The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-08 00:00:00

THE FISHERY LAWS.

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 pro-
mised to introduce a bill in the House of Commons with a
view to the restoration of the salmon fisheries of Great
Britain. This is a subject of great importance, not only to
naturalists, 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 legisla-
tion 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 artisan. 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
Le only two lawful modes of • taking salmon the rod
and the drag net." He also states " that salmon
should net he 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
I are several river proprietors who are at considerable
expense in preserving their waters, but derive no return
for their trouble and expenditure. These rivers are fear-
fully 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 un-
timely destroyed by such destructive inventions as are
allowed by Act of Parliament. Mr. Robert Ramsbottom
has already published 801110 valuable communications on
the salmon question. His remedy consists of an enactment
to the effect, " that the mesh of every salmon-set shall be
of such a size (hereafter to be determined), as to permit the
escape of all salmon of 71b weight and under. The reader
is probably aware that a 2i-inch mesh is the least 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 recent period, it was generally thought that the
spred and snort (sea trout) were the young of the salmon.
Acting under this impression the Legislature adopted a 2i-
inch mesh, in the belief that such a size would be large
enough to allow young salmon to pass, and ascend the rivers
for the purpose of spawning. Later researches show that the
mort and sprod are an entirely distinct species, 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 allthe artificial breeding and other arts of man
can never make it cheap and abundant, unaided by suit-
able and natural laws. We sincerely hope the proposed
bill will become law, not because it interests our readers—
the aristocratic and monied circles—but because its effects
would prove highly beneficial to the salmon-loving public.

RUSSIAN PRISONERS ARRESTED ON BOARD OP TIN
BRITANNIA.—The following is an extract from the Frey-
chat:, a Hamburg family paper, or miscellaneous ga-
zette, dated the 21st of November :—" Immediately
after the arrival of the Britannia, Captain A. Fokkes,
from Hull, on Sunday last, the commander of the police
of the harbour, with a small body of men, went on
board, and arrested seven of the passengers, whom he
took to the guardhouse, on the Grossneu-market, which
is used as a preliminary prison. It is reported the pri-
soners have been sailors of a Russian merchant vessel,
which was captured by the English, and condemned by
the Admiralty, and that they made their escape on board
the Britannia, thinking themselves quite safe when once
in Hamburg, and intending to direct their way from
thence home. However, fate had decided otherwise ;
the English ambassador had a!ready been informed by
telegraph, and he caused their arrest. Although the
9atnburg magistrate has yielded to the demand of the
taind
.tlnglish ambassador, no one can deny that, being a neu-
tral power, it has placed itself iu a very awkward posi-
on
yeb
ay
nil so
cannot
aa
Fokker doing,
return)and every one looks for the further
kHkeu
sorry
of the affair with great interest. We are very
gotsllhasuntilh
into
he
h as inconveniences,
undergone
an
examination, which
however, can only be taken as a
matter of formality,
Fokkes must be aseverybody who knows Captain
aware.
that he is a man who loves
freedom, and can have little
potiam." sympathy for Russian des-