DESCRIPTION OF TRAWL. 



The trawl varies in size as also the mesh, and requires 

 great art in fixing. Some trawls are 78 feet long, with a 

 beam of 48 and 50 feet, with trawl heads of 4 cwt, and 

 tiiese, in deep water, require 20 fathoms of bridles, and 1 50 

 to 200 fathoms of 7 to 7j inch trawl-warp. The size mesh 

 of the trawl is much smaller as we go south of Yarmouth. 

 About Hull the mesh is about 3^ inches square down to 

 ij inch. 



My friend, Mr. Sims, will hold up a model of a trawl net, 

 and I will endeavour to describe it. I should say that 

 these trawls are made on shore, principally by females, and 

 are tarred with coal tar. They are made in four parts, and 

 are afterwards put together by the men on board the ship. 

 The square of the trawl is 48 feet long. The batings is the 

 part attached to the square, running down to the end, and 

 diminishing in size as it goes down to make the funnel 

 shape. Then comes underneath the belly, which is made 

 of a considerably heavier twine, in order to give it strength. 

 The wings run at each side and connect the belly and the 

 top ; they are carried on to the head, and to this is attached 

 the ground rope. This is generally 16 fathoms in length, 

 but sometimes it is shorter. The regulation of the trawl 

 is a very peculiar matter, and each fisherman has his own 

 fancy as to the fixing of the trawl, in his own particular 

 way, in order to make more or less bosom to the trawl. 

 The trawl is first attached to the balch a small line about 

 the thickness of the finger and then the balch is attached 

 to the ground rope by pieces of twine about three feet long, 

 called the settans. Then comes the head-line, running 

 along the cross-beam to where it is attached by grummets, 

 there being a double mesh to the head of the square to 



