SOIL ATfD PRODUCTIONS. 97 



to preserve them from the wet, but after a short acclimatisa- 

 tion, thrive very well. The use of salt, mixed with their 

 food, is found to be an admirable preservative against the 

 moisture of the climate. 



The late Dr. Christie, had made preparations for manu- 

 facturing ice on a large scale, storing it, and afterwards 

 conveying it to Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta. His 

 calculation was founded on the supposition, of a certain 

 quantity being equivalent to so much saltpetre, in cooling 

 wine, beer, &c. and he expected to sell this equivalent quantity, 

 at two-thirds of the price of the saltpetre, and, all expences 

 paid, to realise a profit of 15 per cent. If ice sent from 

 America to Bengal, returns a profit, it appears almost certain 

 that such a speculation, on the Neilgherries, could not fail of 

 success. 



The above-mentioned speculations present only a question 

 of probable profit or loss to the individuals undertaking 

 them ; but there are many other points, connected with the 

 capabilities of the hills, which involve considerations of great 

 moral, and political importance. To these 1 shall do no 

 jQQore than allude, in the hope that the subject, may be taken 

 up by those who are better qualified to do it justice. 



To say nothing of the eligibility of this climate and posi- 

 tion for the location of European troops,* and the instruc- 

 tion of European recruits, it has occurred to many of our 

 more intelligent visitors, that a considerable portion of the 

 daily increasing Indo-British population might be, with ad- 



* Since Dr. Baikie wrote, Jackatalla has been established as a 

 Military Station. In the appendix is given an extract from the Cal- 

 cutta Eeview of Sept. 1851, " On the mortality of European soldiers in 

 India," a subject to which the attention of the Grovernments, and the 

 Commanders-in-Chief in India cannot be too often drawn. — Ed. 



