THE NEW ART OF BBEEDING FISH. 187 



year of immigration, averaging from lib to 51b, in- 

 stead of giving them another season's grace, to return 

 valuable prizes of 71b to 141b each. I speak within 

 compass when I say that this single regulation would 

 quadruple the number of salmon in the second year 

 of ^ its trial. After making these provisions I would 

 give power to a certain number of the proprietors, by 

 mere petition to the House of Commons, to incorpo- 

 rate the fishery, and erect themselves into a company, 

 with power to levy rates, to appoint directors and 

 other officers, in the same manner as any other pub- 

 lic body which derives authority from an act of Par- 

 liament, the powers and functions of this body and 

 its officers to be defined by the public act. I have 

 here given an outline of a scheme which, I feel satis- 

 fied, would meet the urgent and immediate wants 

 of the salmon-loving public. The general good 

 would be consulted by strict enactments against the 

 present vile and destructive practices. Private in- 

 terests would be respected by recognising a property 

 which at present is ignored by the law, although it 

 is recognized by conscience and common sense ; con- 

 flicting claims and mutual jealousies would subside 

 under the influence of a joint and common interest ; 

 poaching and unseasonable fishing .would rapidly 

 abate, if not disappear altogether, by uniting in the 

 closest of ties all persons interested in the protection 

 of the fish ; and the salmon would enjoy, for the first 

 time in the memory of man, the full opportunity of 

 developing all her resources, and of proving how 



