Vol. V, No. 10.] The Rivers of Bengal. 395 
[N.S.] 
cases such as these it is obvious that any idea of 
confining the whole flood within marginal banks is altogether 
out of the question. There are, however, other rivers in the 
plains with respect to which the conditions are different. For 
instance, the river Gandak, which is of about the same size 
as the Kosi, and which issues from the Himalayas only a short 
distance to the west of that stream, has a channel of such 
capacity throughout, that the whole flood is, ordinarily, 
passed to the Ganges, with the aid of marginal embankments 
of moderate height in which there are no gaps or escapes. 
Iam far from saying that I think that such a state of affairs 
is altogether desirable, but there is no doubt that, in some 
cases, it is practicable to create it. 
Captain Hirst alludes to the evils which have been caused 
in China by embankments ill-applied, and he expresses a doubt 
if the Indian engineers have sufficiently taken to heart the 
warning given. I can, I think, give an assurance on this 
point. Questions with regard to the effect of marginal on 
: ic 
Saran District, the river had encroached and destroyed a 
considerable portion of the embankment. With respect to 
‘‘whole of this space one crop of the two generally produced 
‘in the year has been entirely prevented, some } ea may 
“‘be formed of the benefit that would be derived from the 
‘sé 
‘Rupees 7 per annum (an average of Rupees 3 below the 
“ productive rate of the Tirhoot District), the total loss sus 
tained by the diminution of the cultivation will annually be 
‘upwards of four lacs of rupees. 
The above account of the damage caused to the Saran 
