Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-11-15

THE BRITISH TRAVELLERS.
An Industry to Which Attention Has
~ Lately Been Directed.

~ Lately Been Directed.
The damage done the British fishing
fleet and the loss of life incident there
to caused by firing on the part Of the
Russian Baltic fleet calls attention to
the fact that trawling for fish In the
North Sea, is one Of Great Britain's
greatest industries. In fact, It is said
that fully one-half Of the product of
the fisheries Of the isles comes from
the trawlers.
The trawling vessels are run by
steam and are equipped for a stay Of
weeks at a time at sea. On board
many Of them there Is refrigerating
plant for caring for the fish that are
caught from haul to haul. They are
manned with crews picked from the
best English fishermen, hardy men.
who are physically able to stand the.
hard work incumbent upon those who
take up this strenuous occupation.
Such of the ships as are not equipped
with refrigerating plants cruise from
one part Of the North Sea to another.
taking the catches to the larger ves-.
sells and off again for their fishing
ground.
Trawling in English waters Is prac-
tically an infant industry and 1t Is but
comparatively recently that steam ves-
sells were engaged in the traffic. AS
late as 1852 the trawler, completely
equipped for service, cost about $3.-
900 and barely a thousand Of them
could be found in English waters. The
Introduction Of the refrigerating vessel
and the refrigerating car gave impetus
to the industry, as 1t was found that
the great English population could be
given fresh fish without stint. AS a
result of this, in 1895 the total money
value of the trawling industry was
about s13,O00,o00.
Then came the change Of motive
power, and steam vessels were substi-
tuted for sailing ones, in the traffic.
This innovation rapidly reduced the
cost Of trawling and incidentally en-
larged the output Of the fishing
grounds, because 1t was far easier to
get from one point to another with a
headway Of steam and without having
to depend upon varying winds.
It is In the southern portion Of the
North Sea that most Of the trawling Is
now done, and In the past 25 years
those engaged in the traffic have in
creased fourfold.
From Plymouth the trawlers have
been in the habit Of going to sea each
morning and returning at night with
their catches, but from Hull, where the
Inflated fleet fired upon by the Rus
SLAMS belonged, the trawlers remain at
sea for weeks and months at, time
sending the result Of their catches In
by the larger refrigerating vessels.
Hull now heads the list Of trawling
stations and while so years ago not
more than a dozen boats hailed from
that part, today the number reaches
into thousands.
These fishermen use for trawling
purposes a purse shaped net which Is
triangular and fiat. 1t has a wide
mouth, which is kept open by a hori-
zontal spar, known as the beam"
The nets are Of very large size and
are handled by means Of steam engines
aboard the vessels. When 1t Is desired
to make a haul the nets are lowered
into the water and are allowed to re-
main for several hours, while the ves-
sci steams ahead at a rapid rate. The
vessel runs through schools Of fish and
they are swept into the net at a great
rate. While the weight Of the net in
creases as 1t fills with fish, the meshes
are of such strength that they seldom
If ever give away.
Handling the catch Is hard work and
the work Of asserting the fish, which
is done by hand, is very firing and
exacting.-Washing Post.