MODES OF TRAVELLING IN INDIA AND FARES. The natives of the lower provinces generally go by water as there is less fatigue attending this mode of transit, but the Up-country people generally prefer travelling on horseback or in carriages. An European or a wealthy native going by dâk (post) from Calcutta to Benares, a distance of 428 miles, will incur an expense of one shilling per mile besides buckshees (presents) to the bearers about one shilling per stage, making in all about £25 for one journey, which he will be five days in accomplishing (exclusive of halts). If by Palkee with eight bearers, going fifteen miles per diem, he will have to pay £12 10s., besides £2 10s. for a banghy,* and will consume nearly a month on the road. This mode of travelling, besides the loss of time, is attended with danger from robbers. The journey is accomplished in sixteen days on horseback. By water, by budgerow from £15 to £25-and forty days occupied on the journey if going up the river. By steamer for the above journey the fare will be much the same as by budgerow, and the time occupied may be about ten days for three months in the year, and nearly twenty for the remaining nine months. * A banghy wallah, or bearer of two light boxes. By Gharry, (native carriage drawn by oxen) the cost will be £10, and travelling at the rate of twelve miles per diem. Infantry regiments move at the rate of ten and a half miles per diem, halting six days in the month, so that it takes about six weeks to move from Calcutta to Benares a single corps. "The cost then of a detachment of 300 men, proceeding by water to Allahabad, would be as follows: Boat allowance to one Field Officer (say a Major) for two and a half months, at Rs. 360 Boat allowance to three Captains, for two and a half months, at Rs. 900 180 1,350 And if to this is added the boats for the accommodation of the sick, row boats and store boats, the amount will be considerably increased, without taking into consideration the extra establishments proceeding with such a detachment, whereas the cost of conveying such a detachment by the railway, at a penny a head per mile for 600 miles, would only be £750 or 7,500 rupees. "The cost of extra establishments, with European troops marching, I cannot so accurately state, but it will be found, I think, to exceed the cost at which they could be transported by railway."* Small parties or individuals marching or proceeding by water move at a quicker rate. *Report in 1843, by Captain Western. CLEARING HOUSE SYSTEM AS APPLIED TO RAILWAYS. The ultimate effect of the extension of a uniform railway system is still more clearly shown in the operations of the clearing house. We are fortunately enabled to furnish an account of this interesting and valuable institution, from a pamphlet * lately printed for private circulation by its ingenious author, Mr. B. Morison. This It appears that soon after the opening of the continuous lines of railways between Liverpool and London, it was found that travellers would not be content with the mere acceleration of speed, but required to be carried through at one charge, and if possible by one conveyance. The same demand was made for goods. arrangement was carried into effect; but although the public were better served, the accounts of the companies interchanging fell into sad confusion. Each company had charges against those which ran over its lines, and in like manner owed money to those lines, giving rise to an interminable affair of cross accounts. Then, as railways increased, some were prosperous, and some were poor. * The Origin and Results of the Clearing System which is in operation on the narrow gauge Railways. M |