leave
the tiller; George refused, and was pushed away. He then became
quarrelsome. A sort of scuffle ensued, and he fell twice, on the second
occasion dislocating his shoulder and injuring his face. This
necessitated his being sent back to Yarmouth by the attending steamer
for medical treatment.
As a result of the investigation Jonah George, second hand of the
Holmesdale, Alfred Charles Teck, master of the Robert and Susannah, and
Frederick Powles, second hand of the Robert and John, were found to have
been guilty of gross misconduct and drunkenness. Their certificates were
consequently suspended for periods of two and three months.
The gentlemen who conducted the investigation animadverted thoroughly on
the conduct of the master of the Holmesdale, and regretted having been
unable to punish him, it having been necessary, in the interest of
justice, to call him as a witness. In concluding their report on the
matter they observed, “The present case offers one more example of the
great evils which are done to the fishing interests of the country by
the system of cooperage, and we are of opinion that some immediate
remedies are imperatively demanded.”
case of the “anne-helene,” of
geestemünde.
On the 19th August, 1884, the masters of four English smacks from
Grimsby, when about 30 miles from the Danish coast, went on board a
floating grog-shop known familiarly among the fishing-fleets as the
“Green” owing to her color. They met other English fishermen on board,
and had some liquor. Afterwards a dispute arose between one of the
Englishmen named William Bashcomb and the mate of the grogshop, [Page 756] in respect of some fish which
were on hoard, and some violence resulted. A brother of Bashcomb being
present took part with his relative and received two stabs with a knife
from the mate of the grog-shop. The mate then jumped below and was seen
no more, but the master of the vessel appeared in the companion with a
revolver. When the latter perceived that one of the Bashcombs was
seriously hurt, he rendered what assistance he could, and the wounded
man was transferred to one of the smacks and brought home for treatment.
He eventually recovered.
The German Government instituted proceedings against the mate of the
grog-shop, this vessel proving to be the Anna-Helene of Geestemünde.
The tribunals however acquitted the man, it being considered that the
accused had acted in self defense, and had not exceeded the limits
thereof.
“flying scud,” of yarmouth.
This trawler left Yarmouth on an eight weeks’ fishing voyage near the end
of July, 1884, and was duly provisioned at starting. Her usual master
was prevented from going with her, but joined her at sea some three
weeks later. In the interval she was commanded temporarily by another
certificated master, who, shortly after reaching the fishing-ground,
sent word home that she was four pieces of beef short in her
provisioning, and asked that this alleged deficiency should be made
good. The owner’s suspicions were aroused, and he directed the actual
master on his going out for the purpose of taking command to “see after”
the beef. The latter neglected to make a personal investigation, and
trusting to the mate’s version, reported the beef to be six pieces
short. The other master on giving up command returned to port and
received his pay without any special remark.
When the Flying Scud came back to Yarmouth it transpired that during the
command of the man first temporarily employed as master, and under his
orders, beef, biscuit, and salt from her provisions were given in
exchange for liquor and tobacco, to a floating grog-shop to which
several visits were paid, The nationality of the grogshop is not known.
During the period in question the man who was acting as master appears
to have been drunk at least twice, and on one occasion to have broken a
bottle of grog over the cook’s head.
cases of the “diedrich” and the
“anna.”
The circumstances under which these two floating grog-shops, which are
German vessels, were plundered by English fishermen in the North Sea in
the year 1884, are too notorious to call for exact recital at this
moment. Whilst it will be remembered that sentences of imprisonment were
passed by the English court on several English fishermen, it seems
proper to point out that the men concerned in the matter of the Diedrich
were the worse for liquor, which they had obtained on board her in the
ordinary course of her traffic.
It further appears from a report of the commanding officer of the British
cruiser Rose, that in about a month after the plunder of the Diedrich
she was again the nucleus of a scene of dissipation and misconduct
amongst fishing-smacks in the North Sea.
[Inclosure 3 in No. 160.]
Annexe.
The British delegates have to-day (24 June) received from Hamburg the
following particulars respecting the quantity of spirits and tobacco to
be taken on board a smack named the Delphin, which is shortly to start
for a trip in the North Sea:
Articles. |
Quantity
taken on board. |
Price at
sea. |
Dutch shag tobacco |
pounds |
2,000 |
1s. 6d. per
pound. |
Chewing tobacco |
boxes |
15 |
2s. per pound. |
Rum |
bottles |
200 |
1s. 6d. per
bottle. |
Grog essence |
do |
50 |
2s. per bottle. |
Double caraway brandy |
do |
100 |
Do. |
Raspberry liquor |
do |
50 |
Do. |
Cherry liquor |
do |
12 |
Do. |
Dutch gin |
do |
250 |
1s. 3d. per
bottle. |
Peppermint liquor |
do |
80 |
2s. per bottle. |
Annisette (large and small) |
do |
100 |
2s. and 1s.6d.per bottle. |
Dantzig (large and small) Goldwasser |
do |
100 |
Do. |
Cigars |
3,000 |
Various prices. |
A quantity
of pipes |
|
|
[Page 757]
They learn from the same source that the price at which the above liquor
is sold to fishermen is two shillings per bottle, and that it can be
bought at Hamburg for five-pence per bottle. They further learn that
this particular smack during last season, from April to October,
accomplished eight trips, extending as far as the coast of Scotland.