360 The Pan-chakt or Native Water-mill. [Juny, 
workman, a matter of importance in the absence of mechanical skill and 
practised workmen. ‘Whereas in the plainest undershot wheel applied 
to a mill for grinding corn, there are no less than three wheels of 
different descriptions; the change of vertical to horizontal motion ;—and 
three pivots to keep in order, with a friction, even under the most skil- 
ful management, tending constantly to disarrange the parts, and render 
the accompaniments of a forge and blacksmith’s shop absolutely neces- 
sary to keep the mill in order. 
On the canals it has been found worth while to construct permanent 
buildings for these corn mills*, and although keeping most strictly to 
the original simplicity of the machinery, they are set up with greater 
care, and means are given for regulating the motion, &c. which renders 
the whole as perfect as it can well be. 
It would appear that a fall of water (that is to say, the difference of 
level between the surface of the head supply and the float-boards of 
the water wheel), equal to three feet, is the minimum in which this 
species of machinery can be used with any good effect; and it has been 
found that with a fall of three feet, the dimensions of the shoot or 
funnel require an addition in width, to obtain that by weight of water, 
which the smallness of the fall will not give by velocity alone, and in 
the dimensions of shoot given to those of a higher class. 
The following are the particulars of mills on the Dodd canal, divided 
into three classes from the depth of the fall ; the width of shoot on the 
sill or waste-board, being 12 inches, and the discharge per second 
averaging 6.5 cubic feet: the diameter of mill-stones 27 inches, and 
thickness 12 inches ;—the corn being ground into atta or coarse flour, 
Class. Fall of water. Atta ground per hour. 
ft. in. md. seer. 
No. 1 7 6 Ly ofe26 
2 5 6 1 5 
3 3 6 0 17 
The common mills used in the Jumna and mountain-streams, are said 
to grind from 5 to 7 maunds of atta per day, or in 24 hours; the ma- 
chinery being of the rudest description, the supply of water very small, 
and a great part of that escaping through the shoot before it touches 
the water wheel. 
The return to Government on the mills is obtained generally by 
farming them out to contractors for fixed periods, who pay so much 
per day as long as a supply of water equal to that entered in the con- 
tract is provided, regulated by the depth of water on the sill or 
* Vide Major Colvin’s Report, p. 121. 
