40 SECOND EEPOKT ON EOKEST OPERATIONS 



rupee to 1-8-0 rupee per tree, should be charged ; and to carry- 

 out this measure, I recommended a temporary establishment for 

 marking trees suited for the railway. This was sanctioned in 

 Ext. Min. of Cons., 9th July 1858, No. 943. As it was desirable 

 to have an assistant immediately in charge of these operations, 

 Mr L. Blenkinsop was appointed* to the Salem range, on a salary 

 of 20,0 rupees per mensem. I learn from the railway engineer 

 that the selection of trees for sleepers is now more satisfactorily 

 conducted than heretofore, and, as a larger proportion is accepted 

 by the railway, there is less waste of timber. The seignorage 

 derived from this source covers the expense of the establishment, 

 as originally contemplated. The permanent employment of an 

 assistant, overseer, and four peons, was sanctioned by Govern- 

 ment.! Looking to the fact that the Salem district is to have 

 the benefit of two, if not three lines of railway, and that the de- 

 mand for renewing sleepers will certainly be very great, I think 

 that planting operations will eventually be required in this dis- 

 trict. During a period of financial difficulty, I did not venture 

 to solicit a grant for this purpose, nor is it yet necessary. The 

 forests on the banks of the Caveri are still unworked, but they 

 are notoriously unhealthy, and little opened by roads. The 

 Shevaroi, Collemalai, Chittari, and Tellagiri forests, have all con- 

 tributed their quota. The following abstract gives the receipts 

 for railway sleepers compared with cost of the establishment : — 



19. Ferry-boat. — Considerable difficulty has been experienced 



* Ext. Min. Cons., No. 1137, 13th August 1858, Eev. Dep. 

 t Ext. Min. Cons., No. 626, 6th May 1859, Eev. Dep. 



