THEIR ROUND OF LIFE AND LABOUR. 4! 
of vessels and a vast number of men and boys are employed 
in the work of capture and distribution. 
We propose to give a brief sketch of the chief modes of 
fishing in the German Ocean, whcre, as a recent writer 
states, “no class of men work harder, live harder, or en- 
dure greater peril of their lives.” What we have to de- 
scribe, however, must be taken in a general sense, as we 
have not sufficient space at our disposal to enter into 
minute details. 
“Trawling,” as is generally known, is about the cheapest 
way of procuring plentiful supplies of our larger table-fishes ; 
no bait is required, and miraculous draughts are sometimes 
obtained. Great efforts are constantly being made to improve 
the vessels ; at all events, they are now built on a much larger 
scale than they used to be, while the introduction of a 
steam-worked capstan helps to save the men from some of 
the harder work which is incidental to that mode of fishing ; 
and in the course of few years it is highly probable that 
the North Sea fleet will also be propelled by steam. We 
have steam trawlers working on various parts of the coast, 
with all the appearance of success ; and the general intro- 
duction of such vessels in the North Sea is only a question 
of time. That the fish should reach the market as soon 
as caught, in order to be sold when thoroughly fresh and 
bring the highest possible price, is a necessity of the trade ; 
some of the single fishing-smacks have to run to port 
with their capture as soon as it is made, in order to catch 
the buyers who are waiting. If they were screws instead of 
sailing vessels it is obvious enough they would. be able 
to make speedier voyages than they can make with every 
stitch of the canvas they can carry set to catch the favour- 
ing breeze. The fishing-places, it may be stated, lie far out 
