3<D APPENDIX. 



These facts were generally attested by living witnesses speaking 

 from their own experience, particularly by fishermen and others who 

 had good opportunities of observation. The decrease of fish is in 

 most cases stated to have been very great ; in some rivers the present 

 supply is described as not being more than 1 in 10, 1 in 20, or even 

 1 in 100 compared with what the witnesses personally recollect. 

 There might be some ground to suspect exaggeration in these state- 

 ments, although they were almost universal, were they not sup- 

 ported by other evidence of a very cogent nature. It was proved for 

 example : 



1. That the price of the fish had greatly increased. 



2. That the rents paid for fisheries had much diminished. 



3. That the numbers of persons and boats employed in the 

 fisheries had fallen off. 



Lastly. It was shown by the evidence of authentic records and 

 documents that the number and weight of fish actually taken 

 in former times were much greater than at present. 

 We need scarcely observe that such a result is extremely unsatis- 

 factory, above all, when it is remembered that it has taken place in 

 the face of a large increase of price and a greatly extended market. 

 If a fishery was let for ,^400 a-year, when salmon was commonly 

 sold on the spot at 4d. a lb., what should be said of a rental which 

 has dwindled down to ^10 or even 5, while the fish has increased 

 threefold or fourfold in price, and the tenant has direct access to the 

 largest markets in the kingdom ? It is obvious that the produce of 

 such fisheries must have decreased in even a greater ratio than their 

 rental. 



In regard to this species of property, we feel called upon to notice 

 a circumstance with which we were much impressed that, generally 

 speaking, much apathy and indifference prevailed on the part of the 

 proprietors respecting it. In most cases the owners of private 

 fisheries appear to take little pains either to protect their rights or to 

 increase their rentals. No doubt the depressed condition and falling 

 value of this kind of property have had a discouraging effect on their 

 minds. But probably they have been in a still greater degree de- 

 terred from making exertions or incurring expense in protection or 

 improvement by the difficulties which, in the present state of th 

 law, oppose themselves to any concerted attempt to ameliorate the 

 fisheries. 



It is certainly not attributable to any defects in the elements of 

 yalue. The sources of wealth exist to a greater extent unimpaired, 

 but their development is checked by artificial causes ; chiefly by the 

 want of the facilities which proper legislation might give for combined 

 action among those whose interests urgently require it. 



The contrast presented by the values of some of the private 

 fisheries in Scotland and Ireland, when compared with those of this 

 part of the kingdom, is very striking. It was stated by the late 

 Duke of Richmond to a committee of the House of Commons in 



