134 



From information obtained out here from Mr, Scovell 

 and others it would, if such a vessel is sanctioned, be 

 well to purchase the design and drawing from a British 

 firm and have the boat built in Bombay or other port, 

 the engine and special fittings being supplied by the 

 sam.e firm that supplies the drawing ; this would be a 

 cheaper plan and would avoid the great cost of bringing 

 such a boat out, 



68. I shall be glad if Government will pass specific 

 orders on this question, viz., whether they will be 

 prepared, on application, to provide a boat somewhat 

 similar to, but smaller and less highly fitted than " Ibis 

 III," to cost ready for sea not more than Rs. 30,000 deli- 

 vered at a port in this Presidency, including the cost 

 of nets, lines, any special industrial apparatus, and 

 appliances for scientific observation. 



Staff. 



69. Working estabHshments . — One additional reason 

 for simple beginnings is that at present we have no 

 expert staff and must work with what we can find. It 

 will be seen from paragraphs 47 to 66 that there is 

 nothing — except as regards canning, excluded for the 

 present — which cannot be carried out by the intelligent 

 direction and supervision of men available in the 

 country. 



As regards boats ; the fishermen of the coast unlike 

 the men whom the Irish Congested Districts Board are 

 endeavouring to turn into deep sea fishermen, are 

 thoroughly acquainted with, and live on, the sea and many 

 of them are already expert sailors accustomed to sail 

 coasters from our ports to Ceylon and elsewhere, or 

 smaller boats such as the Muttupet and Pamban dhonies, 

 the Masulipatam dinghies, etc. ; m.any of them are ready 

 to man large boats if provided. Hence I can easily 

 get serangs and crews of fishermen to handle these 

 boats which though larger will be of simple rig to which 

 the coast sailors are accustomed. Similarly these men 

 will handle nets of their own customary patterns, the 

 only difterence being that they will be used further out 

 at sea and will be heavier and longer ; these are but 

 slight modifications and the winches on these boats will 



