STORAGE AND PASSES 285 



nearest certain flood-gates was lowered about thir- 

 teen inches, with the idea of deepening the water 

 for the passage of the fish. It was soon found that 

 no fish could stem the current for more than about 

 one-third of its distance; and the accident of an 

 observer placing stones in the current, on which he 

 might stand to watch the fish, gave the hint of 

 creating resting-places for the fish." The hint 

 would not have been needed had any competent 

 man applied to the management of a salmon river, 

 deranged by artificial drainage, half the thought 

 that thousands of men apply to the mechanism of a 

 bicycle or a motor-car. 



Many thousands of pounds have been spent on the 

 construction of "passes'" that were useless. As a 

 rule the problem was looked at by some engineering 

 eye that had little or no regard to what a salmon 

 can or cannot do. In rivers all over the country 

 there are structures which, although Fishery Boards, 

 proprietors, and tacksmen are perfectly satisfied with 

 them, are of no avail to the fish. Some are too 

 complicated ; in others the gradient is too steep ; some 

 are lacking in water ; others have jumps in them. 



This subject being peculiarly susceptible to pic- 

 torial illustration, let us contemplate a scene on 

 the North Esk. That shows a bad device. The 

 pass is four feet wide at the top, two feet deep, and 

 about seventeen feet wide at the bottom ; the height 

 is about seven feet, and the gradient is 1 in 4 at 

 the top. What is the result ? It is that at times 

 of low water, when fish would have a chance of 



