OYSTER CULTURE IN ENGLAND. 397 



water Fishery when in Essex, on the matter of the Shelford 

 Creek Inquiry, I beg to inform you that I visited this 

 fishery on the 24th August, and made a certain number of 

 hauls with the dredge in different parts of it. Owing, 

 however, to the unfavourable state of the tide, and an 

 error as to the place appointed for meeting the manager 

 of the Company, the time at my disposal was exceedingly 

 limited. 



On the portions of the fishery, however, where I 

 dredged, I found the ground in a very fair state of cultiva- 

 tion, and marketable oysters laid down. In common, 

 however, with the rest of the Blackwater river, in which 

 nearly every oyster that could be dredged has been carried 

 away, there is little or no spat on the ground, and up to 

 the present moment the company, though supplying the 

 markets with a certain number of oysters commanding a 

 fair price (^9 per bushel), has not been able to pay any 

 dividend to its shareholders. During the past season the 

 sales about balance the expenditure, as will be seen in the 

 annexed return. 



The ground seems to be practically in very much the 

 same state of progress and cultivation as when I last 

 reported on it. 



Should the Board, however, deem it necessary, I shall 

 be happy to make a further and more complete examina- 

 tion, starting from Maldon instead of Southend, by which 

 means, and a regard to the tides, I should have a longer 

 day and greater facilities for the purpose of inspection. 



I have, &c., 

 (Signed) H. CHOLMONDELEY PENNELL. 



The Assistant Secretary, Harbour Department, 

 Board of Trade. 



