902 CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS. [ART. 27

Herring bay or in any river, creek or harbor within this State
below high water mark, the master or other person having
charge or command of such ship, steamboat, scow or other
vessel shall, upon conviction thereof before any justice of the
peace of this State, be fined not less than twenty dollars nor
more than one hundred and fifty dollars, one-half of which
amount shall be paid to the informer and the other half to the
State; but any one convicted of violating the provisions of this
section shall be entitled to appeal to the circuit .court for the
county in which he was convicted, or to the Baltimore city
court if the offense was committed in the city of Baltimore ;
this section shall not, however, be construed to apply to the
improvement of harbors or to affect any existing act of assem-
bly relating to the construction of wharves or to the rights of
riparian proprietors.

1888, art. 27, sec. 241. 1872, ch 58.

378. The commanding officer of the State fishery force is
required and directed to enforce the provisions of the preced-
ing section.

Ibid. sec. 242. 1874. ch 355.

379. If any person shall place, cast or throw into the
Potomac river, at any point above the canal dam, near the
mouth of Wills' creek, any dead body or carcass of any dog,
horse, cow, hog, cat or other animal whatsoever, or shall
drown therein any animal whatsoever, or shall place, cast or
throw therein any substance whatsoever, calculated to render
the waters of said river impure or unfit for use, he shall forfeit
and pay a sum of not less than twenty dollars nor more than
one hundred dollars, one-half to the informer and the other
half to the State, to be recovered by action of debt or indict-
ment in the county wherein the offense was committed.

Ibid sec. 243. 1860, art. 30, sec. 171. 1734, ch. 16, sec. 3.

380. No person shall build any weir or hedge across any
river, creek or branch below any public landing place, so as to
prejudice or dam up the channel, or to obstruct the passage of
boats, on pain of forfeiting twenty-five dollars, to be recovered
in the proper court by action of debt or by indictment.

Ibid. sec. 244. 1888, ch. 362 1900, ch. 677.

381. It shall not be lawful for any person to dig, dredge,
take and carry away any sand, gravel or other material from