April—June, 1857.] Breakwater for Madras. 157 



Can it possibly be said while we are spending so many millions 

 on the railways, that it is out of proportion to spend \ million on 

 a harbour, at a seat of Government, and a place which is already 

 a great commercial centre, notwithstanding almost every kind of 

 hinderance, such as a want of internal cheap transit, an unshelter- 

 ed roadstead, a heavy surf, &c. The exports from Coringa have 

 increased seven-fold, since the improvements in irrigation and tran- 

 sit, although they do not extend beyond the little tract of country 

 which forms the delta of the Godavery ; what will they increase to 

 when 50 times that extent of country is opened out by cheap car- 

 riage, and how surely the same thing will take place at Madras, if 

 even the present partial system of internal improvement is perse- 

 vered in, 



I avoid going into any detail in this paper, respecting the construc- 

 tion of the work, as I think it would be quite out of place ; I will 

 only say that I feel assured that there will be no difficulty whatever 

 in it, beyond what ordinarily occurs in executing works of magni- 

 tude. And it must particularly be remembered that a work of this 

 kind may be carried to any extent and executed at any rate of pro- 

 gress that may be convenient,, Five lacs or ten lacs a year may 

 be set apart for it, and in the very first year, a material, nay an es- 

 sential change, will be made in the port. 



I conclude with earnestly requesting that these points may be 

 thoroughly considered, and with recommending that this obvious, 

 simple, and effective work may be at once undertaken. I append 

 a chart* of the coast N. of Madras, showing the Pulicat and Arme- 

 gon shoals. For thirty years it has been repeatedly proposed to use 

 the shelter afforded by the latter as a Harbour, in connection with 

 Madras. It has of course failed, because a harbour must be where 

 the Commercial community are, and there is 100 times too much 

 capital invested at Madras, in connection with the Port, to allow 

 of the trade being removed to another site. We must either make 



* Note. — In this chart the Pulicat shoal is incorrectly laid down as though there 

 was no passage between its southern extremity and the main. Whereas it will 

 he seen that in the plan marked in pencil the least depth is 5 fathoms as shown by 

 the soundings. 



