17,000. What kind of boats were these?-They got the Caithness boats; but that is not so much the practice now. The fishermen seem to get them from the boat-builders now, and make their own arrangements for them.
17,001. Have you seen any of the Shetland boats?-Yes, I have seen them at Wick. I think they generally have four oars.
17,002. Have you seen any of the six-oared boats?-Yes. I think there are two or three classes of them. They have a small boat, then a four-oared boat, and then the larger six-oared boat.
17,003. But they depend most on the six-oared boats now: have you any knowledge of the cost of such boats?-There are very few of the Shetland boats that come to Wick; but I have seen some of the Orkney boats there, which I believe are very similar, and I think a boat of that kind, with masts, sails, and oars complete, would cost about £50.
17,004. Were these boats half-decked?-There was no deck on them when I saw them. They were all open.
17,005. What was the size of them?-I would suppose about 24 feet keel.
17,006. However, you don't know much about the Shetland boats?-No; it is the Orkney boats that I have seen coming to Wick.
17,007. Do you purchase salt for curing your fish?-It is generally supplied from Liverpool.
17,008. What is the usual price that is paid for salt for curing?-It varies in price. Last year I think it would be about 12s. per ton in Liverpool.
17,009. Have you been able to get salt in Liverpool for curing as low as 7s. per ton?-No. I have never bought it, but I have an idea about what it costs. It is generally from 9s. to 11s.; I never heard of it being under 9s.