The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-05 00:00:00

SALMON FI-SThEI?IE.S.

The Government bill for amending the law relating to
talmon fisheries in England has been issued. It makes
some provisions for the snore effectual enforcement of the
existing law, and proposes also some alterations in the
law. A penalty is to be imposed on any person fishing
for salmon (except with rod and line) within 100 yards of
a dam not having a legal free gap ;but if there is at present
a fish pass approved by the Home Office compensation is to
be made by the conservators for the expense of making,
or maintaining it. Power is given to tho conservators to
place a grating across the tail-race of a mill, or across any
artificial channel, but not to interfere with the mill wheel
or supply of water, and the grating may be removed after
the Ist of June. Thep roprietor of a fixed engine tor
catching eels in a salmon river must remove it between
January 1 and July 1. The inspectors are to have access at
all reasonable times to examine any dam, artificial water-
course, &c. A person illegally taking salmon in the night, or
found near a salmon river with that intent, or having in
his possession for the capture of salmon a prohibited instru-
ment, may be apprehended without warrant by any officer
of the conservators or servant of a person having right of
fishing. Moneys arising from licenses may be expended
by the conservators in any manner they think most condu-
cive to the improvement of the salmon fisheries. The
64th section of the Act of 1865 is to apply to char. No
person is to fish for trout or char otherwise than by
rod and line in a salmon river during the time when
netting is prohibited ; and between the 3rd of November
and the 2nd of February no person is to buy or sell trout
or char, but this is not to apply to trout or char cured,
potted, &c., or caught beyond the limits of the Salmon
Fishery Acts, the onus of proof thereof lying on the seller.
The conservators, with the approval of the Secretary of
State, are to have power to make regulations as to the de-
scription and use of nets for catching salmon, the cons-
mencement of the weekly close time, and generally the
protection and improvement of salmon fishing, but there
ust first be a public inquiry by one of the inspectors.

it eta.tPfT iEaT 71, iitirraiirezirrTrEarine gun. of
Belgian manufacture, will shortly arrive in this country
for trial. 'Major G. V. Fosbery, V.C., Bengal Staff Corps,
bas been employed for some time on the Continent in in-
specting and reporting on various specimens of this new
description of arm. The Belgian mitrailleur, which is con-
sidered the best of its class, is the invention of M. Montigny.
It consists of thirty-seven steel barrels, planed on the ex-
terior to an hexagonal form, so as to fit together with ease.
These barrels are then soldered in a wrought-iron tube,
and fitted with a sliding breech-piece, consisting of a
block containing an arrangement of spiral springs for
firing a central-fire cartridge in each barrel. The breech.
block is moved by a lever, and the turning of a handle
is sufficient to fire the cartridges one by one, the rapidity
of fire being proportioned to the speed with which the
handle is made to revolve. The face of the breech-block
is grooved to admit the cartridge-holder and extractor,
the former being a steel plate drilled with holes to corre-
spond to the position of the barrels and strikers. Several
of these plates accompany each gun, and it is asserted
they can be filled with cartridges and dropped into the
proper position with considerable ease and quickness. The
whole apparatus is mounted on a two-wheeled carriage.
Major Fosbery appears to have witnessed a number of
experiments with this arm at the Tir National, Brussels,
and at the Artillery Polygone, Brasschaet, and his report
is on the whole favourable. Many missfires are recorded,
due, it is said, to imperfect ammunition ; but this would be
unlikely to occur were Boxer cartridges employed. The
experiments at Brasschaet were made at distances varying
from about 430 to 1,100 yards, the target consisting of inch
planks nailed to uprights, forming a screen of 97ft. in
length by Oft. in height at the two extremities, and 12ft.
in height over a space of 26ft. in the centre. At 430 yards
84 per cent. of the projectiles struck this screen ; 370
cartridges were placed in the gun, which was worked by
one man ; of these 40 were missfires, 278 struck, and 52
missed the target. The time was about three minutes,
including a stoppage during the firing of the first five
plates. At 650 yards the hits were about 50 per cent. ;
but at 1,100 yards it was found so difficult to obtain the
correct elevation, in the absence of a properly graduated
target scale, that the attempt to fire at this range was
abandoned. It is said that 370 shots per minute can be
fired after some practice.

LAW AND POLICE.

-.',..

RISK ALLAH BEY.—In the Rolls Court, on Friday
Simouides's case, in connection with the Constantinople
and Alexandria Hotels, was heard. He applied to have
his name removed from the list of contributories of the
c,>mpany, on which the ofilcial liquidator had placed it.
Ills case was, that on the lith December, 1863, four days
before the allotment of the Eliares, he wrote to his friend,
Risk Allah Bey, at whose instance be had applied for
them, stating that he had heard a Lad account of the com-
pany, and wished to withdraw his application. Risk Allah
Bey did not,so far as Simonides could ascertain ,communicate
this letter to the directors, though he was represented on
the prospectus as being a director himself. The company
took no steps in consequence of the letter. The
counsel for Simonides argued that notice given
to Risk Allah Bey, as one of the directors,
amounted in equity to notice to the company. It
appeared, however, that Risk Allah Hey had never been a
director, though his name was on the prospectus, and the
Master of the Rolls ordered that the name of Simonides
should be retained on the list of contributories.
THE PATENT Laws. —ln Vice-Chancellor James's
court, on Friday, judgment was given in a patent case.
The defendant is a gas engineer, named Stevens, who
under the orders of Mr. Barry, the Government architect,
supplied the lamps which are now placed in New Palace-
yard. These lamps, which were globular iu form,
with revolving or sliding doors, were alleged by
the plaintiff to be an infringement of his
patent, and he filed his bill to restrain the
alleged infringement. The defendant disputed the
validity of the patent, and denied infringement.
The Vice-Chancellor gave an elaborate judgment, holding
that there could be no patent right in the substitution of a
slide for a hinge, which was one of the points insisted on.
A patent for a combination could not be a valid patent
for a part. Judgment for the defendant.
Ma. RIGBY WAsON.—Mr. Rigby Wason attended at
Marlborough-street Police-court to perfect his recog-
nisances for prosecuting the charge against Lord Russell
for conspiracy; but Mr. Tyrwhitt said, on consideration,
he must decline to take them, for he did not think that an
indictment would lie. Mr. 'Was= declared that the
magistrate was bound to accept his recognisances, and
added that he should apply to the Court of Queen's Bencb
for a mandamus to compel him to do so.
ESCAPE FROM A REFORMATORY. Two girls were
brought up at the Hampstead Police-court, charged
with absconding from the Catholic Industrial School at
Finchley. Mr. Marshall said they should be sent to the
Roman Catholic Reformatory at Bristol for three years,
but before that they must have a month's imprisonment
with hard labour in the House of Correction.
A BRIBERY CASE.—In the Court of Queen's Bench the
question of "'What is bribery ?" was raised on a county court
appeal. It was an action for a penalty for the alleged offer
nf_a_bribe at a municipal election, and the evidence of the
-- •
he would be remunerated for his trouble and f time-
The court were clear tnae tine lilac Lalal, -Tr Z.II!S
and gave judgment for the plaintiff—that he was entitled
to recover the penalty.

MISSING PAPERS. —ln the Bail Court, on Friday, the
case of the " Queen v. Thomas Edward Watkins " was
heard. It was a criminal proceeding, but had been
removed from the Old Bailey to the Bail Court. The
prisoner was an attorney, and was charged with stealing
some papers and documents. The prosecutor was a Mr.
Tommey, who was formerly in the army, and he accused
Mr. Watkins of taking from Ilia table some letters which
he wanted to use in an action which was pending. Mr.
Justice Hannen summed up strongly in favour of the
prisoner, and the jury at once returned a verdict of Not

FATAL BOAT ACCIDENT.—News from Bolton
states that at six o'clock on Friday night Thomas Pollitt,
26, wheelwright ; John Proctor, 23, salesman ; and Jamea
Lord, 25, warehouseman, were rowing upon the canal at
Bolton, when another boat passing caused a swell in the
water. - Proctor, being frightened, overbalanced himself,
and the boat capsized bottom upwards. Lord got on to
the boat, but his companions clutching it also caused it to
capsize again, and all sank. The second boat then came to
the rescue, and Lord was got out all% e and recovered, but
the other two were dead. They were all unmarried.

THE SUNDERLAND MuRDER. —A man who gives
his name as Robert Jones is in custody at Abergavenny
for the murder of Maria Fitzsimmons, at Sunderland, on
February 20th last. Jones was drinking with George Taylor
and others at the Crown Inn, Raglan, whenhe stated that
there was a reward of £lOO oikred for the apprehension of
the murderer, and as he should like Taylor to get the
money better than anyone else he (Taylor) had better give
information to the police. He stated that he was a native
of Ridgway near Bristol, that he left his home in January
last, and travelled northwards. At Sunderland he picked
up with Maria Fitzsimmons, and because she repelled his
attempts on her person he murdered her. Taylor imme-
diately • gave information to the police, and Jones was
taken to Abergavenny to await communications with the
Sunderland authorities. Jones is 23 years of age, stands
51t. Tin. high, fresh complexion, and sandy hair, and
answers in every particular the de§criptir given of the
murderer,