SALMON-FISHERY OF SCOTLAND. 55 



salmon and grilses, produced in the same time after the stake- 

 nets were removed 46,332. The rent of this fishing, accordingly, 

 which at the former period had fallen to ^1205, immediately 

 rose to c^OOO, and the rent of the whole river fisheries rose 

 from ^5 101 to <! 2,005. All this corresponds but indiffer- 

 ently with the statement of the reverend gentleman, that, during 

 the stake-net system, no decided diminution took place in the 

 produce of the river fisheries : This moral teacher ought to 

 have been more sure of his facts before he threw the weight of 

 his evidence into the stake-net scales (however convenient these 

 engines may have been in the vicinity of the Manse) for the 

 purpose of affecting the rights of any set of men : If, as he says, 

 " there were many other situations in the estuary most suitable 

 for the erection of these engines, which were unoccupied," we 

 conclude that, had the whole been occupied, the river fisheries 

 would have been annihilated altogether. ' 



In the other estuaries the effects of the stake-net system were 

 nearly the same as in the Tay. From the accounts produced 

 by Mr John Steavenson, in the Committee, it appears that, 

 previous to the introduction of stake-nets into the Cromarty 

 Frith, his fishing in the river Connon produced in one year 

 7656 salmon ; while, after the Frith was covered with these 

 engines, the same fishing produced, in another year, only 633 

 salmon ; the stake-net having, during the latter year, accord- 

 ing to the accounts of Mr James Taylor, intercepted no less 

 than 6500 fish. Both gentlemen being stake-net witnesses, 

 their accounts cannot be doubted. 



In the river Ness, again, it is stated in the Committee by Mr 

 Alexander Fraser, that the rent of the river fisheries, sixteen 

 years ago, was ^1055, 11s. and that it is now only ) 124. 

 This witness, who is a stake-net fisher, and a very honest man, 

 is asked by the Committee, 



"Is it consistent with your knowledge that the river fishery 

 has diminished in proportion as the stake-nets have increased*" 

 " IT HAS." 



In the same way the Committee ask Mr Wilson of Berwick, 

 who is tenant of the fishing of the river Beauly, which falls 

 into the Inverness estuary, 



