134 SALMON-FISHEKY OF SCOTLAND. 



Instead, however, of questioning the witness, as we have said, 

 on the points relative to the danger to the lieges from the 

 machinery in question, Mr Kennedy studiously avoided putting 

 a single question to him on the subject, but brought forward the 

 above action as a means of throwing discredit on his evidence, 

 as a river fisher, and an opposer of his favourite system ; and 

 another witness, a man who knew no more of salmon-fishing 

 than of naval tactics, and who was, besides, an inveterate 

 enemy of the witness in question, was brought up 600 miles 

 for the same purpose. This man, being asked, — " Did he con- 

 sider stake-nets to be injurious to navigation ? " answers, " No, 

 quite the reverse : " — " Did he ever hear of a boat or other vessel 

 being put to inconvenience or danger during their existence 1 " 

 "Never in his life." "What was the breadth of the channel 

 left unobstructed where the stake-net was demolished in the 

 Dornoch frith?" "I should think full a mile." Now the 

 breadth, by measurement, was exactly fifty-two yards. 



Such were the Committees under the unreformed regime. It 

 is, however, to be hoped that, under the auspices of his present 

 most excellent and patriotic Majesty, a different system will be 

 adopted in all the departments of the State, and, above all, that 

 the Augean stable, for it is truly such, of the Scotch law, will be 

 cleansed and purified by the Commissioners appointed for that 

 purpose. 



estuary, an assembly who shall proceed, via facti, to pull down and destroy 

 them, would not, in the eye of the law, be deemed guilty of a riot. — Red- 

 gauntlet. 



