532 SALMON LEGISLA TION IN SCOTLAND. 



ladders. The whole cost, including Act of Parliament, 

 purchase of conflicting rights, litigation, &c., was less than 

 7,000, the ladders themselves costing less than 1,000 of 

 that sum. The result is, that the investment yields from 

 200 to 300 per cent, on the capital. The Galway fisheries, 

 belonging to the late Mr. Ashworth, are another striking 

 instance of the same kind. 



As every dam or weir is more or less differently situated 

 as to circumstances affecting the passage of salmon, and no 

 hard-and-fast rule can therefore be laid down as to con- 

 struction of ladders, &c., it should be provided that no 

 ladder or pass should be constructed until plans had been 

 laid before and approved by the inspector, and that it 

 should be constructed at his sight and to his satisfaction, or 

 that of some person delegated by him for the purpose. 

 This would avoid the possibility of placing ladders in wrong 

 places, and other mistakes which have been common. It 

 should be clearly laid down who is to place, pay for and 

 maintain these passes, hecks at mill-lades, and other altera- 

 tions on dams and obstructions. A bye-law should be made 

 on the subject of obstructions other than mill-dams, &c., 

 and compulsory power might be given to purchase, at so 

 many years' purchase, all non-industrial obstructions pre- 

 sently existing by charter. 



ANNUAL CLOSE TIME. 



The hard-and-fast period of one hundred and sixty-eight 

 days has not given universal satisfaction, though it may 

 safely be said to work well on the whole. It, however, will 

 admit of improvement in the way of elasticity. In some 

 cases, at present, it is not enough, and in others it is more 

 than enough. There are early rivers and late rivers, and it 

 has been proved by actual experiment that the natural 



