62 
measurement of 40 tons, and whilst the usual dimensions of 
the trawlbenm are proportionally increased little scruple is 
made of working at the depth of from 40 to 50 fathoms. The 
form and nature of a trawl are represented and described in 
Mr. Yarrell's History of British Fishes, vol. 1, p. 52, but those 
used on the coast of Cornwall are of the largest size, and 
more elaborately constructed than there figured. They are 
employed at the. distance of ten leagues from land, in water 
of the depth of from fifty to sixty fathoms ; and as the method 
of conducting this fishery is by dragging along at the stern of 
the ship, the enormous bag termed the trawl, the weight ot 
the iron trawlheads causing it effectually to sweep the bottom 
without any selection except as to the general nature of the 
"round (the vessel being steered without tlie rudder, by fas- 
tening the trawl warp to different parts of her stern, or quar- 
ter) it can make but little difference what may be the size of the 
mesh in that part of the net in which the fish are taken since 
the stones and weeds met with in its course must be sufficient 
to close every crevice through which the smallest might be able 
to pass. It is certain that every creature which may chance 
to be dragged in this manner over a considerable space must 
be killed ; and a large proportion of such as might otherwise 
find purchasers, are so bruised as to be unfit tor food. When 
we add to this the vast variety of creatures that form the sub- 
sistanee of tlie more valuable kinds, and in search of which 
tbev visit our coasts — all involved in one common havock, 
with the uprooting of their resting places and shelter ,- little 
doubt can be felt of the justice of the opinion entertained by 
other fishermen, that much of the falling off of the success of 
our fisheries on tlie west coast of England, is to be imputed 
to the operation of the trawl. 
With such an impression of the hurtful nature ot this kina 
of fishing it may be demanded, why then is it suffered to con- 
tinue in the first period of its employment the abundance 
and cheapness of the fish thus brought to market led neces- 
sarily to a favourable opinion concerning it, and thus prevented 
a close enquiry into the remote consequences. In the present 
day on the other hand, its existence has become mixed up 
with the interests of too many poor families, to be lightly dealt 
with - and it is of national importance to remember that feW 
occupations are better fitted to form a race of hardy sailors 
aI1< A* pros pe ct! v e remedy may indeed be anticipated in the fact 
that the practice of trawl fishing as now carried on, must at 
last destroy the foundation of its own prosperity ; but advant- 
age to every party might be secured by positively forbidding, 
the working of a trawl for tour months in the spring, including 
those of February and May ; and leaving it to the alreat y 
