FISHiNG FOR SPENT SHELLS. ONE OF THE MOST RISKY OF' OCCUPATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 55

FISHiNG FOR SPENT SHELLS. ONE OF THE MOST RISKY OF' OCCUPATIONS.

There are a good many strange ways of getting a living out of the sea. But one oi the strangest — and, considering the riska involved, least profitable — is that of fishing up spent shells. Yet many gain a livelihood by it. At all places where • target practice is carried on seaward, you will find the shell fisher with his roomy boat and queer-looking tackle. But the Tom Tiddler's ground of the shell fisherman is undoubtedly in the Solent. Here hundreds of shells go splashing into the water in the course of a year from the land forts and the gunboats in which seamen classes are trained.

The shell fishermen work in parties. As soon as the gunboats go out, shell fishers follow them, and wherever target practice is going on from the forts, there will you find the seekers after the spent shells — and they are always dodging about somewhere near the target. Their boats are broadbeamed craft, each capable of carrying a ton weight ; but lucky indeed would be the party who got a full cargo. Of course, the men are warned to keep oiit of the way when firing is in progress — but they don't. With the utmost nonchalance and coolness they lie quietly by and watch for a shell to splash into the water. Marking where it fell, they immediately row to where they conclude it has found the bottom, and. over goes their . grappling tackle in search of it. So skilful have many of. these men become, that .they , will locate the position of a shell most accurately. The tackle they use in recovering- tlia missiles is a long pole "with a couple of grippers on the end. These are operated by. a contrivance somewhat similar to that used by gardeners for working the long pruning shears with which trees are cut. The grippers are dropped down open, an-1 when they have been got across the shell they are closed tightly upon it by means of the arrangement before mentioned. But hooking your fish is one thing; landing it is another. Sometimes the fishers get it to the edge of the boat, rails- to sec it slip back again. Seeing that the followers of this strango occuniiion usually work somewhere within the line of fire it is really remarkable that serious accidents do not happen. But the cool-nerved, daring fishermen seem to bear charmed lives, for the gunners whom they annoy by getting within range are nob always kindly inclined towards them. Occasionally a bowsprit is taken off. Very often a big missile goes hurtling over tbi boat ; but no fatal accident to a shell fishermen whilst in pursuit of his dangerous calling has yet occurred. An occupation ■which ie followed at such risk must be very profitable or men would not undertake it, the "reader will argue, and very feasibly, too. Yet shell fishing is anything but a lucrative -calling. • Very often the men will be out for a whole day and get nothing.

What sheila are recovered are taken ashore. The brass filling is cut out of the .base and fetches a little at the marine stoics. The shells themselves are sold to the naval and military authorities. A 6in shell - (and these are the most numerous) brings the fishermen half a crown ; for an Bin they get 4s 6d ; for a 9in, 7s 6d ; for a lOin, 12s 6d ; and for a 12in shell, 255. One good feature of the shell fishing industry is that, on the market to which the wares are taken* ali transactions are for ready cash. The shell fisherman's dearest hope, hoWft

ever, is that he may capture a stray torpedo. Numbers of these weapons are lost '&n Stokes Bay every year, and for every 'one that is recovered the naval authorities [pay a reward of sgs ; nor, seeing that each (torpedo costs from £300 upwards, is it surprising that the authorities are very 'glad to get them back at this price. But the torpedo that goes astray has a habit of hiding itself very securely. If the shell fisher can capture it, or some of its erratic brethren, he is well content Avith his day's Avork..', Usually, however, it happens that when a torpedo is reJcovered it turns out to be not the one 'Bought after — but one found purely by 'chance. Torpedoes that have lain for 'years at the bottom of the sea have been grappled by pure luck, and, unexpectedly, ere found to be in as -good working order as when they were first lost. I _ _ i