266 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 



passed the house without a dissenting vote, and was signed by Governor Gordon in 

 September, 1880. The most important feature of my bill, which failed of passage, pro- 

 vided for a salaried oyster inspector for each three of the six coast counties. No 

 game, fish, or oyster law can ever be properly enforced without such a responsible 

 officer. One of their duties might have been the enforcement of the law for the pro- 

 tection of terrapin, which I had framed, advocated, and was instrumental in getting 

 previously passed some years before by the Georgia legislature. The appointment of 

 these officers would have obviated subsequent litigation by supplying a very effective 

 witness in every case of oyster piracy, and would have been a valuable aid to the county 

 commissioners when called upon to grant leases in strict conformity to the law. 



The legislature provided, at the same time, principally at the instance of the 

 opposition, but in accordance with the desires of the friends of the oyster industry, 

 for the appointment of three oyster commissioners for the purpose of investigating 

 what further legislation should be recommended at the next ensuing sessiou to perfect 

 the law, and Governor Gordon appointed J. L. Warren of Savannah, R. W. Grubb of 

 Darien, and James Postell of Brunswick. After an interview with Governor Gordon 

 I wrote a resolution, which was presented by Hon. James Postell to the legislature 

 aud passed, and then, upon application to the U. S. Government by the governor for 

 the purpose, Ensign J. C. Drake, the most available expert, was detailed to make a 

 survey of the oyster grounds and waters of Georgia. His report was issued as Bul- 

 letin No. 19 of the Coast and Geodetic Survey. 



The most important features of the law were: (1) A close time from May 1 to Sep- 

 tember 1; (2) the culling of oysters over the beds; (3) the carrying of lights in boats 

 employed in tonging at night; (4) the leasing by the county commissioners of 5 acres, 

 and no more, at $1 per acre, for the term of twenty years, within 1,000 feet from shore, not 

 to extend beyond the center of the stream, and the ground was not to have been previ- 

 ously resorted to by the public to procure oysters for consumption, or sale, and these 

 leases were not transferable; (5) the leasing on similar terms and restriction s of 500 

 acres in mid-stream, or beyond 1,000 feet from either shore. No lessee could take up 

 ground within 120 feet from low-water mark opposite habitable highlands. The rental 

 in all cases went into the school fund, and the land had to be returned for taxation. 



Under the provisions and protection of this law, four oyster companies, three with 

 canning outfits and each with considerable capital, were promptly organized. Each of 

 the three employed nearly as much labor as Ernest Ingersoll reported in the Tenth 

 Census of 1880, the entire number of the planters, tougers, and wholesale dealers 

 engaged in the industry of the State being 300 and the estimate of the value of all 

 the shore property being $5,000. 



In Chatham County the Oemler Oyster Company took up 357 acres in Wilmington 

 River beyond the 1,000-foot limit and secured 300 acres in 5-acre lots. These latter 

 being nearly all opposite the habitable highland of Wilmington Island, were not nearer 

 than 120 feet from ordinary low-water mark. Private oystermen, white aud colored, 

 took up about all the bare bottom in shallow water fit for oyster culture, not aggregat- 

 ing 100 acres. Larger areas were taken up in Glynn and in Camden counties. 



When Ensign Drake first appeared with the U. S. schooner Ready in our waters 

 he had several native oystermen to locate on his chart all the natural beds known to 

 them, whether depleted or otherwise, and I do not believe a single one was overlooked 

 in Chatham County, not as an aid merely in his work, but in order to learn what were 

 claimed by the people as public oyster beds. During the progress of his survey he 



