1838.] 



Royal Asiatic Society, 



253 



that hundreds of their carcasses are to be met with just previous to the 

 monsoon strewed along the paths they have traversed. 



All this however, may easily be improved. The natural and obvious 

 remedy is a good road for wheel carriages ; at present nothing of the 

 kind exists over the greater portion of the route between the places 

 above mentioned. 



The etfects which improving the means of communication in this 

 way would have upon the trade of central India are almost incalculable. 

 The rude carts of the country upon ordinary and very imperfect roads, 

 lessen the cost of transportation as compared with bullocks in the pro- 

 portion of two to seven,* and admit at the same time of double the speed 

 attainable by the latter. 



Were, therefore, the trade of Berar to remain stationary instead of 

 improving, as it might very reasonably be expected to do, by the con- 

 struction of a good road to the sea-coast, the first effect of such a mea- 

 sure would be to lessen the cost of transportation five-sevenths upon the 

 amount of the produce sent to and from that and the neighbouring pro- 

 vinces, which was last season estimated in round numbers at 



But, instead of estimating the probable saving upon this imm ense 

 traffic at five-sevenths, suppose, to be within bounds, that it is taken at 

 only one half. The result allowing eight rupees as the average cost of 

 transportation for a single bullock load would be a reduction of ex- 

 pense of sixteen lakhs of rupees per annum, or in round numbers of 

 160,000/., and this, it is to be borne in mind, would be upon one route 

 alone ! At the same time such a saving would probably be the least of 

 the advantages resulting from the work in question. By lessening 

 the expense at which the produce of central India, on the one hand, 



* Colonel Briggs, the late resident at Nagpore, who has resided for many years in the 

 Valley of Berar, estimates the difference between the 2 modes of conveyance as still more 

 considerable. He found, by enquiries made on the spot, that a common cart with two 

 bullocks convej'S seven ordinary bullock loads ; and that carts on a good road proceed at 

 the rate of 18 miles a day. "Whereas laden bullocks, as I have stated, accomplish only one 

 half uf that distance. The proportion between the two, therefore, in his opinion, is as 7 

 to 1, in favour of the former. 



Cotton 

 Salt... 



Bullock Loads. 



90,000 

 .. 200,000 



Total . 



290,000 



