1839] 



Communication in the Carnatic, 



87 



It may be urged in opposition to the above measure, that the line of 

 road will require to be as carefully levelled for the formation of tram- 

 ways, as for the construction of an edge railroad, and thus one of ihe 

 most important items of expence in their formation will be found equally 

 necessary. There can be no question, that, as we approach a perfect 

 level in the construction of the "way," the more will it approximate to 

 the perfection of an iron i^ilroad, but, from the nature of the Carnatic, 

 a perfect level in most instances will be very easily attained — and em- 

 bankments for that purpose will be no further necessary than would be 

 requisite in the construction of a good common road ; but, when elevati- 

 ons of any m.agnitude did occur, the removal of which would entail much 

 expence, an inclined plane might be formed and relays of cattle kept 

 for the purpose of affording assistance. By such an arrangement that 

 objection will in a great measure be removed, while Vv'e secure at a 

 moderate expence a most excellent descfij)tion of road — formed on so 

 firm a basis, of such weighty and solid materials, as to defy the eifects of 

 the monsoon, and in other respects to be peculiarly well adapted to this 

 country. 



Such are the views which have occurred to mie on the subject of inter- 

 nal communication, and the Carnatic presents peculiar facilities for 

 carrying my suggestions into execution, being nearly a perfect level, 

 and abounding in the requisite material. In submitting them, my sole 

 object has been to draw attention to a subject of acknowledged impor- 

 tance, and if roads of the above description were made to intersect the 

 Carnatic, few will be so bold as to doubt that in a few years they would 

 effect an entire change in the statistics of that portion of India, 



Madura, 20th November, 1838. 



To the Editor of the Madras Journal of Science. 



My Dear Sir, — I have the pleasure to send you herewith a brief but 

 masterly review of the relative cost and advantages of iron rail-ways 

 and tram-ways as compared to common roads. The author has here 

 shown, beyond all question, the vast preponderance in favour of tram- 

 ways as regards first cost, facility of construction, and durability over 

 iron rails: while, as a means of facilitating transit, they near-y equal 

 them, and excel roads of the common construction by 250 per cent, with 

 the almost incalculable advantac^e, for this country, over edge-rails, of 

 permitting the free use of all kinds of wheel«"carriages the same as on 

 the c©mmon road. 



