1922] MADRAS PEARL FISHERIES l8l 



bring too great a concourse of people to this island, it would he easy to 

 order the renter to take away the oysters with him to the coast, as is done 

 with the Chanks, and not to allow him to land them on this side the water. 



\th Objection. — For a complete fishery 800 or 1,000 boats are required, 

 and how could then the work be done with a limited number of 25 or 50. 



\th Answer (a). — In the memoir already quoted a full and complete 

 fishery is excepted from being rented. 



(b) But the same rule might hold good even in a full fishery, for ( 1) as 

 a fishery seldom lasts longer than 24 days, a rented fishery might last three 

 times as long 5(2) the bank which could not be open in one year, might be 

 rented the following years, as the assertion of the Commissioners at the 

 last fishery seems very improbable, that the oysters being too mature 

 loosen the pearl and let it drop ; this may be the case with some few of too 

 full a growth, the place of which others will supply which were not so 

 mature previously. 



$th Objection. — It has just been answered to an objection, that what 

 cannot be done in one year, may be done in the next one or two years 

 immediately following, but since it has happened that there have been full 

 fisheries for many successive years, how is it possible that these continued 

 full fisheries could be carried on with a small number of dhonies ? and 

 then the loss to the company could be exceedingly great. 



$th Answer {a).' — A moderate profit in a rented fishery would be far 

 more advantageous to the company than great apparent gain in an open 

 fishery, at which if all matters would be weighed and balanced, the 

 c ompany really gains nothing ; (b) it has not yet been proved that the 

 oysters lose their pearls so quickly, and it is therefore uncertain if the 

 company would sustain any injury by the delay. 



6th Objection. — The renter will fish the banks so bare, that the profit of 

 the company will be quite ruined. 



6t/i Answer (a). — I cannot perceive why a sma'l number of divers 

 should strip the banks more than a greater number. 



(b) If that idea should prove to be well founded, proper directions 

 should be established on the subject, and it must be prohibited to bring up 

 small or young oysters ; and although it is desirable to get rid of the 

 trouble of having constant guard over the banks, yet it would not be very 

 difficult to have two or three persons commissioned to see what goes on. 



1th Objection. — It will be necessary to inspect the banks in the same 



manner as previously, in order to know how the conditions of the rent are 



to be made out, for certainly speculators will make large or small offers 



according to the greater or fewer appearances of profit, and there will 



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