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PART II - HAGUE RULES 209Article 3 (3) (b) - Contents of bill of lading: number of packages, etc.whom we owe the greatest respect and gratitude for his labours, that we need not havesuch great fears and he gave us this reason that, according to the wording, the shipperhad to give the quantity or measure of each item before the loading started - that wasthe wording of the original text - and he said, and rightly so, and I was at that time gladto find that leading gentlemen considered that that was really a safeguard: “In 9 casesout of 10 the merchant when the loading starts does not know the quantity which theship is going to load, therefore he cannot give you that quantity in writing, and, as hehas not fulfilled his part of the bargain, you need not sign a clean bill of lading forquantity or weight”, at least that is the way I understood it at that time. Well, it is to beobserved that whereas it is said in the Hague Rules “as furnished in writing by the shipperbefore the loading starts”, the words “before the loading starts” have been eliminatedin the amended Rules and to that extent they appear to us now more risky thanthe original Rules.Text adopted by the Conference(CMI Bulletin No. 65 - Gothenborg Conference)[376]3. After receiving the goods into his charge the carrier or the master or agent of thecarrier shall on demand OF THE SHIPPER issue to the shipper a bill of lading showing,amongst other things:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(b) EITHER the number of packages or pieces, or the quantity, or weight, as the casemay be, as furnished in writing by the shipper;