May 2, 1904.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST; 
767 
THE CEYLON PEARL FISHERY OF 190L 
ALL MODERN RECORDS BHOKEN. 
An official telegram received at the 
Secretariat iroiii MariehcliiUadde, giving 
the result of yesterday s fishing, announces 
that the reconl lishing of 1891 and all 
modern records have been beateL. Over 
thirty and-a half million oysters, out of an 
estimated thirty-five millions, have been fished 
so far, liringing in as the Government share 
of money nearly ten lalihs of rupees, so that 
the oysters yet remaining to be fished 
should bring in another lakh of rupees. 
At the fishery last year 21,900,000 oysters were 
1 eft unfished. This was stated to be due to 
the divers having mide as much money as 
they wanted for their one-third share anct 
they did not desire to go on ; also they 
could not continue at their work for 
physical reasons as the fishery was a larger 
one than usual. It lasted from the ord 
March to the 15th April, both days inclusive, 
or 43 days in all. The present fishery has 
already lasted 25 days, and, if the weather 
keeps fine, it should be over before Sunday. 
The first 25 days in last year's fishery 
yielded 32,036,353 oysters, whicM brought in 
as Government share of money R6.52,7i'3 30. 
It will be seen from the figures we give 
below that while the total number of oysters 
fished this year as compared with the corre- 
sponding number of days last year is less 
by some two millions, the earnings are 
very much higher. Previous successful 
fisheries are included in tlie following : — 
Total oysters Govt, ahare 
fiihed. in mouey. 
Rs. c. 
1887 (Sir A H Gordon) 30,947,905 336,626 07 
1891 (SirAE Hivelock) 44,111,193 963,748 86 
1903 (Sir J WRidgeway) 41,169,637 816, 473-75 
1901 (Sir Henry Blake) 30.753,138' 986,010 43 
* 
TROPOSEi)~ZObLOGICAL~ GARDEN FOR 
COLOMBO. 
Messrs. Julius and Creasy. 
Colonial Secretary's Office, 
No. 05689. Colombo, April, 1904. 
Gentlemen,— With reference to the negotia- 
tions which have taken place on the subject 
of the proposed Zoological Gardens for Col- 
ombo, 1 am directed to inform you that after 
a careful consideration of all the circumstances 
of the case, His Excellency the Governor has 
come to the conclusion that Government aid, 
on the lines asked for by the promoters of 
the scheme, cannot properly be given in view 
of the somewhat speculative character of the 
undertaking as shown by the absence of any 
reliable estimates of the probable amount of 
cap.tal forthcoming, the income froii gate 
money and other sources, and the initial and 
annual expenditure. 
Bis Excellency has arrived at this decision 
with some reluctance and in order that the 
attitude of Government in this matter may be 
clearly understood, I am to take this oppor- 
tunity of reviewing briefly the stages of the 
negotiations since their inception. 
It was in June 1899 that you first approached 
Government on behalf of certain of your clients 
with a view to the establishment of Zoologicil 
G.ardens in Colombo. You then pointed out 
that such gardens could bo established by a 
public Company on a self-supporting basis if 
Government would lease t.> the Company a 
suitable plot of land of 20 to 30 acre?* iu 
extent on a nominal rental for the first five 
years only, until the Company was fairly 
established. 
The Government in reply exprerssed willing- 
ness to assist such a scheme in the interests 
of natural science and popular recreation, and 
after some correspondence as to a suitable 
site it was decided to lease for the proposed 
earden 20 acres of land on the West side of 
Buller's Road, excluding a strip throughout 
the length of the block to be reserved for 
residential buildings. 
Although Government was advised that a 
rental of R3,000 per .annuni would be fair the 
following fiivour.able terms weie offered : — ' 
Rent free for the first two years, R5G0 for the 
third ye.nr payable in .advance and an addi- 
tional R500 each year until a maximum of 
R3 000 a year should be reached. 
These terms were admitted by the Directors 
to be fair and reasonable, hut it was repre- 
sented that as security for the money in- 
vested, the Company should be allowed the 
option, during the lease, of purchasing the 
land at 20 years purchase and in view of the 
probable large cost of maintenance enquiry 
was made whether Government would assist 
the Company with a subsidy in return 
for the benefit which would be con- 
ferred on the Colcmy by the establish- 
ment of the gardens. 
On ISth February 1901 you were informed 
in reply to the above communication that 
Government declined to entertain the pro- 
posal to subsidise the Company, but that 
they were prepared to lease the land to the 
Company for a term of 30 years on the terms 
already stated with right of pre emption 
during the term of the lease for R(i0,000, 
being 20 years' purchase based on the maxi- 
mum rent of R3,000 a year, provided that 
the land would not be uspd for any other 
purpose than that of a Zoological Garden 
and that no buildings would be erected thereon 
without the permission of Government, and 
provided further that if the Company there- 
after desired to divest themselves of the land, 
the Government would have the first option of 
purchase at the price paid by the Company 
to the Government therefor. 
To the letter conveying these terms no reply 
appears to have been received and the sulj- 
yct dropped until March 1902 when the 
Hon. Mr F C Loos brought forward a 
motion in the Legislative Council that Gov- 
ernment should assist the undertaking with 
a substantial annual subsidy. 
The Government were not prepared to 
accede to such amotion, hut a representative 
Committee was appointed by Sir ^Vest Ridge- 
way to consider on what lines Government 
assistance might be given. This Committee 
appears to luo'e been satisfied that a direct 
Government subsidy was justifiable under 
certain conditions and it was left to the 
promoters of the scheme to formulate de- 
finite proposals on certain lines which the 
