56 



Letter — from Sir F. A. Nicholson, k c.i e., I.C.S., Officer 



on Special Duty, Fisheries Investigation. 

 Dated — Madras, the 28th February 1907. 



In paragraphs 186 to 195 of my report on Japanese 

 fisheries 1 have suggested the early establishment of an 

 experimental station, probably on the West Coast. 



2. As will be seen by paragraphs 216 — 224 of the 

 report and by the letters of this date. I do not propose 

 to start this experimental station at once, for the simple 

 reason that I have neither men nor plant, and that while 

 I could obtain and put up the plant in a year, I could 

 not get trained men in anything like that time, except 

 by introducing foreign experts at very great expense, a 

 plan which I do not advocate. 



3. My object in entering the proposal was (i) to 

 make with some degree of completeness the more 

 obvious suggestions which arise out of my Japanese 

 studies, (2) to place definite aims and objects of action 

 before us, so that knowing our objects, we may at once 

 begin to make the necessary provision in trained experts, 

 staff, etc. Without such statement of objects the matter 

 would have been left nebulous ; I wished to reduce 

 nebulosity to definite form and not only to show what 

 action should be taken, but the necessary steps preli- 

 minary to that action. Without experiment, no clear 

 progress ; without experts, no useful experiment ; without 

 directive agency, no definite or controlled experiment ; 

 without experts or experimental stations, no useful 

 department : progress, experimental stations, the provi- 

 sion of experts, the formation of at least the nucleus of 

 a departnient, are all interdependent and I have there- 

 fore both in the report (paragraphs 186 — 224) and in 

 these several covering letters, made my proposals under 

 all the above heads. 



4. In the present letter I propose simply that 

 Government will be pleased to lay down in their ensuing 

 order the necessity for an experimental station with the 

 objects and aims mentioned in paragraphs 186 to 194 of 

 my report, and for immediately working up towards its 

 establishment. Should Government accept the general 

 idea I would suggest the West Coast, as the more 

 advanced and busy coastal area, for the first station . 

 Tellicherry as the location, for the following reasons : 

 {a) it is a central point on the West Coast ; {b) there are 



