RETURN TO AN ORDER OF THE HONOURABLE THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. Dated 28th July, 1846. REPORT UPON THE PRACTICABILITY OF INTRODUCING RAILWAYS INTO INDIA, AND UPON AN ELIGIBLE LINE TO CONNECT CALCUTTA WITH MIRZAPORE AND THE NORTH-WEST PROVINCES. From F. W. Simms, Esq., Consulting Engineer to the Government of India, and Director of the Railway Department; A. H. C. Boileau, Captain Bengal Engineers; and J. R. Western, Captain Bengal Engineers; March 13, 1846. 1. We have the honour to submit our Report upon the practicability of introducing a system of railways into India, and of their application to the peculiarities and circumstances of the country and climate; to answer the questions relative thereto, as proposed in the Minutes of the Honourable the Court of Directors of the 7th May, 1845; and likewise to make our report, from a personal examination of the country, upon the direction of a line to be recommended for a railroad from Calcutta to Mirzapore and the North-West Provinces. 2. We would commence by stating our opinion that railroads are not inapplicable to the peculiarities and circumstances of India, but, on the contrary, are not only a great desideratum, but, with proper attention, can be constructed and maintained as perfectly as in any part of Europe. The great extent of its vast plains, which may, in some directions, be traversed for hundreds of miles without encountering any serious undulations, the small outlay required for parliamentary or legislative purposes, the low value of land, cheapness of labour, and the general facilities for procuring building materials, may all be quoted as reasons why the introduction of a system of railroads is applicable to India. 3.-In the Minute of the Honourable Court of Directors of the 7th May, 1845, the following occurs in the third paragraph: "Independently of the difficulties common to railroads in all countries, there are others peculiar to the climate and circumstances of India, which may render it advisable that the first attempt should be made on a limited scale. These peculiar difficulties may be classed under the following heads, viz. 1st. Periodical rains and inundations. 2nd. The continued action of violent winds, and the influence of a vertical sun. 3rd. The ravages of insects and vermin upon timber and earthwork. 4th. The destructive effects of the spontaneous vegetation of underwood upon earth and brickwork. 5th. The unenclosed and unprotected tracts of country through which railroads would pass. 6th. The difficulty and expense of securing the services of competent and trustworthy engineers. 4.—To these difficulties we beg to reply as follows:I. As to the periodical rains and inundations, we do not expect that, with a judiciously-selected and wellconstructed line, any serious mischief to the works may be anticipated from this cause; nothing but what a moderate annual outlay will set to rights. The practicability of keeping a railway in order is shown by the existence of bunds and roads, both metalled and unmetalled, in various parts of the country, which are kept in order at a trifling outlay. It must, however, be borne in mind, that although this opinion is based upon what we have ourselves witnessed as the effects of a season when the floods were unusually high, both in Bengal and the Upper Provinces, yet, in after years, unprecedented inundations may occur, causing serious damage to works which shall have been constructed with a view to resisting only the highest floods hitherto known. II. The continued action of violent winds and influence of a vertical sun. Suitable arrangements in the construction of the works will overcome any difficulty arising from these causes as to the line itself. These effects will be more felt in working the trains, especially the wind at high velocities, but no fears need be entertained upon this subject as to the ultimate result, though, during the prevalence of the hot winds, more than usual attention will be requisite in watching and guarding against the effects of friction of such parts of the engines or carriages that may be exposed to the most intense heat. III. The ravages of insects and vermin upon timber and earthwork. If the information we have received be correct, that the destructive action of insects upon the teak and ironwood of Arracan amounts to nothing, or next to nothing, that question is at once disposed of; but should further investigation show that such is not the fact, recourse must be had either to the use of stone or to the employment of one or more of the various preparations for timber now in use in England, which, it is probable, may also be found desirable on the score of economy, to render the timber more durable. This, however, at present, is by no means certain; Captain Western, who has been in Arracan, states that he would not guarantee teak as resisting damp and |