50 
Appendices to Eighth Annual Report 
the Tweed Commissioners, that no fewer than 175 nets, &c, were so 
taken during the last season ; 103 being taken during the months of 
October, November, and December, when salmon come along the coast, 
and are ascending the river for the purpose of spawning. The expenses 
entailed by these measures for the repression of poaching were, however 
very heavy ; and last year it is stated that they exceeded the revenue 
by £120, and the excess of expenditure over revenue amounted to £385, 
15s. 7d. It must also be kept in view that the statutory assessment 
under the Tweed Acts is no less than 20 per ceut. on the rental of the 
fishings, so that, accepting the above statements as correct, the local 
authorities on the Tweed appear to have spared no exertion and grudged 
no expense in order to carry out the provisions of the Acts which 
they were created to administer, and which it is their duty to 
enforce. 
In their Memorial, the Commissioners farther state that they are in the 
course of making arrangements for the protection of the river during the 
close season which commenced on the 15th of last month ; that they pro- 
pose to carry out the same policy that they pursued last year in the sea 
district, namely, to rely chiefly upon suppressing poaching there by 
capturing nets illegally set, and thus rendering poaching unprofitable ; and 
that they have already hired a steam tug-boat at considerable expense, 
which is to be at their command for several weeks. They point out, at 
the same time, that the resources of the Commissioners are already over- 
taxed, and that the present heavy assessment of 20 per cent, on the 
rental of the fisheries cannot be increased. They conclude their Mem- 
orial in the following terms : — 
It has been reported, and the Commissioners have every reason to believe, that 
the fishermen on the sea coast and estuary of the river are preparing, whenever 
the close time for netting begins, at which time the boats, nets, and engines of 
the lessees and occupants of the fisheries must be removed and stored, to proceed 
with illegal fishing in a more determined manner than heretofore, and that 
quantities of nets have been manufactured for illicit use. The result of such a 
resolution on the part of the fishermen cannot be contemplated by the Tweed 
Board without concern, as from their antecedent conduct, and their present state 
of hostile determination, there is much reason to fear that they may employ their 
large keel boats in force to oppose the bailliffs while performing their duty at 
sea and on board the tug-boat, when a serious collision might ensue which 
might possibly lead to bloodshed or loss of life. The Commissioners have made 
all arrangements in their power, consistent with their means, to protect the 
interests under their management, and they cannot expect any material assis- 
tance from a landforce, such as the County or Burgh Police, in endeavouring to 
suppress lawlessness which can only be successfully combated at sea, they 
would, therefore, respectively venture again to solicit the assistance of the 
Government in the critical position in which they are placed. They hope and 
have no reason to doubt that, as on former occasions, the mere presence of one 
of Her Majesty's gunboats will be sufficient in itself to prevent any serious 
infraction of the law, and they earnestly trust that the desired help will be imme- 
diately afforded. 
Since the above Memorial was forwarded, Mr Tait, Clerk to the Tweed 
Commissioners, has transmitted to the Secretary for Scotland, on the 5th 
of this month, a copy of a Police Eeport made to the Tweed Com^ 
missioners by the Superintendent of Bailliffs, on the 29th of last month, 
showing the course of events at the mouth of the river and along the sea- 
coast. Fromthisit appears that, between the 7th and 2 7th September, thirty 
hang-nets were seized and destroyed. A collision is also reported to have 
taken place between the bailliffs anda number of Burnmouth fishermen, who 
left Burnmouth in twelve boats in order to prevent the bailliffs from 
capturing certain nets illegally set in Burnmouth Bay. It is stated that 
