118 KORTII SEA INVESTIGATIONS. 



" square " iu the back as in the patent trawl. The attachment of the 

 towing rope to the board was made by means of four short iron chains 

 fixed to the board at four separate points. 



These unpatented beamless trawls were working with apparently 

 satisfactory success at the time of my visit, which lasted from August 

 27th to September 5th. In working them no frames were used for 

 hoisting, but the towing ropes were brought in over the pulleys fitted iu 

 the bulwarks forward and on the quarter rail for hoisting the beam 

 trawl. The boards were simply hoisted over the rail, and stowed on 

 deck when the trawl was hauled. Other contrivances were being tried 

 for greater convenience in handling the gear. On one vessel I saw an 

 aperture being made and fitted with rollers in the bulwarks of the 

 quarter, similar to that which was used in the fore part of the ship in 

 hoisting the beam trawl. In fact, at the time I was in Hull, it was very 

 remarkable to see the amount of work going on all about the fish dock, 

 in connection with the construction of new trawls and the fitting of new 

 contrivances on the vessels for their more convenient operation, while 

 collections of discarded beams and iron trawl-heads were lying neglected 

 in various places. 



From the circumstances of the case, and from a few trials that had 

 been made, it did not appear possible to use the beamless trawl with 

 advantage on sailing vessels. Its use apparently requires a strain that 

 shall be constant and not below a certain degree of strength, so that a 

 sailing smack could only use it when the wind was steady, and fairly 

 strong, and, under ordinary conditions, would be better off with the 

 beam trawl. It is evident, therefore, that the greater efficiency of the 

 new gear on steam trawlers makes the inferiority of the smacks greater 

 than it was before — and even before they had considerable difiiculty in 

 earning enough for their maintenance. 



Another question which arises from a consideration of the greater 

 efficiency of the beamless trawl, is its probable effect on the available 

 fish supply. It is true that its chief advantage lies in the greater number 

 of haddocks and cod it captures to supply a demand which is usually all 

 but insatiable, and a failure in the supply of haddock has not yet made 

 itself very evident. I have not at present any evidence of importance 

 of the use of the new gear on grounds which produce soles, but it 

 certainly brings in an increased number of plaice, t.g. from the Holman 

 Ground. Probably, therefore, as the supply of plaice has already 

 diminished, the advantage of the new gear with respect to this fish can 

 be only temporary, and we may expect that, in a few years, a trawl 

 spreading 75 ft. will not be able to capture more plaice than the beam- 

 trawl of 50 ft. could in the year 1895. 



Although compelled to adopt it by the necessity of self-preservation. 



