THE TECHNOLOGIST. [March 1, 1865 



364 FOREIGN AND HOME 



the south coast generally, are remarkably fine vessels, whether consi- 

 dered as sea boats or pilot boats. The Torbay or Plymouth vessels vary 

 from thirty to sixty-five tons old measurement ; they are cutter rigged, 

 and keep the sea in the heaviest weather, trawling with a hawser of 100 

 fathoms in the midst of Channel gales. The following are the dimensions 

 of the pilot and fishing cutter " Queen of the Craft," of Plymouth : — 

 Length on deck, 17 ft.; breadth, 16 ft.; draught of water, 10ft.; 62 tons, old 

 measurement ; value 400Z. On a wind these vessels spread 500 yards of can- 

 vas, but in trawling with a free wind they set a square sail and a studding 

 sail over, making, with the other sails, a spread of from 700 to 800 yards. 



Such vessels sweep the bed of the sea with a very large net, of from 

 eighty to ninety feet in length ; it is of a purse form with wings forty- 

 eight feet at the mouth, with the same length of trawl beam. The 

 management in trawling displays good seamanship, and skill and know- 

 ledge of the position of the shoals and rocks at the bottom of the sea, 

 which is determined by landmarks and experience. The fishermen, with 

 a large hawser and net astern, wear and stay their vessels even in severe 

 weather with great ease. The quantity of fish caught is occasionally 

 very great, amounting sometimes to between three and four tons on a 

 day's fishing. The fish consist of hake in large quantity, turbot, soles, 

 whiting, dory, brill, plaice, and other kinds of fish. 



In addition to these pilot fishing cutters, there is a fine class of boats, 

 generally yawl rigged, termed the Caw T sand Bay boat. They are usually 

 clipper built, vary from twenty-five to forty tons, and are rigged with a 

 gaff mainsail. Value from 80Z. to 150/., or more. Of late years light lug- 

 gers have been employed, or about thirty feet keel, and drawing about five 

 feet. There is another class of boat on the south coast termed a hooker, 

 also worthy of notice. These are generaly clench built, yawl rigged, and 

 are used for hook and line fishing, in about thirty fathoms. They ride 

 easily, and come to an anchor often in severe weather ten to fifteen miles or 

 more from the land ; they are thirty-two feet in length, and cost about 70/. 



Besides these vessels, more immediately employed at Plymouth and 

 Torbay, there is a very fine class of lugger-rigged boats found be- 

 tween Portland, to the east, and the Land's-end to the west. The 

 eastern luggers are from forty to fifty feet long, fifteen feet wide, and 

 draw about seven feet abaft. They are usually sailed with a fore and 

 inizen lug and jib. They are generally employed in mackerel fishing with 

 drift nets. These nets are each about fourteen fathoms on the rope and 

 four fathoms deep. One hundred-and-twenty such nets are commonly 

 laid out in a line, to which the boats ride during the night. They not 

 unfrequently land in the morning from 30,000 to 40,000 mackerel, 

 which are immediately sent off by rail to London and other parts. The 

 Cornish or Penzance luggers are vessels of a similar kind, but with a 

 narrow bow and stern. They are sailed in much the same way as the 

 eastern luggers, and are very fast and weatherly. They likewise enclose 

 large catches of mackerel and pilchards. 



