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the fisheries of Lough Foyle, together with the ground and 

 soil of the same, judgment was recorded in their favour, in her 

 Majesty's Court of Queen's Bench, Dublin. It is equally 

 clear that the Rev. Mr. Staples and the other magistrates are 

 bound to convict the poachers according to the 3d George III. 

 cap. 35, and uphold the title so clearly proved. I sincerely 

 hope that the contemplated Fishery Bill will prevent interested 

 magistrates sitting in judgment upon their own cases, and 

 make them liable to severe punishment if they shall be found 

 publishing statements and issuing orders among the ignorant and 

 easily excited peasantry, the tendency of which may be to incite 

 the Irish people to break the laws of their country, and put in 

 jeopardy the lives and property of the peaceable and well- 

 disposed part of the community. 



The Society were put to great trouble and expense in their 

 trials with the Rev. Mr. Staples, and every impediment was 

 thrown in their way ; for even when called on, by notice, to 

 admit as evidence compared copies of the Charter, and the 

 other documentary parts of the title, the defendant refused to 

 do so, and the Society was compelled, at an immense expense, 

 to bring over the originals, in the custody of the Secretary of 

 the Society in London, John Ebenezer Davies, Esq., who 

 proved, at the trial, the original Charter of King Charles II. 

 to the Irish Society in 1662, having the same grant of the 

 fisheries as the Charter of James I. This witness also pro- 

 duced several original books and records of the Irish Society ; 

 among others, the Court Book of the Society from 1714 to 

 1725, which contained the accounts of Mr. Tomkins, who was 

 manager of the fisheries of Lough Foyle at that time, and read 

 extracts to show that the fishings of Lough Foyle, including 

 Culmore, Ennishowen, and the Gribben, were, at that period, 

 in the possession of the Society, and under the management of 

 their general agent. Mr. Davies has accompanied the annual 

 Deputations of the Honourable the Irish Society in their visits 

 to the estates, for several years past, and is well acquainted 

 with every matter interesting to the well-being and prosperity, 

 not only of the fisheries, but the whole of the Society's landed 



