1867.] TJie Means of Transit in India. 27 



starting from Allahabad in a south-westerly direction, penetrates the 

 cotton-growing districts of Jubbulpore, where it will join the Great 

 Indian Peninsular Railway, and form the connecting link in the 

 communication between Calcutta and Bombay. Moreover, the 

 branch which was opened in 1855 to Eaneegunge, and which has 

 since been extended to Barrakur, is to be further carried over the 

 Nargoonjoo Pass to Luckieserai, by which the distance between 

 Calcutta and the north-west will be shortened by 71 miles ; and a 

 branch of 26 miles will at the same time be constructed to open up 

 the Kurhurbalee coal-fields. The total length of the East Indian 

 Railway with all its branches is about 1,500 miles, of which 1,127 

 have been opened. The line of rail is at present single throughout 

 its course, except for the first 67 miles from Calcutta ; but the cord 

 hue to Luckieserai will be made double, as will also the portion 

 front thence to Allahabad. 



The main object of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway is to 

 establish means of communication between the three Presidency towns, 

 and to connect the great cotton-growing districts of Central India 

 with the seaport of Bombay. The line first commenced by this com- 

 pany starting* from Bombay passed through the Island of Salsette 

 and across the Tannah estuary to Callian, a distance of 33 miles, 

 together with a short branch to Mahim, at the northern extremity 

 of Bombay Island. The works were commenced in October, 1850, 

 and finished in May, 1854. At the end of that year the company 

 undertook the extension of their line into the interior, to unite with 

 the East Indian and Madras Railways. At Callian, the line is 

 divided into two great branches, the one going to the north-east, 

 the other taking a south-easterly direction. The great physical 

 difficulty in either case was to surmount the Ghauts, a lofty range 

 which runs parallel to the sea along the whole west coast of the 

 peninsula, and forms a barrier to the conveyance of the rich pro- 

 duce of the Deccan to the port of Bombay. The northern line is 

 carried over the Thull Ghaut by an incline nine miles and a quarter 

 in length, in the course of which it attains an elevation of 972 feet. 

 It then proceeds by Nassick and Chalisgaum, to Bhosawul, at which 

 point an important branch runs eastward through the great cotton 

 district of Oomrawuttee to Nagpore. The main line, shortly after 

 leaving Bhosawul, crosses the river Taptee, and continues its course 

 to the north-east up the valley of the Nerbudda to Jubbulpore, 

 where it meets the East Indian Railway. The southern of the two 

 great branches is taken through the mountains at the Bhore Ghaut 

 by an incline nearly sixteen miles in length, with a total elevation 

 of 1831 feet, the difficulties of the course being overcome by such 

 a series of cuttings, tunnels, viaducts, and embankments, as can 

 hardly be rivalled in any other part of the world, except on the 

 sister incline over the Thull Ghaut. The railroad is then continued 



