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PEARL FISHERIES
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fisheries
are to be had but the yield is said to average well; some authorities
placing the value of the fisheries of the entire district in the
sixties at nearly two millions of dollars per annum, and the number of
boats engaged at 4,000 to 5,000.
As
ancient as those of the Arabian sea and even more important are the
pearl fisheries of India. These are also fished for the pearls, the
shells of these waters being smaller than those of the Persian Gulf and
valueless for mother-of-pearl. The pearls however average whiter than
those of the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. Although equally fine pearls
are found in other waters the Ceylon, or Madras pearls as they are
called, have long been esteemed the best because of their good average
color and quality. These banks are situated in the Gulf of Manaar
between the southern point of India and the island of Ceylon.
On
the Madras (India) side the banks are off Tinnevalli and Madura at
Tuticorin. The Indian revenue realized a profit of £13,000 from a
fishing here in 1822, and £10,000 from another in 1830. Examinations
showed
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