1 6 SALMON FISHERIES 



" The water impounded at a weir may be used for 

 navigation, irrigation, fisheries, mills, water supply. 

 These various river interests, at least the important 

 ones, may be reconciled under a good system of river 

 economy." 



" Weirs immediately cause land flooding." 



The Commissioners say, "Matters have much 

 changed since the first mill was built on the banks of 

 the Thames. Water power, formerly so precious, is 

 now scarcely more than an auxiliary to steam. Trade 

 has quitted the river for the railway. Every year the 

 laud adjoining to a mill gains in value, and it is now 

 easy for a man to do injury to lands, to the amount 

 of several times its own value." 



" What we should suggest with respect to weirs is, 

 that the property in all the weirs on the Thames, now 

 vested in private owners, and the liability to maintain 

 the same weirs, should be .transferred to the body 

 which has the government of the river." Above 

 Oxford : " The water is pounded at a weir in one of 

 the upper reaches, above Oxford, and then let down 

 by opening the weirs, and is passed from reach to 

 reach, the barges riding on the crest of the wave ; 

 without these flashes the navigation cannot be con- 

 ducted even below Oxford." The Commissioners by 

 their bye-laws prescribe that there shall be two such 

 flashes per week. " The system of flashes is a mere 

 makeshift." 



" Floods occur every year. Thousands of acres of 

 land, with many roads and footpaths, vast areas of 

 urban lands, and even streets, have been for several 

 weeks under water, lands have been destroyed, local 

 traffic interrupted, and human health lowered." 



"Above Oxford the navigation works are in utter 

 decay ; the channel is unnavigable, and traffic may be 

 said to have ceased. Below Oxford the navigation is 

 still maintained, but only by the pernicious makeshift 



