90 



APTEXPIX P. 



1711. ADVANTAGES TO BE GAINED BY GOVERNMENT BY BENTING OUT THE 

 PEARL FISHERIES OF THE GULF OF MANNA .R 



Respectful considerations relating to the renting out of the Aripn Pearl-Banks and the Chunk 

 Fisher;/ on the shores of the North of Adam's Briilge, submitted to His Excellency Gustavus 

 William Baron Van Imhoff, Governor-General, and the Members of the Council of 

 Netherlands India, by Julius Valentyn Stein Van Gollenesse, Governor of Ceylon. 

 (Ceylon Literary Register, Volume III, page 181.) 



Although the undersigned lias not as yet acquired sufficient experience to be able to judge 

 fully of all matters relating t.o the Pearl Fishery, yet he is unwilling to defer obeying the order 

 conveyed in your letter of 5th November 1743,* and which desires that he should lay before 

 you his humble opinion with regard to the Chank Fishery, and also state whether it would not 

 be as advisable, or even preferable to rent out the Aripo Pearl Banks, as to continue the 

 present custom of settling whole or half fisheries, and he hopes that Your Excellency will look 

 over any errors in his views of the subject, and kindly supply any defects in this statement of 

 his opinion. 



In the first place then, I must admit, as a matter beyond dispute, the remark which Your 

 Excellency makes in the memoir left here for the guidance of your successor in this Govern- 

 ment, namely that the Honourable Company is rather a loser than a gainer in our Pearl 

 Fisheries ; no person will deny this who has a grain of local knowledge respecting the affairs 

 of Ceylon. It is therefore necessary to seek some mode of conducting these fisheries, which 

 may secure to the Company the profit to be derived from them without its being accompanied 

 by the many drawbacks detailed in your memoir ; and who can doubt that this may best be 

 effected by renting them out, or by selling the freedom of diving on the banks, with a limited 

 number of boats and persons in the same manner as now takes place with regard to the 

 Chank Fishery. It is evident that this may be done without any hindrance, and more profit 

 will result than is expected, at all events the gain will be real and not merely ostensible. It 

 is not to be denied that at first sight some difficulties appear to rise iu opposition to this plan, 

 but the undersigned will now relate everything that to the best of his knowledge can offer 

 hindrance, and show how in his opinion every obstacle may at once be removed. 



I. The Theuver and the Naick of Madura having had from all times three days free diving 

 in each fishery will not allow this privilege to be taken from them. 



Answer 1 (a) — This privilege seems to have been merely conceded because the greater 

 number of the dhooies and people required at a public fishery come out of their country, 

 and these will not be required if the diving takes place with a limited number of persons ; the 

 right may therefore be withdrawn. 



(6) If they venture to pretend that their right rests upon a better ground, and cannot 

 therefore so easily be withdrawn, it is certain that on the other_ side they have never fulfilled 

 that portion of their concessions which are laid down in legal contracts between the Company 

 and themselves and the Company is therefore fully authorised to deny their right, even if it 

 can be called by that name. 



(c) If there remain any doubt that this can justly be done, yet this need not prevent the 

 rentings, as their privileges may still be guaranteed to them under proper restrictions. 



2nd Objection. — It will be difficult to find persons of so much property as to pay the 

 price of the rent in advance. 



2nd Answer. — Even if they be not found in this island, speculators enough will come 

 from the coast, and even money enough exists among the Ceylon merchants, for many together 

 will make a Company to take shares in the adventure. 



3rd Objection. — Even though the number of the dhonies be limited speculators will 

 arrive from all sides, and there will be as large a crowd of persons to purchase the pearls as 

 ever there was at an open fishery, and then the Company will not obtain its purpose in this 

 respect. 



* Merely calling his attention to the preceding remarks of Baron Van Imhoff. 



