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Papers coyviectcd with the co?istruction [No. 31 



By my plan, though the present construction of boats may be 

 -endered unnecessary at Madras; yet it does not follow that the whole 

 establishment of boatmen is to be done away, or those people driven to 

 seek other means of support, boats and boatmen must at any rate be 

 necessary, though as the construction is supposed to be materially 

 improved, the number may be diminished, at the same time that the 

 accomodation may be considerably increased, neither is it possible, by any 

 dest-uction of this Pier, which an enemy could effect, to prevent such 

 boats from landing and passing to the lee of, safe into shore at all times, 

 as even were it to be burned to the water edge, it would still afford suffi- 

 cient shelter to enable any boat whatever to land in perfect safety from 

 any effect of the surf, within a certain distance of it on one side, but even 

 supposing the worst, the whole may be remedied by keeping some Masula 

 boats ready at the approach of a war, or collecting them from other 

 places along the coast, where they must still be necessary. 



His excellency Admiral Panier, having suggested to me that th<3 great 

 swell which is constantly experienced at Madras roads, might prevent 

 vessels laying along side the Pier head, I consider it a much better ground 

 of objection, and have therefore dotted on the plan at the termination of 

 the Pier head, the direction in which an addition to it may easily be made, 

 if hereafter found necessary, which would effectually remedy the inconve- 

 nience arising from the swell. 



The expense of this work, in case the Honorable Company should not 

 think proper to authorize the execution of it from their own resources, I 

 propose, shall be defrayed from a fund raised in shares by public subscrip- 

 tion, and to be repaid by certain imposts as above hinted at, granted to 

 the subscribers, by authority of the Honorable Company for a limited period, 

 as shall be more particularly explained at the conclusion, when I shall de- 

 tail the estimate and means for carrying the work into execution. 

 This mode of raising the sum necessary, I have little doubt, will be cheer- 

 fully entered into by the public, in consideration of the great benefits 

 which it will be productive of, and in proportion as it contributes to the 

 facility of trade, must tend to increase the duties derived from it, in 

 which point of view, it is well worthy the particular encouragement and 

 support of Government. 



Reflecting, however, that to overcome the difficulties of the present 

 mode of conveyance of merchandize to and from ships, is not the only cir- 

 cumstance necessary to render this port convenient, and conceiving that 

 by improving the natural advantages which the situation of the Pier 



