634 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
permanently kept open. It is because a Haro 
Island Depot will alone serve these ol'jeccs that 
support it as aj^ainst the Tataparai ju-.'posal, 
and seeino, that the success of tea depends on 
the free supply of cheap labour, cheaply linanced, 
it behoves Planters to consider, - when two 
schemes are presented to the As.'Ociation,— 
■which of the two will best serve their ends. 
As the Coinmittee's Kepurt favours a dep' t at 
Tataparai, I propose detailing (1) a working .sdn-nie 
for a Haie Island depot; (2) the dilticulfes that 
would have to be overcome to make it piacticable. 
(3.) The drawbacks, as they ap[)ear to me, to 
the Tataparai scheme. 
(4.) To compare the two schemes as regards (o) 
isolation and ciimps : (6) hygiene; (c) outbreak of 
cholera ; (d) closing of the route ; (e) Kagama. 
(1.) SVere it decided to utilise Hare Jshuid as 
a depot, and sanitaiy station for immigrant coolies 
(I purposely avoid the word Quarantine as the 
application of this can only be arrived at by mutual 
arrangement between the Governments of India 
and Ceylon), the system, I would recommend, 
would be this. 
Kanganies taking gang tickets at stations in 
India would book direct to Hare Island. They 
should reach the terminus at the Expoit 
Jetty on the Tuticorin P.each Koad (which 
is separated from the native town by a 
line of merchant ofrices) at about 12 noon. The 
British India agents, who control the whole of the 
well-disciplined lighter service, would have the re- 
quisite numbei ot sailing boats wailing to receive 
the coolies at the jetty, and alter the usual medi- 
cal inspection parade, they would at once embark 
for the Island. 
The voyage usmilly take' half an h. oar, and is 
so reliable as regards a favourable breeze in eillier 
monsoon tb.at rowing boats are unknown iu 'I'uii- 
corin, and shipping charges to the sleainers lying 
6 miles out are actually lower than in Colombo, 
where manual lalior at the oar is necessary. 
-The coolies should arrive at a jetty on Hare 
Island at 1 p.m., and the same boats should pro- 
ceed to take oil the coolies who bod been resting 
from the previous day to tlie steamer. 
- EstablishmkN'L'.-— Tlie lirst requirement would 
be the erection of a jetty. The Committee 
who visited the Island were of opinion tliat a 
jetty luo yaras in length, miglit be neces- 
sary, and the cost of such a jetty is given 
by the Soutbeni India liaihvay Company 
from tlieir own exiierience at Regapatam at 
K8,000. 1 am of opinion, however, that if the 
coral rer^uiied for buikliiig the depot were raised 
from the sea in this locality a jetty of forty 
yards long enough for boats 'to lie up against 
would be suilicieiit. 
The following buildings would be needed for the 
depot. 
COOBY Lines.— If as at Tataparai, R7,0d0'00. 
It is in my opinion probable that the cost of build- 
ing will be much the same at Hare Island as at 
Tataparai, as coral can be laised by band with 
little effort, atul luuvides material for )iermaiient 
buildings as well as lime, sand also being avail- 
able in any quantity for c merit. At Tataparai 
the buildings would be of mud and plaster costing 
probably as much, and not ])ermanent. Kooting 
would be same in either ease, cither iron or cadjan, 
the latter very inexpensive, and generally in' use 
throughout the native town of Tuticorin. 
Space could be reserved for agent and banker’s 
houses and gardens ; (luarters for medical staff 
and a Foliee Station. 
[March i, 1898 . 
Labor being cheap, and the material with excep- 
tion of cement, timber, and roofing free, the whole 
complete cost of buildings shculd not exceed 
K19.2G0, diviiled thus : — 
Cost of Jetty .. .. R 3,200 
Houses for Agent, Bai'ker and Police station 9,000 
Gooly Lines as per Tataparai esdnjate 7,000 
Total R19 200 
In comparing this estimate witli the K7,000 
allowed by i lie Committee for Tataparai, it must 
be remembered tliat the latter scheme assumes 
that the .Agent and Medical Maft would reside 
in Tuiicorin. Ground rents are high lu Tuti- 
corin, a moderate-sized bouse letting at Rl' 0 
and K150 per month. In point ot expense, there- 
fore, there a|ipeais to me to be little to choose 
between the two schemes. 
H 'Re I.«l,\nd ,\s a Depot.— Coolies on land- 
ing at Hare island would pass on to the lines 
appointed for them by the medical authorities, 
where they would B ed and re.st, have their clotlies 
disinfectecl, and, prohahly. (_)n their own account, 
bathe in the sea, on the following morning they 
would proceed to tlie Hank offices to shew their 
cheques and letters, and assuming estates to 
have opened, and account with the Bank, these 
would he debited tvith the necessary disburse- 
ments. The coolies having had a good mid-day 
meal, would proceed at 2 p.m. to the steamer one 
and half miles off. 
2. The Difficulties to be overcome to 
MAKE THE HaRE ISLAND SCHEME PRACTICABLE 
•MIL THESE. — (rt.) To obtain a lease of the island 
from the Mailras Government. (6.) To get the 
Madras Goveriiiiient to police it (c) To secure 
H.uikers. ((/.) Im)ioi tation of water, food supplies 
and fuel. (e. ) Exiiosure to weatlier, 
(a). The Commitiee were assuieil by tlie cor- 
respiuideiice ol the two Governments placed at 
their disposal that the Madras (Government was 
wishful to assist Ceylon should it desire to es- 
tablish a cooly depot on the island, and the 
suh-Collector assured them that matters were so 
arranged as to provide for a lease being given 
ol the vliole 112 acres with the exception ot 7 
acres reserved lor the light-liouse. 
(//. ) The policing of tlie island would appear 
to he a uatur.il office of the Madias Government. 
(c ) .An I-idian Bsnk has already been in cor- 
respondence with the sub committee on tlds sub- 
ject. and tlie Tuticorin officials appear to think 
a sclieme in eveiy way fea-ible. 
(d.) The cost of water is ascertained to be ^ 
cent per cooly at J gallon a day, if the best im- 
ported water is used. 
Food Supplies.- As until lately rice and curry 
stuffs were mainly imported into Tuticorin by sea, 
tliere should he much difference between the cost 
of these on the Island and at Tuticorin, and with 
the chea]) boat-hire, the difl'erence, if any, would 
be immaterial. 
( e .) Exposure to Weather on the Island.— 
This is an objection that I cannot concur with the 
Committee in admitting. The force of theS -W. 
Monsoon is broken at Ha’e Island just at Tuticorin 
by the Cape Comorin Mountains, and can at no 
time he compared to the monsoon hurst on the 
Ceylon coast. Yet cooly lines might be erected, 
without objection on this score (within 100 yaids of 
the surf line) anywhere between Colombo and Mt. 
Lavinia. 
Drawbacks TO Tataparai.— («.) An object- 
tion to Hare Isla cl that coolies would not go 
there, hut stay at Tuticorin appears to me to 
apply equally to Tataparai. No doubt, at first 
