62 



Papers connected with the construction 



[No. 31 



Having heard it said, that that part of the Black town called Attapol- 

 l&rji before mentioned, now a mere swamp, is lower than the sea, I have 

 been at particular pains to ascertain the fact, and am enabled to say that, 

 it is not so low by 4 feet 2 inches, taking the mean height of the sea, 

 which makes it higher than high water mark by 2 feet 8 inches. 



By passing so close to the termination of the Clive canal, there is a 

 convenient opportunity of forming a junction with that work, which in 

 every point of view would be extremely eligible, and were a smaller work 

 to the one here proposed, executed at the bar of the river of Ennore, a 

 perfect command of the accumulated waters of both rivers might be ac- 

 complished, which might be alternately directed to clearing both Bars 

 and would afford an excellent harbour to many small vessels at all times 

 of the year. 



The introduction of merchandize through the river to a point so distant 

 from the present Custom house, would render it impossible to transact 

 the business of that office there longer ; it therefore becomes a necessa- 

 ry consequence of this plan, that a new one should be erected in another 

 situation. 



Though at first, it appeared to me that the situation immediately above 

 the intended new bridge, near the Governors garden would be the best 

 for building a new Custom house, and establishing the Europe shops 

 there as the most central, yet as I understand it is considered more eligi- 

 ble that the whole of the tfade should be confined to the Black town, I 

 have accordingly relinquished that idea. But in the prosecution of the 

 foregoing design, two situations offer themselves to notice, in either of 

 which, a new Custom hou?e might be placed to great advantage, either 

 within the curtain adjoining the Hospital gate, in the side of the sepoy 

 barracks marked C in plan No. 3, or else, if thought preferable in Pop- 

 ham's broad-way. 



Should the former situation be deemed, as I conceive it to be more 

 generally convenient; it would be necessary to form a basin in the ditch, 

 south of the passage way across it, and open another gate opposite to this 

 basin, to be solely reserved for the introduction of merchandize directly 

 into the Custom house within it, while the present gate might remain as 

 it now is for the use of public passengers. 



Or should the preference of situation for a new Custom house be given 

 to Pophanvs broad- way, the site of the little bazar between it and the 



