176 Timehri. 



crossing the Semang and Karainaug Rivers, skirting the Meruma moun- 

 tains and touching the Mazaruni close to the mouth of the Merume 

 River clear above the numerous and dangerous falls of the Mazaruni, the 

 length of this branch being about 90 miles. 



" Another main line about 140 miles in length might start from 

 Cartabo Point, about eight miles above Bartica, traverse the watershed 

 between the Cuyuni River on the right and the Mazaruni, Puruni and 

 Cartoonie Rivers on the left tapping rich mineral country, on either side, 

 and reaching on to the Venezuelan boundary close by the mouth of the 

 Acarabisci River through which connection might be made to the Barama 

 and Barima districts." 



He mentions, however, that this and the North West District are so 

 accessible by steamer routes that no need for a trunk line exists for the 

 lower reaches of the Barama and Barima Rivers at least. 



Mr. J. W. Dorman, opening the discussion, did not agree with Mr. 

 Hill as to Bartica being the natural "jump off"' for a trunk railway. He 

 regarded the inevitable result as being to make Bartica the main port of 

 the colony and forecast great expense in buoying and lighting the 

 Essequibo, erecting stores, wharves, etc. -; Bartica would become the New- 

 York and Georgetown the Washington of British Guiana." 



"As a railway engineer, with a personal knowledge of a good deal 

 of the ground to be traversed, I have no hesitation in saying, " he con- 

 tinued, " that the proper and natural extension of railways in this colony 

 is to continue the West Coast Railway up the east side of the Essequibo 

 River (with a station and steam ferry to Bartica which will then be 

 reached in two hours from Georgetown,) to the falls where it will cross to 

 the west side and run up past Omai to near Potaro landing. From this 

 there should be a branch about sixty miles long to the Semang River and 

 thence about one hundred miles further to the boundary, where it would 

 terminate at the Mazaruni River after running through the centre of the 

 diamond fields. The main line would follow generally the valley of the 

 Potaro to the 5th degree (latitude) and thence nearly due south to 

 the valleys of the rivers Tisaling, Mahoo and Takutu to San Joaquim." 



Mr. G. V. de la Bastide, regarding the hinterland main line as a 

 remote prospect, contented himself with ;1 merely stating that, so far as 

 one can judge at the present time of future development, Mr. Dorman's 

 scheme is the proper one both from an engineering and financial point 

 of view.' ; He considered that particular districts should not wait on a 

 main line but be immediately opened up and that "in undertaking the 

 survey of the line of country between Tumatumari and the mouth of the 

 Semang, the Government is doing the proper thing" and criticises ad- 

 versely the proposition of a road from Bartica to the unobstructed upper 

 waters of i he Mazaruni. He thought "the surveys should be con- 

 tinued from Tumatumari southwards to Potaro Landing then northwards 

 to Omai following the course the great trunk line would take. Then as 

 finances permitted these lines could be constructed." 



