INDISPENSABLE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume IV, Issue 962, 12 March 1917, Page 6

INDISPENSABLE.

ENGLAND'S FISHER FOLK. INGRAINED ADAPTABILITY. One of the most striking features of the naval war, writes the naval correspondent of Ihe New York "Herald," is the manner in which its novel conditions have brought to light many valuable assets of national strength in a manner which was quite unexpected. A typical example of this was referred to by Sir John Jellicoe in the first speech he has made since the war began, and in which he expressed his admiration and respect for the spirit and work in the auxiliary forces of the Navy, of Ihe many thousands of seafarers who were formerly engaged in commercial pursuits. Among these must certainly be classed those who before the war followed the calling of fishermen, and who during the conflict have, indeed, exemplified the traditional spirit of the British seaman.

The events of the last two and ahalf years* struggle al sea against all kinds of surprises prepared by the enemy have shown not only howvaluable but how indispensable a factor in the national policy of a maritime country is the encouragement of a race of hardy fishermen. They not only serve an essential purpose in peace time by supplying the country with a valuable and wholesome food product, but the nature of their occupation provides a fine training in resource, endurance, and other attributes which prove a great asset of strength should the defence of the country's interests require them in the naval service. If, in addition, the fishermen have been invited to prepare themselves for the possibility of serving in the Navy in response to the call of duty, they constitute a body of nien of whose fighting qualities any nation might well be proud. Neglected Opportunities.

Before the present war hardly any attempt had been made to induce the British fishermen to join the various reserves of the Fleet. A certain number belonged to the Royal Naval Reserve (formed as far back as 1852, principally from the seamen of the mercantile marine), and the organisation ,f this body provided a valuable nucleus when the larger call came. The immense demand which the war made upon the seafaring community was quite a revelation. So little had the magnitude of the call been realised beforehand that scores of fishermen who belonged to the reserves, and who, with others, were automatically called up for service at the mobilisation, were drafted into the ranks of the Royal Naval Division for duty on land. It was only when the menace of the mine assumed large proportions that the authorities became fully awake to the urgency of obtaining the services of the deep-sea fishermen in connection with the efforts for meeting it. Then the indispensable character of these men, of whom there were about 125,000 in the country, was realised. Some slight provision of the kind had been made before the war. In April, 1909, the Admiralty purchased five steam trawlers as mine sweepers, experiments having shown that the modern trawl, which sweeps the bottom of the sea, was well adapted to fish up a submarine mine or render one useless by dislodging it from its moorings. Two years later it was announced that a trawler section of the Royal Naval Reserve had been organised. Certain of the fishing ports became the headquarters of this new force. But in those days, perhaps because the thought of actual war was very remote to them, the fishermen were not verv keen to join. On April 2, 1911, the" enrolment of 300 was begun at Grimsby. On June 10 it was reported that only «S1 men had been obtained. Alterations of the conditions of service subsequently stimulated the flow of recruits. The Navy estimates of March, 1914, showed that the total strength of the trawler section was 142 officers and 1130 men. The Call and the Answer. When the war came and more volunteers were called for, the response

i \v;is generous beyond words. Men flocked in .it Ihe fishing centres at (which the Admiralty had established j depots. If the need of them came as a surprise, the readiness to supply the i need was no less surprising. It has ; been publicly slated that nine I months alter war broke out, 14,000 j fishermen were engaged in minesweeping, and the oflicial Navy List shows that the officers of the trawlcrs, who hold the rank of skipper, . now number well over 2000, instead lof 142 before the war. InfortunI ately about XO have lost their lives ! on active service.

This last-named fact emphasises the deadly nature of the work. Not only is there the danger of the trawlers being blown up by Ihe mines they are sweeping for, especially in rough weather, but Ihe risk of attack by submarine, by torpedo craft, such as recently penetrated into the Channel, and even by Zeppelins and other aircraft, is always present. Vet, in spite of this, the fishermen show a dauntless spirit. Their work in sweeping for the mines in the Dardanelles under the guns of the Turkish batteries was especially fine.

Not only in the dangerous work of mine-sweeping but in the no less arduous duty of patrolling the trawler crews have rendered good service. As the war proceeds there occur constantly new needs to be met, new measures to be devised.

The British sailor is proverbially a handy man, and his gift of improvisation never had better material to work upon than that provided by the fishermen, who are now to be found doing all kinds of duties in all kinds of craft which the exigencies of the sea war have called into use. A similar transformation has occurred at the fishing ports. What were quiet towns engaged in peaceful commerce have now become naval bases and miniature dockyards to supply the needs of the auxiliary fleets which have been organised, with lightning speed, from the fishing and coastwise craft available.

The Lesson. As to the result of this call upon :the fishing community there is the testimony of Vice Admiral Sir Reginald Bacon, commanding the . over patrol, in which so many of them are serving. He speaks of the remarkable aptitude shown by the officers and crews of the drifters and trawlers, who. in diilicult waters, under conditions totally strange to them, have maintained their allotted stations without a single accident, exhibiting also great coolness under fire. It is shown, says the Admiral, how deeph sea adaptability is ingrained in the seafaring race of these islands.

Herein lies the lesson for any maritime nation. Just as a large anil flourishing mercantile marine is essential to the maintenance of efficient naval power, so the encouragement of the fishing industry . isequally necessary. The work of the trawler skippers and crews in the British navy during this war cannot be too highly appreciated. It has not gone unrecognised, and several officers and men have received awards for it, including a number who have obtained the Distinguished Service Cross. Although the men in the service of the Admiralty have received well-merited praise, the work of their brethren who have carried on their ordinary occupation as fishermen in the face of so many perils should also be remembered. It is noless heroic and in its way quite a* useful to the country as the services of the men who clear the mines, keep watch and guard off the coasts, help to man the patrol flotillas antf also to hunt the submarine.