38 



Description of thu 



[No. 33, 



90 per cent, of Chetlat and Kiltan coir should be paid fur as 1st class 

 coir, and 10 per cent, should be received as 2nd class coir, but that 

 none of the coir supplied from these two islands was so inferior as to 

 justify its being placed in a 3rd class, they recommended that 75 per cent, 

 of Ameendevy and Kadamat coir should be paid for as 1st class, 19 

 per cent, as 2nd class, and 6 per cent, as 3rd class. From a compara- 

 tive statement of the classification made by the servants during the five 

 preceding years it appeared that, on an average 66 per cent, only, 

 of Ameendevy and Kadamat coir had been paid for as 1st class, 22\ per 

 cent, as 2nd, and lU per cent, as 3rd class, that of Chetlat coir 77^ 

 per cent, had been taken in the 1st class, 15 per cent, as the 2nd, and 

 71 per cent, as the 3rd, while the average classification of Kiltan coir 

 had been 75 per cent, as the 1st class, 151 per cent, as the 2nd, and 

 9J per cent, as the 3rd. It appeared from this that the classification by 

 the native servants had been to the disadvantage of the Islanders, 

 but the recommendation of the merchants was considered too fa- 

 vorable. The Islanders and Karany were then examined, and after 

 some discussion the rates were fixed as they now stand. By this 

 arrangement an end was put to the constant, and in part just, com- 

 plaints of the Islanders and to a great deal of trouble and loss of 

 time in classifying the coir, a classification of which no notice was 

 taken in selling it. The Islanders were fully warned that if advan- 

 tage were taken of the arrangement, and coir found to deteriorate, it 

 would be given up. I do not think that this had had the eflTect that was 

 feared ; the most material diff'erences in the quality of coir arise from 

 causes over which the Islanders have no control, and they manifest a 

 most wholesome dread of the old state of things being reverted to. 

 p .^^^ Up to fusly 1235"^^ the Bombay and Bengal Govern- 



ment took almost the whole of the coir brought from 

 these islands, and credited this Collectorate with 65 rupees per 

 candy. The price has since fallen very much, the Bengal Govern- 

 ment now seldom require 

 more than ^ or |ds. of what 

 we have, and the rest, which 

 is in general of a 2nd rate 

 quality after selecting for the 

 Bengal Government, is sold 

 here by public auction. A 

 marg-inal statement showe the 



* A. D. 



Fuslies. 



(ciuautity 

 of 

 Coir. 



Rate 

 per 



candy. 



Yal 



ue. 





Candies 







R 



A 



p. 



Rs. 



A 







739 



°J 



'S 



20 



0 



0 



14,780 



0 







90 



18 



14 



20 



u 



0 



1,818 



8 







200 



13 



17 



25 



0 



0 



5,017 



0 



I 





291 



]2 





0 



0 



0 



6,830 



8 



2 





401 



5 



9 



25 



n 



0 



10,031 



10 5 





393 



10 



0 



25 



0 



0 



9,815 



« 



0 



12.}1 



253 



8 



11 



?5 



0 



0 



6,335 





10 



1252 



275 



0:10 





0 



0 



14,133 



4 



10 





503 



6 18 





0 



() 



14,133 



4 



10 



1251 



265 



0 



24 





0 



0 



6,037 



5 



2 



