OF ENGLAND. 1 9 



in many other rivers where the water remains as pure as 

 it was centuries ago. The Government having abolished 

 the old laws, the difficulty has been increased of apply- 

 ing a remedy to such rivers where the salmon have been 

 unlawfully exterminated. If Government would 

 advance money, to be applied in the construction of 

 fish passes, and to be repaid out of licence duties 

 during the ensuing twenty-five years, some of these 

 rivers might be restored. Or if power were given to 

 Boards of Conservators to levy a rate not exceeding 

 ten per cent, upon the rated value of every fishery, 

 this might in many cases enable them to raise funds, 

 or borrow money upon the security of the rate 

 similar to that of the River Tay, or follow the ex- 

 ample of America, "where all persons who build 

 dams on streams annually frequented by fish, do so 

 under an obligation to keep up sufficient fish ways for 

 the passage of such fish, unless they are relieved by a 

 special act of the legislature." 



In conclusion, I believe the general opinion of 

 those most interested in the welfare of the salmon 

 fisheries in the United Kingdom is to be summed up 

 under the heads of the three following requirements. 



Free passage of the salmon to their natural spawn- 

 ing grounds, to be paid for by Government, they 

 having repealed the Acts giving this right, with ten 

 hours' supply of water out of twenty -four, and to 

 allow no fishing with nets within 100 yards of the 

 mill dams. 



All minor details, as to nets and close time, to be 

 arranged under the supervision of the Home Office, 

 if recommended by the several Boards of Conservators, 

 under the control, after a public enquiry, and with 

 the advice of the Inspectors. 



The main object the promoters of Salmon Preser- 

 vation had in view in 1861 was to prevent the extinc- 

 tion of the salmon. In repealing the ancient laws 



