38 



But I shall now proceed to prove it to 

 have been time out of mind a navigable, as 

 well as a public river. 



The River Thames, properly speaking, ex- 

 tends from the junction of the river with 

 the Isis at Dorchester bridge, in the county 

 of Oxford, to the Sea, separating the coun- 

 ties of Oxford, Bucks, Middlesex, and Es- 

 sex, on the north side, from those of Berks, 

 Surrey, and Kent, on the south side of the 

 said river. 



There are many persons who apprehend, 

 that the River Thames includes the river 

 sometimes called the Thames, and sometimes 

 the Isis, running from Leachlade, in Glou- 

 cestershire, to Dorchester ; but as it is con- 

 tended that the right of' fishing is in all pub- 

 lic rivers, it is of no great consequence on the 

 present occasion, whether that part of the 

 river be denominated Thames or Isis.* 



* There are also many persons who claim as private pro- 

 perty the Lock Pools, and certain waters partially separated 

 from the main stream, by a Eyott, or island, but I appre- 

 hend no such claim can be supported : for if the River Thames 

 is public, it must be so e ripa ad ripntr, from bank to bank, its 

 natural boundaries. 



