THE FISHERIES. 47 



sary. It is to be observed, that license-duties upon 

 fishing implements form the only fund for payment 

 of water-keepers, and the protection of the fish dur- 

 ing the spawning season; and if this object be pro- 

 perly carried out, the party paying the tax derives 

 direct benefit from the outlay, and therefore should 

 not complain. A question may be made in the de- 

 partment of angling whether, in the case of trout- 

 rods, a very trifling duty might not be sufficient, and 

 produce a larger revenue than a larger duty : but 

 we are decidedly of opinion that every person fish- 

 ing with flies, for any description of trout, should 

 take out a license for his rod, otherwise the duty 

 may be evaded on all occasions. We confess we are 

 not very favourable to promiscuous angling amongst 

 the industrial classes, nor do we think it desirable. 

 Ano'lincr, in excess, is verv iniurious to a salmon river, 

 and immense quantities of salmon fry are destroyed 

 in this way ; but our grand objection to it is, the 

 habit of idleness it engenders amongst a class of per- 

 sons who must hve by their industry : very few in- 

 deed pursue anghng as a trade, or means of Uvehhood, 

 and those who do, will derive personal advantage 

 from restriction; but tradesmen and artisans fre- 

 quently leave their proper work neglected at home, 

 to spend the day upon the banks of the river, and 

 the evening in the shebeen. In this view of the case 

 a license duty of £1 is proposed by the Bill upon a 

 trout-rod ; we admit, however, that the question of 

 amount is debateable. 



