THE FISHERIES. 51 



vantage to the public, be referred for trial to the 

 able and impartial judges presiding in those courts, 

 and be decided without that interminable litigation 

 which at present renders the law almost a nulUty in 

 such cases. 



In concluding our remarks upon the subject of the 

 Salmon-fisheries, we shall submit a few observations 

 as to the aggregate deficit of the Irish Salmon-fishe- 

 ries since 1842, which is the matter the pubhc has to 

 deal with. Upon this point we are really afraid to 

 make an estimate, as any calculation of ours might 

 appear incredible, but the reader may form some 

 estimate himself from the following data : — The 

 average take of salmon annually at the chief Salmon- 

 fisheries, at that period, may be taken at about 

 200 tons each ; the Foyle fishery, in 1842, produced 

 nearly 300 tons, and it is a remarkable fact that in the 

 reign of Charles I., (according to a return made by 

 Lord Straftord), the produce of the Foyle is stated 

 at 240 tons for the year 1638 ; the Bann, at Cole- 

 raine, previously also, had been equally fruitful ; and 

 the Shannon superior to all. Shortly anterior to 

 1842, in one town on the Shannon (the town of 

 Ghn), £8,000 worth of salmon was sold in one sea- 

 son. The great fishery of the Moy, at Ballina ; the 

 Blackwater, at Lismore ; and last, not least, the 

 Erne, at Ballyshannon — produced also their hun- 

 dreds of tons. Perhaps those now mentioned might 

 be placed in one category, and be styled first-class 

 rivers : in another may be placed the Slaney, Lee, 



