REMARKS ON TRAWLING. 319 
downwards, while the last 14 feet has 14-inch mesh. ‘There is thus 
no diminution of the mesh at the “‘cod’”-end. Moreover, no 
improvement in the shape of a “ bonnet ” or apparatus for prevent- 
ing the compression of the fishes has been found serviceable. The 
net has various rubbing pieces of old net and ‘bass ” ropes, and 
the usual pockets internally. ‘The ground-rope is variable in com- 
position. The majority have this part of the trawl composed of 
rope only—an outer layer being wound round a central rope. The 
ground-rope of the Montrose ships is of Manilla soaked in tar, 8 
inches in circumference, and made up to 18 with others twisted 
round; and in the finest ships elsewhere it is 124 feet long. In 
some, two pieces of chain are inserted at the ends, thus making 
three divisions of the ground-rope, viz. a central, entirely of rope, 
and two lateral, with a centre of 18 feet of chain, each being tied 
to the other with spun-yarn. Ground-ropes with chain throughout 
are not now used. In certain ships the ground-rope has a centre 
of wire-rope with a series of wooden rollers, with occasionally here 
and there a pair of metal rollers (12 in all—Gunn’s patent). The 
rope is also in three divisions, and costs about £6 10s., or 30s. more 
than the ordinary form composed only of Manilla ropes. This arrange- 
ment is thought at Aberdeen to give an increased catch of fishes— 
sometimes about 5 or 6 baskets more than by the ordinary ground- 
rope. In some ships, again, the port and starboard-trawls have 
each a different ground-rope ; in the one the rope is all of one piece, 
whereas in the other three breaks occur, viz. two of wire and one of 
chain. In one ship the ground-rope had only 8 feet of chain at 
each end, while the centre had rope. All, however, do not think 
that the rollers are so satisfactory as a ground-rope with pieces of 
lead in the centre. Moreover, one of the features which contrasts 
strongly with the condition in 1884 is the fact that the newest 
ships, with the exception of the Montrose vessels, now carry two 
trawls—a starboard and port-trawl—complete in all respects. This 
arrangement has been in force for at least four or five years, and 
probably was introduced from England. At Aberdeen, however, 
the second trawl is, as a rule, used as a reserve apparatus, and is 
not put into requisition until the first has received damage. ‘he 
mode of working the two trawls would thus appear to differ mate- 
rially in the respective countries, since, according to an interesting 
paper by Mr. W. L. Calderwood,* as soon as the contents of the 
first trawl are placed on the deck, the second is immediately ‘ shot ” 
overboard. The same arrangement has been found at Grimsby by 
Mr. Holt, who mentions, however, that the reserve-trawl is shot 
while the ‘‘ cod ”’-end with its fishes is still hanging from the tackle. 
* British Sea Fisheries and Fishing Areas, Scottish Geogr, Mag,, eb. 1894, p. 73, 
