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long nights of the annual close time (extending for nets 

 from September I4th to February I5th), especially in the 

 upper reaches of the river, where spawning beds are 

 situated. In these districts, there is a dense manufacturing 

 population, in and near the towns of Hawick, Jedburgh, 

 Galashiels, Selkirk, Innerleithen, and Peebles ; and the 

 mill-workers greatly enjoy the recreation of going out in 

 parties at night, with torches, to capture, by means of rake 

 hooks and hand nets, salmon in the shallow streams. 



On an average of the last two years, the number of 

 poachers detected and convicted at the instance of the 

 Tweed Commissioners was 221 in the year; the cost of 

 prosecuting them was 266, and the amount of fines and 

 expenses awarded to the Commissioners was about 149. 



The number of our Water Bailiffs or River Watchers has 

 been, on an average of the last two years, 49 during the 

 six months of close time, and 13 during the rest of the 

 year. 



In order to pay the wages of bailiffs, the cost of prosecu- 

 tions, and the salaries of managing officials, the Tweed 

 Commissioners are entitled, under their Act of 1857, to 

 assess themselves, and the other proprietors of fishings, to 

 the extent of 20 per cent, on the rentals or values of the 

 fishings. These amount at present to about 13,000 

 yearly, so that by assessment we have about 2,500 at 

 our command for protection and management. 



If, however, the terrible fish epidemic, which for the last 

 two or three years has affected the Tweed, continues, we 

 must expect our income from fishing rents to fall, not only 

 because of the decrease in the number of fish, but because 

 of the disinclination of sportsmen to frequent our river for 

 angling, the enjoyment of which is undoubtedly lessened 

 by the ghastly sight of diseased -fish. 



