72 



On the line selected for the [no. 5, new series, 



water, and alluding, incidentally, to the Madras Railway in the 

 < following terms. 



" Without a harbour at either end and merely as a line connect- 

 " ing the East and West Coast of the Peninsula, I look upon this 

 " work as one of the least important lines on which 3 millions 

 " could have been spent, assuredly nothing of any consequence 

 " either in goods or passengers will ever be conveyed by it from 

 " one Coast to the other, and at least 200 miles of it are perhaps 

 " about the least productive line of country that a Railway could 

 " be carried through in India. Further, it is proved beyond all 

 " question that the passenger traffic is the main source of profit 

 " on Railways and that the great mass of passengers only travel a 

 " few miles (the average for all England is 13) that is they go to 

 " the next town and back — strange to say this Railway of 450 

 " miles is not to pass through one of the few towns (only 7 and 

 " all but one very small) which lie near its route so that it looks 

 "as if the ultimate object had been to make a Railway not to 

 " carry the people." 



As this expression of opinion, though not given in relation to any 

 question proposed in the Railway Department, has been before Go- 

 vernment, I consider it right to offer a few remarks upon it. 



The Madras Railway is here spoken of as being without a 

 harbour at either end, and, therefore, one of the least important 

 lines on which 3 millions could have been spent. As there are no 

 harbours on this Coast, and none deserving the name, unless it be 

 Sedashegur on the other, south of Bombay, it would be difficult 

 ■ to say which would be the more important line that Colonel Cot- 

 ton would have proposed. A natural harbour is doubtless a very 

 good thing ; but that in this part of the world, a considerable trade 

 may be carried on without such, is proved by the large and in- 

 creasing commerce of Madras. Moreover, the fact that Nature has 

 denied harbours to the Peninsula of India, does not appear a suf- 

 ficient reason for the Government denying its inhabitants the bene- 

 fit of Railways to bring their produce to the Coast. 



Colonel Cotton then goes on to state, that the Railway " is 

 not to pass through one of the few towns (only seven and all but 



