The Express.
London, England, 1867-01-05 00:00:00

SALMON POACHING IN WALES.

For some time past there has been a wholesale
destruction of salmon in the Wye, by a large body of
poachers, banded together under the title of " Rebecca
and her Daughters," who were formerly known by their
destruction of the turnpike-gates and toll-houses in certain
hports of Breconshire and Radnorshire. Great exertions
ave been made by the Wye Fishery Conservators to put
down this new phase of illegality, and very close super-
vision is being exercised by bodies of night watchers and
water bailiffs. The gangs of these poachers had become so
formidable, however, in December, that an increased body
of water bailiffs were put on the Khon ; and, supported by
&gentleman of the neighbourhood and his gamekeepers, at
11 o'clock on the night of the =ad ult. they came
upon a gang of about twenty poachers, disguised
in various ways, armed with spears, pikes, blud-
geons, and other weapons, some of whom were
carrying flambeaux of straw to light the stream/ and at-
tract the fish, while the rest pursued their work of spear-
ing. The water bailiffs concealed themselves in a wood by
the side of the Khon until the poachers went into the
stream, and were at their work, when they showed a bold
front by rushing into the stream. The poachers, pro-
bably fancying the number of water bailiffs to be greater
than they really were, darted out of the stream on the op-
posite aide, and clearing some rails, got into the meadows
beyond,where they wheeled round, and forming themselves
into line, presented their spears at the watchers. Samuel
Owens, the superintendent bailiff, asked them what they
meant to do, and if they would deliver up their weapons,
upon which they e xclaimed " Fight!" Hereupon the watchers
closed upon them, and a determined encounter followed, in
which a gamekeeper named Lloyd was seriously injured,
and the poachers and watchers terribly punished, but
the watchers, after a fight which hutted fora quarter of an
hour, proved themselves victorious by captunng four men
and driving the others off the field. During the encounter
one of the poachers, named Edward Hamer, the son of a
large and wealthy farmer, threw the superintendent,
and, keeping him on his beck made en attempt to "gouge"
him, and was only prevented by the timely assistance of
• watcher named This encounter and capture
served to dispel a belief entertained by many that these
salmon poachers were poor, needy labourers, and has
shown that " Rebecca andher Daughters" are chiefly com-
posed of the largest occupiers of land in the district ; for
two of the persons captured are the sons of one of the
wealthiest farmers thereabouts, and it is now well known
that the majority of the gang are men well to do. The
four prisoners were brought up at Ilenybont Petty
Sessions, on the 27th and 25th ultimo. The occa-
sion drew together the whole population of the district for
many miles round, and the greatest excitement prevailed.
The evidence of the whole of the water bailiffs and the
gamekeeper (Lloyd), who was nearly scalped by • blow
with • spear, proved the narrative above given. Mr.
Evans, the magistrate, said that on one account he was
not sorry this disturbance had taken place, for it had
served to dispel the delusion that only faro servants were
guilty of these outrages, for it was now clear that
some large and respectable farmers themselves took part
in them. There was no doubt that the inhabitants
of these salmon districts occupy a peculiar position.
Most of the persons he saw before him had almost from
their cradles been in the habit of killing unseasonable
salmon. He implored them, before there was bloodshed—
and bloodshed there would be if things went on as they had
done—he implored all he saw before him, especially the large
and respectable farmers, to use their influence among their
children, servants, anddependants, to put down the present
state of things, and not oblige the magistrates to subject
the ratepayers to the expense and the country to the the-
mes of applying for a large police force to maintain the
supremacy of the law. The prisonerswere discharged. At
a meeting of the Fishery Board on Wednesday, Sir Velters
Cornewall in the chair, it was resolved to lay the matter
before the Home Secretary.

THE FESTIVALS OF THE THREE CHOIR.L—With
the opening of the new year the initiative arrangements
for the holding of the next festival of the three choir, of
Worcester, Hereford, and Gloucester have been mods.
The short interval that has elapsed since the last festival
was held (at Worcester) has been occupied by the energetic
and zealous conductor of the Hereford festivals—Mr.
Townshend Smith—in procuring stewards, and already he
has enlisted no fewer than 45 noblemen and gentlemen in
the cause. These include the lord-lieutenant of Hereford-
shire (Lord Bateman), Earl Somers, Lord Skye and Srle,
the Dean of Hereford, Sir Velters Cornewall, Bart., Sir
J. Bailey, Bart., M.P., Sir W. Curtis, Sir IV. Milman,
Admiral Sir T. Hastings, K..C.8., Hon. P. Wyndham,
M.P., the Viscount Hereford, Mr. King King, M.P., Mr.
M. Biddulph, M.P., Mr. K. Green Price, M.P., Mr.
y, M.P., Mr. G. Clive, M.P., Mr. Walsh,
ria.r.7lkand Mr. Severna, M.P. It is expected
that the full complement of stewards will reach 60.
It has been decided to hold the festival on the 20th of
August and three following days. There will be four
morning performances of oratorios at the cathedral at
Hereford, and three secular concs,rts at the Shirehall ;
besides which there will be a chamber concert at the
College Hall on Friday evening, finishing in time for the
winding up ball on that night. The engagements of
principals, of course, are not yet made. Birmingham
festival will follow in the week after the Hereford festival,
and it is expected that the principals will be nearly the
same at Loth.

THE MANSION-HOUSE COLLIERY ACCIDENT FUND.
—Among the amounts received yesterday in aid of the
above fund was one of 337. 12a. eal., collected by the sales-
men of Billingagatc-market, through Mr. Deering, the
clerk of the market, and a numberof small sums—the total
amount received being about 220/. The total amount re-
ceived exceeds 16,0001.
REPORTED Loss OP ♦ VESSEL AND NEARLY ALL
HAMM—According to information received in hull, the
steamtug Reliance, of Shields, boded, on the 29th ult., et
Beadnell, • seaman named George Bailey, who had been
picked up from • raft. Bailey states that he was one of
the crew of the Queen of the Ocean, of Hull, from Liver-
pool for Shields, with amrgo of salt ; that the vessel was run
into on the 25th ult, by the screw steamer Paris, and sunk
about 25 miles south of Shields. He adds that the crew
of the Queen of the Ocean were 22 in number, that the
master and another man got on board the steamer, whi'.o
he got on to a raft. Nothing is known of the fate of the
to [mining 19 seamen.
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