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long nights of the annual close time (extending for nets 
from September 14th to February 15th), especially in the 
upper reaches of the river, where spawning beds are 
situated. In these districts, there is a dense manufacturing 
population, in and near the towns of Hawick, Jedburgh, 
Galashiels, Selkirk, Innerleithen, and Peebles; and the 
mill-workers greatly enjoy the recreation of going out in 
parties at night, with torches, to capture, by means of rake 
hooks and hand nets, salmon in the shallow streams. 
On an average of the last two years, the number of 
poachers detected and convicted at the instance of the 
Tweed Commissioners was 221 in the year; the cost of 
prosecuting them was £266, and the amount of fines and 
expenses awarded to the Commissioners was about £149. . 
The number of our Water Bailiffs or River Watchers has 
been, on an average of the last two years, 49 during the 
six months of close time, and 13 during the rest of the 
year. 
In order to pay the wages of bailiffs, the cost of prosecu- 
tions, and the salaries of managing officials, the Tweed 
Commissioners are entitled, under their Act of 1857, to 
assess themselves, and the other proprietors of fishings, to 
the extent of 20 per cent. on the rentals or values of the 
fishings. These amount at present to about £13,000 
yearly, so that by assessment we have about £2,500 at 
our command for protection and management. 
If, however, the terrible fish epidemic, which for the last 
two or three years has affected the Tweed, continues, we 
must expect our income from fishing rents to fall, not only 
because of the decrease in the number of fish, but because 
of the disinclination of sportsmen to frequent our river for 
angling, the enjoyment of which is undoubtedly lessened 
by the ghastly sight of diseased fish. 
