( 6 > 
The old oysters (those from eighteen months to three years) looked healthy, and we judged 
that if they or the greater part remained on the bank and came to maturity they would afford good 
fisheries for perhaps three seasons (certainly for two) from the CheTal alone. There was one matter, 
however, that we believed had to be considered, and that was " What effect would so large a number 
of young oysters lying so thick on the old oysters have on the old oysters, if they (the young oysters) 
remained on the bank ? Would they have the effect of smothering the old ones out ? " 
We had never seen young oysters so thick on the bank before. 
Captain Donnan informed me that the older oysters were looking well in March, and a large 
number of young oysters were still on the bank. 
At the close of the inspection it was estimated that there were oysters sufficient on the Cheval, 
Moderagam, and the Muttuvaratu banks to afford good fisheries for at least five years in succession. 
Captain Donnan had some of the oysters picked up from the Cbeval opened on board the ship ; 
the pearls found were small and few in number, showing that the oysters were immature. The 
pearls were given to Professor Herdman to experiment on. Of course the opening of a few oysters 
in this way does not afford anything like sufficient information on which to judge of the condition 
of the oysters on a large bank. 
The fact is, you are now very much in the position in ■which Mr. Vane found himself in 1862, 
and in which Captain Donnan and I were in 1880 and 1881, and Captain Donnan in regard to the 
Muttuvaratu bank in 1889. In 1862, at the inspection of March, Mr. Vane found the Cheval and 
Moderagamabanks thickly covered with oysters nearly of the same age. He estimated that there were 
oysters sufficient to afford fisheries for five years beginning with 1863. It was suggested to him to 
fish in 1862. He considered the oysters too young, and decided not to fish. In 1863 they were dying 
off. What were to have been fished in 1864 were destroyed, and all the oysters on the Moderagam 
were cleared off, so that there was after all only one fishery, that of 1863, instead of four or five 
in succession. 
In November, 1879, the Cheval bank was thickly stocked with oysters of the same age. The 
oysters were immature. They required another year. The valuation of the sample was low, only 
Rs. 9 per 1,000. The sample of February, ISS'\ was only valued at Rs. 12 the 1,000. Captain 
Donnan wrote to me asking my opinion in regard to a fishery in 1880. I replied that the oysters 
were too young. He agreed, but pointed out that with the number on the bank it would be impossible 
to fish all in 1881, and the balance would not probably hold out till 1882, and advised a fishery in 
1880. I agreed, and a fishery was held in 1880, and it was a good thing for Government that it was. 
In 1889 Captain Donnan recommended a fishery of the Muttuvaratu bank, though the 
oysters were young, as they were dying out. This bank, however, as 1 have before remarked, 
completely upset all our calculations, and it yielded three lucrative fisheries in 1889, 1890, and 1891. 
C iptain Donnan and 1 ta,lked over the matter of a fishery in 1903 (next year). We believed 
the oysters to be too young, and that they should under ordinary circumstances be allowed to remain 
another year till 1904), when they would be i and 5 and 5^ years old, close on their prime. We 
thought, however, in reference to the enormous number of oysters upon the bank of nearly the 
same age, and the impossibility of fishing them up in time, if they or the bulk of them remained on 
the bank if fishing were postponed until 1904, that it would be advisable to have a fishery in 1903, 
provided that the valuation of a fair sample lifted in October or November justified the advertising 
of a fishery. 
An inspection of the banks should be made at any cost in October or November and the state 
of the banks ascertained. A large and fair sample of the oysters should be lifted, washed, and valued. 
If the condition of the banks is found to be such as to still hold out prospects of three or more large 
fisheries in succession, and the sample be valued at Rs. 10 or even as low as Rs. 7'50 the thousand, 
I would be inclined to recommend a fishery in 1903 in order to gather in as mucli as possible. 
Oysters which would yield a sample valued at Rs. 7'50 a thousand in November would very probably 
yield a sample likely to be valued at Rs. 10 or 12 the thousand in the following March. 
Whether a fishery should take place or not in March, 1903, must depend on the result of an 
inspection in October or November next, and on the valuation of the sample lifted then. 
Yours very truly, 
W. C. TWYNAM. 
P.S. — The Inspector should be instructed to carefully examine the oysters brought up in 
October and November, and ascertain from the reports of the divers and coxswains if the oysters are 
showing any signs of dying out. He should also carefully note the proportion of dead shells to 
living ovsters. 
W. C. TWYN.\M. 
No. 3. 
The Master Attendant to the Hon. the Colonial Sbcketary. 
No 38 Master Attendant's Office, 
• Colombo, April 10, 1902. 
SiRj — I HAVE the honour to report my return to Colombo on the 9th instant from the pearl 
banks, where I have been employed since the 26th February, during which time I have inspected 
the following pearl banks : — 
2. Cff Arippu and Mannar. — Cheval Paar, Moderagam Paars North and South, Kallatidel 
Paar, Kondatchi Paar, Jaggerboom Paar, Arippu Paar, Periya Paar, Periya Paar Karrai, Outer Vankali 
Paar, Inner Vankali Paar, Anaivilundan Paar, and Nadakkuda Paar. 
