182 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN [ VOL. XVI, 



always be differences of opinion ; for the renter will constantly urge that the 

 duty was not well performed, in order to obtain some deduction for his 

 amount of rent. 



7/// Answer (a). — The renter may have full liberty to obtain indemnifi- 

 cation from the native inspectors, in the event of an incorrect report being 

 given in by them. 



{b) In the conditions care may be taken to guard against all after- 

 claims, and to let the banks in whatever condition they may be found. 



(c) Public notice may be given that persons inclined to make an offer 

 for the banks may be present at the inspection of them. 



St/i Objection. — This rent will prejudice the chank fishery, for this latter 

 will be at a standstill from the want of divers. 



%th Answer. — If divers can be found for 800 or 1,000 dhonies, then it 

 can surely not be thought that they will be so scarce as not to be found for 

 50 boats, and both fisheries may easily go on at the same time. 



gth Objection. — The inspection of the pearl banks takes place in 

 November, and it is late in December before the Government is able to 

 make out the conditions of the fishery which is to be held in the middle of 

 February. Now, it would be impossible to fix a day for offering the rent 

 before the beginning of February, in order that speculators from the coast 

 may have time to come to Ceylon. If then there should chance to be no 

 speculators, or if they should not make an offer large enough, it would be 

 too late to commence pieparations for an open fishery, and Government 

 would be compelled to be satisfied with a bidding however small, lest it 

 should be deprived of the advantage of fishery on its own account or of 

 letting out the fishery. 



gtli Answer (a). — It is not one instant to be doubted, but there will be a 

 sufficient number of bidders; (b) at all events, even if they should bid 

 little, and we should be compelled to accept their trifling offer, it would 

 always be satisfactory to think that the gain is clear profit. 



Finally, with respect to the Manaar and Calpentyn chank fishery, the 

 Governor is of opinion that a diving on the company's own account would 

 be far more profitable than renting the fishery, and if we resolved in our 

 sitting on the nth January last to rent that fishery again, it was because 

 Mr. Raket. the Chief Officer at Manaar, was so indifferent upon the subject 

 as to hold out no hopes of a successful attempt on our own account, yet we 

 have since then given up renting that fishery, and it now takes place at our 

 own risk, and although it is as yet not by any means so well conducted as 

 it ought to be, still we by no means doubt but the company will derive a 



