SOCIETIES OF LONDON AND THE PROVINCES. 165 



fishing for the exclusive use of its members. In May the 

 club got under their control about half a mile of the river 

 Colne from the railway arches to the Leathersellers' Arms, 

 and some time afterwards secured a reach of the canal from 

 Cassio Bridge to Beasley's Lock. The number of fishing 

 members is limited to 50, with numerous hon. members. 

 The annual subscription is 5-y. 



Hon. Sec., Mr. H. A. Vincent, 4 Carey Place, Watford. 



LONDON ANGLING CLUBS. 



I now come to an entirely distinct consideration of the 

 " Angling Clubs " of London pure and simple. It is very 

 likely that a certain class of unreflecting people, or people 

 who don't know any better, may imagine that the sole aim 

 and ambition attendant upon the formation or weekly 

 gathering together of the members of an angling club is 

 centred in the consumption of a good deal of fourpenny 

 ale, unlimited grogs, and the strongest sort of tobacco. 



Now and again it is possible, but they are very isolated 

 instances, that this view of matters represents something 

 like the facts of the case. More frequently such an un- 

 generous reading is as far wide of the mark as the North 

 Pole is to California. Then, again, it may be asked ' What 

 good do angling clubs effect ? what are they really doing 

 that is worth doing ? and what might they not do ? Truly 

 three such queries open up a terrible vista of argument, 

 and although the first question may be, and is, easy enough 

 to answer, the two following must inevitably place the ma- 

 jority of the angling clubs, to speak simple truth, in a by 

 no means complimentary or particularly enviable position. 



What good do angling clubs effect ? Well, by way of 



