1837.] 



for widening the Pamhan Passage. 



123 



level with low water, and on some places salt watev still stands in pools. 

 The distance across is only two thousand one hundred and thirty feel", 

 and the soil perfectly easy to work. A canal would therefore be readi- 

 ly excavated, offering only the difficulty of pumping out the water to 

 gain a depth of eighteen feet below the level of the sea, and would be 

 a work of less difficulty than cleaning the ditch of Fort St. George, or 

 even the canal across the esplanade. The beds of sandstone would 

 rather assist than retard the excavation, and furnish an excellent ma- 

 terial to line the banks of the canal; a precaution absolutely necessary 

 to prevent its filling up with the sand of which the soil consists. Thus 

 much of the work would therefore be performed with certainty; the 

 expence would be considerable, but still much less than works of this 

 scale and importance generally cost. The most formidable part of the 

 undertaking still remains, viz. continuing the canal into deep water on 

 the northern side, where the rock shelves gradually into twenty feet, at 

 a distance of one thousand two hundred yards, covered with coral in 

 every form, and approaching in some places to within a few fee! of the 

 surface. This is, however, a simple question of expence, and not of 

 difficulty; the execution is perfectly easy and certain, with time and 

 means. But I fear that nothing less than piers on each side would ef- 

 fectually protect the canal, or enable vessels to pass along it at all 

 times, and lock gates must be formed at each extremity of the land cut, 

 to prevent a current, and consequently any deposit or passage of sand. 

 Should a small quantity by any means lodge at the mouth of the outer 

 canal, the water retained by the gates, and discharged by means of 

 under sluices, would effectually remove such an obstruction. The ap- 

 pearance of the rock, as also of the coral, would indicate that no such 

 deposit takes place ; and, if no current is allowed through the passage, 

 it appears probable, and even certain, that the cause of an accumu- 

 lation of sand would be prevented. 



The only point to be decided is, if, with a channel of twelve feet, 

 which may be obtained at this place, there will remain any object in 

 having another of eighteen. This is a question I am not competent 

 to decide ; as it must depend on the importance attached to the com- 

 merce of the country, as also regarding the passage of steam vessels 

 or ships of war by the shortest and most practicable route at all 

 seasons. 



23d. Both weighing boats in full work, and by 2 p. m. had removed 

 1130 cubic feet of stone, about 75 tons. The explosions had not so 

 great an effect as usual, having come on a flat bed of rock, extending 

 across the whole channel, affording no weak points from which a line 

 of least resistance could be found; the tamping was generally blown 

 out. Directed the holes should be made five feet deep, quite through the 



