108 Production of Isinglass on the Coasts of India. 



from the Indian Islands, one only remains to be noticed, and this is 

 Fish-majvs. But of this he merely says, that it "is a favourite 

 article of the strange luxury of the inhabitants of that country, often 

 bringing as high as 75 Spanish Dollars per picul, or 14/. 3s. 6d. 

 per cwt., in the market of Canton." Neither in his nor in any of 

 the other works which the author has had an opportunity of consult- 

 ing, has he been able to find any description of fish-maws. The 

 name had frequently struck him when endeavouring to ascertain the 

 countries which actually produced different drugs, by tracing their 

 names from one price-current into another. Being unacquainted 

 with this substance, and unable to procure information respecting 

 its nature, he placed it in a list of subjects for inquiry. 



In the course of the present researches respecting the production 

 of Isinglass in India, the subject recurred to his mind ; he then 

 again referred to the price-currents, and finding that fish-maws were 

 imported into Canton and exported from Bombay, he was induced to 

 consult the official accounts of the exports and imports from the 

 three Indian Presidencies. And was surprised, as, no doubt, others 

 will be, to find that no less, than to the value of nearly forty 

 thousand pounds of Shark-fins and Fish-maws was exported in one 

 year from Bombay to China, being first imported from the great 

 variety of places mentioned below, and sold at the following prices : — 



The price of Fish-maws was from 90 to 105 rs. per rnaund in 1836-37 

 Ditto ditto ditto 92.8 to 95 ditto in 1837-38 



Ditto Shark -fins ditto 18 to 25 ditto in 1836-37 



Ditto ditto ditto 35 ditto in 1837-38 



Quantities and Value of Shark-fins and Fish-maws imported into and exported 

 from Bombay in the years 



Shark-fins and Fish- 

 maws. 



1836-37. 



Cwt. lbs 



From the Coasts of — 



Africa 



Ceylon , 



Arabian Gulf , 



Persian Gulf. 



Malabar and Canara 



Cutch and Scinde ... 



Goa, Demaun, and Diu, 

 Subordinate Ports — 



Panwell and Concan 



Guzerat 



38 

 5 



915 

 1,849 

 417 

 742 

 203 



101 

 15 



0 

 52 

 72 



0 

 101 

 91 

 70 



93 

 90 



Imports into Bombay ! 4,172 



Exuorts to China...". 0.426 



Value. 

 Rs. 



1,309 

 2?5 

 32,775 

 69,086 

 K),S74 

 34,916 

 15,748 



6,330 

 580 



1837—38. 



Cwt. lb..!™"' 



87 66 



461 84 



2,456 70 



647 96 



0 133| 



68 63 



183 6 



108 49 



2,709 



14,815 

 80,721 

 14,359 

 512 

 4,681 



3,726 

 4, 437 1 



50> 1,64,931 

 28 3.92,676 



4,35b 1U3 ! 1, 49,529 

 5,088 39 I 2,55,541 



