98 THE HISTORY AND HABITS OF THE SALMON. 



case,, if it would be unlawful in the Crown to do so, it is 

 equally the same to allow any other person to m seize on 

 part of their property and use it illegally against the law- 

 ful holders of these rivers. I have, therefore, no hesitation 

 in pronouncing all these erections illegal, destructive to 

 the breed and prosperity of the salmon, hurtful to the 

 rightful owners of these fish, and derogatory to the dignity 

 of the Crown. If our present government shall allow any 

 part of the Crown property to be seized on and used 

 illegally, such may be done in some cases without a very 

 patent knowledge of it; but in the case of unlawfully 

 fixed engines, no such events can be pleaded, for it 

 is a well known fact, that the injustice and destruction 

 of these engines are seen over all the country, as plain as 

 day-light. I therefore hope, whether it be the Duke of 

 Argyll or Lord Palmerston (either of whom are very ca- 

 pable for the task), that we may have to rely on for re- 

 demption to the fisheries, we hope sincerely that they 

 will guard against introducing any half-and-half measures, 

 or making any compromise whereby any part of the evil 

 will be allowed to remain under the shadow of law; for 

 we shall never have anything like a healthy improvement 

 of the fisheries, while one vestige of the destructive ele- 

 ment remains. 



ff There has been great fatality in the introduction of 

 Scotch Fishery Bills for the last twenty years. Most of 

 those introduced were of such a trifling benefit to the fast- 

 declining rivers, that the introducers got little or no sup- 

 port, and for my own part, I was always doubtful which 

 of the parties had the greater benefit, the lawful or the un- 

 lawful party. I hope no such trifling will take place now, 

 or ever again." 



LETTER FROM ROBERT WALLACE, ESQ., OF KELLY, 



To Inverness Courier, l%th September, 1848. 



" I observe statements in your late number, showing the 

 success which anglers for salmon have had in the Ness ; 

 and I rejoice to find that beautiful stream of right-coloured 

 water for raising fish in, has afforded such excellent amuse- 

 ment to the numerous sportsmen whose names you have 

 recorded as occupying that river at this late period of the 



