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control of the Sind Pearl Fishery and as the pearl oysters (Placuna placenta) 

 and the edible oysters frequently live together in the same creeks it would 

 scarcely be reasonable to place the new work under any other department. 

 At present the Customs have no official connection with the edible oyster 

 industry. The only executive duty, that of inspecting cargoes of oysters 

 brought into Karachi Port, is carried out by the Port Officer's Department, an 

 arrangement due, I believe, to the fact that some years ago the then Port 

 Officer, Commander Shopland, was an ardent conchologist and was requested 

 to take up this work owing to his special interest in it. This personal reason 

 having passed away, it will be well if the control of the pearl and edible oyster 

 fisheries be amalgamated under one and the same Department. 



JAMES HORNELL. 

 Tuticorin, 4th March 1910. 



BOMBAT: PBI.MTED AT THE OOVEKWMENT CENTRAL r 



