13S 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[April, 



a site for a bridge across the Tannah river, but lie has stated liis belief, that 

 a little below Tannah there is a more favourable spot than at Tannah itself, 

 and that by adopting it, the line will avoid entering the town of Tannah al- 

 together. 'From Tannah the line passes round Persick Point, to a village 

 about four miles distant, called Dynhoolie, to which point only Mr. Clark 

 proposes having a double line of rails. From Dynhoolie one branch runs 

 through Cullian, crossing the CuUian river about four miles above the town, 

 to Purgah, on the ThuU Ghaut road, and the other branch following the 

 general course of a road projected by M.ijor Peat, from Tannah to the 6 miles 

 stone on the Poona road, which it cross, descends into the valley of the Apta 

 river, and again approaches the Poona road near the 18 miles stone, and runs 

 nearly parallel with it to Kapoolee at the foot of the Bliore Giiaut. 



Tn order that the reader may clearly iinciersland the nature of the 

 project, it is necessarv to remind him briefly of the geographical 

 position of Bombay. Bombay is situated on a small island to the west 

 of the main continent, and separated from it by a narrow creek; the 

 most contracted part of tliis channel is at the town of Tannah ; at or 

 near whicli town the railway is intended to cross to the main land. It 

 then branches off in two directions, one northwards, the other south- 

 ward. Both branches run somewhat parallel to the range of moun- 

 tains, the Ghauts, which extend along the whole western coast of In- 

 dia. The length of railway proposed is ?9 miles, namely, 28 miles of 

 double, and 51 of single rails. The termination of the northern branch 

 is at Purgah, near one of the Ghauts called the ThuU ; the southern 

 branch would facilitate communication with the important town of 

 Poona, and we believe, by it witli Madras. The travelling distance 

 from Bombay to Poona is 98 miles. 



It will be seen that the benefits expected from this railway are 

 principally local, and affecting local traffic ; we presume however that 

 it would be made serviceable for facilitating communication between 

 the three great presidencies and the interior of India. At least, as 

 the commencement of railway undertakings in India, it will greatly 

 stimulate the desire for those great connecting railroads which wo may 

 hope to see one day accomplished in that country. 



The foUowiug extracts are from the report of the Committee, of 

 ■which we have given the commencement. 



It must be borne in mind, that not only has no part of the line of the pro- 

 posed railway been surveyed, but that not a single level has been taken, with 

 the object of ascertaining its merits for a railroad ; indeed, one portion of it 

 has not even been seen by any party whose evidence, written or verbal, we 

 had the opportunity of obtaining. It is clear, therefore, that any estimate 

 for a railway, formed on such imperfect data must be liable to contain very 

 extensive errors. 



Among the most expensive works connected with railways, are the vast- 

 cuttings and embankments frequently found necessary ; Mr. Clark assumes, 

 and for a considerable portion of the line we think he is likely to prove right, 

 that an embankment of an average height of four feet, will carry the rails 

 over the whole distance on a level, or with gradients so trifling as to be un- 

 important ; bnt until a section of the country is taken, it is impossible to 

 foresee to what extent cutting and embankment may prove necessary. 



The opinion above expressed in favour of Mr. Clark's assumption, that an 

 embankment four feet in average height will be sufficient to carry the rails 

 on a level, over a considerable portion of the line, is based on the following 

 facts ; from the Bombay Terminus to the flats, the line passes over a portion 

 of the island formerly overflowed by the sea ; from Byculla along the flats to 

 Sion, an embankment wdl be necessary, but 2 feet will keep the rails clear 

 of the floods, and it will depend on the general level of the line how much 

 higher it may prove necessary to raise it, but in the deepest part it probably 

 would not exceed 4 or 5 feet. A little beyond Sion some cutting will pos- 

 sibly be necessary, but the distance is very short, and the amount unimpor- 

 tant ; on approaching Koorla the land is nearly on the level of the higher 

 parts of the flats of this island, viz. a few feet above high water mark, as is 

 proved by the tide flowing up to the road side. From Koorla to the twen- 

 tieth mile stone tlie line runs nearly parallel with the western bank of the 

 Tannah river, it has been surveyed by Captain Crawford of the Engineers for 

 a road, and he states, that, along the whole of this line there need not be a 

 rise of 10 feet ; from the twentieth mile stone to Tannah the line passes over 

 an extensive tract of rice fields ; from Tannah to Cullian the line again skirts 

 the bank of a tide river over singularly flat country, and from Dynhoolie to 

 the sixth mile stone on the Poona road ; the line has been surveyed by Capt. 

 Estridge of the Engineers, who has informed us that in the whole distance 

 there is only one hill, and that, he thinks, may be turned or avoided altoge- 

 ther. Beyond the sixth mile stone on the Poona road, we fear that some 

 undulating country will be found, but Mr. Clark, who has examined it, is of 

 opinion that by following the course of the Apta Valley the difficulties may 

 be avoided. 



The rate in the Department of Public Works at tlie Presidency for exca- 

 vating foundations is 12 annas (about ISd, English)* per 100 cubic feet (3| 

 cubic yards), but considering the increased difficulty of working in a confined 

 ciitting, that labour in the Concan is cheaper than in Comliay, and that par- 

 ties are readily found to contract for less than engineer officer's estimates, it, 



* Si^cteen aniias are e:iuiralent t} 1 rupee, whicli wc liare talseo as equivalent to 29. in 

 KnglisU inguey. 



has been assumed, that the work may be performed from side cuttings for 10 

 annas (about lad, English), per 100 cubic feet (SJ yards). 



Mr. Clark proposes to convey all merchandize by horse power, but pas- 

 sengers, coolies and their loads, cattle, sheep, Slc. by locomotive power at 

 high rates of speed, and to have two trains a day in each direction. From 

 calculations we have made, we are of opinion, that for the •stiinated passen- 

 ger traffic at the average speed prevailing on railways in England, ten loco- 

 motive engines including spare ones will not be found too large a number. 



The report enters into a minute detail of the traffic that it is assumed 

 will come upon the line of railway, which appears to us to be founded 

 upon rather too low a scale, but even by the Commissioners cautious 

 calculations, it appears that the project will yield near 5 per cent, 

 profit on the capital to be invested. 



Sketch Estimate* of the probable expense of the proposed Bombay Great 

 Eastern Railxi^ay, calculated by the Committee of enquiry appointed by 

 Government^ upon the data contained in the accompanying report^ and the 

 information afforded by G. T. Clark, Esq., C.E. 



One mile of double line of Railway between Koorla and Tanna. 

 718080 feet cube earth-work as per plan, 34 feet broad and 4 feet deep. 

 79786 „ add ^th for settlement. 



797866 „ total filling in embankment from side cuttings ; 

 3490 feet run masonry culverts per mile 

 21120 feet cube ballasting for blocks, 4 feet wide and 1 foot deep 

 42240 ,, metalling for horse tracks, 8 ft. wide & 1 ft. deep 

 No. 5280 stone blocks hammer dressed with setting and bed- 

 ding chairs, 6 feet x 2 feet x 1 foot 

 1320 joint chairs with pins and keys weighing 17|ton9, at 



,010 per ton .... 



3960 intermediate chairs with pins and keys weighing 44^ tons, 



at £10 per ton .... 



21120 feet run wrought iron rail 65 lb. per R. yard, at £9 per ton 



Tools .... 



9000 „ drain tiles for surface drainage, with fixing 



Add 5 per cent, for sidings . . 254 



Estimated cost of one mile . . . 5341 



Ditto ditto of 28 miles .... 149,553 



One Mile Single Way as above. 

 422400 feet cube earthen work as per plan, taken at 20 feet 

 wide and 4 feet deep. 

 46933 feet cube, add ^th for settlement, 



469333 feet cube filling in embankment from side cuttings £293 

 2320 feet run masonry culverts per mile . . 116 

 10500 feet cube ballasting for blocks, 2 ft. wide and 1 ft. deep 52 

 21120 „ metalling for horse tracks, 4 ft. wide & 1 ft. deep 105 

 No. 2640 stone blocks hammer dressed with setting and bed- 

 ding chairs, 2 ft. square and 1 ft. thick . . 792 

 2640 joint and intermediate chairs weighing 31 tons, at £W 



per ton ..... 310 



10500 wrought iron rail 65 lb. to running yard at ^£9 per ton 919 



Tools . . , . ,12 



Add 10 per cent, for sidings . 



Estimated cost of one mile 

 Ditto ditto of 51 miles 



Forming a Termimis in Bombay. 

 31200 feet cube excavating foundation 

 144600 ,, stone and chunam masonry to wharf wall 

 29400 feet super Khankee facing of wharf 

 4320000 feet cube filling iu with earth 



Estimated cost of Bombay Terminus 



Crossing Sion Marsh. 

 Estimated expeuce in addition to ordinary mileage 



Bridges. 

 Tanna Bridge .... 



Taloga Bridge 200 feet long and 12 feet wide 

 Ditto small ditto, 60 feet long and 8 feet wide 

 Nowra Bridge, 140 feet long and 15 feet wide 

 Assoot ditto, 40 feet long and 8 feet wide 

 Khapodle ditto, 96 feet long and 10 feet wide 

 Kolapoor ditto, 120 feet long and 9 feet wide 

 Ditto small ditto, 40 feet long and 9 feet wide 



02 

 . 2602 

 . 1470 

 . 12960 



17,095 



1870 



. 12000 



. 2100 



. 600 



. 1700 



. 400 



. 1000 



. 1500 



. 400 



* Tlie amounts in ttie oiigiiial are given in Xiupeesj but we havs here ylven the cor- 

 responJing sums of .Eiighsh money. 



