3^ 



Bescripiion of the 



[No. 33, 



The Avbole of the salt consumed in these islands is imported from 

 Goa, whither two or three boats are sent every season for the annual 

 supply. It is there bought for 3^ annas per moora, and is sold in 

 the islands at 7 annas per moora, a price very much below what it 

 could be got for in the Government godowns. The Beeby's islands 

 are supplied chiefly from ours. The Islanders of A meendevy stated 

 their annual consumption to be about 800 to 1,000 mooras per an- 

 num, that of all the islands attached to Canara may amount to 

 1,500 to 1,800. The Islanders, who made no secret of this, said 

 that they had always been in the habit of getting their salt from 

 Goa, and quoted as a direct permission an order of 1840 direct- 

 ing the Monegar to release 100 mooras of salt which he had stopped, 

 and reported for orders, and ordering tliat the Islanders should be 

 permitted to import salt in the way they had hitherto been accus- 

 tomed. 



This smuggling has been winked at all along from a feeling that 

 the enforcement of the monopoly would be attended with the great- 

 est difficulty, and probably with most unsatisfactory results. A 

 strict prohibition would contract the consumption of salt among the 

 poor, who would use sea water in their cooking instead, as they now 

 do when the supply is deficient, but possibly without forcing the 

 body of the Islanders to seek their supply from the Government 

 godowns. Every conceivable facility for smuggling exists in such 

 islands. There is no commanding spot to look out from, and per- 

 fect thickets of trees, as they are, they may be approached by boats 

 almost unperceived unless by a person on the shore and on the look 

 out, from the lov; shore a boat is not seen above a few miles distant, 

 and the Islanders are in the habit, when they wish to avoid the Go- 

 vernment officers, of just sighting the islands from the mast head, 

 and then lying to till after dark; they run in during the night and 

 the cargo is safe before the morning. Were the sihheyidy doubled, 

 where the interests of the whole population are so perfectly at 

 one as on this subject, their vigilance would scarcely prevent the 

 illicit introduction, while, themselves personally interested in the 

 introduction of a certain quantity and beyond the influence of ef- 

 fectual supervision, it is not improbable that these peons might 

 be remiss in their duties. The Islanders would be burthened with 

 an increased, and otherwise unnecessary establishment, while the 

 advantage to Government would probably hardly pay the ex- 

 penses. 



