CHAPTER X 

 STEAM, THE CONQUEROR 



THE townsman, sleepless in the night, is often solaced 

 by the thought that within a limited area of his couch 

 there are thousands of men at work, and more awake 

 than he. Lights are burning throughout the hours of 

 darkness ; armies of toilers are making ready for the 

 coming day and its demands on food and drink. The 

 restless being may direct his thoughts to London River 

 and follow its involutions to the open sea, where he 

 will at all times come across ships on which work never 

 ceases, and where there is constant evidence of the 

 triumphant march of steam. Only a quarter of a 

 century ago the wisest and most experienced of smacks- 

 men scoffed at the idea of steam conquering sail on the 

 North Sea banks ; but to-day no prophet, however bold 

 and confident, would venture to forecast the means which 

 will be employed to get deep-sea fish twenty-five years 

 hence. 



Matters move slowly on the North Sea, but when 

 energetic owners set to work to bring about a change 

 they do not rest till they have succeeded. As keen 

 business men they recognise that the best results are 

 obtainable only by the employment of the best appli- 

 ances, and to-day there are at work on the North Sea 

 ground splendid craft which are equipped with the 



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