66 



only out of such shoals that the sea-nets can make cap- 

 tures, it is an inevitable consequence, that the erection of 

 these nets, must in some degree c prevent the fish from 

 ( entering or going up' the river. The right of the river 

 proprietors to put down or prevent the erection of stake- 

 nets in the ocean, would thus, in the event of an act 

 passing in terms of the present Bill, be no longer open to 

 question. Such an act would destroy, at a blow, the 

 whole sea fishings on either side of the Tay, and at once 

 annihilate all the future prospects of the coast proprie- 

 tors. 



But why, it may be asked, enter so minutely into a 

 measure which, after all, is to have a merely local opera- 

 tion, and cannot, therefore, affect the broad and general 

 question, which alone is of serious importance to the 

 country ? This is an extremely shortsighted objec- 

 tion. It is very true, that the Bill on which the above 

 comments have been offered, is, nominally^ and, on the face 

 of it, applicable only to the Tay. But is it not plain, that 

 if the principles of it be once recognized by the Legisla- 

 ture, as applicable to one river, the proprietors of fisheries 

 in every other river in the kingdom, will be entitled to a 

 similar boon ? And may it not be expected, therefore, if 

 this Bill shall pass, that within the course of a very few 



Thus, a fisherman belonging to Fifeshire, has walked along the 

 sands by St. Andrews Bay, keeping his eye all the while on a 

 shoal of Salmon going to the Tay. He has followed them along 

 the coast, and round the point into that river, where they were 

 finally taken. And the only clew which he had to their course, 

 was from a constant observance of the rippling of the water 

 above them. ' 



