CLITHEROE, _May 29th_, 1834.

* * * * *

CLITHEROE, _March 18th_, 1846.

TO MR. PAKINGTON (LORD HAMPTON).

SIR,--Through the polite attention of Mr. Cardwell I have been
favoured with a copy of your bill--"For the better preservation of
Salmon." As this is a subject to which I have paid some attention,
I trust it will not be deemed impertinent if I offer some
suggestions for your consideration with regard to the free gap. It
appears to me that it will be desirable to specify the width and
depth of this free gap, or it may on the one hand degenerate into
a mouse-hole, or on the other hand the surveyor, by the provisions
of the 13th section of the Act, may insist on such a gap being
made that the whole of the water may be diverted through it, which
in small rivers, where there are ancient and legal hecks or
cruives for the purpose of taking Salmon, will destroy the value
of the fishery. Then, with regard to fence time:--In the 6th
section of the Act, I presume you do not intend that night fishing
shall be allowed at any season of the year; but it appears to me
that the expressions in the 6th section would scarcely prevent the
owners of cruives from keeping them open, as they need not go near
them between sunset and sunrise, and then they will neither lay,
draw, nor fish with any net, device, or engine. Would it not be
better to expressly insist upon all cruive fisheries being
positively closed from sunset to sunrise? or, what would be still
better, that the cruive or heck should have a free gap in it, of a