SURREY, MIDDLESEX, AND SUSSEX STREAMS 59 



Mr. Brown, who has lately stocked the stream at 

 Waddon with both trout fry and roach ; Mr. 

 Dingwall ; Mr. Frost ; Mr. Brougham. Below the 

 spot where the effluent of the Croydon sewage 

 farm comes in Mr. Roberts, Mr. Easton (who has a 

 small association), Mr. Deeds, the Wandle Fishing 

 Association (which has a hatchery), and Mr. Bidder 

 have most of the water. The Rev. T. Bentham 

 is at the time of writing forming an angling club 

 at Beddino;ton Park, with a nine-inch limit for the 

 first year and a ten-inch afterwards. The season is 

 to be from May 1st to September 30th, and not 

 more than three brace are to be taken by one rod 

 in the day. Wandle trout run up to a good size. 

 One of over 5 lbs was taken in Mr. Dingwall's water 

 some years ago, which is the largest I have heard of. 

 Before leaving the Wandle I must refer to the 

 way in which the stream has been polluted of 

 late years. In order not to give unnecessary 

 offence I have abstained, whilst quoting Ruskin, 

 from giving the burning words of scorn which, in the 

 preface to the Crown of Wild Olive, he pours upon 

 those who desecrate our pure and lovely trout 

 streams. Yet I feel that it would be wrong 

 to altogether slur over the conduct of those who 

 let loose the sewage of the town of Croydon into 

 the Wandle, and let it loose in a state that can- 

 not be far short of poisonous. If such pollution 

 does not come under the Public Health Act of 

 1875, or the River Pollution Act of 1876, it is 

 surely time for Parliament to further strengthen 

 and extend the law in this matter.^ The pesti- 

 lential pollution of our living waters is a standing 



1 I hope the Thames Conservancy will try to purify the 

 Wandle ; it is their duty to do so. 



