l82 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN VOL. XI, 



taxation, licences, or other charges on the fishing folk or on the 

 public. 



24. Nevertheless I desire here to disclaim any idea either of 

 measuring the success of the department by its balance sheet, or of 

 narrowing its scope and objects by considerations of immediate 

 departmental profit and loss. Its primary object is not revenue but 

 development and progress ; revenue is incidental and while wel- 

 come as a fiscal contribution and as a fund providing for further 

 expenditure, is not a direct object save as an evidence of success in 

 concrete fishery operations. Even as such evidence it is imperfect ; 

 e.g., Tanur shows a loss on the whole yard, yet, as stated in 

 paragraph 22, the several curing operations were successful in 

 themselves both technically and commercially, and needed only to 

 be larger to show financial profit ; these operations and investi- 

 gations are the basis of future curing operations throughout the 

 Presidency and, in the matter of fish oil and guano, have already 

 resulted in nine years in 253 private factories and a great and 

 developing industry and trade. The department is one which, for 

 the good of the consuming public in general and of the fishing 

 classes in particular, must be primarily a spending department, 

 spending State funds on well considered plans for improvement 

 and development, and the right questions are, in fact, how money 

 can most usefully be expended, on what objects, and to what 

 extent. The department is mainly concerned with service, and the 

 profits sought are not departmental cash profits but the introduc- 

 tion of improvements, the progress and profit of the fisherfolk with 

 the fishing and allied industries, and the economic benefit of the 

 State in general. 



ENCLOSURES. 



(I) 



Letter — from J. Hornell Esq., f.l.s., Government Marine Biologist 

 and Superintendent, Pearl and Chank Fisheries, Tuticorin. 



To — the Honorary Director of Fisheries, Madras. 



Dated — Tuticorin, the 2nd/8th June 1918. 



I have the honour to submit the following summary of the work done in 

 the Marine section of this department for the year ending 30th June 1918 

 in respect of the Pearl and Chank Fisheries and for the fourteen months' 

 period ending 31st May 1918 in respect of the other branches of this 

 section, ThQ usual annexures are appended. 



