38 THE FISHERIES. 



your mill-wheels, entrap me by cunning devices in 

 the tail-race, or destroy me in my infant and tiny 

 state with baskets at your waste-gates — this, Mr. 

 Mill-owner, is not fair. I know you sometimes allege 

 all this is done by your workmen without your know- 

 ledge or participation, or by poachers who prowl 

 about your works ; but let us remedy all this. I 

 propose that you shall apply as heretofore the whole 

 river to your uses, but do you (without raising any 

 captious objections) give your hearty concurrence in 

 making me a passage over your weir : it shall be a 

 very simple contrivance, which will strengthen your 

 weir, banish prowling poachers from your mill and 

 its appurtenances, and be in every respect sufficient 

 for my purposes without diverting one drop of water 

 from your mill. 



To resume. In some late proceedings, emanating 

 from a public meeting, an inquiry as to the best 

 means of constructing these passages, so important 

 to the full developement of the Salmon fisheries, was 

 made through the medium of printed queries ad- 

 dressed to Boards of Conservators and others 

 throughout Ireland. We have had an opportunity 

 of examining the replies, and fear that but little use- 

 ful information has been acquired by tliis means : 

 several Boards of Conservators declare their inabi- 

 lity to offer any suggestion whatever, and only three 

 Boards have proposed any plan. The short reply 

 from the Westport Board we conceive to be in the 

 right direction, but no details of any kind are given. 



