46 
Appendices to Eighth Annual Report 
my Treatise on Salmon Fisheries in Stanford's series of British Industries, 
and in the Journal of the Scottish Meteorological Society in 1878. The 
subject of early and late salmon rivers is also discussed pretty fully in 
my Third Annual Report to the Fishery Board (pp. 106-107). In the 
early rivers you find fresh run fish in December and January ; in the late 
rivers they do not ascend until May or June; so that to apply the same, 
annual close time to both groups would be preposterous. 
Besides, we in Scotland have already had a most fatal experience of the 
baleful effects of a hard and fast uniform close time applied to all rivers, 
however different in physical characteristics, under the Act 9 Geo. iv. c. 
39, commonly known as Home Drummond's Act. Those who wish to 
see the disastrous effects of this Act on the Scotch Salmon Fisheries, will 
find them fully and ably set forth in the late Mr Alexander Russel's well- 
known book, entitled The Salmon, I need here only refer to its effects 
on the Tay, which is an early river. Home Drummond's Act extended 
the netting season in all Scotch rivers to the 15th of September. The 
Tay had previously closed on the 26th August; so that the Act of 1828 
gave three weeks longer netting. The ruinous results of this were soon 
made manifest. In 1828, the rental of the Tay was £14,574, 10s; in 
1838 it had fallen to £10,285 ; and, in 1852, it reached its lowest 
point, £7,973, 5s. About this time the Tay proprietors, seeing the folly 
of the Act of 1828, resolved voluntarily to return to the old close time, 
commencing on the 27th August; and, in 1858, they applied to Parlia- 
ment for a local Act, under which the net-fishing closed on 26th August. 
The good effects of this return to the old close time were speedy and 
satisfactory. In ten years from 1852 the rental rose to £14,080, 12s.; 
and in 1865 it had risen to £17,618, 0s. 7d. 
I venture respectfully to press upon the Board the necessity of 
expressing their strong disapproval of Mr Humphreys' recommendation of 
a universal and absolute close time for the Salmon Fisheries of the 
United Kingdom. 
I have the honour to be, 
Your obedient Servant, 
ARCHd. YOUNG. 
The Fishery Board for Scotland. 
NOTE IV. 
REPORT TO THE FISHERY BOARD BY THE INSPECTOR 
OF SALMON FISHERIES ON ' POINTS AND SUGGES- 
TIONS WITH REFERENCE TO ' THE PROPOSED SALMON 
' FISHERY BILL, BY MR. C. O. HUMPHREYS, SOLICITOR 
'OF THE FISHMONGERS COMPANY, LONDON.' 
3rd January 1889. 
I have the honour to report that I have read over and carefully considered 
' Points and Suggestions with reference to the proposed new Salmon 
' Fishery Bill,' transmitted to the Secretary to the Fishery Board along 
with a letter from Mr Charles O. Humpreys, Solicitor to the Fishmongers 
Company, London. 
In these suggestions Mr Humpreys proposes to have one Salmon 
Fisheries Act, applicable to the whole of the United Kingdom; and also, 
1 if practicable, to have one uniform and universal absolute close time for 
f all the rivers in the United Kingdom.' 
