No. 7 (1917) ADMINISTRATION REPORT, I917-18 I87 



15. New chunk contracis. — During the past year, the produce of the 

 Tinnevelly chank fishery for the three years 1 918-19 to 1920-21, inclusive, 

 was offered to public tender. The highest offer was made by Messrs. J. E. 

 Dutt & Sons of Dacca, who have held the contract for the Tinnevelly and 

 the Ramnad shells for several years past. The rate obtained is Rs, 325 

 per 1,000, which compares most favourably with Rs. 121 received during 

 the past three years. There was considerable competition and all offers 

 were largely in excess of the previous rate. 



16. The South Arcot chank lease for a two years' period from ist April 

 1918, was also re-let to M.R.Ry. Subbarayalu Chettiyar of Cuddalore at an 

 enhancement of Us. 600 per annum, from Rs. 900 to Rs. 1,500 per annum, 

 The chank market is now higher than it has been for many years ; one of 

 the chief reasons appears to be the difficulty experienced by the bangle 

 manufacturers in getting large sized shells other than those from the Madras 

 coast, in consequence of the gradual decrease in the average size of the 

 shells fished in Ceylon waters, where no size limit is imposed. 



17. The beche.de-mer industry, — During 1917-18, the following 

 quantities of material were brought from the chank divers of Tiru. 

 palakudi : — 



Large size (Nos. I and II qualities) ... .., 39,520 



Small size (No. Ill quality) .. ... ... ... 19,407 



58-927 



The former yielded as cured weight of 1,710 lb., the latter of 431 lb. or 

 2,141 lb. in all. The material cured to December 1917 was despatched to 

 Singapore for sale and so far no intimation has been received as to its 

 disposal. The second lot, which comprises the material cured- in the 

 second half of the season, remains on hand. The prices that will be 

 obtained, it is afraid, may not be very satisfactory, especially in view of 

 the fact that there is a heavy loss in exchange on remitting the proceeds 

 to India. Rut these are war times and trade in this article suffers 

 materially at present from difficulties of transport and from the unrest in 

 China. 



18. The actual cost of the raw material together with all charges 

 amounted to Rs. 688-4 7, so that if we value the produce on hand at the 

 rates obtained last year, the receipts on the operations will amount to 

 Rs. 657-10-9. In view of the makeweight which the prosecution of this 

 industry exercises upon the carrying on of the chank fishery, the small loss 

 that may be sustained may be considered as an incidental and necessary 

 expense of this latter fishery. 



