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

 Director of Fisheries to the Government of Madras. 

 Dated — the 31st December 1907. 



In my letter No. 230, dated the 31st December 1907, 

 I have n\entioned the " Indian Fisheries Company" of 

 London ; this is ah'eady a going concern, at' present in 

 the Syndicate and experimental stage, in actual operation 

 on the West Coast. I have frequently interviewed the 

 London firm which is the active centre of this concern, 

 and is a very pushing and prosperous firm, the head of 

 which is connected with enterprise all over the world ; 

 their declared intention is the development of the fish 

 trade in all branches, for Indian needs first, and, failing 

 an Indian demand, for export purposes. They have 

 begun with an obvious article and opening, viz., the pur- 

 chase of dried oil sardines for export as manure, but this 

 is merely a beginning ; it is intended to revive the fish oil 

 industry and to push on Indian trade in oil and manure 

 for which experts and plant have already been sent out ; 

 to develop deep sea catching methods by the most 

 modern plant, which, I understand, is under order; the fresh 

 fish trade is expressly mentioned as an attractive develop- 

 ment, and the head of the firm when out here at the 

 beginning of the year sounded the railway authorities on 

 the subject of refrigerating cars, rates, etc.; the canning 

 and cured fish business which they have in view will, to 

 my mind, probably precede the fresh fish trade. It is 

 intended, if experiments and first attempts are successful, 

 to develop the syndicate into a company with a large 

 capital, and to push the business in all branches. I 

 may add that during my voyage home I became 

 acquainted with a Calcutta merchant interested in an 

 Indian business for which fish oil is especially necessary, 

 and on hearing of his needs, running into many 

 hundreds of tons annually, I placed him in communica- 

 tion with the Indian Fisheries Company, and am 

 told that the result will probably be a large immediate 

 business. 



2. I mention this enterprise because it will explain 

 why I am not now keen on a large Government develop- 

 ment, in the way of experiment, on the West Coast ; if 

 this firm carries out its intentions — of which I have no 

 doubt, as the beginnings have, I believe, been very 



