REPORT 



Upon Mr A. ue Closets design for a moveable Railways 

 to be e7riploi/ed xipon Siajar Cane Plantations. 



In Mauritius as ■svell as iu other countries, railways, 

 of two diffent natures may be formed, namely : general 

 railways for public traffic from one point of the island 

 to any other, and local railways for the conveyance of 

 sugar canes, etc., from one point of a sugar estate to 

 another. The latter class is the one now under consi- 

 deration, but in remarking upon the plan proposed, it 

 is necessary to take into consideration all that expe- 

 rience has taught us regarding the construction of' 

 general railways. There can be no doubt whatever 

 that in certain localities, local railways would if con- 

 structed, cause a great saving in time, labour and ma- 

 terial aud increase the value of the work done. For 

 instance in the valley of the Riviere Noire which forms 

 a portion of the estate of Mr Geneve, it would be very 

 easy to construct a central local railway leading from 

 the opening of the gorge to the sngar mill, and thence 

 to the pier for embarkation. This railway Avould how- 

 ever, require to be attended by a number of carts or 

 waggons and mules, in order to convey the canes from 

 the place where they were cut to the railway. Not 

 only would the above carts and mules be required, but 

 in some district, carts and mules could be alone used,, 

 the nature of the ground rendering the construction of 

 railways almost impracticable. With respect to the 

 proposed method of constructing portable railways to 

 be used without sleepers, etc., it is considered that 

 such a design is almost impracticable. The ground 

 would in many localities req^lire great preparation 

 prior to the laying down of the rails, and even with all 

 this preparation the employment of sleepers would be 

 requisite iu order to ensure stability and check the ef- 

 fects of vibration upon rocky ground, and the sinking 

 into the eartli to which rails arc liable when jdaced 

 upon ordinary soil. The motive poAver may be either 



