CHAINWORK. 



Network, this, it ought to be constructed not only of limited 

 ' dimensions, so as easily to find room in an ordinary 

 cottage, but also with every possible attention to 

 simplicity, so as neither to involve great expence in 

 its original price, nor to be liable to frequent repairs, 

 where it might be difficult, if not impracticable, to 

 find proper mechanics. In order to effect a machine 

 of this kind, it is proposed to limit the extent of net 

 to be wrought to the measure of 36 inches in breadth, 

 or one English yard. For a machine upon such a 

 scale, a space not exceeding 5 feet square will be 

 found amply sufficient, so that it may be accessible 

 in every part ; and this, it is presumed, might be spared 

 even in a house of small dimensions, for an object of 

 such material importance to all interested in the pro- 

 secution of any of the branches of the fishery, especial- 

 ly those which are carried on to the greatest extent, 

 and which consequently require the most abundant 

 supply of tackling. In order also to avoid all the 

 expences attendant on the application of mechanical 

 power, it would be proper that one person should be 

 enabled, with facility and dispatch, to communicate 

 to the machine all the motions of which it is suscep- 

 tible, as in the common weaving loom, the stock- 

 ing frame, and many other engines. Without actual 

 experience, every calculation of quantity to be pro- 

 duced by any machine must ever be vague, and liable 

 to great uncertainty and possible error, because nei- 

 ther the velocity at which the machine may be made 

 advantageously to move, nor the dexterity of the 

 operator, can be hypothetically calculated, without 

 possessing more accurate data than can be safely as- 

 sumed. A calculation upon assumed and specified 

 data may however be made ; and this, if moderately 

 taken, may afford an approximation to the truth, and 

 at the same time warrant a well-grounded hope, that 

 when the machine has been brought to a proper state 

 of accuracy in all its motions, and the operator has 

 acquired a sufficient degree of practical dexterity, 

 the actual result will rather exceed than fall short of 

 the premised estimate. Upon this ground alone the 

 following assumptions and calculations resulting from 

 them are founded : 



Let the breadth of net to be wrought at the same 

 time be 36 inches, and the diagonal of every mesh 

 from the opposite points of the diamond be 2 inches. 

 Of course there will be 18 meshes wrought at the 

 same time ; and were it possible to work the machine 

 : at the same ratio of velocity with which a mesh may 

 be formed by the common manual process, the ratio 

 of increment of quantity, or diminution of labour, 

 would be as 18 to 1. But as this is not to be expect- 

 ed, let us suppose that the machine, at a moderate 

 velocity of action, would complete one row of 18 

 meshes even in the space of one minute, which is very 

 slow indeed, and probably much underrated ; the space 

 of 36 minutes would then be required for every square 

 yard of netting, and 12 working hours for each day's 

 labour, the total result would be 18 yards per diem, 

 Thus the labour of three boys or girls would be suf- 

 ficient, annually, to equip a vessel of 70 or 80 tons 

 burthen with her whole supply of netting. How 

 far any part of the data, upon which this calculation 

 is founded, may prove practically erroneous, it is im- 

 possible in the present state of the invention to ascer- 

 tain ; but as a very low rate of velocity is assumed, 

 it may perhaps not be overcharged, and the actual 



result may be ascertained at a trivial expence, by Network. 

 the construction of a single machine. >y^/ 



Of the second kind of machine to which an allu- 

 sion has been made, a very brief notice only seems 

 necessary at present. Were machines to be construct- 

 ed to act by the impetus of mechanical power, a much 

 larger scale would probably be found advantageous. 

 This must involve the preliminary expence of a build- 

 ing adapted to the purpose, with a waterfall and wheel 

 or steam engine for the moving power. The machi- 

 nery we might then suppose sufficiently large to work 

 at once 6 yards, or the whole depth of a net ; and 

 were this done at an equal velocity with what has 

 been assumed, the quantity produced would be im- 

 mense indeed. The original capital sunk would how- 

 ever necessarily be very large, and, divested of every 

 other impediment, much of the profit would neces- 

 sarily depend upon the economy of management, and 

 internal regulation. As, besides this, many parts of 

 the same general principles would be common to 

 both machines, the latter seems more legitimately 

 calculated to be brought into efficiency, as an exten- 

 sion and improvement of the former, founded upon 

 practical experience and observation, than as the first 

 effort of an infant and unascertained mechanical ex- 

 periment. 



When, according to the first plan, a sufficient quan. 

 tity of webs of netting, of the breadth of 36, 54, or 

 72 inches had been formed, they might easily be 

 joined, by intercalary meshes formed in the common 

 way, into nets of any requisite dimensions ; and if a 

 supply of netting in webs, rolled up in a convenient 

 form, were kept in the holds of fishing vessels, or in 

 stores contiguous to the fishing stations, all accidents 

 might be instantly repaired, all deficiencies supplied, 

 and the stock of nets speedily increased, according to 

 the exigencies which might occur. 



Respecting the economy, or eventual reduction of 

 expence, in the fitting out of vessels for the fishery, 

 it is also impossible to enter into any estimate with, 

 precision. From what has been said above, if three 

 boys or girls could, by one twelvemonth's labour, 

 supply 20,000 square yards of netting, being what is 

 represented as the quantity proper for a vessel of 80 

 tons, and if we suppose the labour of each of these to 

 be estimated at four shillings per week, which in these 

 districts is probably high, we have the whole quan- 

 tity woven for L. 39, or at the rate of little more 

 than one half- penny per square yard. On the advan- 

 tages resulting from the creation of such a source of 

 emolument, in districts where labour is scarce, and 

 habits of industry at an-early age peculiarly desirable, 

 with the correspondent increase of the necessaries of 

 life, upon which it is fair to calculate, it will not be 

 necessary to enlarge. If a quantity of nets can also 

 be at all times procured at so low a rate as here spe- 

 cified, adding a fair profit to the intermediate dealers, 

 it must also prove of the utmost consequence to those 

 who embark capital in the prosecution of the fisheries. 

 The benefit to the salmon, trout, and other inferior 

 branches of the fishery, though less in national im- 

 portance, are also objects of attention to those imme- 

 diately interested. 



How far the plan detailed in the subsequent part 

 of this article may conduce, either wholly or partially, 

 to promote this great object, must be left to the 

 consideration of those particularly interested in the 



