74 



developments which are either simple matters of speed, 

 cleanliness, and common sense, or are reforms and 

 advances resulting from applied science, or are introduc- 

 tions of simple methods elsewhere in vogue, such as 

 smoking and wet pickling, the use of vinegar (as in 

 Bombay), etc. I am now personally able and ready to 

 direct the conduct of experiment in these improvements ; 

 one or two Sub-Asssistants selected for particular 

 qualifications will be needed and a few indigenous curers 

 of the better and more intelligent sort ; with this 

 material good progress may be expected. It has been sug- 

 gested to me by Lord Amp thill that skilled Japanese 

 instructors mio-ht be obtained at a moderate cost for our 

 technical work, and it is quite possible that in the curing 

 department this might become advisable ; the point will 

 be hereafter discussed with other details in a separate 

 report on the experimental station. 



1 1 . The experimental station. — As elsewhere noted, 

 the Indian Fisheries Company is starting large works, 

 partly of an experimental nature, at Cochin on the West 

 Coast, and its operations will extend to other places 

 than Cochin ; these operations are intended to and, it is 

 hoped, will cover experiments in all the items included 

 under catchingr and curino;. The conditions of the West 

 Coast from Cochin to Mangalore are all similar both in 

 the nature and depth of the sea, the breadth of the 

 comparatively shallow (trawlable) area, the classes and 

 seasons of fish produced, the classes of persons engaged, 

 the implements used, and the communications available. 

 Hence, experiments in Cochin will be as instructive to 

 the whole West Coast as experiments at Tellicherry, and 

 since the experiments have actually begun and should, 

 by reason of abundance of funds and experts, be more 

 rapidly and thoroughly conducted than any which 

 Government could at once undertake, I consider that 

 the proposed Government experimental station at 

 Tellicherry should be transferred to the East Coast. 



The locality which I would now propose is Madras, 

 or the neiohbourhood not further north than Ennore or 

 south than the y\dayar. Apart from tne reasons given 

 above for transfer from Tellicherry, Madras is indicated 

 as the best site for a station ; it will probably be the 

 head-quarters of the Fisheries administration ; scientific 

 talent and assistance — engineering, mechanical, chemical. 



