2 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XII 



of the pearl and chank fisheries [G.O. No. 278, Revenue (Special), 

 dated 14th February 1919]. This officer has seen much service 

 during the war, first in Mesopotamia as a Royal Engineer officer in 

 the Inland Water Transport; being invalided out on account of 

 injuries, he obtained, on recovery, a temporary commission in the 

 Royal Naval Reserve, and was given command of a flotilla of six 

 mine-sweepers based in Colombo. His experience in command of 

 motor-launches and steam-trawlers combined with his previous 

 record in all grades of the mercantile marine, fit him admirably for 

 his new duties, and already he has been of great assistance to me. 



4. No appointment to the vacant post of Marine Biollogist has 

 yet been possible; a man with suitable qualifications and adequate 

 practical experience is hard to obtain on the pay sanctioned, in 

 view of the keen demand for zoologists of this type at home and in 

 the Colonies, where fisheries' development is particularly active at 

 the present time. 



5. Under the reorganization scheme Messrs. V. Govindan and 

 B. Sundara Raj reverted to their substantive posts of Assistant 

 Director and Piscicultural Assistant, respectively ; the office of 

 Piscicultural Expert being abolished, the administrative duties are 

 carried on by the Director, who also gives direct personal supervi- 

 sion to the technical side of the work. To relieve the Director of a 

 certain amount of routine work, Mr. U. Karunakara Menon was 

 appointed Personal Assistant and joined duty on 20th December 

 1918. 



6. Removal of Headquarters Offices.— With the appointment of a 

 whole-time Director, with headquarters at Madras, the old office at 

 Chepauk, already much overcrowded, became impossible and 

 removal to larger premises was imperative. By the courtesy of the 

 Bank of Madras, a portion of their handsome new office in the 

 Mount Road was placed temporarily at my disposal ; removal thereto 

 was effected on 7th April 1919. Unfortunately another move will 

 have to be made before the end of this year, and so far, a suitable 

 location has not been found. Much work, especially the scientific, 

 is practically at a standstill under these unfavourable circum- 

 stances, for most of our reference books and specimens have to be 

 kept in packing cases where they subserve no useful purpose. 



7. Director's Tours. — Since my appointment, I have made exten- 

 sive tours in Kurnool and Nellore on piscicultural duty; also on 

 the East and West Coasts on general inspection and particularly 



