8S 



071 Improving Internal 



[Jan, 



road being cut up bv carriages would in a great degree obviate these 

 defects. 



It therefore becomes a subject worthy of consideration, whether it 

 would not be preferable to encourage by every means in our power 

 private individuals to construct granite ways from which a direct revenue 

 would be yielded, than to continue forming common roads at a very 

 great expence from which no pecuniary return is received, and from 

 which very partial benefits to the country are derived Government 

 have already expended immense sums of money in the construction of 

 roads,* but the necessity of granting a small annual sum for their occa- 

 sional repair has unfortunately in many instances been overlooked ; by 

 such a course of policy and economy, works of the greatest utihty, the 

 labours of years, have not infrequently been rendered entirely useless 

 in a few months. The time of the civil establishments is too much oc- 

 cupied to admit of their bestov/ing that attention to the subject which 

 its great importance demands, and I presume Government are not pre- 

 pared to establish superintendents of roads, with all the necessary ap- 

 pliances, throughout the presidenc)''. It has therefore evidently become 

 necessary in working out the regeneration of India, for Government to 

 avail themselves of other agency than that over which they possess im- 

 mediate control, and to delegate their authority and interest in the 

 execution of measures of improvement to the inhabitants themselves, 

 to stimulate them to exertion by holding out honourable rewards — af- 

 fording them every information requisite for such undertakings, and 

 withholding no aid that will tend to combine them together and induce 

 them to identify themselves with every measure having the prosperity 

 of their own country for its object. 



The formation of Joint Stock Companies will at once effect every thing 

 that is desired. It is to them that England is indebted for her rail- 

 roads, canals, and indeed for almost every establishment of great public 

 utility, carried on as they are by the combined capital and energies of 

 large bodies of individuals. In India, roads constructed by such agency 

 would create a description of international property, in which influential 

 natives, both at Madras and in the provinces, would become partners ; 

 such a coalition would not be unattended by its own peculiar ad- 

 vantages, in softening down the distinctions of cast and colour, and of 

 presenting opportunities of introducing with effect other measures of 

 usefulness amongst the native population. 



» The high road from Masulipatara to Hydraharl, a distance of 230 miles, has already 

 cost 8i lacs of rupees !— and the road from Madras to Poouaraallce a distance of 9 miles 

 •ost Rs. 450,000. 



