156 THE SALMON RIVERS OF SCOTLAND 



an annual rent of 175. The benefit from this was not, how 

 ever, considered to be in proportion to the price paid, and th( 

 arrangement was not renewed. 



It is possible to obtain some idea of the past angling result* 

 of the upper proprietors in question from the evidence whicl 

 the late Sir George Macpherson Grant of Ballindalloch gavt 

 before Lord Elgin's Commission in 1900. Returns were put ir 

 from six of the fishings. Those returns Sir George did no1 

 vouch for, and for purposes of comparison it is possible to ust 

 only four of them, and to restrict the period from 1887 to 189 

 inclusive ; but regarding them in this way, we have four verj 

 representative waters, viz. Ballindalloch, Knockando, Westei 

 Elchies, and Aikenway. The figures are : 



Year. Ball. Knock. W. Elchiea. Aiken. Total. 



1887 



1888 



1889 



1890 



1891 



1892 



1893 



1894 



1895 



1896 



1897 



1898 



1899 . 71 51 129 48 299 



The average take in Gordon Castle water at the back-end, 

 drawn from the figures already referred to, is 645, and 53 Ib. 

 is the record weight (1897). The average for the corresponding 

 period of ten years from the four fisheries just mentioned is 

 only 408. The present day return would be much better. 

 Perhaps it was natural in view of such circumstances that the 

 proprietors above Orton should consider they were not getting 

 their fair share of the fish. There is no call for me to act as 

 arbiter, and the evidence either way is inconclusive ; but there 

 are certainly one or two considerations which should not be 

 lost sight of. The sound policy with regard to the extent to 

 which it is wise in the general interests of any river to continue 

 netting, depends on the just operation of the weekly close 

 time, the desire being so to adjust the netting as to make it 



