A FLOATING town on the sea! Is there such a thing? Yes, there is; a floating town, or rather group of "villages" of some twelve thousand inhabitants in all. Where is it? you ask. It is situated over a sunken island, called the Dogger Bank; you will see it marked in any good atlas.
If the floor of the North Sea were raised about a hundred feet, the Dogger Bank would form a third member of the British Isles, lying some eighty miles east of the coast of Yorkshire. It would be nearly half the size of Scotland. As it is at present, the greater part of it is only fifteen fathoms under the level of the sea.
This is the site of our floating town; and its waters are plowed over, year in and year out, by hundreds of British vessels, called trawlers. During the summer the fish come in their millions to the shallower parts; and in the winter they retire to the deeper water, or "valleys," as the fishermen call them. Some half a million tons of fish are caught here every year.
Our picture shows a Dutch vessel on the Dogger Bank; it is not much like the British boats, but it gives an idea of the rough weather that is frequently met with.
The fleet as a whole never comes home; but each sailing vessel in turn, after being at sea for eight weeks, comes home for eight days to refit; and so, just for one week in nine, the fisherman sees, his home and family. The steam trawler's absence is shorter. But you will be wondering what they do with the fish they catch, for if they brought it home with them some of it would be rather stale, being eight weeks old!
Every day there arrives in the middle of the "village" a steamer called a "carrier." This is the signal for each smack to send its catch of fish, packed in boxes, in their open boat to the steamer. Now it is one thing to read about this, and quite another thing to do it, in a tossing sea, on a stormy day. This is where many an accident has happened, and many a life has been lost.
But the fish must be put on board the carrier somehow; and then off she goes with the boxes of fish packed in ice, either to Grimsby, Hull or London; and from thence it finds its way to our tables. And we enjoy the fish, but probably never give a thought to those who procure it for us. Little do we know the toil and hardship they go through. Many a harrowing tale could be told of what it costs to gather in the harvest of the sea.
For many years nothing was done for these twelve thousand men and boys, and the life they led was a terrible one; Satan seemed to have it all his own way. But a good many years ago, God stirred up the hearts of some Christians, and now, attached to each of the principal fleets, there is a ship which acts as a dispensary, cottage hospital, library and mission room for the floating "village.”
They are much appreciated, and have been a great blessing to both the bodies and souls of many of the fishermen, who tell us that their lives have been quite altered by the coming of these ships. Many have found out, not only the kindness of their fellow-men, but also "the kindness and love of God our Savior," and have learned to put their trust in Him.
How much are you doing for those around you, dear boys and girls? You may not be able, perhaps, to help the fishermen in the North Sea, but there are many close at hand who are equally in need. Let me ask you a question: Are you trying to help anybody? If you have tasted the love of God for yourself, tell it to others.
Look out for some who need your help; begin with kind words, and follow on with kind actions, till you have won their confidence; and then tell them of the Savior they need and the Savior you have found. Tell God about them, often, in prayer; and daily ask His guidance. Remember that "he that winneth souls is wise" and "they that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars forever and ever.”