306 An Account of the Harbour of Tuticoreen. [Oct. 



tages for trade, more especially foreign trade, by affording a convenient 

 opening for the introduction of foreign articles of consumption, as well 

 as an outlet for the exportable productions, especially those intended 

 for England and China, of the Madura and Tinnevelly districts. For 

 the latter purpose, it can be easily reached by vessels from Colombo 

 or the Malabar coast, in the event of their failing to complete their 

 cargoes at either of these places. It has besides a safe roadstead with 

 good anchorage, in which vessels can ride at all seasons of the year, 

 and take in their cargoes during the prevalence of the north east 

 monsoon. This is an important advantage, as coasters might then be 

 employed to bring goods from the more northerly districts for expor- 

 tation, and thereby save the time, now lost, in waiting for southerly 

 winds to carry them to Madras, an arrangement which will benefit, 

 both the coasting trade, and the merchants wishing a speedy despatch 

 for their goods. Presenting so many and inviting prospects of success, 

 it appears in every way desirable, that the approaches to it, both by 

 sea and land, should be improved to the utmost; with this view, it is 

 more than ever desirable that the recommendation of our Govern- 

 ment, for opening a navigable passage at the Paumbaum pass, should be 

 acted upon, and good charts published of the gulph of Mannar ; while 

 the roads through this and the Madura districts might be improved, to 

 facilitate the transmission of cotton from those parts of them, where 

 the better sorts are produced, as well as saltpetre, sugar, tobacco, &c. 

 from Coimbatore. 



The improvements recommended may indeed be said to have already 

 commenced ; a noble bridge is about to be built across the Tambura- 

 poony river at Tinnevelly, and plans are now before Government for 

 the formation of a system of railroads, intended to traverse the 

 country from east to west and north to south : the southern line 

 to intersect two others, the one crossing the peninsula in a nearly 

 straight line from Porto Novo to the Malabar coast, the other con- 

 necting the two Presidencies of Madras and Bombay, by way of Ban- 

 galore, Bellary, and Poonah. Should it ever be the good fortune 

 of India, which I sincerely hope it may, to be blessed with such 

 an admirable series of internal communications, by which the most 

 distant provinces of the peninsula, will be brought within the distance 

 of a few days travelling, the importance of Tuticoreen will be greatly 

 increased, as ships either from England direct, or from Malabar, can 

 arrive there, almost without losing a day, at the height of the monsoon, 

 and can ride in five fathoms water with perfect safety, and take in cargo 

 without interruption, in the worst weather almost ever experienced on 

 this part of the coast. We should thus have two leading ports on the 

 east coast, one of them always open, connected on the o ne side by the 

 sea, on the other by a rapid and at the same time cheap land communi- 



