THE FIS[IERIES. 53 



Chancery, in a case where a receiver was appointed, 

 we could show an instance in which a fisliery, in 

 the hands of the receiver, has not produced any profit 

 whatsoever, which down to 1842, produced, beyond 

 wages and expenses, a clear profit of £600 per an- 

 num. In the late movement connected with the 

 fisheries, the Committee appointed at a General 

 meeting, sent printed queries to the owners of all 

 Salmon-fisheries in Ireland, both in rivers and upon 

 the sea-coast; and one of the queries was, as to 

 whether there had been an increase or decrease of 

 produce since 1842 ; the answer from all was " de- 

 crease." In some cases, the decrease was stated at 

 v3ne-half, in others, two-thirds, and in some the pro- 

 duce was stated at literally nothing. We have all 

 the documents before us, and with impartiality and 

 accuracy we can declare the result of our examina- 

 tion to be, that the produce from all the Irish 

 Salmon-fisheries has dwindled to one-third, within 

 the last ten years. 



These, indeed, are sad statistics and reminiscences 

 into which we have been led, while viewing, in 

 mournful vein, the prostrate condition of our salmon 

 rivers. — It is a dreary spectacle to behoM from afar 

 the sterility of the knd, and see a whole country laid 

 desolate ; when the blighted corn-fields are spread 

 out before us, or black and withering potato ; when 

 no joyous laugh is heard about the dwelling, or busv 

 hum of the homestead ; sad and dreary is this spec- 

 tacle ; but the sight is not a more mournful one, than 



