Modern Yarmouth. 31 



and according to Grimsby calculation, 130,000 square miles; 

 that is to say, it extends from the North Foreland to Dun- 

 cansby Head in the Pentland Firth, and from the coast of 

 England to that of Norway. While, forty years ago, there 

 were but two Yarmouth^vessels engaged in trawling, some four 

 hundred boats now sail from the Yare. In this matter 

 Yarmouth and Gorleston have prospered at the expense of 

 Barking, whose fleet of smacks was transferred to the more 

 convenient harbours of Norfolk. The trawlers composing 

 the North Sea fleet are good sea boats, well found, and 

 manned by excellent seamen, who dare much and do much 

 that is never known to the world. The smacks remain at 

 sea from six weeks to two months at a time, and, as the 

 voyages fall in the depth of the winter, the close of every 

 season brings a sad tale of missing boats and men. There 

 was a memorable gale in November, 1863, which in one 

 night destroyed seven Hull trawlers with all hands, and 

 disabled twenty other boats. 



The trawling fleets are sometimes composed of vessels 

 from various ports ; but there are a few wealthy merchants 

 who own entire fleets of from sixty to eighty smacks. An 

 admiral of the fleet is appointed by popular election, and 

 from his vessel signals are made directing the movements of 

 the fleet. At night the orders are given by " flare-ups " — 

 flashes of light visible, like meteors, for miles over the watery 

 waste. According to the number of flare-ups the fleet goes 

 about, or lies to, or takes in fishing-gear. 



Passing along the beach just now, I noticed a hand- 

 somely built and smartly rigged cutter speeding towards 

 shore, light and swift as a sea-bird. Simultaneously you 

 might have observed unusual commotion in one of those 

 lofty watch-towers on the esplanade, which are never 

 deserted. The cutter is not a gentleman's private yacht,_as 



