CONTENTS. 



Page 



Preface (v) 



I. Historical survey of the Pearl fisheries off the Madura Coast — 



(a) Prior to the arrival of the Portuguese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , , . . 1 



(4) Under Portuguese control, 1524 — 165S .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. 3 



(c) Under the Dutch, 1658— 1796 ... .. 12 



{d) Under the British 19 



(e) Tabulation of the localities and the financial results of all Indian fisheries from 1663 — 1900 ... ... 22 



II. The Topography of the Banks- 

 Proposed scheme for the simplified classification of the known hanks . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 



III. Notes upon the derivation and signification of the names of the Oyster banks .. .. .. .. 29 



IV. Narrative of the examination of the Banks made in May 1904 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 33 



Y. Natural Characterixties of the principal banks, with comparisons (historical, topographical and faunistie) 



with one another and with typical Ceylon Banks to determine the relative importance of each . , . . 49 



VI. Conclusions and recommendations — 



A. Conclusions — 



(a) Imperfect methods of inspection . . . . . . . . , . . . . . , . . . . 64 



(i) Short supply of divers attending the fisheries ; reasons and remedies .. .. .. .. 66 



(c) The Banks of greatest potential value .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 69 



(d) Bate of Pearl production and oanses of premature death . . . . . . . , . . . . 70 



(e) Character of supervision required in the future .. .. .., .. .. .. .. 72 



B. Becommendations — 



(a) Improvements in the system of inspection — 



(1) Preparation of reliable charts .. .. .. .. .. ., .. .. ., 74 



(2) Adoption of detailed " Cirele-in6pection '' .. .. .. .. .. .. .. it. 



(3) Purchase or charter of an inspection depot-ship ., .. .. .. .. ,. .. 76 



(4) Beacons to be charted and improved .. .. .. .. .. .. ,. .. it. 



(5) Improvements in recording the details of inspection results .. .. .. .. .. it. 



(b) Regulations relating to the capture of fish on the Pearl banka .. ,. ,. .. .. 78 



(c) Determination of the direction of surface drift at different seasons .. .. .. .. .. 79 



(<Z) Culture of the banks — 



(1) & (2) Transplantation of young oysters and the concurrent eultching of the hanks , . . . id. 



(3) Cleaning of the banks by means of the dredge . . . . . . . . . . . , . . 80 



(4) Thinning out of overcrowded oysters .. .. .. .. ,. .. .. .. U. 



(e) Creation of a fisheries department , . . , . . , . . . , , , . . . . . a. 



APPENDICES. 



Apjendix A. — A contemporary official account of the condition of the Indian Pearl BankB in 1663 . . . . 85 



,, B. — Detailed financial statement of the Ceylon Pearl Fishery of 1694 .. ,. .. ., .. 87 



,, C. — Governor Bumpf's instructions defining the respective rights of the Company and the native 



Princes of Madura and Bamnad, 1722 .. .. ., .. .. .. .. .. gg 



D. — Despatch written in 1744 by the Dutch Governor of Ceylon on the advantages of leasing out 



the Pearl Fisheries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 



E. — Summary of inspection results from 1885— 1903 .. .. .. .. .. .. ., ., 93 



ANNEXURES. 



Nob. I & II. - Sketch plans (charts A & B) of the Central Pearl Bank region showing graphically the groups 

 which I propose to form by the linking together of adjacent and related pars. 



Nos. Ill k IV. — Similar sketch plans (charts C & D) showing the manner in which I propose the Pearl Bank 

 region should be examined by means of " Cirole-inspection." 



No. V. — Specimen of a coxswain's inspection diagram, blank. 



No. VI. — Specimen of the same filled up at the end of a day's work. 



No VII. — One of the Inspector's master-diagrams filled up by combining the four diagrams furnished by 

 the inspection coxswains. 



No. VIII.— Skeleton diagram showing the sub-division of a large bank (Cheval Par, Ceylon) into culture 

 blocks. 



No. IX. — Sketch plan showing how the skeleton plan No. VIII Bhould he filled in after inspection has 

 been completed, the distribution of oysters of different generations being indicated by distinc- 

 tive colouring. 



