The Council will not rehx their efforts in the cJiuse, but it seems to them that the hes,t hope 

 of obtainiu" a measure adequat< to meet this terrible evil of pollution of streams rests now on the 

 public voice making itself pr()ini)tly, powerfully, and decisively heard by the Government. 



To that end, and in ordi r to make the fearful state of our rivers more widely known, the 

 Council have prepared and arc now disseminating a pamphlet, containing in a concise form all 

 the necessary facts relating to the question, extracted from the voluminous Blue Books, &c., of 

 the last thirteen years. 



Altliough the Council have not yet succeeded in accomplishing the main object of their 

 endeavours, viz., the obtaining of an Act to prevent the Pollution of Rivers, they are, never- 

 theless happy to say that the past year has by no means been barren of results advantageous to 

 the Fisheries" at large, or promising to be so, as the following proceedings will show : — 



In the first i)lace, on the 7th June of hist year, a great Salmon Fishery Congress 

 a-ssemblcd, under the presidency of Eakl Percy, at South Kensington. This Congress 

 included various noblemen and gentlemen, great Fishery proprietors, Conservators, and others 

 from all parts of the kingdom. It was attended by Mr. Frank Bucklaxo and Mr. Spencer 

 Wai.poi.e (the Government Inspectors of Salmon Fisheries for England and "Wales), by the 

 Special Commissioners of Fisheiies, and by the President (Lord dk Blaquieke), and several 

 members of the Council of the Fisheries Preservation Association, all of whom took an active 

 share in the proceedings. 



A great portion of those proceedings having been devoted to the consideration of the pol- 

 lution of rivers, — Mr. Higkoki) Burr (of the Council of this Association) moved and carried 

 unanimously a resolution in the following terms : — 



" That as various rivers are seriously injuied by liquid and solid poisonous matters, and 

 " as it is necessary for the public health and the supply of food for the people, that the 

 " pollutions should be prevented, further legislation is urgently needed." 



From the discussions that arose and the interchange of suggestions which took place, not 

 merely as regarded the evil of pollutions but on all points affecting the interests of the Fisheries, 

 at a Congress so influential aud possessing such special and practical knowledge of the subjects 

 brought under deliberation, it is impossible to doubt that great benefit must ensue to the 

 Fisheries. 



In the nc.\t place, through the great exertions mainly of Lords Abixger and "Wyxford, 

 aided by their lordships' friends in the Upper House, and assisted by Lord de Blaquiere and 

 his friends, a very pernicious measure of Lord Cranworxh relating to the Irish Fisheries was 

 in July of last Session thrown out in the House of Lords. 



The importance of its rejection may be estimated by the foct that had that Bill passed 

 into law it would have had the effect of undoing much of the beneficial legislation of late years 

 by re-establishing in Ireland tliose destructive engines which the friends of the Fisheries had. 

 been at such great pains to get abolished. 



Lastly, on the 2nd April of the present year a deputation of a very influential character, 

 consisting of Lords Arixger, .\irlie, Seafield, Coi.vii.i.e, and Saltoux, and other large 

 Scotch ]noprictors, &c. (and of which various members of the Council of this Association made, 

 a part), having been formed by Lord Abixger, was introduced by his lordship to the Home 

 Secretary for the purpose of ascertaining from the Right Honorable Gentleman what steps Her 

 Majesty's Government proposed taking this Session for the amendment of the Scotch Fisheries Act. 



Lord Abixger having explained that the amended Act desired was one based on the 

 Scotch Bill of 1866, which had jjassed ths House of Lords and that the chief amendments 

 required were : — 



1st. The appointment of permanent Inspectors empowered to carry out such alterations 

 in the bye-laws as might from time to time be found expedient, and whose duty, 

 it should be to report annually the general condition of the Scotch Salmon Fisheries. 

 2nd. The confirmation of the bye-laws, already passed by the Commissioners in order 

 to set at rest doubts arising from the peculiar wording of the Act of 1862 as to. 

 the legality of those laws. 



Mr. Gatuokne Hardy in reply informed the Deputation that "the whole subject of the 

 " amendment of the Scotch Salmon Fishery Acts was then under the consideration of the 

 '* Government, and was engaging the attention of the Lord Advocate." 



The Council cannot close their Report without congratulating the members on the fact 

 that the two last valuable Reports (July, 1867, and March, 1868) of the Inspectors, declare that 

 the l^nglisii and 'Welsh Salmon Fisheries are on the increase, four and twenty rivers being 

 specially named in the first of those Reports as exhibiting " great and marked improvement." 



Among other kind contributions to the funds of the Association since the last Report the 

 Council have the pleasure of acknowledging the following donations — namely : — Eari. dk (Jrey 

 AXD Ripox, £10 10s.; Lord Nortiiwick, £10 ids.; Lord Eblry,' £ 10 10s.; J. II. 

 .\rk\vright, Esq., £ 10 ; Archibald Cdckburn, Esq., £ 10 10s. 



Annexed is the Honorary Treasurer's Account of ReceijJts and Payments for the jiast 

 vear, shewing a balance to the credit of the Association on the 1st May inst. of £ l8o Is. 9d. ; 

 but this balance will be much diminished by the stationery, printing, and some other expenses of 

 the past vcarj while those of the current year will be more than usually large. 



The Council, in concluding tlieir Report, and in reminding the Subscribers that their 

 Subscriptions became due on the 1st of the present month, would earnestly impress upon every 

 .Member the strong necessity of his kindly continuing his active support to the Association. 



de Blaquiere, 

 Fisheries Preservatiox Assoclvtiox, rrtsidcnt. 



23, I,()wi;u Seymour Streei, 



Portman Sui are, AV. 

 I.s7 May, 1868, 



