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Scientific Intelligence. [no. 3, new series, 



those of all the future increase of traffic, as clear additional be- 

 nefits. 



The foreign trade increased 20 per cent, in the last year, and it 

 is quite certain that as the internal improvement of the country in 

 irrigation and cheap transit, and the wealth of the people are 

 quite in their infancy, the trade of the Port of Madras is also yet 

 quite in its infancy. We may safely infer that even if the present 

 partial system of improvement of the country is continued, the 

 trade of the port will be doubled and more likely quadrupled be- 

 fore a breakwater is finished, even if it is begun immediately. 



At present the ordinary cost of conveying to the large vessels 

 is 12 annas or 18 pence per ton, which is equal to fully 150 miles 

 of carriage by the coast canal, so that a ton of goods from Tanjore 

 would pay the same for conveyance to Madras by the canal as from 

 the shore to the ship. 



4th. Present circumstances. — The fact that the Hon'ble Court 

 seriously consider the question of an expenditure of 100,000£ on 

 a Pier at Madras shows plainly the nature of the times at which 

 we have now arrived, and that to leave things any longer in the 

 old state in this port is not to be thought of. In fact whatever it 

 may have been in times past, the port is now totally out of keeping 

 with the whole of the present system of management of the coun- 

 try. To spend 3 millions on a Railway, and as somebody well ex- 

 pressed it, to end it in a massulah boat, is altogether prepos- 

 terous. 



I think we may safely consider that all have now come to a de- 

 cision on this point, and that something effective must be done to 

 this important port. The question then is confined to this point J 

 what is it to be r It is quite certain that the main points will not be 

 attained by any Pier. It not only will not shelter the shipping, 

 but it will leave even the landing and shipping of goods and 

 passengers in a very imperfect state. There will be a great 

 swell at the end of the Pier, which will be quite exposed to the sea ; 

 and most assuredly if ten lacs are spent upon it, there will even 

 then be the same urgent demand for a breakwater as there is now ? 

 It is quite certain at least according to my judgment that an expen- 



