RODS. 



8i 



i 



vf 

 ^ 



at inauspicious moments ; secondly, the spliced joint ; and, 

 thirdly, the screw fastening, peculiar, so far as I am aware, 

 to the rods turned out by some Irish 

 makers. 



I have one of the last named still 

 in my possession made for me by 

 Martin Kelly, of Dublin, I am afraid 

 to say how many, but certainly fifteen 

 or twenty years ago, which has seen 

 some service in its day and is still fit to 

 take the field. I therefore speak of this 

 fastening with respect. It had its draw- 

 backs, however. Perhaps owing to the 

 necessity of the case, or perhaps to the 

 incomplete application of mechanical 

 knowledge, or a little of both, the fer- 

 rules which were attached to the tipper 

 ioint and slipped down from above in 

 the manner shown in fig. i, and sub- 

 sequently screwed into the position 

 shown in fig. 2, had an awkward habit 

 of breaking at the point where they 

 were attached by a screw or rivet to 

 the upper joint. Consequently, I need 

 not say that since I have become its 

 owner that single-handed three-joint 

 trout rod of about eleven feet, has 

 paid several enforced visits to Dublin 

 for purposes of reparation. 



The ' Irish joint,' as I will call it, had 

 the speciaUty of keeping the water drip- 

 pings to a great extent out of the joint. 



Another rod fastening possessing this latter advantage in 

 combination with some other very excellent points, is manu- 

 factured, and I believe invented, by Anderson & Sons, of 

 Edinburgh and Dunkeld. The upper ferrule is double (^nde 

 I. G 



FIG. 2. FIG. I. 



IRISH JOINT. 



