30 
revenue on which the permanent assessment or peshkash 
was fixed when the permanent settlement of the zamin- 
dar1 was made in 1803. 
In 1792, the Nawab of the Carnatic ceded Ramnad 
along with other territory to the East India Company, 
the Raja continuing to hold his territory under feudal 
tenure as before. In 1795, the Company removed the 
then Raja and recognized his sister as the ruler but 
administered the country direct through its own officers. 
For eight years (1795 —1803) these conditions continued, 
and during this period the Company collected the entire 
revenue of the estate, including the proceeds of the chank 
fishery. Then in 1803, the feudal tenure was converted 
into a permanent zamindari settlement and the status of 
palayagar or feudal chief liable to render military aid to 
his overlord changed into that of territorial magnate 
paying a fixed contribution in money to the Government 
of Madras. 
On two occasions, 1803 and 1874, the chank fishery 
has been attached by Government for arrears of revenue, 
while in 1899 and t900 the Madras Government leased 
the fishery from the Raja and conducted it on the same 
lines as the Tuticorin fishery. For the former year a 
rent was paid of Rs. 2,501 and for the second year 
Res. 3,501, 
The results were disappointing owing to a variety of 
causes. During the 1899-1900 season (fasli 1309) 
28,728 shells only were collected as against an estimate 
of 1,25,000. During the succeeding year, as the fishery 
was begun earlier and terms were arranged more satis- 
factory | to the divers, the total fished of ali kinds reached 
1,52,373. Great difficulty was experienced in disposing 
of the shells at a satisfactory price and it was not till 
October 1903 that they were sold. Exactly what they 
fetched is difficult ta ascertain as they were offered in an 
undivided lot with the shells fished in 1902-1903 at 
Tuticorin and at Negapatam (Tanjore). The price 
obtained averaged Rs. 55-15-3 per 1,000 for large, 
medium and wormed from all three fisheries, and if we 
take the sale price of the Ramnad shells at this rate the 
gross proceeds would amount to Rs. 10,133-2-8. De- 
ducting the rental paid for the two years, Rs. 6,002, the 
amount remaining was only Rs. 4,131-2-8, a sum which 
