32 
time in the trawl, he did not think they would live to come 
to maturity. He had known several fishing-grounds where, 
when you caught the fish and held them up, you could see 
through them like sheets of paper, but the next season they 
found the fish were a little better, and so on; and he came 
to the conclusion that the continual trawling and ploughing 
up of the ground caused worms and small shell-fish to come 
to the surface, so as to afford more food to the fish, and 
that, therefore, some good was produced as well as evil. He 
had no doubt they were all aware that nature had provided 
different places of protection for animals on shore, and like- 
wise similar places of resort for fish at the bottom of the 
sea. These were places where sailing vessels could not 
fish on account of the rough ground-rocks and stocks ; but 
it was found from experience that on different parts of this 
rough ground there were portions of what was called fine 
ground, and the steam trawlers, which were constantly 
working up and down the coast, found out where these 
grounds were by means of their lead, and were able to work 
them, and thus caught the fish in this protected place 
amongst the rough ground, and thus prevented the fish 
getting out farther away where the sailing vessels could get 
at them. It was now necessary to go a great many miles 
to sea; the expense incurred in fitting out the vessels was 
very great, and at times the returns were not enough to 
make it pay. In former times the vessels were very small, 
but now, as trade and demand had increased, they had in- 
creased in size, and of course in cost; but it not unfre- 
quently happened that an accident would occur by which 
the whole of the gear was carried away, to the great loss of 
the owners and fishermen. 
Mr. COWAN wished to add, that at the conference of 
fishermen at Eyemouth the opinion was expressed that 
