1833.] — The Ancient Canals in the Delhi Territory. 115 
tion of government by the civil commissioner Mr. Forrsscus, through 
whom I received instructions in May, 1820, to make the requisite sur- 
veys and estimates ; these added to other duties were not completed 
till June, 1822, and were then submitted to government, and sanctioned 
during that year; and I was honored, by being appointed to carry my 
own ideas into effect. The work commenced in March, 1823; the exca- 
vation of the channel was completed, and, a few necessary works of 
masonry for regulating the water being finished, the water was turned 
down the canal in May, 1825. This measure may appear precipitate, 
but water to the country, to which this was destined, was so valu- 
able a boon to both man and beast, and the soil was generally 
so good, and the canal relatively to the Delhi one so small, that the 
extra expence of working in water was of much less moment, than the 
benefits of the supply of water to the country. Since that period the 
completion of original works, as well as the extension of the advantages 
of the canal, have been progressive. 
The original works consisted in the clearance of the old line 
of canal from Rair to Chaminz, with the formation of bridges, as 
detailed in the abstract of estimates. The extensions are of the main 
line to Bahaderah,—of an additional branch into our newly settled 
frontier towards Darbah,—and of the Rhotak branch to Rhotak, with 
all the works necessary thereon :—these works like those of the Delhi 
canal are close on completion. In reference to the two canals, which 
have one common head, I may here allude to the formation of the ma- 
sonry dam across the Stimbe, now in execution, to supersede the 
earthen dam there, premising that this dam is swept away annually 
in the end of June, after which, there is no regular supply of water in 
the canal, and that it is extending in dimensions. With every exer- 
tion, it occupies about 25 days in construction, and as it cannot be 
commenced before the rains are over, it cannot be completed before 
the 20th October, and in these 25 days, the fall of the Jamna is be- 
tween two and three feet (exclusive of temporary rises from floods), so 
that although there is an abundant commencing supply for the sea- 
son without any work in the Jamna on the 1st October,—it is no longer 
so on the 25th, and it takes 10 days further to stop up the escape 
channels in the Jamna near Chéharpir (which can only be commen- 
ced after the bunds below are capable of retaining the water) ; by this 
time the river is a foot lower, and the channels at the separation of 
the eastern and western branches have to be cleared out, which brings 
the full supply into the canal about the lst December. With the masonry 
dam, which may be thrown entirely open down to the level of the bed of 
Q 2 
