158 APPENDIX. 



good, and I am enabled to refer to my own evidence 

 on oath, in the year 1844, to the effect — that when 

 the peal are abundant, well formed, and perfect in 

 scale, the ensuing season may be regarded with san- 

 guine expectations. This fact I mentioned casually 

 in my evidence before the Commissioners, to show 

 that the splendid appearance of the peal of 1842 

 indicated a very large increase in the ensuing season, 

 which large increase did actually take place. I re- 

 fer for this fact, and the explanation of it, to the 

 minutes of evidence as published by the Commission- 

 ers, in their Fourth Report to Parliament, page 95. 



Unless, therefore. Government interferes, the ex- 

 pectations to be formed as to ensuing seasons must 

 be truly desponding. If we come to any other con- 

 clusion, we set at nought all the experiences of Salmon- 

 fishing. 



It remains, then, a question for consideration, will 

 Government any longer rely upon the control and 

 management hitherto adopted ? The duties of the 

 Board of Works are multifarious. Since the fish- 

 eries were placed under the control of the Board in 

 1842, the dechne has been rapid. This is evidenced 

 by their own annual reports to Parhament, in which 

 it is admitted that the fisheries have been gradually 

 going from bad to worse ; but the report for the 

 present year, if framed by the Commissioners with 

 their usual fidehty, must state to Parhament, a de- 

 cline unprecedented and alarming. The various 

 onerous duties of the Board of Works require their 



