166 
THE PISHING GAZETTE 
[March 11, 1893 
forgotten that fish worked up the stream, and 
that if at Windsor the riparian owners held sway, 
the T.A.P.S. part of the river would suffer in 
that direction. As regarded the netting, there 
were gentlemen of position living up the Thames 
having their £30,000, who cared nothing about 
it, but he knew of persons who would net, &c., 
and only recently it was reported to him (Mr. 
Cook) that a certain retired naval officer had 
given permission to two of the biggest poachers 
in the neighbourhood of his association to lay 
night-lines in the river, not for his own benefit, 
but out of pure spitefulness, or, as he would say, 
to assert his rights. They could imagine his 
feeling when he licard that, and they could under¬ 
stand the reason why he was working for the 
River Thames, for them, and for all anglers. 
(Cheers.) The anglers had brought their 
musketry to bear on the Thames Conservancy, 
and now was the time for the big gun. (Laughter 
and cheers.) The big gun was the petition, which 
they must fire in Trinity-square, Tower-hill. 
(Laughter and cheers.) One of the most interesting 
questions that night would, no doubt be, “ Are 
there any costs relating to the presentation of the 
petition ? ” He (Mr. Cook) had been informed 
that day that it would cost them nothing. 
(Cheers.) He believed that eventually their 
petition would be referred to the Board of Trade, 
and would come before the Fisheries’ Inspector. 
He could not for one moment think that any 
Inspector of Fisheries would say that the bye¬ 
law was for the benefit of the fisheries. (Hear, 
hear.) He hoped they would succeed with the 
petition, but if they did not, they would know 
that they had deserved success. (Cheers.) They 
had heard a great deal about “netting rights.” 
There was no such a thing in law. A man owned 
a fishery or he did not, and if the conservators 
said he must not net the fish, he could not do so. 
There was not such a thing as “ private water,” in 
his opinion, on the Thames. It was God’s water 
and theirs. It came down from the skies and no 
riparian owner could impound it. He could 
drink it. (Laughter.) If the conservators could 
prevent the riparian owners from netting, why 
were they trying to confer further netting rights 
on such a class of persons (Hear, hear.) Mr. 
Cook then proceeded to read the petition he had 
drawn up, which referred to the enormous sum 
of money—£28,668—which the angling associa¬ 
tions and preservation societies had expended in 
the re-stocking of the Thames. He might say 
that sum had resulted from figures supplied him 
by the secretaries of those associations. The 
destruction to fish-life which the bye-law m ould 
bring about was also alluded to, and it was 
pointed out that the bye-law was contrary to 
the protection of the fisheries. Reference was 
also made to the fact that, owing to the number 
of trout which had been placed in the river by 
angling societies, the Thames Conservancy now 
issued half-guinea season tickets to fish from the 
weirs. After some further remarks, Mr. Cook 
concluded amid cheers. 
Mr. J. B. Close (of the committee of the 
Anglers’ Association) moved the following resolu¬ 
tion :—“ That, in the opinion of this meeting of 
delegates from over 6,000 London anglers and 
numerous clubs and Thames fishery preservation 
societies, the duty of making bye-laws for the 
protection and preservation of all the Thames 
fisheries, public and private alike, is placed upon 
the Thames Conservators by Act of Parliament, 
and that Her Majesty in Council should be 
petitioned to disallow so many of the proposed 
bye-laws as would confer on private persons the 
power of destroying or injuring the fisheries in 
the Thames which have for years been maintained 
and stocked with trout and other fish by the 
voluntary subscriptions of the public.” He con¬ 
gratulated those present on the interest they had 
taken in the matter, and remarked, that, although 
the conservators had made certain favourable 
alterations in the proposed bye-laws, the good had 
been done away with by the great privileges they 
were giving to certain persons up the Thames 
who were supposed to have certain rights. He 
urged them to use their utmost endeavours to 
frustrate the intentions of the Thames Riparian 
Owners’ Association, and to fight, tooth and nail, 
for “ our grand national river.” (Cheers.) 
The resolution was seconded by Mr. W. J. Wade 
(secretary of the Central Association of London 
Anglers), who said that that body of anglers was 
thoroughly in accord with what had been said 
about the proposed increased privileges to the 
riparian owners. He thought that the new 
clause as regarded netting should be distinct 
and thoroughly understood. It was the worst 
thing that could ever have happened for the future 
of their fisheries, and he thought the best thing 
they could do was to ask the conservators to 
revert to their old bye-law on the question of net¬ 
ting. (Hear, hear.) 
The resolution was carried unanimously. 
Mr. H. Heath (President of the Richmond 
Piscatorial Society)-next proposed the subjoined 
resolution : “ That, for reasons which have been 
repeatedly urged upon the conservators, this 
meeting takes formal objection to (1) The omis¬ 
sion of the words ‘ or back-water ’ in bye-law 16 ; 
(2) To the insertion of the words ‘ in which such 
person has a right to fish ’ in bye-law 32; (3) To 
bye-law 33; (4) To the definition of the words 
‘river Thames’ in bye-law 36, as far as such 
definition does nob include all the back-waters of 
the river, and generally to anything in the bye¬ 
laws which would confer upon any person the 
power of seriously injuring the fisheries of the 
Thames, and that the chairman forward a copy of 
this resolution to the Thames Conservators. 
That, in the opinion of this meeting, the Lord 
Mayor and Corporation of London, tbe President 
of the Board of Trade, and the London County 
Council should have their attention called to the 
attempt which is being made to injure the 
Thames fisheries, with a request that they petition 
Her Majesty in Council that the bye-laws, so far 
as they would inj ure the fisheries, be not allowed; 
and that copies of this resolution be forw arded 
to the Corporation of London, the President of the 
Board of Trade, and the London County Council.” 
He said that, in regard to this question, their 
motto should be “ Anglers, shoulder to shoulder.” 
One point had not been asked, and that was, 
what had occurred since the issue of the last 
Thames bye-laws, that extra rights should be 
given to the riparian owners ? (A voice 
*■ Nothing.”) There was another point he should 
like to refer to, and that was, did they consider 
that if netting was not allowed, it would be 
depriving the riparian owners of any just revenue 
from their property P He took it that it would 
not. In conclusion, he said that if the netting 
was allowed to be carried on, it would result in 
the wanton destruction of all the fish which had 
been placed in the river by the public. 
Mr. James T.ayler said he had come to the 
meeting as the representative of the Gresham 
Angling Society, the members of which would 
prefer the old bye-law on netting to remain as at 
present. He thought the riparian owners were 
quite capable of taking care of their own interests 
without the assistance of the Conservators. 
(Hear, hear.) But it seemed to him that the 
authorities at Tower Hill had, in respect to the 
new bye-laws, been acting in the interests of the 
riparian owners, and had ignored those of the 
anglers. He had much pleasure in seconding the 
resolution. 
The resolution was unanimously adopted. 
Upon the proposition of the chairman, seconded 
by Mr. E. V. Powell, a resolution acknowledging 
the services of Mr. Cook was heartily adopted. 
The Chairman then moved, and Mr. A. C. 
Butler (of the Reading Angling Association) 
seconded, the following resolution:— 
“That copies of the petition to Her Majestj’s 
Privy Council be sent to all the Thames and 
London angling associations and clubs, with 
copies of the resolutions passed at this meeting, 
and a request that the chairmen and secretaries 
would sign the petition.” 
Mr. Thomas Crumplen moved a vote of thanks 
to the chairman, and said that without Mr. 
Marston’s aid, and the Fishing Gazette, he did 
not know how they should get on. 
Mr. Woodall seconded, and upon the resolution 
being put to the meeting, it was received with 
cries of “ All.” 
In reply, the Chairm.an thanked them most 
heartily for their kind vote of thanks. During 
the time he had been the Editor of the Fishing 
Gazette he had always tried to work with the 
London anglers and the other associations. 
(Hear, hear). He had had the pleasure before of 
calling a public meeting in connection with 
Thames rights, and he hoped to do so again, 
should occasion require. (Cheers). 
THE PISCATORIAL SOCIETY. 
ANNUAL DINNER. 
On Friday night, at the Holborn Restaurant, 
the members of the above well-known and old- 
established angling society held their annual 
dinner. The chair was occupied by Mr. N. F. 
Harrisson, and Dr. Startin was in the vice-chair. 
Prior to dinner, the guests were received by the 
chairman and Mrs. Harrisson in the Piscatorial 
Saloon, and, as usual, a very brilliant company 
assembled. The custom of inviting ladies to the 
dinner is a feature with the Piscatorials, and 
large numbers of the fair sex have annually 
graced the proceedings with their presence. Upon 
the occasion under notice the attendance was 
again of a very gratifying character, and the 
procession of Piscatorials escorting the ladies to 
the festive board was a unique scene in London 
angling club circles. Whilst in the Piscatorial 
Saloon the guests showed considerable interest in 
the handsome collection of stuffed specimen fish 
on exhibition there, and the members of the club 
were congratulated on the splendid headquarters 
they had at their disposal. The dinner was served 
in the Royal Venetian Chamber, under the personal 
superintendence of Mr. T. J. Hamp. The chaii’- 
man had on his right Mrs. Harrisson, and amongst 
tho.se present were Major Probyn, L.C.C., Mr. T. 
Ransome Sachs, Mr. B. J. Walker, Mr. R. S. 
Fennings, Mr. H. H. Brown, Dr. Startin, !Mr. P. 
R. Scott, Mr. C. J. Hill, IMr. H. Gray, IMr. E. 
Bennett, Dr. Head, Mr. AV. J. Galloway, Dr. 
Ladell, Mr. P. S. AYatkins, Mr. R. E. Booker, Mr. 
AY. T. Galloway (hon. sec.). Dr. Coates, Mr. 
T. Crumplen, Mr. AY. F. Woods, Mr. E. Foreman, 
Mr. E. Foreman, jun., Mr. D. Vigo, Mr. E. K. 
Law, Mr. J. Banks Pittman, Mr. J. T. AYatson, 
Mr. Fennings, jun., Mr. AY. H. Brougham (sec. 
Thames Angling Preservation Society), and 
Mrs. Brougham, &c. Several communications 
from gentlemen regretting their inability to be 
present were received, the influenza having been 
responsible for a number of absentees. Mr. R. B. 
Marston (Editor of the Fishing Gazette) and Mr. 
AYm. Senior (Angling Editor of the Field) were 
both prevented from attending through important 
business engagements. In the course of the 
evening the following telegram was read from 
Mr. R. Blundell, who is spending the honeymoon 
on the continent: “The Chairman, Piscatorial 
Society, Holborn Restaurant, London. Wish you 
a pleasant evening.—Robert Blundell, Paris.” 
The chairman said they wished the sender of the 
“ wire ” many pleasant evenings and a long life 
before him—a sentiment which w'as much cheered. 
The first toast of the evening was, “The 
Queen and Royal Family,” proposed from the 
chair, and followed by the National Anthem. 
The Chairman next submitted the toast of the 
evening—“ Success to the Piscatorial Society.” 
He said he felt very much pleasure in being in 
the proud position of the chairman that evening, 
and being able to propose the time-honoured toast 
of the society. (Cheers.) He would, therefore, 
take the opportunity of alluding to the founda¬ 
tion of the society which, from the information he 
had in his possession, was upwards of fifty years 
ago—in 1836. (Cheers.) The Piscatorial Society 
was first conceived by a few anglers who met at 
the “ Y'orkshire Grey,” in Piccadilly, and who had 
the idea of forming a small society for the study 
of things piscatorial. That was the foundation of 
the present great society. (Cheers.) On refer¬ 
ring to the names of the various chairmen at 
previous annual dinners, he found that many 
illustrious men had been associated with their 
society—Frank Buckland, Sir Edward Birk- 
beck, Sir John AYhittaker Ellis, Sir Ford North, 
and many others. As regarded the society, they 
had a very valuable library, chiefly composed of 
angling works, a few good pictures, and one of 
the most magnificent museums of specimen fish 
to be found in the world. (Cheers.) Unfortu¬ 
nately for them, the fish were naturally of such 
delicate construction, and were irreplaceable 
should any get broken, that they could not show 
them to the world—they could not let them go 
as far as Chicago—but whenever they had been 
exhibited, they had always excited the greatest 
admiration, and at the Fisheries’ Exhibition were 
awarded three gold and three silver medals and 
numerous diplomas. The committee of the club 
