should be a branch of the Department of Agriculture. It i? so vast 

 and at the same time so complicated, and deals with suclV ignorant 

 masses of people, and yet requires the intelligent acceptance of such 

 new ideas and methods, that only the most continuous, untiring, and 

 tactful efforts of experts can bring about success ; no useful results 

 can arise from the intermittent efforts of languid general interested- 

 ness ; men must take it up whose sole business it will be under the 

 general direction of a permanent department. Probably there are 

 officers in the various services, Marine or other, who are capable by 

 past study and experience, of taking up the question of sea-fisheries, 

 and it may be that there are ichthyologists, budding or mature, who 

 will add knowledge and enthusiasm to such experience of the country 

 and people as will enable them at once to begin work at the develop- 

 ment of inland fisheries : this can be ascertained if a Fishery Bureau 

 is organized. In all cases it would seem that the bureau should as- 

 sociate with it an Advisory Board composed of scientific and practical 

 experts such as men of the stamp of Dr. Thurston, the Superintendent 

 of Chank and Pearl Fisheries, men engaged in the fish-oil and manure 

 trade, heads of fishing classes such as the hereditary chief of the 

 Tuticorin fishermen, etc. The bureau, even though not worked for 

 revenue, could easily be made to pay all expenses, and it will be re- 

 membered that considerable sum — above a lakh — is already derived 

 from tank and river fisheries in this Presidency, the proceeds of which 

 ought to be e.xpended in developing this all-important industry and 

 food-supply. The proceeds of fisheries are at present handed over 

 to Local Funds, havine been given to them in 1864 when Local 

 Funds were merely items of miscellaneous improvements under the 

 Collector : there is absolutely no reason why these fish-rents should 

 now go to Local Boards and merely swell their resources without 

 return to the fisheries. If this source of income is continued to them, 

 they should be compelled to spend it in developing local fisheries. 



