62 CHANGES IN TRAWLING VESSELS. 



thus economising space and avoiding accidents. It is filled by 

 a hose-pipe fixed to a screw-hole on deck. In the large screw- 

 vessel from Montrose, the tank is placed behind the bulk-head 

 of the engine-room, and a hand-pump raises water to the deck. 

 In the newest ships an oil-tank, to hold from 40 to 50 gallons, 

 is also filled beneath the deck in the same way. 



The bulwarks of the new ships have self-acting scuppers for 

 heavy seas, besides the usual small permanent ones, but no 

 cement-gutters are now present at the sides, as it was found 

 that they were rather a disadvantage, for, in such as have seen 

 service, the cement becomes dilapidated. In 1884 the ships 

 working off Aberdeen usually carried their fishes in covered com- 

 partments at the bulwarks in front, or they were even permitted 

 to lie loosely on deck. This arrangement is now seldom seen, 

 probably owing to the use of ice and the greater distances 

 traversed. The bag of the trawl containing the fishes is 

 emptied in the Aberdeen ships in a series of pounds (about five 

 in number), formed by passing stout planks into upright 

 grooves on deck in front of the winch, and in these the fishes 

 are sorted and 'gutted,' preparatory to being placed in the 

 fish-hold in ice. The labour involved by this method is a 

 contrast to that of previous years off the eastern Scottish 

 shores. Hence, when the catch at night includes haddocks of 

 from 8 to 10 inches in length, these are considered unremune- 

 rative to treat in this way, and are thrown overboard. 



Outline of old trawl used for many years by the liners of St Andrews. 

 The beam measured 35 feet. 



In the ships of 1884 the stout boat was either carried 

 on deck, or suspended from davits at the sides. It can be 

 easily launched from the latter, but may be carried away, and, 

 besides, the top- weight of the vessel is increased. At Granton 

 the vessels formerly described have placed their boats on 

 strong iron rails, 6 feet 6 inches high, on the starboard side, 



