OBSERVATIONS 



SALMON FISHERIES OF ULSTER. 



"Dublin Castle, \lth August, 1841. 



" SIR, In reply to your letter of the 8th instant, with regard to the 

 inquiry into the charges preferred against Mr. Atkinson by the Rev. Mr. 

 Tredennick, I am directed by the Lord Lieutenant to observe, that, as the 

 court at which the inquiry was held was an open one, his Excellency can 

 make no objection to the publication of the evidence. 



" I am, Sir, 



" Your obedient servant, 

 "/. B. Shell, Esq. M.D. Bally shannon" " MOUPETH." 



AT a Public Investigation held in the Town-Hall of Bally- 

 shannon, on the 20th of July, 



MR. DRUMMOND, Stipendiary Magistrate, on the Bench, 



The following letters were read : 



" Kildoney, Ballyshannon, 25th June, 1841. 



" SIR, Having attended the Petty Sessions at Ballyshannon, on Saturday 

 the 19th instant, I consider it my duty to acquaint you, for the information 

 of his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant, with some observations addressed 

 by Mr. Atkinson, from the bench, to the people, calculated, in the strongest 

 manner, to excite their minds to a repetition of the disgraceful acts of out- 

 rage committed in the neighbourhood, on former occasions. A case having 

 been brought forward, connected with the coast fishery at Bundrowes, which 

 the magistrates did not consider themselves warranted in entering on, 

 Mr. Atkinson, from the bench, took the opportunity to say to the crowd 

 present ' Remember, loys, you may cut, hack away, and destroy all you 

 please ; only take care, don't commit a breach of the peace, to bring you 

 before us, the bench, as we cannot interfere.' This he repeated three several 

 times ; and was understood as encouraging the persons carrying on the 

 obstruction and opposition to the salmon fishing at sea, by the proprietors 

 of river fisheries, to destroy the nets of the fishermen engaged, for the reason 

 that injuries committed at sea do not come within the jurisdiction of the 

 minor courts. I immediately required Mr. Hayden, sub-inspector of police, 

 to take a note of the observations, and which he accordingly did. 



" It is unnecessary for me to offer any remark, as his Excellency must 

 be aware of the gross impropriety of such language coming from the bench, 

 especially as Mr. Atkinson, last year, held out similar encouragement from 

 the bench, to the perpetration of such illegal acts. While a magistrate is 

 permitted, with impunity, to act in this way, in order to effect a private 

 object, it is not surprising that a large police force is necessary to preserve 

 the peace, and prevent outrages on private property. 

 " I have the honour to be, Sir, 



" Your very obedient servant, 

 " To Norman W, MacDondM, /?<<?," " GLO. N. TRF.DNXICEK." 



