TRAWLING. 31 



shackled to swivel-bolts in the front of the head- 

 irons. 



The vessels used for trawling have long been known 

 as " smacks " from their smack or cutter rig. Forty 

 or fifty years ago, they were of comparatively small 

 size, ranging from about twenty to thirty-six tons. 

 They were stoutly built craft, able to hold their 

 own in almost any weather, but not remarkable for 

 fast sailing. Sea-going qualities were especially ne- 

 cessary in vessels which had to work at all times, and 

 often at some distance from land. The improvements 

 in modern shipbuilding were, however, not lost sight 

 of ; and the great and increasing demand for fish has 

 led to the construction of larger trawlers, capable of 

 working much heavier nets, and with finer proportions, 

 so as to give greatly increased speed, that the fish 

 might be brought to market with as little delay as 

 possible. The large mainsail in these smacks has 

 great driving power, and therefore is a very important 

 sail ; but the increase in the size of the vessels, 

 especially during the last few years many of them 

 now being as much as seventy or eighty tons has 

 made a change of rig desirable, so as to be able to 

 work them economically. The larger mainsail in these 

 new vessels would require additional hands to look 

 after it in bad weather, when a heavy boom is likely 

 to strain everything to the utmost. This sail has 

 accordingly been reduced in size, and a mizen mast 

 has been added, on which a small gaff-sail is carried. 

 The new vessels are also built of greater proportionate 

 length than formerly, so that, with the change in rig, 



