OYSTER-CULTUEE IN AUSTRALASIA. 567 



bringing-out of French oyster-culturists to practise their 

 system in the waters of New South Wales. Such action would 

 doubtless be regarded with disfavour by many of the oyster- 

 growers of that colony, and would possibly affect certain 

 existing monopolies. Herein probably lies the solution of the 

 entire matter. 



The slender fragment of truth upon which the Sydney 

 merchant's wholesale denunciation of M. Coste and all his 

 works is based is apparently furnished through the possession 

 by that writer of a copy of a report of a Eoyal Commission on 

 the oyster-fisheries (Ireland) dating so far back as the year 

 1870, at about which time, as testified to by witnesses engaged 

 to collect evidence, the French oyster-fisheries were un- 

 doubtedly in a very declining state. No reference, however, is 

 made to the admitted explanation of their depreciation — 

 namely, " the killing of the goose that laid the golden eggs" 

 through the selling from off the private beds of so many of 

 the parent oysters that too few were left to propagate the 

 species in profitable numbers. This error was corrected as 

 soon as recognised, with the result that within a very few 

 years the French oyster-fisheries had not only regained their 

 former position, but eclipsed previous years in productiveness. 

 Here are a few figures, taken from the French statistical 

 returns, that abundantly substantiate this statement. In the 

 year 1873 the official value of the oyster-produce of France was 

 estimated at 2,447,565fr., or, roughly, £99,000. For the three 

 succeeding years the numbers and value of the French oyster- 

 fisheries are given as follow : — 



In the year 1887, representing the latest statistics imme- 

 diately available, the total number of oysters taken from the 

 French fisheries is quoted at 375,000,000, showing that even 

 the magnificent output of the year 1876 has been eclipsed. 



The figures just quoted throw into complete insignificance 

 not only the oyster-produce of New South Wales, but that of 

 the collective Australasian Colonies. It is placed on record 

 that some twenty years since the Hon. Thomas Holt, re- 

 cognising the value and capabilities of the French system of 

 oyster-culture, undertook, at an expense of some £10,000, the 

 construction of extensive claires at George's Eiver, New 

 South Wales, for the culture of oysters on a similar principle. 

 This undertaking, it appears, did not meet with the success it 

 merited, and the occasion has been turned to account in the 



