nS) 
and whether any alteration in their constitution is de- 
sirable.” The Commissioners at once proceeded with 
the inquiry, and made a report stating that, to procure 
the necessary information, they had visited the principal 
salmon rivers in Scotland (forty-six in number), and had 
personal meetings with twenty-two District Boards, and 
also with many landed proprietors interested in the 
fisheries. They further reported, that whilst the total 
number of fishery districts which had been designated by 
the Act of Parliament to be managed, each by a separate 
board, was 105, yet “at this moment (viz. in 1871) there 
are not above 30 District Boards constituted and working.” 
The Commissioners also reported that the cozstitution 
of the boards was unsatisfactory, and they suggested some 
modifications, though apparently without much confidence 
in their likelihood of success. 
Shortly afterwards, there was a change of Government, 
which may, perhaps, have been one reason why no steps 
were then taken to remedy a state of things so injurious 
to a great national industry which supplies a large amount 
of much prized food, and gives employment to about from 
14,000 to 15,000 of the population in Scotland. 
What has been the consequence of matters having been 
allowed to remain in the nearly total absence of any proper 
authorities for enforcing the law? Over two-thirds of the 
country, both in our rivers and along our sea-coasts, poach- 
ing in annual and weekly close times, —capturing of salmon 
fry,—triver pollution,—obstructions in rivers, and illegal 
netting, have been prevailing, without check or hindrance. 
If asked for evidence of this, I refer to the testimony of 
Mr. Young, who knows more about our salmon fishings 
than any one else, and who in the year 1877 published 
a pamphlet, in which he states as follows: “ Poaching 
CG. 23et 
