# On the Pollution of the Rivers of the Kingdom/Report for the Year ending May 1st, 1868

FISHERIES PRESERVATION ASSOCIATION.
President
HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND, Northumberland House.
Vice-President
LORD DE BLAQUIERE, 9, Stratford Place.
Council
P. Hood, Esq., Treasurer
Bankers
SIR SAMUEL SCOTT, Bart. & Co., 1, Cavendish Square.
REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING MAY 1st, 1868.
The Council beg to submit to the Members their Report for the past year.
Lord de Blaquiere having expressed a wish to retire from the Presidency of the Association in favour of {{sc|His Grace the Duke of Northumberland (who, as Earl Percy, had already last year been elected a Member of the Council), and the Duke having accepted the post, the Council have much pleasure in stating that His Grace has been chosen President accordingly,
Lord de Blaquiere at the same time, the Council are extremely happy to say, consents to give to the Association, as Vice-President, the benefit of his continued services and influence. It is with much gratification the Council announce the accession to their Board of Lord Abinger, who was unanimously elected a Member of the Council in February last.
They also have to announce that, in appreciation of their valuable services to important Salmon Fisheries, Joseph Dodds, Esq., Honorary Secretary of the Tees Salmon Fishery Landowners' Association, and John Lloyd, Esq, of Huntington Court, Hereford, a Conservator of the Wye, Usk, and Ebbw Fisheries, have been elected Honorary Members of the Association.
With respect to the great object which the Council have so constantly held in view, and so long striven to effect—the prevention of the pollution of the Rivers of the kingdom—they grieve to say that they see no chance this Session of the hope which they ventured to express in their last Report being fulfilled, viz., of obtaining a remedial measure for that evil.
The state of the public business in Parliament, the position of Parliament itself, and the unexpected inaction of the Government as represented by the Home Secretary, alike preclude the expectation that any such measure can possibly be introduced during the present Session.
Steadfast, however, to their purpose of inducing, if possible, the Government to bring in a Bill on the subject, on the 6th August last a Deputation from the Association, introduced by their President (Lord de Blaquiere), and which had the advantage of being joined by Lord Northwick, and by Col. Sykes, Mr. Candlish, and other Members of Parliament and persons of influence, had an audience of the Home Secretary, when the question, both on the paramount ground of the public health and as it affected the Fisheries, was most earnestly pressed on the consideration of Mr. Gathorne Hardy, and the reply of Mr. Hardy to the Deputation was such as to create the belief that the Government would not let the present Session pass without taking legislative action in the matter, that reply being that "he did not intend to continue the investigations, as he believed the experience gained by the inquiries into a few rivers would govern the whole."
A few days after this Deputation the Commissioners on the Pollution of Rivers made their Report to the Home Secretary on the state of the Aire and Calder. Of this Report it may suffice to say that, dreadful and disgusting as was the picture presented in the Commissioners' former Reports of the pollution of the Upper Thames and the Lea, the description they give of the polluted condition of the Aire and Calder far surpasses that picture in its worst and most revolting features.
Notwithstanding that Report, however, and the auspicious answer to the Deputation just stated, to the Council's great surprise and mortification, the Home Secretary, when questioned, on the 24th February last, on the subject by the Member for Sunderland (Mr. Candlish), answered that "he was not prepared to legislate in the matter this Session, and that he was about to appoint a fresh Commission to continue the inquiries;" and, since that declaration, the Right Honourable Gentleman has appointed such fresh Commission.
​The Council will not relax their efforts in the cause, but it seems to them that the best hope of obtaining a measure adequate to meet this terrible evil of pollution of streams rests now on the public voice making itself promptly, powerfully, and decisively heard by the Government.
To that end, and in order to make the fearful state of our rivers more widely known, the Council have prepared and are now disseminating a pamphlet, containing in a concise form all the necessary facts relating to the question, extracted from the voluminous Blue Books, &c., of the last thirteen years.
Although the Council have not yet succeeded in accomplishing the main object of their endeavours, viz., the obtaining of an Act to prevent the Pollution of Rivers, they are, nevertheless happy to say that the past year has by no means been barren of results advantageous to the Fisheries at large, or promising to be so, as the following proceedings will show:—
In the first place, on the 7th June of last year, a great Salmon Fishery Congress assembled, under the presidency of Earl Percy, at South Kensington. This Congress included various noblemen and gentlemen, great Fishery proprietors, Conservators, and others from all parts of the kingdom. It was attended by Mr. Frank Buckland and Mr. Spencer Walpole (the Government Inspectors of Salmon Fisheries for England and Wales), by the Special Commissioners of Fisheries, and by the President (Lord de Blaquiere), and several members of the Council of the Fisheries Preservation Association, all of whom took an active share in the proceedings.
A great portion of those proceedings having been devoted to the consideration of the pollution of rivers,—Mr. Highford Burr (of the Council of this Association) moved and carried unanimously a resolution in the following terms:—
"That as various rivers are seriously injured by liquid and solid poisonous matters, and as it is necessary for the public health and the supply of food for the people, that the pollutions should be prevented, further legislation is urgently needed."
From the discussions that arose and the interchange of suggestions which took place, not merely as regarded the evil of pollutions but on all points affecting the interests of the Fisheries, at a Congress so influential and possessing such special and practical knowledge of the subjects brought under deliberation, it is impossible to doubt that great benefit must ensue to the Fisheries.
In the next place, through the great exertions mainly of Lords Abinger and Wynford, aided by their lordships friends in the Upper House, and assisted by Lord de Blaquiere and his friends, a very pernicious measure of Lord Cranworth relating to the Irish Fisheries was in July of last Session thrown out in the House of Lords.
The importance of its rejection may be estimated by the fact that had that Bill passed into law it would have had the effect of undoing much of the beneficial legislation of late years by re-establishing in Ireland those destructive engines which the friends of the Fisheries had been at such great pains to get abolished.
Lastly, on the 2nd April of the present year a deputation of a very influential character, consisting of Lords Abinger,Airlie, Seafield,Colville, and Saltoun, and other large Scotch proprieters, &c. (and of which various members of the Council of this Association made a part), having been formed by Lord Abinger, was introduced by his lordship to the Home Secretary for the purpose of ascertaining from the Right Honorable Gentleman what steps Her Majesty's Government proposed taking this Session for the amendment of the Scotch Fisheries Act.
Lord Abinger having explained that the amended Act desired was one based on the Scotch Bill of 1866, which had passed ths House of Lords and that the chief amendments required were:—
1st. The appointment of permanent Inspectors empowered to carry out such alterations in the bye-laws as might from time to time be found expedient, and whose duty, it should be to report annually the general condition of the Scotch Salmon Fisheries.
2nd. The confirmation of the bye-laws, already passed by the Commissioners in order to set at rest doubts arising from the peculiar wording of the Act of 1862 as to the legality of those laws.
Mr. Gathorne Hardy in reply informed the Deputation that "the whole subject of the amendment of the Scotch Salmon Fishery Acts was then under the consideration of the Government, and was engaging the attention of the Lord Advocate."
The Council cannot close their Report without congratulating the members on the fact that the two last valuable Reports (July, 1867, and March, 1868) of the Inspectors, declare that the English and Welsh Salmon Fisheries are on the increase, four and twenty rivers being specially named in the first of those Reports as exhibiting great and marked improvement."
Among other kind contributions to the funds of the Association since the last Report the Council have the pleasure of acknowledging the following donations—namely:—Earl. de Grey and Ripon, £10 10s.; Lord Northwick, £10 10s.; Lord Ebury, £ 10 10s.; J. H. Arkwright, Esq., £ 10;Archibald Cockburn, Esq., £ 10 10s.
Annexed is the Honorary Treasurer's Account of Receipts and Payments for the last vear, shewing a balance to the credit of the Association on the 1st May inst. of £ l83 Is. 9d.; but this balance will be much diminished by the stationery, printing, and some other expenses of the past year while those of the current year will be more than usually large.
The Council, in concluding their Report, and in reminding the Subscribers that their Subscriptions became due on the 1st of the present month, would earnestly impress upon every Member the strong necessity of his kindly continuing his active support to the Association.
de Blaquiere,
President
Fisheries Preservation Association,
23, Lower Seymour Street,
1st May, 1868,
STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE,
For the Year ending 1st May,1868
| RECEPITS. |
| 1867—May 1. | £ | s. | d. |
| To Balance to the credit of the Association as per last Report | 146 | 0 | 7 |
| To Donations and Subscriptions received since and up to 1st May, 1868 | 119 | 3 | 0 |
| | £265 | 3 | 7 |
| EXPENDITURE. |
| 1867—June 22. | | | | £ | s. | d. |
| Paid Mr. Smith (Stationer's Account) for Printing, Stationery, Postage Stamps, &c., for 1866 | | | | 48 | 11 | 10 |
| Paid Assistant Secretary (Mr. Kinloch) 13 weeks' and one day's Salary, to 6th August, 1867, at ₤1 10s | £19 | 15 | 0 |
| Do. do. 6 weeks and 4 days' do. to 29th March, 1868 | 10 | 0 | 6 |
| | ——— | ——— | ——— | 29 | 15 | 0 |
| Paid Collector's Commission on Town Subscriptions | | | | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Petty and Miscellaneous Expenses | | | | 2 | 13 | 0 |
| 1st May, 1868 |
| To Balance to credit of the Association | | | | 183 | 1 | 9 |
| | | | | £265 | 3 | 7 |
DONORS, SUBSCRIBERS, AND HONORARY MEMBERS, PAST AND PRESENT.
The names of such as are deceased being in Italics.
Abinger, Lord, 48, Chester Square, S.W.
Airey, B. Esq. Lloyds, E.G.
Arden, J. Esq. Rickmansworth-park, Herts.
Arkwright, J. H. Esq. Hampton Court, Leominster.
Baillie, Capt. Duncan, 23 Queen's-gate-terrace, W.
Barlow, E. Esq. Bolton-le-Moors.
Barnes, J. Esq Charlewood, Rickmansworth.
Barry, Herbert, Esq. 67 Belsize-park, Hampstead.
Baxendale, J. Esq. Gresham-street, E.C.
Beaumont, Wentworth, Esq. M.P. 144 Piccadilly.
Benthall, F. Esq. 23 Old-square.
Beresford. D. Packe, Esq. M.P. 32 Devonshire-place, W.
Bernard, J. Esq. Church-place, Piccadilly.
Berwick, Lord, Attingham Hall, Shrewsbury.
Berwick Shipping Company, Berwick-on-Tweed.
Bicknell, Henry, Esq. 28 Upper Bedford-place, W.C.
Bleukinsop, J. Esq. North End House, Watford.
Boyden, T. W. Esq. 2 Woodville-terrace. Mildmay-park.
Brandreth, Chas. Esq. Army and Navy Club.
Brandreth, E. Esq 3 Eaton-square.
Breadalbane, Earl of, Taymouth Castle, Perthshire.
Briggs, H. R. Esq. Waldrons, Croydon.
Bryant, Dr. 23a Sussex-square, W.
Buckland, F. T. Esq. Athenæum Club.
Bulteel, John, Esq. Bamfleet, Ivy-bridge, Devon.
Burr, Higford, Esq. 23 Eaton-place, S.W.
Bute, Marquis of, 83 Eceleston-sq., Cardiff Castle, Cardiff.
Camroux, F. T. Esq. 4, Vanbrugh-park, Blackheath.
Carpenter, Capt. R A.
Carruthers, Richard, Esq. Eden-grove, Carlisle.
Chadwick, F. Esq. The Hermitage, Preston, Lancashire.
Chester, C. Esq Oriental Club.
Chitty, Edw. Esq., Temple.
Chitty, Thos. Esq. Temple.
Clutterbuck. T. Esq. Micklefield Hall, Watford.
Cocks, T. S. Esq. 43 Charing-cross.
Cockburn, Archibald, Esq. 60 Mark-lane, E.C.
Cockerell, S. P. Esq. 45 Hertford-Street, W.
Collier, W. J. Esq. Woodtown, Horrabridge, Devon.
Colville, Lord, 42 Eaton-place.
Crawshay, E. Esq. Othorpe House, Market Harborough.
Crockford, John, Esq. (Editor of the Field.)
Crowe, Capt M. Newby-bridge, Newton-in-Cartmel.
Cunninghame, Jas. Esq. Prince's-park, Liverpool.
Dacre, Lord, 40 Belgrave-square. Daniell, Edw. Esq. Thropham Hall, Norfolk.
Darke,—, Esq. (per J. Hobbs, Esq.)
De Blaquiere. Lord, 9, Stratford-place, W.
De Grey and Ripon, Earl, 1 Carlton gardens.
Denison, A. Esq. 6 Albermarle-street.
Derwent Fly Fishing Club, Sheffield.
Dodds, Josh. Esq. (Hon. See. Tees Salmon Landowners' Association), Stockton-on-Tees, Honorary Member.
Donoughmore, 4th Earl of. 52 South Audley-street.
Douglas, Col. John, Glenfinart, Argyleshire.
Dovey Club, Machyulleth.
Draper, Jno. Esq. Reform Club.
Ducie, Earl of, 1, Belgrave-square.
Duff, R. Abercromby, Esq. M P. 40 Mount-street, Grosvenor-square.
Dynevor, Lord, 19 Prince's-gardens, W.
Ebury, Lord, 107 Park-street, W.
Edwards, Lt. Col. M.P. 32 Dover-street, W.
Ellesmere, Gertin, Esq.
Farquhar, Sir Miato, Bart. 4 Berkeley-street, Piccadilly
Fenwick, Henry, Esq. M.P. United University Club.
Fielden, Sir W. H. Feniscowles, Blackburn.
Fife, Earl of, Cavendish-square.
Fisher, Jno. Esq. Reform. Club.
Fisher, W. W. Esq. 16 Dorset-square, N.W.
Foott, Edward, Esq. Gortmore, Kanturk.
Francis, Francis, Esq. The Firs, Twickenham.
Fraser, Col. the Hon. Royal Horse Artillery.
Fraser, Major Tytler, of Aldowrie, Inverness.
Freeman, J. Esq. Harrow.
Freeman, T. A. Esq Christchurch, Oxford.
Freeman, W. Esq. 27 Millbank-street, S.W.
Frere, C. Esq. Western Life Office, Parliament-street.
Fuller, P. H Esq. Stoke Pogis, Bucks.
Garnett, W. J. Esq. M.P.
Geldart, T. C. Esq. Trinity Hall House, Cambridge.
Goddard, A. C. Esq. Crosley-green, Rickmansworth.
Goodhart, Jos. H. Esq. Manor House, Tooting.
Gore, Sir St. George, Bart. 15 South Audley-street.
Grant, Col. 3 St. George's-place, S.W.
Grant, Sir G. Macpheson, Bart. Ballindalloch Castle, Elgin, N.B.
Greenwood, Geo. Esq. Abernant, Builth
Gregson, S. Esq M.P. 32 Upper Harley-street Griffith, Davies H. Esq. Cearhûn, Conway.
Guest, Merthyr, Esq. Methyr Tydvil
Harrison, J. Esq. 43 Lee-terrace, Blackheath.
Haswell, Millborough, Esq. Ludlow.
Hawkins, Capt. Frank, R.N. Army and Navy Club.
Hawley, Sir J, Bart. 34 Eaton-place.
Hindley, W. Esq. Grenaly House, Croydon.
Hobbs, J. Esq., G. P. O., St. Martin's-ľe-Grand, E.C.
Holyoake, Henry, Esq. Travellers' Club.
Holyoake, Capt. ditto.
Hood, Peter, Esq. M.D. 23 Lower Seymour-street, W.
Hopkinson, J. Esq. 235 Regent-Street, W.
Hopwood, J. T. Esq. M.P. Carlton Club.
Howard, H. R. Esq. Watford.
Hunt, J. Esq. 107 Victoria-street, S.W.
James, Sir Henry, Ordnance Survey Office, Southampton.
Jackson, Capt. late 16th Lancers, Army and Navy Club.
Jackson, Major, Warwick Hall, Carlisle.
Keane, Capt. The Hon G. D. R. N.
Keane, Col. The Hon. H. F.—R. E. 76 Jermyn-street.
Keane, the Hon. J. Arbuthnot, Castletown House, Wexford. Kent Angling Association, Kendal.
King, Jonathan, Esq. Wiggan Hall, Watford.
Kinrossshire Fishing Club, Kinross, N.B.
Knight, J. W. Esq. 110 Great Portland street
Lake, Capt. Percy, Preston, Lancashire.
Llanover, Lord, 9 Great Stanhope-street, W.
Lee, John, Esq.
Lee, Capt. Vaughan, Army and Navy Club.
Liddell, Hon. H. M. 9 Mansfield-street, W.
Lindley, S. H. Esq. 19 Catherine-street, Strand.
Littledale, Geo. Esq. Army and Navy Club.
Lloyd, John, Esq. Huntington Court, Hereford, Honorary Member.
Longford, Earl of, 24 Bruton-street.
Lucas, Edmund. Esq. Milbank-street. Macnaghten, Sir E. W. Bart. 18 Eaton-square. Malmesbury, Earl of, 19 Stratford-place, W. Marriott, Col. Fielding, R.A. Martin, Major, Upton-on-Severn. Maunsell, Capt Cockayne, Thorpe Malsor, Kettering. Maunsell, Capt. Cullen, ditto. Mount Charles, Earl of, 60 Rutland-gate, W. Muller, W. Esq. jun. 4 St. Helen's-place, E.C. Neale, Vansittart, Esq. Western Life Office, 7 Waterloo-pl. W. Nicholay, J A. Esq. jun. Cumberland-mills, Isle of Dogs. Norman, Henry, Esq. 11 Henrietta-street, Cavendish-sq. Northumberland, Duke of, Northumberland House. S.W. Northwick, Lord. 22 Park-street, W. Ouvry, F. Esq. 12 Queen Anne-street, W. Owen, A. Mostyn, Esq. Erwy, Ruabon. Palmer, J. Carrington. Esq. (per Major-General Ramsay}. Parry, Richard, Esq. Army and Navy Club. Pench, Major, Army and Navy Club. Pennell, C. H. Esq. Waybridge. Perceval, P. Esq. 15 South Audley-street. Perkins, Algernon, Esq. 81 Harley-street. Phelps, J. L. Esq. Plassy, Limerick. Phillips, J. H. Esq. Nawton, Yorkshire. Pipon, Col. Deerswood, Crawley, Sussex. Polwarth, Lord, Merton House, Berwick-on-Tweed. Ponsonby, Lord, Royal Yacht Club, Cowes. Porter, E. Esq. Sheffield. Powerscourt, Viscount, 37 Grosvenor-square. Pretyman, Col. Army and Navy Club. Price, Bonamy, Esq. 11 Prince's-terrace, S.W. Prittie, Hon. Francis, The Lodge, Clonmel. Pryse, Col. M.P. Army and Navy Club. Ramsay, Major-Gen. 1 Sussex-square, W. Reeve, John. Esq. Albemarle-street. Richardson, Wm. Esq. Hill House, Hatfield. Rickmansworth Fishing Club. Ridley, Gen. Wm. Malta. Robinson, F. J. Esq. Robinson, C. Esq. 65 Basinghall-street, E.C. Rooper, Geo. Esq. Nascott House, Watford. Rutter, Isaac, Esq. Glebe-lands, Mitcham. Ryedale Fishing Club, Yorkshire. Saltoun, Lord, Ness Castle, Inverness. Schrœder, H. S. Esq. 16 Carlton-road, Maida-vale. Scott, Jas. Esq. Roding House, Woodford, Essex. Seager, J. L. Esq. South Lambeth. Sharpe. Edw. Esq. Llanwrst, N. Wales. Shene, Capt. N. Armathwick, Carlisle. Shropshire Association of the Severn, Shrewsbury. Sibthorp, Major, Canwick Hall, Lincoln. Sinclair, W. Esq. Drumbeg, Donegal. Skrine, H. D. Esq. Warleigh Manor, Bath. Smith, Arthur, Esq. 24 Wilton-street. S.W. Smith, C. J. Esq. Park House. Isleworth. Smith, Martin T. Esq. 13 Upper Belgrave-street. Smith, M. R. Esq. ditto. Smith, Oswald A. Esq. 1 Lombard-street, E.C. Smith, Dr. Tyler, 21 Upper Grosvenor-street, W. Sparrow, C. Esq. 24 Pembridge-crescent, W. Stewart, H. G. Murray, Esq. Killebegs, Donegal. Sylvester, Edw. Esq. North Hall, Chorley. Taylor, Sir C. Bart. 20 King-street, St. James's. Templetown, 2nd Viscount, Albany, Piccadilly. Templetown, 3rd Viscount, Devonport. Tennant, J. R. Esq. The Hall, Kildwick, Leeds. Thornhill, W. P. Esq. M.P. 44 Eaton-square. Thoroton, Capt. J. Army and Navy Club. Thruston, C. Esq. Talgarth Hall, Machynlleth. Traherne, Major. Tredegar, Lord, 39 Portman-square. True Waltonian Society, "The Crown," Pentonville-hill. Vansittart, Geo. Esq. 34 Bryanston-square. Vansittart. Spencer, Esq. Castle Council, Limerick. Vaughan, Edward, Esq. Rheola, Neath. Vaughan, Nash Edward, Esq. ditto. Warwick, Benj. Esq. Englefield-green. Wemyss, Earl of, Gosford House, Haddington. Wharncliffe, Lord, Wortley Hall, Sheffield. Whimper, Col. 97 Ebury-street, S.W. Whitaker, T. S. Esq. Everthorpe Hall, East Yorkshire. White, Col. Sligo. White. John Bazley, Esq. Blackheath. Whittingstall, Capt. 35 St. George's-road, S.W. Wickham, H. W. Esq. MP. 3 Chapel-street, W. Willaume, Tanqueray, Esq. 24 Chester-terrace, Regent's-pk. Willis, Henry, Esq. Old Windsor, Berks. Wilson, G. V. Esq. 3 Chepstow-terrace, W. Wotton, H. R. Esq. 17 Cavendish-square. Wright, R. Esq. Harlesden-green. Wynne, Brownlow, Esq. Garsthewin, Abergele. Youl, J. A. Esq. Waratah House, Clapham-park. Young, R. Esq. M.P. 19 Eccleston-street. S.W. Zetland, Earl of, Upleatham, Yorkshire.
FISHERIES
Preservation Association.
REPORT
For the Year ending May, 1868.