144 



Scientific Intelligence. 



[NO. 3, NEW SERIES, 



last 2 years, and the extraordinary increase in the trade, since the 

 year 1843, when the last proposal for a Pier was laid before the 

 public, will be found by examination of Statement B.* 



By a Memorandum lately prepared by the Chamber of Com- 

 merce, it appears that the average number of boats daily employ- 

 ed throughout the year is 70, which make 4 trips in the day. These 

 boats in fine weather carry two tons of measured goods or one ton 

 and a half of dead weight : but when the surf is high the load is 

 greatly reduced, as sails cannot be advantageously used in these 

 peculiar boats, they are worked entirely by manual labour, and 

 eleven men are required to make good the passage over the surf. 

 The cost of conveying goods by such means is necessarily exces- 

 sive. The minimum hire of a boat to the usual anchorage of the 

 square rigged vessels a distance of about one mile is one Rupee 

 and a half. To the outer anchorage about 1 J mile is 3 Rupees. 

 The cost of a boat to the anchorage of the country vessels is fifteen 

 Annas and for passenger boats to the shipping, the charge is 3J 

 Rupees. 



To these heavy charges upon each load of one and a half or two 

 tons, has to be added, the hire of tarpawlings to secure in some 

 degree the cargo from the spray of the sea ; and also the pay of a 

 watching peon whose presence in each boat is necessary to prevent 

 the pillage which from the nature of the vessels employed, and 

 the rough sea they navigate, the police cannot prevent by observa- 



* B. 



Total Tonnage of Vessels arriving at the Port of Madras for the year 1844 



and 1855. 





Tonnage. 





English and 

 other Vessels 



Country Ves- 

 sels. 



Total Ton- 

 nage. 



From 1st Sept. 1843, to 31st Augr. 1844.. 

 From 1st Jany. to 31st Dec. 1855 



1,23,297 

 2,06,879 



76,124 

 1,08,107 



1,99,421 

 3,14,986 



Increase ... 



83,582 



31,983 



1,15,565 



