494 SALMON LEGISLA TION IN SCOTLAND. 



provision which, however, has proved abortive. The Act 

 does not. apply to the Tweed, with the exception of three 

 sections, relating to illegal modes of fishing (saving clause), 

 possession of salmon roe, and poaching by three or more 

 persons at night. 



The Commissioners appointed in terms of the Act, after 

 inspections and inquiries lasting over two years, marked 

 out one hundred and five districts to be supervised by the 

 District Boards provided for in the Act, and made bye-laws 

 regulating the various matters above mentioned (except 

 obstructions). 



FAILURE OF DISTRICT BOARDS. 



It is universally admitted that the reforms introduced by 

 the Act of 1862 were necessary and well-intentioned, and 

 that they have been generally beneficial to the salmon 

 fishings ; but however excellent in intention any piece of 

 legislation may be, it unfortunately too often happens that 

 its effect falls far short of the same standard of excellence, 

 and this Act is no exception to the rule. One of the most 

 important of all the provisions in the Act was the establish- 

 ment of a responsible and interested supervision and regu- 

 lation of the fisheries, by means of the constitution of local 

 boards of proprietors of salmon fishings, and the delegation 

 to them of apparently ample powers to carry out the 

 intentions of the legislature. There can be no room for 

 doubt as to the wisdom of this principle of government of 

 the fisheries, but nevertheless in the result we have the 

 most conspicuous failure in the whole of the Act. As 

 already mentioned, the Commissioners appointed by the 

 Act, following strictly its instructions, constituted one 

 hundred and five districts, in each of which the proprietors 



