53 
not always been smooth. The jealousies and sparring of upper 
and lower proprietors on these Boards, are occasionally referred 
to by the late Dr. Buckland in his Annual Reports. But in 
England and Ireland the local Boards have several advantages 
over those in Scotland, to secure harmonious action. 
In the first place, there are Government Inspectors in England 
and Ireland, men of great intelligence, experience, and social 
weight, whose duty it is, and whose practice it has been, to assist 
Boards by their advice, and also to visit districts, when personal 
inspection is necessary. 
In the second place, the funds at the command of the Boards 
in England and Ireland are not raised by assessment on the 
members of the Boards, as under the Scotch Acts. The funds are, 
in both of these countries, raised by means of licences, which 
have to be taken out for the use of nets, boats, and rods, and the 
dues for which are mostly paid by persons not members of the 
Boards. The amount of licence dues paid in the year 1880 for 
England was £9331, and for Ireland £9700. It is a proof 
alike of the efficiency and popularity of licences in England, 
that two years ago that system was extended to include angling 
for trout, which (at only 1s. per rod) in England already yields a 
yearly income of above £1500. 
Then, besides the funds raised by licences, there is in Ireland 
important assistance given by the Coast-Guard for repressing 
poaching along the sea coast, and by the Constabulary for 
punishing persons guilty of polluting rivers. 
In the third place, the Government Inspectors in England and 
Ireland draw up annual reports, to be laid before Government and 
Parliament, in which not only is there information respecting the 
state of the fisheries generally, but particular information of the 
operations of the local Boards in charge of the different rivers. 
In the fourth place, it should be recollected that Scotland, 
especially in the Highland districts, is less densely peopled by 
resident proprietors than England and Ireland. The distances 
which members have to travel, to attend Board meetings is, 
therefore, much greater in many parts of Scotland, than in the 
other divisions of the kingdom. 
