272 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[September, 



North America, for a great instrument in the spread of civilization 

 and population on the jrreat rivers, it barely supplies the wants of 

 a small part of the teeniinii population. We say this is the true 

 (•ause, and not the natural difficulties; for if there were anytliiug- 

 lilce fair-play for steam enterprise, steamhoats would already be 

 ])lyinj; in every deep reach of the Indian rivers, leavins;- the bars 

 and shallows for future treatment. The Ganfjes and the Indus, at 

 any rate, are not much worse off for navigation, if not indeed 

 much better, than many European and American rivers. There 

 is already a ^reat boat navigation, — and tlierefore there is ti'affic, 

 the great feeder of steam navigation. 



AV^e must not, however, forget, as Mr. Bourne seems almost to 

 have done, that steam navigation is in progress on the Ganges, — 

 that improved boats ai-e introduced, and the time of transit very 

 much reduced. Tlie great complaint is, that more is not done, 

 and tliat no new company can have any assurance of facilities and 

 encouragement from the government. It must work its way alone, 

 as the other companies have done, — no great harm if left entirely 

 free. 



Mr. Bourne gives some very interesting information as to the 

 condition of the Indian rivers, — partly from liis own researclies 

 among the geographical manuscripts in the India House, and 

 which, as here arranged, is most acceptable to the public. 



There is hardly a considerable river in India, which is not, as 

 j\Ir. Bourne shows, capable of navigation; and the illustrations, 

 marked on his map of India, most powerfully demonstrate the 

 necessity and utility of steam navigation, which would supply 

 arterial communications throughout India. The Ganges is but 

 the beginning; and there is sufficient encouragement and justifica- 

 tion for an energetic government to give every aid for tlie exten- 

 sion of steam communication, for it would be eminently heneticia], 

 in a political, social, and financial point of view. We think it is 

 to be regretted the autlior has not included the Burrampooter 

 among his illustrations. The Assam Tea Company kept a steamer 

 upon it for some time. 



Besides the main stream of the Ganges and Jumna, as far as 

 Dellii, some of the branches can be made available for navigation, 

 as the Gunduck, the Soane, the Gogra, tlie Goomty, the Upper 

 Ganges, and the Chumbul. The Chumbul can be navigated by 

 low-draft steamers past Gwalior to Kotah, during all seasons of 

 the year; and during the rains boats can get up to the foot of the 

 Vindhya mountains, near the north bank of the Nerbudda. 



Upon the subject of the Ganges, we may observe the traffic is 

 great, and the rates remunerative, as is shown by Mr. Macdonald 

 Stephenson's Reports, the 'Practical and Theoretical Considera- 

 tions on the Management of Railways in India,' by Mr. Hyde 

 Clarke, and in the present work. It' is not, as on the western 

 rivers of North America, to create a traffic, but to profit by traffic 

 already existing. Steamers only are wanted We must however 

 observe, that the great traffic at present is goods traffic, the prices 

 for passenger traffic in the present depressed financial rates of 

 India being too high for the bulk of the population. This, how- 

 ever, is an evil which the progress of steam navigation will 

 remedy; and one great result of extended communication will be 

 a rise in prices and wages throughout India. 



Of the Godavery, the account here given is long and interest- 

 ing; and the more so to English readers, as it appears extraordi- 

 nary how such a fine river can remain unnavigated tvhere English 

 rule prevails. In August 1810, the Secretary of the Madras go- 

 vernment proposed to put a steamer on it, to facilicate the trans- 

 port of troops; but the general and home governments have as yet 

 done nothing. 



The Nerliudda account is likewise interesting, as showing the 

 want of precise information and of engineering enterprise in 

 India. Mr. Bourne says — 



" The Nerbudda river, falling into the sea near Broach, to the north of 

 Bombay, constitutes the northern boundary of the I'Kccan.and runs through 

 a country which, though naturally productive, has been hut little opened to 

 comtuerce. The Tapty, wliich pursues a course parallel to that of the Ner- 

 budda, falls into the sea at Surat, nearer Bombay. The districts of Broach 

 and Surat are both known to furnish cotton of a superior quality ; and by 

 the ebtablisbnient of an efiicient system of navigation upon the rivers, the 

 production of cotton would be largely increased. The navigation of the 

 Nerbudda, however, is rendered diflicult by rocks and falls, which obstruct 

 the channel, and also by the strength of the current : but the magnitude of 

 these dilliculties appears to have been much exaggerated by loose and 

 groundless generalizations; and although the evidence upon the subject is 

 conflicting, it appears that the river could, at a small expense, be rendered 

 navigable from near Jidjbulpore to the sea — a diatanue of between 40U and 

 500 miles in a direct line — by boats of considerable burden. In a le(ter 

 from the Honourable Court of Directors of the East- India Company (Marine 

 Department), dated March 8, 1810, it is stated, 'Un referuuce to Capt. 



Ouseley's report, we find it asserted that, with the exception of the Dahree 

 falls, there is no place from Bharagurha, near Jubbulpore, to the mouth 

 that might not be rendered passal)le for such boats as are now used, — 30 to 

 40 feet long, and S to 10 feet wide. All rapids could, with trifling expense, 

 he rendered navigable. Sir J. Malcolm cites Matthews' opinion in farour of 

 the same object between llernphal and Mokree; and we think that, whilst 

 the native surveyor's opinion remains substantially uncontradicted, it ought 

 to be further investigated.' 



The Dahree falls are 40 feet high; and they could only he surmounted by 

 an inclined plane, or by locks. An inclined plane of timber would be an in- 

 expensive structure, as the finest teak timber grows in abundance upon the 

 river banks. 



From the sea to 11 miles above TuUuckwarra, a distance of 110 miles, 

 there is no impediment to the navigation. There the Mokree falls, which 

 are 6 feet high, occur, but they can be avoided by a side channel. The 

 river, however, is obstructed by occasional roeks and rapids ; but, by an in- 

 considerable amount of blasting, these impediments could be speedily re- 

 moved. At the llernphal or Deer's Leap, the channel is contracted to a 

 width of 40 yards, and the current is very rapid. At the Sarsa Darah falls 

 there is a side channel available, by which the falls may be avoided. The 

 Dahree falls of 40 feet, and perhaps, also, the Mnndhar falls, of 10 feet high, 

 would have to be overcome by inclined planes, up which the vessels would 

 ascend, after the fashion of a patent slip, or in the manner followed on some 

 of the American canals. 



It will be obvious from this recital that the Nerbudda presents difficulties 

 in the navigation, such as do not exist in the Godavery or the Ganges, arising 

 mainly from the rocky nature of its bed; but this very peculiarity makes the 

 Nerbudda an improveable river, inasmuch as any amelioration consequent 

 upon the removal of rucks, or the deepening or widening of the channel, 

 would be permanent and decisive. Of the importance of opening the Ner- 

 budda to navigation no doubt can exist; and the practicability of accom- 

 plishing the necessary improvements at a moderate expenditure appears, 

 from the reports of various engineer officers who have surveyed or sailed 

 down the river, to he equally certain. To what point a steamer of adequate 

 power could ascend the river in its present condition appears doubtful ; Ijut 

 the most judicious course would probably be for the steamer to ascend the 

 river as far as is practicable with safety, and for the obstructions to be 

 cleared away progresssively, from the mouth of the river upwards, the 

 steamer ascending higher every successive trip, in proportion as the obstruc- 

 tions were removed. The lower part of the Tapty is freer from impediments 

 than the lower part of the Nerbudda; and a steamer of the kind proposed 

 could ascend toTalneir, in longitude 75°, — the minimum depth of water up 

 to that point being 2 feet over the fords." 



Of the availability of the Indus there can be no doubt, as during 

 the late wars steamers have got up as high as Laliore. Mr. Bourne 

 calculates upon an eflcctive velocity of ten miles an hour in getting 

 up the stream; but we are very strongly inclined to believe he has 

 rated the speed of his steamers too high. 



For the supply of coal India has great advantages; whereas the 

 Mississippi steamers are obliged to be satisfied with wood, some- 

 times green. Our author says — 



" The supply of coal for the steamers established upon the various rivers of 

 India forms an important part of the general question ; but the point is 

 fortunately one which is easily disposed of, as coal has been found near the 

 sources of the several rivers which it is proposed to navigate j and the 

 stations on the upper portions of the rivers can consequently be supplied 

 from local sources — the coal being floated down in the rains, and stored in 

 appropriate situations. At the mouths of the several rivers supplies of 

 English coal would be available; and it would be desirable to use English 

 coal as far as possible, since its quality is better ascertained than that of the 

 local deposits. The Burdwan coal sells in Calcutta for 21s. per ton ; but 

 the English coal is dearer, being seldom lower than 26*. or 2Ss. per ton. 

 For the supply of the stations on the upper parts of the Ganges and Jumna 

 the coal found in the vicinity of Hurdwar could be used, and the coal found 

 on the Soane, and other localities contiguous to the river, could also be used 

 for the intermediate stations. For the upper stations of the Godavery and 

 the Wurdah river the coal-fields of Beitool and Seuni could be rendered 

 available; and on the Nerbudda, near Hossungabad, and also near Jubbul- 

 pore, coal of excellent quality is abundantly found. In the range of hills, 

 denominated the *' Salt Range," stretching across the Punjaub from Attock 

 toward Seharunpore, coal, it is said, is abundantly found ; and these deposits 

 would, in all probability, be available for the supply of steamers on the 

 several rivers of the Punjaub. In Cutch also, near the mouth of the Indus, 

 coal has been discovered; but it would be preferable, in the outset at least, 

 to use English coal for the purpose of asccndincj the rivers, although the 

 coal procured from native sources were used during the descent. The lower 

 parts of the several rivers having in general a slow current and the aid nf 

 ascending tides, offer but few difficulties to the ascent of coal-boats for a 

 moderate distance, by tracking or by sails; so that the whole of the lower 

 stations upon the several rivers could be supplied with English coal at a 

 moderate rate of charge, while the upper stations, to which access from the 

 sea is difficult, would be supplied from local sources, which the researches of 

 the Coal Coinuiittee at Calcutta show to be available in the several localities 

 of which mention has been made." 



A supplement gives the authorities on which the text of Mr. 



