CHAP, vii.] A TRAWLER. 309 



down a few figures indicative of the power of the great 

 beam-net. 



A trawler, then, is a vessel of about 35 tons burden, and 

 usually carries 7 persons viz. 5 men and 2 apprentices as a 

 crew to work her.* The trawl-rope is 120 fathoms in length 

 and 6 inches in circumference, and to this rope are attached 

 the different parts of the trawling apparatus viz. the beam, 

 the trawl -heads, bag -net, ground -rope, and span or bridle. 



* A Barking trawler usually carries 5 men and 3 boys, and costs 

 when in full work 12 per week. A Hull trawler costs much less, and 

 the owner has less risk ; because the crew, from the captain downwards, 

 share in the catch. The Barking men refuse to enter into this arrange- 

 ment, which probably helps to account for the decay of the Barking 

 fishery, for that of Hull is comparatively prosperous. The co-operative 

 system prevails among a few of the fisher people of England. In an 

 account of a Yorkshire fishing-place recently published in Once a Week, 

 the following statistics of the cost of boats, etc., are given : - 



" Each yawl, varying in tonnage from 28 to 45 tons, costs from 

 600 to <650, and is divided into shares ; of its earnings 3s. 6d. in the 

 pound are paid to the owner or owners, 10s. are devoted to the current 

 expenses, and the remainder is divided among the men who find the 

 bait. When a new boat is required, several persons gentlemen specu- 

 lators, harbour-masters, etc., and boatmen take certain shares of it, 

 which vary in amount from a half-quarter to a half of the cost ; appli- 

 cation is then made to a builder, sail-maker, anchor-maker, and other 

 tradesmen ; and the vessel, in due time, is paid for, equipped, and given 

 over to the owners. Each lugger-yawl carries two masts, and is pro- 

 vided with three sets of sails to suit various states of weather. The 

 foresail contains 200 or 250 yards, the mizen 100, and the raizen- 

 topsail 40 yards ; the lesser sizes being severally of 100, 60, and 50 

 yards. The jib is very small. On the average the yawl is of 40 tons, 

 and measures 51 feet keel, or 55 feet over all, and is of 17 or 18 feet 

 beam ; drawing 6 J feet water aft, and 5 feet forward. The amount of 

 ballast varies from 20 to 30 tons. The yawl is provided with 120 

 nets, each of which costs 30. Half of this number are left on shore, 

 and changed at the end of every 1 2 weeks. The crew is composed of 

 7 men and 2 boys. For instance, the ' Wear,' commanded by Colling, a 

 first-rate seaman, carries two others, like himself part-owners, 4 men 

 receiving, besides their food, l, and 1 boy at 18s., and another at 11s. 



