s officer to weigh all the bream caught from
the 1st November to the 31st of March, for which he receives a
"gratuity" of 100 pesetas, or say 4_l._, sterling. Two other seneros,
or signalmen, are told off to keep all boats in port during bad
weather, and to call together the crews when circumstances appear
favorable for sailing. Should there be a difference of opinion between
these experts as to the meteorological probabilities, the patrons, or
skippers of the fishing-boats, are summoned in council and their
opinion taken by "secret vote with black and white balls." The
decision so arrived at is irrevocable, and all are bound to sail
should it be so decided; those who do not do so paying a fine to the
funds of the association. The boats carrying the seneros fly a color
by means of which they signal orders for sailing to the other vessels.
These seneros appear to be the Spanish equivalent to the English
admiral of a trawling fleet.

The boats used by these fishermen are fine craft; one or two models of
them were shown in the Exhibition. A first-class boat will be of about
the following dimensions: Length over all, 45 ft. to 50 ft.; breadth
(extreme), 9 ft. to 10 ft. 3 in.; depth (inside), 3 ft. 10 in. to 4
ft. The keel is of oak 6 in. by 31/2 in. The stem and stern posts are
also of oak. The planking is generally of oak or walnut--the latter
preferred--and is 3 in. thick, the width of the planks being 41/2 in.
Many boats are now constructed of hard wood to the water line and
Norway pine above.

The fastenings are galvanized nails 41/2 in. long. The mast-partners and
all the thwarts are of oak 11/2 in. thick and 8 in. wide; the latter are
fastened in with iron knees. Lee-board and rudder are of oak, walnut,
or chestnut; the rudder extends 31/2 ft. to 4 ft. below the keel, and,
in giving lateral resistance, balances the lee-board, which is thrust
down forward under the lee-bow. The rig consists of two lags, the
smaller one forward right in the eyes of the boat; the mainmast being
amidships. The lug sails are set on long yards, the fair-weather rig
consisting of a fore lug with 120 square yards, and a main lug of 200
square yards. There are six shifts of sail, the main being substituted
for the fore lug in turn as the weather increases, in a manner similar
to that in which our own Mounts Bay boats reduce canvas. The fair
weather rig requires two masts 42 ft. and 36 ft. long, and yards 28
ft. and 30 ft. long, respectively.