xiv Report on Salmon Fisheries. 
Legislation for the prevention and cure of pollution and poison- 
ing in all running waters is most important and urgent. The evil 
is yearly increasing, and it is time that a remedy was applied. And 
that such a remedy might be found without injury to manufact- 
urers there seems to be but little doubt ; as, more than 15 years 
ago, the River Pollution Commissioners wrote as follows in their 
5th and last Report : — ' We have thus already submitted to your 
■■ Majesty a description of the evils arising from the discharge into 
' river channels of town sewage, and of the various filthy drainage 
' waters from cotton, woollen, silk, flax, and jute works, from print 
1 and dye-works, from tanneries, paper mills, and bleach works, from 
' alkali, chemical, and soap works, from distilleries, starch and sugar 
■ works, and from parrafin oil works. The remedies for the nuis- 
* ances which these refuse liquids create have been carefully 
' examined, and, after prolonged inquiry and research, we have been 
' able to report that in every case efficient remedies exist and are 
' available ; so that the present use of rivers and running waters 
' for the purpose of carrying off the sewage of towns and populous 
c places, and the refuse arising from industrial processes and 
' manufactures, can be prevented without risk to the public health 
' or serious injury to such processes or manufactures.' 
It seems, therefore, quite evident that the secondary uses of 
water which the manufacturers enjoy have been too long allowed to 
usurp the place of the primary uses to which the public are entitled, 
and that it is high time that stringent measures were taken to 
check the progress of pollution, which has already converted so 
many of our streams, once pure and pellucid, into mere fetid sewers. 
In one way, at least, the public health and the preservation of salmon 
are immediately connected. The water which will destroy or repel 
salmon is unfit for human use ; and the water fit for human use is 
attractive and wholesome for salmon. The state of the matter was 
admirably stated by the late Mr Russel of the Scotsman in the 
chapter on ' Future Salmon Legislation,' in his well known work 
entitled The Salmon. ' Some people,' he remarks, • venture to say 
' that the infliction of sterility on the waters by artificial means 
' is natural, because river courses are the natural drains of the 
' country, and because thus it is natural that all dirt should descend 
■ through these drains. But there is neither proof nor probability as 
' to this being a correct interpretation of the designs of nature in 
' the making of rivers ; and, though it were otherwise, the fact would 
' not be much to the purpose. Nature, we beg to suggest, intended 
' river courses for rivers, and rivers are naturally composed of water 
' that rises from the ground, and water that falls from the clouds, 
' there is no written proof nor visible probability that nature 
' designed river courses as conduits or open sewers for the running 
( off of lime, soda, and vitriol. On the contrary, there is good 
' evidence that nature intended rivers, among other good purposes, 
( to furnish a supply of drink to man, beast, and bird, to say nothing 
' of fish ; and it is a fair inference that whatever renders rivers unfit 
' for so obvious and great a purpose is a violation of the designs of 
' nature. Indeed, it would be quite enough to say that nature, 
' beyond all doubt, designed rivers to be the habitation of fish ; and 
' that if lime, vitriol, soda, and filth are incompatible with fish, it 
' is not the fish but the filth that is out of place.' 
