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years, the regulations contained in it, will be extended to 

 all the rivers in Scotland ? In this way, a system of law 

 applicable to the whole kingdom, may ultimately be esta- 

 blished, not upon grounds of general expediency, but in 

 order to suit the views, and promote the private interests 

 of a single class of proprietors. 



Such is the effect of permitting private legislation in a 

 matter of vital importance to the state ! And, surely, if 

 any thing were wanting to demonstrate the utter impolicy 

 and inexpediency of leaving the regulation of the Salmon 

 fishery of Scotland, in the hands of individuals, the very 

 possibility of such a result, ought to satisfy even the most 

 doubtful. 



From a curious coincidence, indeed, the present Session 

 of Parliament is placed in a strange situation, in conse- 

 quence of this and suchlike attempts at private legislation. 



It is not perhaps generally known, that the Solway 

 is exempted from the operation of those Scots acts which 

 affect the other rivers in Scotland ; and that the fisheries 

 in it, are regulated by special statutes passed on very 

 different principles. The last act on the subject, arid 

 that by which the fishery is now regulated, was passed 

 in the year 1804. This act, while it contains no 

 prohibition against stake-nets, which, indeed, are 

 in full operation on the Solway, enacts various salu- 

 tary regulations for preventing injury to the breed of the 

 Salmon, suggested by the more extended knowledge and 

 experience of the present times. Still, however, there 

 are defects in these regulations. And a Bill has accord- 

 ingly been introduced since the sitting down of 

 Parliament, for the purpose of applying a remedy. 



The writer of these Observations has not seen this 

 Bill ; but it is sufficient to state, that it has been intro- 



