MIDDLESEX. 55 



lovers of the art, known as the Thames Angling Pre- 

 servation Society, has done good service by the exer- 

 tions they have made to ensure the observance of the 

 law, and to render the waters of the Thames as rife of 

 sport as may be. The last report made by the com- 

 mittee of the Society congratulated all the lovers of 

 angling upon the society's success in effectually carry- 

 ing out its projects. Illegal fishing in the Thames was 

 stated to be all but abolished; and the result was an 

 increase in the quantity and quality of all kinds of fish 

 in the river. During the previous year, six, and last 

 year only three, convictions took place. That was at- 

 tributed, as the report properly stated, to the indefati- 

 gable attention of the water-bailiffs, who most satisfac- 

 torily discharged their arduous and occasionally dan- 

 gerous duties, whilst at the same time they avoided 

 giving to the offenders the slightest pretext to complain 

 of either irritation or oppression. In consequence of 

 such conduct on the part of their officers, several net- 

 men, and others who used illegal nets, had abandoned 

 poaching, and either adopted a different mode of living, 

 or expressed a desire to follow the legitimate system of 

 fishing, if they received assistance from the anglers 

 visiting the river. The report also stated, that the 

 City authorities having determined to erect a weir or 

 bay at Penton Hook, near Latcham, the committee 

 presented a memorial to the Lord Mayor and corpora- 

 tion, praying that they would declare it a preserve, and 

 that they would consolidate and extend the preserves 

 at Chertsey, Sunbury, and Hampton, with which 

 prayer the Lord Mayor and Common Council complied, 

 and the society ordered those and the other preserves to 

 be staked, and that boats should be sunk at them. 



