larger carrying capacity in same space of vessel. (2) The priming-out pieces are much higher up on sides of vessel, giving more room for boring hull, which affords much better circulation of water in well, which is a great advantage in keeping lobsters alive while on long trips. (3) Every lobster can be easily bailed out of the well without grounding the vessel, which is necessary with all vessels having the old-style well. (4) In all steam and well smacks the after part of the ship is always steadiest, consequently the well being located aft, as in my smacks, the lobsters contained in them are not subjected to the hard pounding while running in seaway that they are in the old-style wells, where there is no chance to relieve themselves other than to be forced against the well decks by the upward force of the water when the vessel settles into the sea, and which results in killing many of them.

Both of my steamers have box wells aft, and from my experience, compared with all other steam and well smacks afloat, I am convinced that this well, for all practical purposes, is the best that has yet been adapted to steam smacks.  So far as the Grace Morgan is concerned, she has been a perfect success in carrying her lobsters in all kinds of weather since I put her into commission October 27, 1892, during which time she has had a wonderful career, as well as carrying millions of lobsters.  Probably no boat of her size has ever had such an experience, as she has run steadily the year around in all kinds of weather during the past eight years. . . .  Previous to buying the Grace Morgan I had run steamers in the lobster business, but they had no well, and being so hot in their holds, particularly in the summer months, the lobsters died so fast that the business in dry steamers could not be made profitable.  This is what prompted me to construct a well in mine, as I have done.

The Grace Morgan has a length of 49 feet, a breadth of 13.9 feet, and a depth of 5.7 feet, a gross tonnage of 21 tons, and a net tonnage of 10 tons.

The steam smacks now used average about 14 tons.  They are usually built low in the water, and have a small pilot-house forward, with an open space between it and the engine-house, and living quarters aft.  The boat has also one or two short masts.  Some of them also have the pilot-house and engine-house joined together.  In those with a space between the pilot-house and engine-house the well is usually placed in this open space.  Where the pilot-house and engine-house are together the well is either located forward or aft.  These wells are generally capable of bolding from 3,000 to 10,000 live lobsters.  Small holes in the bottom of the well keep it filled with fresh sea water.  Should the weather be clear the proportion of dead and injured lobsters will be small, but in bad weather many are apt to be killed by the pitching and rolling to which they are subjected.