CHANGES IN TRAWLING VESSELS. 61 



at the stern-wing, which has been made ready, waits till the 

 other (wing) is at right angles to the ship and then lets go, the 

 ship still moving, and the wire ropes are then both sent out to 

 the required length, e.g. 150 fathoms on 50 fathoms' ground. 

 When the ropes are fully payed out, the outer or bow-rope is 

 hooked by a grapnel, and entered in a snatch-block at the stern- 

 tafifrail, so that both are near each other. 



In some of the ships at Aberdeen the steering- or wheel- 

 house has a roof, with side-panels and panes, so as to protect 

 the men, and it occupies the same position, viz., in the centre 

 of the vessel. Others have simply a canvas shelter above the 

 wood. In one of the newest vessels at Aberdeen, the steering- 

 house is open, as it is stated the men are apt to sleep in the 

 covered houses, and prefer to be in the open air during their 

 watches, while it is interesting to note that the Granton 

 General Steam-Fishing Company's ships have always had open 

 wooden wheel-houses. Besides a spirit-compass on a stand, a new 

 vessel has an inverted one on a wooden pole, so that two are 

 available in steering. Coals are still carried in the side- 

 bunkers, which in the best ships have a floor of cement, so as 

 to minimise the danger from fire. At Aberdeen small English 

 coals are largely used^ and instead of being piled loosely on 

 deck at starting, as in some of the vessels from Granton, the 

 extra coals are stored in bags, and are thus more easily handled. 

 The finest vessels carry about 60 tons of coals in the side- 

 bunkers adjoining the engine-room, and burn about 2J tons per 

 diem, with surface-condensing boilers; but fairly good ships 

 often exceed this quantity ^ The consumption of coal in such 

 cases is, of course, a vital point in the economy of the trade, 

 and a vessel which will consume 60 tons in 12 days is seriously 

 handicapped. Some think that the larger vessels, which re- 

 quire more coal, are less fitted for remunerative work, since 

 they catch no greater number of fishes. They might, however, 

 be safer at sea. An improvement is the placing of the iron 

 water-tank, which will hold about 270 gallons, under the deck, 



^ At lis. per ton. 



2 This is much less than the quantity consumed by some of the old paddle- 

 ships in 1884, e.g., about 35 tons a week. 



