37 



would but emphasize the lack of stability which appears to be 

 a characteristic of the entrance to this river. In passing, it is 

 interesting to note that the fishermen and others with whom we 

 conversed were unanimous in stating that the depth of water 

 in the river was formerly greater than at present and that the 

 volume of flood water — the prime agent in scouring deeply the 

 channel and the bar — has greatly lessened since the anicuts at 

 and above Nellore were constructed. The same cause is 

 operating in most of the East Coast rivers, a decreased volume 

 of water and lessened scour, owing to the making of anicuts. 

 An instance in point is the rapid deterioration of Cocanada 

 harbour after the completion of the anicutover the Godavari at 

 Dowlaishweram and the silting up of the mouths of the 

 Tambraparni after a similar construction of anicuts upstream. 

 With the progress of irrigation works and increased cultivation 

 under such systems we may look for a still further reduction in 

 the volume of water in the terminal sections of the East Coast 

 rivers with the result that river ports will still further 

 deteriorate. 



Northward of Penneru there are several harbours which 

 may probably be found very suitable as fishing centres, notably 

 Masulipatam and Cocanada, but with these I have no personal 

 acquaintance. 



8. Taking a survey of the coast southwards of Madras we 

 find no harbour of any fishery value till we reach Cuddalore. 

 Covelong and Sadras which lie between,, were both once the 

 centres of considerable trade but at present have no importance, 

 Covelong bar being closed nearly the whole of the south-west 

 monsoon. During this season there is, however, good shelter 

 for small boats in the small bay to the north of Covelong 

 point and for half the year it may be safely used as a boat 

 anchorage. Cuddalore is well situated to serve as a fishing 

 centre ; the river bar though not a deep one is not dangerous, 

 the tiading importance of the place is sufficient to ensure 

 efforts being made whenever exceptional shallowing takes 

 place, while rapid transport of catches is assured by the 

 proximity of the railway ; a siding runs down to the quay wall 

 where fishing boats would discharge. The bar has been at 

 times troublesome, sometimes through silting, at other times 

 by change in its position. But in spite of all this the place has 

 never intermitted its importance since the East India Company 

 opened a factory here and built Fort St. David iu 13S3. At 

 present the depth of w 7 ater on the bar is seldom more than 6 

 feet at spring tides, with a mean range of about 3 feet. About 

 150 lighters belong to the port; most of these are about 10 

 tons register, but there are a few decked lighters of 25 tons 



