124 The Ancient Canals in the Delhi Territory. [Marcu, 
been a matter of great convenience, from the difficulty of procuring 
land carriage; indeed more so than one of saving, on account of 
the unformed condition of the canal banks for the purpose of track- 
age. In this respect, the Doab canal is well advanced; to make its 
banks available, nothing beyond a clearance of trees is necessary, 
when it may become an object to cut them down, on completion of 
the locks. Ona the Delhi and Haridna branches, the necessary work 
is rapidly progressing, and the last lock necessary is just completed. To 
establish such a novelty however will, I fear, require the experiment, to 
be made by the government, of establishing some boats suited to the ca- 
nals, to ply for the carriage of goods; for instance, between Karnal, or 
Rair and Hans?, and I think such might shortly be done with advan- 
tage. There is at present a most extensive traffic existing across from 
the Dodb, through Panipat, and Sontpat to Hanst, for the export of 
sugar ; the return being salt, and coarse grain, and Hansi being one 
of the chief entrepdts in that quarter, for the supply of the western 
states. It appears to me, it would conduce greatly to the prosperity of 
Hanst, if the line of trade could be diverted from Pdnipat to the 
canal at Rair, where the Hanst and Delhi branches separate, instead 
of proceeding direct from Pdnipat to Hansi via Neaulta, by a land 
carriage of about 70 miles. From Rair, the sugar loaded on the canal 
boats could either proceed to within 12 miles of Delhi*, saving about 
40 miles of land carriage, or by FxEroz’s canal to Hansi; on this lat- 
ter line a return cargo would always be secure; and north of Karnal, 
being a great sugar country, it is probable much would be exported 
thence, independent of that reaching the canal from the Dodd, by 
Panipat. Another mode in which it is probable such a trade might 
be established would be the offer of a premium, to the individual 
who should have conveyed the greatest value of imports and exports 
by the canal, beyond some fixed sum, up toa stated period. Some 
mode which would give the merchants a knowledge of the ad- 
vantages to be derived from water over land carriage, without en- 
tailing on them present expence and risk, will I think be necessary, to 
set the matter going, after which it may be safely left to its own 
merits. 
Of rafting on Frroz’s canal, the knowledge of relative cost and 
charges was first given, by all timbers for the canal and garrison works 
at Hansé being rafted by the canal; and the result has been, that, the 
* At the cost of a single draw-bridge, boats could be enabled to reach within six 
miles of Delhi, and alterations to three old bridges would take them to within two 
miles of De/hi. 
