166 THE RELATIONS OF THE STATE WITH 



still worse treatment at the hands of the framers of I Geo. I. 

 c. 1 8 ; for this statute fixed the close time for salmon in 

 nearly all the northern rivers, including those of Lancashire, 

 from the last day of July to the twelfth day of November 

 " for ever." In the case of the Kibble, at least, " for ever " 

 was reduced in practice to thirty-six years ; and 23 Geo. II. 

 cap. 26, after reciting that the close season so fixed " hath 

 been found inconvenient, as to the River Ribble, by reason 

 that the time limited for restraining the taking fish therein 

 is not properly suited or adapted to the fishing seasons 

 there," makes the close time extend from September I4th 

 to January 2nd, " for ever." Many other instances of legis- 

 lation on insufficient information might be given. Gaining 

 wisdom by experience, and finding that its enactments as 

 to close time still "proved ineffectual," Parliament, in 58 

 Geo. III. c. 43, adopted the principle, which was extended 

 by 6 & 7 Viet. c. 33, of making the justices the judges of 

 the requirements of their own rivers, and of authorising 

 them to fix the close time for salmon. But even then 

 Adoption of abuses crept in ; and it finally established a universal close 

 season for all English and Welsh rivers, leaving it to local 

 Boards of Conservators, whose formation it authorised, to 



Local alter that close season, within certain limits, if found desir- 



authorities. 



able, with the sanction of a central authority (the Home 



Office), and generally to enforce the law and adapt it, in 

 certain minutice, to their own requirements. 



By this time, however, other matters besides the fixing of 



a suitable close season had claimed, and were more and 



more urgently pressing their claims upon, the attention of 



the State in the question of salmon preservation. In the 



Conflict of first place a great change had come over the relation of the 



an^fishery fisheries to the navigation interest. The introduction of 



pound locks into canals, by Brindley, was followed by the 



