APPENDIX. 169 



well as by the public at large. If the good to be 

 attained is a public one, the action should be pubhc 

 also. These artificial processes should be carried 

 out, if at all, under the sanction of the Government, 

 on behalf of the public ; individual proprietors will 

 not do it for the reasons above stated. 



Instead, therefore, of trusting to Companies for 

 the improvement of our sea-fisheries, or to steam 

 ships, whether propelled by the screw, or by the 

 paddle ; we ought seriously to turn our own attention 

 to our national fisheries, as a means of employing our 

 people. I would desire to offer here a few practical 

 remarks upon the subject. The Times is quite 

 welcome to examine these suggestions, and discover 

 is there too much "justice to Ireland" contained in 

 them. 



Let the same means by which the Scottish Fish- 

 eries were developed be adopted with us, though 

 even on a miniature, or reduced scale, and let the 

 State supply, for a national purpose, those means, 

 and appliances which an impoverished people cannot 

 supply for themselves. Unpaid Boards of Conser- 

 vators of fisheries are established all round the coasts 

 of Ireland, under a recent Act of Parliament, some- 

 what similar to Boards of Guardians under the poor 

 law Acts, but these Boards of Conservators are be- 

 calmed like ships without the wind : estabhsh an efi5- 

 cient central department, and affiliate these Boards 

 upon it ; exercise a vigilant and active executive con- 

 trol over the whole ; supply these Boards ofConser- 



