PREFACE. Vll 



and 40/. less in his pocket. Who will ever attempt 

 this again ? The power of the magistrate to convict 

 and enforce the laws is gone for ever ; and the sal- 

 mon fisheries left to the mercy of any individual 

 who may think proper to abuse them. 



The river Dart, and other rivers in this county, 

 are to be seen blocked up with fish-locks in the 

 face of open day ; in defiance of all law, they may be 

 seen, not merely drawn, but swept, the water being 

 absolutely strained through a net of a one inch mesh, 

 when the law requires that such mesh shall be never 

 less than two inches and a half broad. No other 

 notice is taken of these outrages, than that persons 

 look at them, cry " Shame !" and so dismiss the 

 matter. But if these trespassers were vigorously 

 resisted by a powerful body united for the pur- 

 pose, such flagrant abuses would speedily cease. 



To shew the perplexity and contrariety of the 

 present system, it need only be remarked, that by 

 one act the remedy is by indictment ; by another, 

 by information at the suit of the King ; under 

 others, by summoning a jury and qui tarn. All 

 these difficulties create entanglements, and are 

 dismaying; no individual will ever embark in 



