THE FIELD. 
1133 
The lovers of the rod will be glad to learn there is 
at length a probability of the fishery laws being 
amended, as Mr. Henry Marshall has published a 
letter in a portion of the daily papers to the effect 
that a friend of his has promised to introduce a Bill 
in the House of Commons with a view to the restora- 
tion of the salmon fisheries of Great Britain. This 
is a subject of great importance, not only to natural- 
ists, but to all classes of the community, and our 
only surprise is that the subject upon which the 
author treats has not received that attention from our 
Government which its importance demands. By wise 
and just legislation this beautiful fresh-water fish 
may again grace the vast extent of barren rivers in 
all parts of Great Britain, and may be rendered cheap, 
and brought within the reach of the poorest artizan. 
Mr. Marshall says, “ Parliament should declare 
cruives, stake, and bag-nets illegal, and salmon-fry 
catching, spearing fish preparing to spawn, and kelt- 
killing, highly penal and that “ there should be 
only two lawful modes of taking salmon — the rod and 
the drag-net.” He also states “ that salmon should 
not be captured after the latter end of August, in 
order that they may have the proper feeding and 
breeding time destined for them by Nature.” There 
are several river proprietors who are at considerable 
expense in preserving their waters, but derive no re- 
turn for their trouble and expenditure. These rivers 
are fearfully poached ; the present law does not give 
the salmon a fair opportunity to multiply, and it is 
utterly impossible to calculate how many millions of 
young salmon are untimely destroyed by such destruc- 
tive inventions as are allowed by Act of Parliament. 
Mr. Robert Ramsbottom has already published some 
valuable communications on the salmon question. 
His remedy consists of an enactment to the effect, 
“ that the mesh of every salmon-net shall be of such 
a size (hereafter to be determined), as to permit the 
escape of all salmon of seven pounds weight and 
under.” The reader is probably aware that a two- 
aud-a-half inch mesh is the least f by which salmon 
may legally be captured, and that the employment of 
a smaller mesh subjects the offender to a penalty. 
The intention, in prohibiting the use of diminutive 
meshes, was highly commendable, but, unfortunately, 
the statute did not answer the end for which it was 
originally designed. At the date of its enactment 
but little was known of the natural history of the 
salmon. At that time, and indeed up to a very re- 
cent period, it was generally thought that the sprod 
and mart (sea-trout) were the young of the salmon. 
Acting under this impression, the Legislature adopted 
a two-and-a-half-inch mesh, iD the belief that such a 
size would be large enough to allow young salmon 
to pass through, and ascend the rivers for the purpose 
of spawning. Later researches have shown that the 
mort and sprod are an entirely distinct species, and 
that grilse, or young salmon, are of such average 
dimensions, that by far the greater number has no 
chance of escape from the statute net. It is therefore 
evident that, if the fishery laws are not amended, 
salmon will soon be double the price it now is, 
and that all the artificial breeding, and other arts of 
man, can never make it cheap and abundant, unaided 
by suitable and natural laws. We sincerely hope the 
proposed Bill will become law, not because it interests 
our readers — the aristocracy and monied circles — 
but because its effects would prove highly beneficial 
to the salmon-loving public. 
The steeple-chases at Harrow, on Thursday last, 
were remarkably well attended. The Grand Annual 
Chase of 5 sovs each, with 50 added, was won easily 
by Mr. Mills’s Janus, carrying 9s t 41b. Nom-de- 
Guerre ran second, giving the winner nearly two 
stone. Some spectators were of opinion that, had 
he kept on the right side of the post, he must have 
won. Janus, however, won cleverly. The steeple- 
chasers that have already shown in public this 
season are a sorry lot, with the exception of the 
Hoylake winner (Necdwood), who goes remarkably 
straight and well. As the season advances another 
Switcher or Pioneer may make his appearance. 
Last season showed evident symptoms of a falling-off 
in the number of competitors. When this sport 
first became general, the fanners took a delight 
in preparing^ and entering their own cracks to 
compete for the prizes. The present handicaps — 
favouring, as they do, the flat-racers — entirely ex- 
clude even the chance of a perfect hunter carrying 
off the stakes. Several of the winners last year 
only carried from 8st to lOst. If a horse cannot 
win with lOst 71b, he ought to be weeded from the 
stud of steeplechasers. 
A Mr. W. Barton, of Hatfield, Yorkshire, met 
with a fatal accident, on Saturday last, by the ex- 
plosion of his gun when in the field ; thereby adding 
another to the long list of victims who have met 
with untimely deaths, entirely through their own 
carelessness. 
Last week Mr. R. Stevens, tho veterinary surgeon of 
Park-lane, operated very successfully upon Pantomine. J 
B ASjWS , 
REVIEW OF THE RACING SEASON, 1854. 
No. II. 
Liverpool, independent of its “Grand National 
Steeplechase, gave us lialf-a-dozcn flat-race items, 
but the fields were small, and the results unimportant. 
St. Clare won the Spring Cup of £290 with consum- 
mate case ; and the five-yr-old Jullien, entered for 
20 sovs, winning the Optional Selling Stakes, was 
sold for 38 gs, being three more than he fetched at 
Nottingham in the preceding week ; Mr. Topham 
benefitting £19. 18s. Doncaster was fraught with 
interest. Pumicestone's journey to the moor was 
avowedly to claim subsequent allowances ; Ptolemy 
won his maiden race, and is reputed to be the embryo 
Cestrian champion of the coming season ; and Alonzo 
placed the Doncaster Handicap of £482 to his lucky 
owner’s credit, wresting the spoils from a fair squad- 
ron of fifteen. The Hopeful Stakes of £350 had a 
brilliant array of twenty juvenile disputants, for 
which the crack Oaks filly for Malton, Cypriana, the 
half-sister to Songstress, was backed for an immense 
stake, but was unplaced in the tussle, the weedy 
Lady Palmerston winning two clean lengths from 
Flatterer (whom they fancy as an outsider for the 
Derby) and Clotilda. A brace of sales were effected, 
by which £246. 15s. found its way into the official 
exchequer, Penitent, 3 yrs (£30), being bought in 
for 155 gs, and Cimicina, 2 yrs (£40), sold for 80 gs. 
The first of the Queen’s Plates for the season was 
competed for at Salisbury, where Oulston, the Alice 
Hawthorn son — and looking particularly “jolly — ” 
made his successful bow ; and Defiance redeemed the 
Newton mistake, by severely vanquishing Orestes 
and Cineas. Trifle floored the Pantomime adherents 
for the Wiltshire Stakes of £570; and the three-yr-old 
Hermitage, receiving but 121bs. from Old Rowley, 
landed the fielders for the Handicap Plate, easily. 
Donna, 3 yrs (£30), fetched 42 gs at the Brighton 
Hunt meeting, where she won a couplet of stakes. 
Coventry, under the merry dynasty, was the avant 
courier to the Warwickshire campaign ; but, with the 
exception of the half-bred Wellesbourne, succumbing 
to Battery by a head only, after a most splendid race 
for the Coventry Handicap of £161, and Bull’s Eye 
(20 sovs) being bought in for 105 gs, after win- 
ning the Optional Selling Stakes, nothing transpired 
in the ribbon locality to require more than a pass- 
ing comment from us. At Warwick there were 
three days of exciting sport. The more noticeable 
features, however, were the defeat of Rataplan, for 
the Trial Stakes of £140, by Orestes, the easy tri- 
umph of Border Chief in the T.YO. Stakes, and the 
disqualification of the first and second horses (Squire 
of Malton and Kennington) in the Debdale event. 
Census, a good descendant of the lost Lanercost, won 
a trio of Selling Stakes, for which he was entered to 
be sold for 20 sovs, and was successively bought in 
at 85 gs, 120 gs, and 170 gs ; thus bringing 
£333. 15s. to the fund. In the following week 
came what we consider to be the first of the prin- 
cipal assemblies of the season, viz., the Northampton. 
Orestes followed up his Warwick success by bowling 
Filbert and the Reiver over, in tho Trial essay — 
rather a puazling affair, at the time, when we called 
to mind the stone given by the latter to the present 
victim in the preceding autumn. The Great North- 
amptonshire Stakes of £905 was not only a com- 
plete chapter of accidents, but fell short in the 
numerical strength of the field. The triumphant 
landing of the Bretby colours, by the aid of the 
home-bred Jacqueline, gave the fielders a rare coup ; 
the mare, under the steerage of the promising young 
Ashmall, clearing the goal a short length from little 
Bracken and the favoured, but queer-tempered, Defi- 
ance. Tom Dawson’s stout couplet, Red Lion and 
Chief Justice, were placed hors-de- combat by misfor- 
tune, the former by a fall, and the latter by a 
break down, which finished his unfortunate career. 
Veteran, Ptolemy, and Mr. Sykes, too, also fell ; and 
Swiftsure narrowly escaped floundering. The levia- 
than string of twenty-eight showed for the Spencer 
Plate of £785 on the five furlongs course, but there 
was a very indifferent start, in which Prime Minister 
and Pelion figured conspicuously. Welliam com- 
pensated the Malton division for their miss on the 
previous day, by pulling through from the speedy 
Koh-i-Noor, who, but for the 71b. penalty for his 
Warwick win, might have reversed the judge’s fiat. 
Ilex was claimed for 500 sovs immediately after his 
Cup victory ; and Flatterer justified tho confidence 
of the ring in his debut for the Althorp Park Stakes 
of £360 for two yr-olds ; his eleven opponents, as 
subsequent running proved, being of a very inferior 
grade. The committee received £272. 17s. clear, 
from two sales, Census (30 sovs) being bouglit-in 
for 250 gs, and Prevarication (30 sovs) sold for 
67 gs. The month’s business may be thus briefly 
summed up : — 
Mooting Days. Stake*. Home* 
Liverpool 1 ... 6 ... 25 
Doucastcr 2 ... 9 ... 75 
Salisbury 2 ... 9 ... 48 
Brighton j 4 _ 22 
Coventry 1 ... 4 £5 '... 
Tadcastcr 1 ... 1 g 
Kiplin, Coates 1 ... 1 ... 3 * 
St. Ivo’b 1 ... 3 24 
Beverley 1 ... 2 11 
Warwick 3 ... 19 ... 107 
Newcastle 1 ... 4 og 
Northampton 2 ... 12 hj 
Money. 
£ 275 
1.314 
1,305 
102 
298 
45 
13 
CO 
97 
1,800 
195 
3,181 
17 74 486 £9,051 
The April events were ushered in by the aristo- 
cratic meet at Croxton Park, where the steeple- 
chaser Bourton won the Granby Handicap of £370, 
and Leybournc was claimed for £50. Cheltenham 
was merely a gathering for hunters ; Westwood canto 
in first for one event, but was disqualified for having 
been in a trainer’s stable. The spring tryst at Epsom 
was particularly interesting ; but it was the last poor 
Sam Beeton was doomed to officiate at. Orinoco 
was at homo on the six furlong course for the Rail- 
way Plate, though he had a tight squeeze at tho 
finish from Index, of his own year, to whom he was 
conceding 181bs. Virago’s double triumph for tho 
City and Suburban Handicap of £1,100, and the 
Great Metropolitan Stakes of £1,660, though not 
unexpected, was a wonderful performance, pleasing 
and creditable to owner and trainer, and a happy lift 
for the stock-aspiring Pyrrhus tho First. Mirabeau 
(30 sovs.) fetched 90 gs. after tho Selling Stakes 
essay, Mr. Dorling thereby netting £64. 10s. At 
Newton, Jullien won a brace of heats races, for each 
of which I 10 was entered to be sold for a ten-pound- 
note, and, having fetched 70 and 50 gs. respec- 
tively, placed £111. 5s. in Mr. Topham’s coffers. 
The Newmarket Craven scarcely maintained its 
average. The unsupported Coup d’Etat surprised us 
by winning the Newmarket Handicap of £85 easily ; 
but, with the exception of Boiardo’s canter for the 
Buckhurst Stakes of £625, and Orestes upsetting 
the Sittingbourne “pot” in the Port Stakes of £450, 
there was nothing further of moment to require special 
notice here, unless it be the couplet of victories 
gained by the then Derby and St. Leger outsiders, 
the Trapper and Calamus, the latter of whom was 
claimed for 600 sovs. Cattkrick Bridge looked up 
this spring, and wo hope will thrive under tho fresh 
infusion. It was cheering to see the blue and white 
stripes of Mr. Meiklam, now gone to his last home, 
flutter victoriously in the Sixth Eastby Triennial 
and Catterick Stakes, and Templcman seemed more 
than usually rejoiced at the result of his efforts ; 
no man was more attached to a master than 
Sim was to the departed Scot. General Breezo 
came in first for the Brough Handicap of £207, 
but, having gone on the wrong side of a post, tho 
race was awarded to Middlesboro. Johnny Taft, a 
two-yr-old Chanticleer off shoot, was sold for 75 gs 
after the Scramble Stakes, realising £27. 14s. to the 
fund. The York Simiing was a most successful 
gathering ; but the Great Northern Handicap of 
£2,180, and the Flying Dutchman's Handicap of 
£555, was somewhat diminished in interest by the 
accredited superiority of Virago, who achieved both 
without the semblance of an eflbrt. Tho little IIospo- 
dar carried tho Zetland spots and Job in triumph for 
the Spring St. Leger of £240 and the Eglinton Stakes 
of £175 ; and Helena agreeably surprised the fielders 
by cleverly winning the Lomlcsboro Cup of £345. Wo 
had a couple of Selling Stakes, the winners of which 
brought £335. 15s. to the fund, tlio Usurer (£30) 
selling for 205 gs, and Mirabeau for 170 gs. Malton, 
considering its resources, and that the meeting im- 
mediately succeeded the Knavesmiro one, did not 
flourish so well as might have been expected. Cap- 
tain Cornish swept the principal events — the Maltou 
Handicap of £319, and the Convivial Handicap of 
£227. The committee cleared £33 by the sale of 
Dinah, the Farewell Stakes victrii. Our summary 
for the month stands thus : — 
Meeting. Day*. Stake*. IIor*c». Money. 
Croxton Park 2 . . 9 ... -16 ... £1,125 
Cheltenham 2 6 ... 35 ... 287 
Epsom 2 ... 10 ... 93 ... 3,534 
Harrow S. S 2 ... 5 ... 18 ... 325 
NewtonS. S 2 ... 7 ... 48 ... 412 
Newmarket C. ... 5 ... 37 ... 113 ... 9,205 
Catterick Bridge . . 2 ... 10 ... 70 80S 
Abergavenny 2 ... 5 ... 29 271 
Shoreham 1 ... 3 ... 10 ... 02 
Tho Hoo 1 ... 5 ... 29 ... 395 
York 2 ..11 — 00 ... 4,250 
Morpeth 1 1 ••• 0 ... 15 
Malton 2 ... 13 ... 58 ... 1,171 
Total 26 122 681 £21,920 
We must defer the May, June, and July review 
for “No. III.” 
Change or Name. — In consequence of there being another 
Sc fiamy l in the field, Mr. John Scott has abandoned the ap- 
pellation for his colt foal by the Cossack, out of Factory Girl, 
and asumed that of Inkcrinan. 
J. M. Stanley and Rowland Hunt, Esqrs., have accepted 
the Stewardship of tho Shrewsbury May meeting. 
