147 



will be salted both lightly and heavily, and sun-dried by 

 an improved process ; (c) they will be brined or salted 

 lightly and heavily, partially sun-dried, and then smoked 

 for various periods and at various temperatures. A site 

 will, if Government approves of the proposal, be at once 

 selected, an estimate submitted, and work begun by ist 

 October. 



12. Section 2. — But an important function of the 

 sardine is to be canned^, and to judge by the appearance 

 of the fish themselves and by results obtained at Mahe, 

 our sardines are admirably adapted to fill this function. 

 Perhaps the very first attempt at progress in Japan was 

 in canning sardine (paragraphs 151, 40, etc., of my 

 Japanese Note), and the goods which I obtained there 

 were excellent and cheap ; the small ones were the best 

 I have ever tasted. The Japanese are now endeavouring 

 to enter the highest priced markets of the world, e.g., the 

 American — by improving their goods in every way ; the 

 best oil is imported and a complete rebate given of the 

 import duty when canned goods in oil are exported. 

 Not only so, but they can these fish in various ways 

 especially for home consumption, as by simply canning 

 the fat fish in large cans (of 4 lb. or larger) ; the export 

 goods were seen not only in Japan but at European 

 exhibitions such as that of Milan, while the domestic 

 goods were seen and tasted at the Japanese Experi- 

 mental station and al private factories ; these latter 

 included large tins in which the fish were simply boiled 

 in their own fat which is found as a cake on the surface 

 when the air-tight tins were opened. The ivholesale 

 prices — see table in paragraph 165 of the Japanese 

 Note — varied from Rs. 15 to Rs. 18 per case of 100 

 quarter tins delivered at Kobe, or about 2\ to nearly 

 3 annas per quarter tin. 



Now we have three excellent sardines, besides the 

 Engraulis, on the West Coast ; these spawn in June-July, 

 and by October when they are more largely caught, 

 have become fat ; they are then admirably adapted for 

 canning ; nothing is required but the factory and the 

 expert. As for price, the solitary French canner to be 

 presently mentioned, sells his goods at Rs. 1 1 to 

 Rs. 12-8-0 per case of 100 ordinary quarter tins, and 

 at Rs. 1 5-10-0 for key-opening tins, or 0-1-9,0-2-0, 

 and 0-2-6 per tin. These are excellent goods, and since 



lo-A 



