Coral and the Coral Fisheries. . 



461 



fluctuations in the annual quantity received. The following 

 are the comparative annual figures : 



1855 

 1856 

 1857 

 1858 



1859 

 1860 

 1861 

 1862 

 1863 

 1864 

 1865 

 1866 

 1867 

 1868 

 1869 

 1870 



Ibs. 



4,175 

 16,358 



2,118 

 2-*,88 2 



4,831 

 3,105 

 16,385 

 2,742 

 1,087 

 4,821 

 3,563 



4,947 

 7,879 

 8,106 



6,529 

 2,670 



The Indian trade in coral in 1875 shows a very slight 

 decrease on that of 1873-74, when it amounted to 66,689 '> 

 but it is slowly recovering from the depression of previous 

 years, that depression having, it is believed, been partly 

 caused by the imposition of a duty of 7^- per cent, in April, 

 1870. The value of the imports was as follows : 



1868-69 

 1869-70 

 1870-71 

 1871-72 

 1872-73 

 1873-74 

 1874-75 



^"93,126 

 65,285 

 45,44i 

 54,894 

 40,013 

 66,689 

 53,558 



Though the imposition of the duty probably had an 

 immediate effect in reducing the importations, it must be 

 remarked that the trade is of a variable and fluctuating 

 nature. It is mainly in the hands of a few foreign firms, 

 from whom natives purchase the coral for sale in the 

 interior at great fairs and religious gatherings. Coral forms 



