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good climate, and a numerous and industrious population; and at this moment, there is, probably, no portion of the globe where the introduction of railways will ultimately produce more important results, than the British possessions in India.

"Should the success of the first line which it is contemplated to undertake, warrant the extension of the railroad system throughout the Madras territories, it is the intention of this Company to raise the additional capital that may be required, to proceed in the direction of Cuddapah-Bellary and Hyderabad, North: Mysore, Salem and Trichinopoly, West and South: and to connect the remote provinces with the trunk lines, by branches of less expensive construction, throughout the Madras territories.”*

We have no doubt of the ultimate result being favourable, and dismiss the project, wishing it every

success.

There is no other scheme connected with Madras, that we are aware of, worthy of notice.

*Papers relating to the Madras Railway Company, printed 20th August, 1846.

Some conception of the resources of this portion of the "Golden Peninsula," may be formed from the military means which the single state of Mysore was able to accumulate, under the pressure of a long war. At the peace, the treasure of Tippoo was calcu lated at eighty millions sterling; he had six hundred thousand stand of arms, two thousand cannons, with a regular force of artillery, cavalry and infantry, of one hundred thousand men, besides hordes of irregular horse. (1846).

GREAT INDIAN PENINSULA RAILWAY,

FROM

BOMBAY TO MHOW, HOSUNGABAD,

SHOLAPORE, &c.*

We now proceed to present to our readers' consideration the only railway which Western India boasts of. The presidency of Bombay occupies a most influential position, whether we view its political and military bearings, or estimate its commercial relations; and it has only been for the sake of having some regard to the methodical arrangement of our subject, that we have postponed till this period the mention of a railway, which has for its primary object, the accommodating of Bombay and its subject provinces.

In the magnitude of its ulterior designs it is second

* Length of lines, 1,300 miles. Capital of Company, £6,000,000.

Railroad to be constructed on American plan at an estimated cost of £3,000 to £4,000 per mile.

(1846).

to none, and is supported both here, and at the presidency, by gentlemen of wealth and consideration.

However favourably we may be disposed to a great and interesting undertaking, we see it almost at the outset beset with obstacles of no common magnitude. We borrow from Mr. Chapman's* statement the following extracts: "from Bombay to Tannah, at the north-east corner of the island of Salsette, the ground has been carefully examined by Mr. Clark, who is now at Bombay, and whose experience as a railway engineer in England justifies reliance on his opinion. The length of this portion of the line is twenty-eight miles: the ground favourable, and the earth-works light. At Tannah a river of about four hundred yards wide is crossed to gain the main land. So far, there is little choice of the route to be taken, and little of any kind to remark; but from this point the direction to be taken by the main line, must be matter of anxious consideration, and can be finally determined only after careful and extended enquiry."+

Everybody knows, that at a small distance inland from the western coast of the Peninsula of India, a

*The Manager of the Company. (1846).

"I am able," says Mr. Clarke, "upon actually measured data, to state, that the lines from the foot of the inclined plane to Sion, and I believe I may add to Bombay, a distance of seventyeight miles, is on the whole favourable."-Letter by the Local Committee to the Governor of Bombay, June, 1846.

range of rugged and precipitous mountains, improperly, but generally called the Ghauts, buttresses and defines the table land of the Deccan; between this range and the sea, is a strip of land, called the Concan, low and flat in the valleys, but much intersected, and encumbered with transverse offsets from the great range. The highest points of the Ghauts rise to the elevatino of above four thousand feet, and the face of the range towards the sea, presents little but precipitous walls, or impracticable slopes. In a few places, however, the crest is cleft down to the level of the inland plain, that is, about two thousand feet above the sea, and a transverse spur at the same place, jutting westward into the Concan, affords the means of ascending to it, though commonly not without considerable difficulty and labour."

"The ascent of the Ghauts is always spoken of as the great difficulty on this line, and the chief objection to it. The description of the Malscjee Ghaut* just given from official papers, may properly serve to diminish the force of any fears on the subject: nevertheless, the climbing of these celebrated heights by mechanical means, will still remain a most interesting practical problem. If it can be accomplished by means already in use, and suitable to the circumstances of the case, it will be better to do so, than to incur the cost,

*See Mr. Chapman's printed statement. (1846).

risk, and delay of new contrivances; if, however, such be not at our disposal, I do not speak by guess in saying, that the requisite devices will not be wanting."

From the top of the Ghaut to a considerable distance the country is open and level, although as we proceed, the cultivated fields are displaced by jungle, and the villages are far apart, and in some instances deserted.

But the soil is naturally rich and admirably adapted to the cultivation of cotton, the great staple of this portion of India. The people are most industrious, and only want efficient roads to enable them to send their goods to market, to make the elevated region of the Deccan vie with the rich plains of Bengal in productive power. At present, this portion of India is

alike discreditable to the British and the native rulers. From the feeble, and almost bankrupt government of the Nizam, only formidable to its defenceless peasantry, nothing can be expected but that its provinces should gradually, from the grinding exactions of its officials, return to the deadly and primeval wilderness, and that its deserted villages should be tenanted by noxious reptiles and beasts of prey. But the wretched government of the Nizam is fast drawing to a close, when the fields will be regenerated, and the voice of man heard again in the villages, under a rule at once strong and beneficent. This has ever been the case on a transfer from Native to British authority, with the exception of that portion of the Deccan already in our

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