1867.] Tlw Means of Transit in India. 29 



was formed to connect Bombay with the cotton districts of 

 Guzerat and Central India. It was incorporated in July, 1855, 

 and the cutting of the first sod took place in May, 1856. Starting 

 northwards from Bombay, through the Island of Salsette, and 

 crossing the Bassein Channel and the Veturnee Kiver, the railway 

 follows the line of the coast, passing Damaun and Surat, at which 

 latter place it is carried over the Taptee River by an iron bridge 

 of 2,003 feet in length. A still more serious obstacle to its 

 progress presented itself in the river Nerbudda, which the railway 

 crosses by another iron bridge 3,800 feet long, Continuing in a 

 northerly direction it proceeds through Broach to Baroda, at which 

 point it turns to the north-west over the Mhye river, and termi- 

 nates its course at Ahmedabad, 310 miles from Bombay. The 

 whole line is open, except a section of four miles within Bombay 

 Island, from Grant Road to Colaba, which is to be conducted 

 over land now in course of being reclaimed from the sea at Back 

 Bay. 



The Sincl Railway Company was incorporated by an Act of 

 Parliament passed on the 2nd July, 1855, and was reconstituted 

 in August, 1857. Although its affairs are under a single board, 

 the operations of the company in reality embrace four separate 

 concerns ; viz. the Sincl Railway, the Indus Steam Flotilla (above 

 described), the Punjab Railway, and the Delhi Railway. The 

 object of the combined undertakings is to establish communication 

 between the port of Kurrachee and the Punjab, and to connect the 

 chief cities of that province with the East Indian Railway at Delhi. 



The first portion, or Sind Railway proper, proceeds from the 

 harbour of Kurrachee, across the rivers Bahrain and Mulleer, and 

 through the Karatolla Hills, to Kotree on the Indus, opposite 

 Hydrabad, and thereby enables traders to avoid the delay attendant 

 on the navigation of the delta of the river. The length of the 

 line is 109 miles ; it was commenced in April, 1858, and was 

 opened for traffic on the 11th May, 1861, with the immediate 

 effect of developing a considerable trade in cotton, which had not 

 been previously seen on the Indus, as well as in indigo, grain, 

 wool, and other products. 



The Punjab Railway, starting from Sher Shah on the banks of 

 the Chenaub, about 12 miles below Mooltan, passes through that 

 city, and thence follows a nearly straight course up the left bank 

 of the Ravee, as far as Lahore, at which place it turns directly 

 to the east, until it reaches Umritsur. This line, which is 253 

 miles long, was commenced in February, 1859, and on the 24th 

 April, 1865, the complete line was opened to the public. 



The Delhi Railway, running from Umritsur to Delhi, follows 

 a south-easterly direction through the Punjab, and, crossing the 

 Beas at Wuzeer Ghaut, proceeds by Jullunder to Phillour. at 



