314 REMARKS ON TRAWLING. 
apparatus. In 1884 reliance was placed on the old hawser fixed to 
the trawl-warp in the case of the net being held by a sunken wreck 
or arock. Now, the moment the net is fixed, the ‘brake ”’ (which is 
secured to a moderate degree) permits the trawl-warp to run out, 
and thus save the net from serious rupture or total destruction while 
the ship is being stopped. In the Granton ships an iron wire rope 
is used instead of a hawser from a hook on the mainmast, to save 
rubbing on the rail. This is fixed to the trawl-warp by spun-yarn. 
The length of the trawl-warp, which is of steel-wire rope, ranges 
from 200 to 240 fathoms. The warp has six outer and a central 
strand. The older warps had a Manilla centre, but the newer have 
wire. A change has also been made in the teeth of the wheels of 
the winch, for instead of being transverse, they are now helical or ob- 
lique in such ships as the “ Belcher.”? The warp is runround a capstan 
in rear, and out by a slit with rollers in the bulwarks of the ship. 
The large ends of the winch are used, as formerly, for winding the 
bridles and all ropes and tackle, the latter being still the method of 
hoisting on board the bag of the trawl. Instead, however, of the 
snatch-blocks being fixed to the deck, they now are attached to the 
top of the engine-room, A considerable number of the paddle-ships 
still use a 9-inch Manilla hawser as trawl-warp, and it is wound 
round a capstan from wheels beneath the deck. These also have 
the piece of old hawser (at Montrose of about 15 fathoms) asa guard 
during trawling, but, as indicated, the best screw-trawlers have the 
“brake”? on the winch. In one or two of the older trawlers at 
Granton, the narrowness of the ship has caused the winch to be 
placed on the fore part longitudinally, not transversely. 
In some of the ships at Aberdeen the steering or wheel-house has 
a roof, with side-panels and panes, so as to protect the men, and it 
occupies the same position, viz. in the centre of the vessel. Others 
have simply a canvas shelter above the wood. In one of the newest 
vessels at Aberdeen, the steering-house is open, as it is stated the 
men are apt to sleep in the covered houses, and prefer to be in the 
open air during their watches, while it is interesting to note that the 
Granton General Steam Fishing Company’s ships have always had open 
wooden wheel-houses. Besides a spirit-compass on a stand, a new ves- 
sel has an inverted one on a wooden pole, so that two are available in 
steering. Coals are still carried in the side-bunkers, which in the best 
ships have a floor of cement, so as to minimise the danger from fire. 
At Aberdeen small English coals are largely used,* and instead of 
being piled loosely on deck at starting, as in some of the vessels from 
Granton, the extra coals are stored in bags, and are thus more 
easily handled. ‘The finest vessels carry about 60 tons of coal in 
* At 11s. per ton. 
