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Rh was finally decided, under legal advice, that the Government had not the right to farm out the fisheries in tidal waters to private persons. The lease of the forest rights was resumed after due notice, on the grounds that the monopoly was contrary to the interests of the general public, and that oppression was exercised by the Company’s agents in the collection of the fees. An appeal was presented to the Government of India and the Secretary of State against the withdrawal of these leases, but the action of the Bengal Government was upheld.

The following are the principal works undertaken and executed, either partially or completely, by the Company, namely:—(1) A wet dock, three thousand five hundred by four hundred feet, for the accommodation of country boats, in accordance with the conditions in the deed of concession; (2) the protection from erosion of the Matlá foreshore; (3) seven landing wharves and iron jetties, each capable of accommodating two ships at a time; (4) goods sheds and tramways in connection with the jetties; (5) a ‘gridiron’ and graving dock for repairing vessels; (6) lastly, the rice mills, constructed on an extensive scale, capable of husking and turning out about ninety thousand tons of rice a year, and from which very profitable results were expected. Many of these works have fallen into disrepair, and are to a large extent unserviceable. The number of ships that visited the port since its opening in 1861-62 down to the close of 1870-71, is as follows:—1861-62, nil; 1862-63, 1; 1863-64, 11; 1864-65, 14; 1865-66, 26; 1866-67, 20; 1867-68, 9; 1868-69, I, 1869-70,2; and 1870-71, nil. In March 1869, the Company applied to the Government, urging for a time the suspension of the port-dues and charges. The request was complied with, and a Government notification was issued declaring Canning to be a free port, and providing that six months’ notice should be given before the charges were reimposed. This notification, however, had no effect. The two vessels which arrived in 1869-70 were chartered by the Company for the purpose of bringing trade to the rice mills, as well as to give effect to the notification. Since February 1870 no ocean-going ships have arrived at the port; and the arrivals of 1867-68 may be looked upon as the last response of the mercantile community to the endeavours made by the Company, and aided by the Government, to raise Canning to the position of a port auxiliary to Calcutta.

The last effort of the Company to develope the rice mills having