Repoi'ts to the Colonial Office. 171 



King's House, Jamaica, 



%th March, 1901,. 



To The Right Hon. J. Chamberlain, M.P., etc. 



Sir, — I have the honour to transmit to you a copy of a pamphlet. 

 by Dr. J. E. Uuerden on the subject of Fisheries in the West Indies and 

 to commend it to your consideration. 



2. I undei-stand from Dr. Duerden that Dr. Morris has expressed! 

 himself very fiu-ourably with regard to the suggestions contained in the 

 paper, and that it is possible he may recommend that experiments for 

 giving eifect to them should be carried ouo in connection with, and under 

 the auspices of, the Imperial Department of Agricultm-e for the West 

 Indies. 



3. Were the financial circumstances of Jamaica different to what they 

 are, I should consider it desirable that efforts should be made by the 

 Colonial Government to improve and develop the fisheries of the island. 

 Any such efforts are, however, for the present, at all events, " beyond the 

 range of practical politics." 



4. I feel, however, that it would be of great benefit to the Colony if 

 experiments in the directions suggested by Dr. Duerden, particularly with 

 regard to the artificial breeding and culture of turtles, could be carried 

 out, and I shall be very glad to learn that you have found yourself able to- 

 sanction any recommendation which Dr. Morris may make for the matter- 

 being taken in hand by the Imperial Department of Agriculture.. 



I have, etc., 



(Signed) Augustus W. L. Hemming, 



Governor.. 



British Museum (Nat. Hist.), 



Cromwell Road, S.W., 



3rd May, 1901.. 



To H. Bertram Cox, Esq., 



Colonial Office, Downing St., S.W. 



Sir, — In accordance with Mr. Secretary Chamberlain's request, 

 conveyed in your letter of April 29th, I have considered the letter of 

 Dr. Morris and Dr. Duerden's Report on the Marine Resources of the^ 

 West Indies, of which you were good enough to send me copies. 



The matter referred to has been for some time under my consideration^ 

 and I find myself in entire agreement with Dr. Morris. I think it would 

 be a most valuable step in the public interest were the Marine Resources 

 of the West Indian Islands taken up as a part of the research work 

 entrusted to the Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West Indies. 



The paper by Dr. Duerden on " The Marine Resources of the West 

 Indies " is a valuable one. The various sources of wealth in the seas of 

 the West Indies are each carefully sketched. By the references made to 

 marine investigations carried on elsewhere, Dr. Duerden shows that he is 

 well informed in the subject, whilst his observations and suggestions and 

 general handling of the subject show originality and full competence. 

 Dr. Duerden has had a thoroughly sound training as a scientific biologists 

 His original papers, as well as the present report on the Marine Resources- 

 of the West Indies, prove him to be a trustworthy scientific adviser, who 



