practice of the Artillery volunteers. In reply, a resolution was passed, that considering the risk of danger likely to be incurred, the committee, with great reluctance, felt themselves bound to decline giving the permission. In the Humane Society branch 10s. was awarded to William Mann, a boatman for saving the life of a little boy. Capt Gough reported that in consequence of the coxswain (a coastguardman) having disobeyed his orders in taking off the boat at the last practice, he had discharged him from the command of the boat. He further reported that he had an excellent volunteer crew of coastguards, who desired that Morfee should be their Coxswain, who was willing to accept the post.
The Fishery.
Much Distress. A meeting was held on Jan. 9th, of the Special Relief-fund committee to take some steps to relieve the distressed state of the fishery. There was a balance of £110 in the Bank of the fund collected two years before, and of this it was resolved to distribute £10 to each of four districts amongst the persons connected with the fishery who were found to be most in want, and for that purpose a sub-committee was formed.
A Turn of the Tide. After a long period of restless weather, during which the fishing luggers could rarely put to sea, news arrived from the west coast in the second week of January that the Hastings boats in that region had commenced the mackerel season with a prospect of success. T. Page’s “Fanny” caught 39,000; R. Foord’s “Charlotte” 25,000; E. Pomphrey’s “Endeavour”, 16,000; William Gallop’s “Swan”, 16,000; G. Hutchings’s” British Queen”, 10,000; and some other boats a less quantity. Trawl fish, at home was also abundant.
More Misfortunes. The anticipated success of the mackerel season was not realised, owing mainly to unfavourable weather again setting in, so that up to the 31st of March, the earning were almost nil. At home, also, the constantly recurring rough weather necessitated the boats being wound up for about three weeks.
Ten Fishermen Drowned. Next came the violent gale of the 2nd of June, as described on pages 14 and 15, when ten fishermen belonging to Hastings were drowned, while attempting to get into Newhaven harbour. Three more bodies, in addition to that of Edward Pomphrey’s were afterwards picked up from the “vasty deep”, and were provided with a resting place beneath their native soil. They were identified as those of Stephen Spice, Thomas Adams and Austin White.
A Relief Fund for the families of the drowned fishermen was set on foot, and on the 9th of July a meeting of the committee was held at the Town Hall, when it was found that the collectors had got together about £420. It was resolved that £250 should be appropriated to the relief who suffered losses belonging to Hastings, and that the surplus -
