IN THE MADRAS PRESIDENCY. 39 



17. Anamallai. — Lieutenant Beddome, in his annual report, 

 gives a concise and faithful account of the economy and working 

 of these forests, which is generally satisfactory. The quantity 

 of work done is considerable, but it would have been much 

 greater if a sufficient number of axemen could have been pro- 

 cured; the Palghat labourers, from whom we have hitherto 

 drawn our main supply, find full and remunerative employment 

 at the railway workshops close to their own houses. 



(1.) Extension of Road to Cochin Backwater. — I hope that 

 ultimately the forest road, which has been gradually extended 

 westwards as our operations have progressed, may be carried on 

 to the Cochin Backwater, forming another avenue of traffic be- 

 tween the rich taluk of Polachy and the western coast, opening 

 up a very wild country, intermediate between the Palghat Gap 

 and the Aringole Pass. The estimate for the Anamalai Ghat, 

 to supersede the present rude timber slip, has been for some time 

 before Government, and the extension of the road above alluded 

 to is a strong argument in. favour of making this ghat. 



(2.) Elephants. — Mr Beddome has been instructed to pay the 

 mahouts what he considers necessary, and the services of afoujdar 

 have been procured. 



The account-current does not show the actual profit of the 

 year, from the circumstance of the assistant not having entered 

 the receipts of the Bombay timber-agent as cash, in accordance 

 with the order of Government. The sum [107,117 rupees] will 

 of course appear to the credit of Government in next year's 

 account. 



It may also be noticed that the great object originally of 

 working these forests was to reduce the price of first-class teak, 

 which was yearly becoming more scarce and difficult to procure ; 

 and indeed the Indian navy have latterly procured almost all 

 their frigate scantling from this forest. 



18. Salem District. — The indiscriminate felling of trees in the 

 Government forests of Salem have been urgently brought to my 

 notice by the collector, coffee-planters, and others. While the 

 demands of the railway company required to be speedily met, 

 I submitted a scheme for the consideration of Government, and 

 suggested that a seignorage of 3 to 4 annas per sleeper, or 1 



