126 



Account of the Operations 



[July 



have been expended in a few days, and, neither in this place, nor any 

 where near it, could bamboos or reeds be procured. I was obliged to 

 break up the canisters for containing the charges and substitute leather 

 bottles in their place ; this, with collecting the remains of the tubes 

 after the explosions, has hitherto enabled us to continue the work. A 

 supply of gun-powder must be received in a few days, there being but 

 little remaining, w hich will necessarily stop the work, and a provision 

 has I hope been made for this in time to prevent it. 



Nothing, I trust, is now wanting to prove the certainty of success 

 (if prosecuted) of this most important work, and though the extent of 

 rock to be cleared is double what was at first supposed, still the ex- 

 pense will be trifling, in comparison with the advantages derived. If 

 the testimony of the merchants of this part, and the masters of ves- 

 sels, is to be taken, there is no public work now in progress looked 

 on with more satisfaction than this. 



1st April. The jumper, borer and shamrock, the latter a raft former- 

 ly used to remove the stones taken up by the windlass nn the sapper, 

 were out-boring to-day, with eight parties of sepoys— thirteen holes 

 were made 2 9" deep. The shamrock is not tarpaulined, but it worked 

 very well. I sent out three catamarans to attend the sapper. The sap- 

 per and catamarans returned at 10 a.m., having done nothing. I laid 

 down, at half past three a. m., eight more buoys to the southward, which 

 nearly completes the right side— the total space included between them 

 is 510 yards. Tried the current at half past two p. m. 

 S. reef 1st trial, feet 120' in inches 50" or 1| miles per hour nearly. 



„ 2d do 120' in do. 45'' or 1 T 9 T do. do. do. 



„ 3d do. do. do. 45'' do. do. do. 



150 yards N. of N. reef 1st trial, feet 120' in inches 45" or 1 T 9 T miles 



per hour nearly. 



300 do. do. 2d do. 65"orl T 4 T do. do. do. 



„ do. do. 3d do. 58" or If do. do. do. 

 The two dhonies removed 4S§ tons of stone, measuring 723 cubic feet. 



3d. The sapper, shamrock and borer proceeded to-day to the north 

 of the northern reef. Eight men at the magazine raised one of the 

 stones supporting the roofs, by means of two palmyra props and wedges ; 

 there was no foundation on which the props could rest; a stone sleep- 

 er was therefore placed at the depth of 5 feet. The two dhonies re- 

 moved from the channel 43 tons of stone, measuring 730 cubic feet. 



4th. There was great difficulty this morning in obtaining any di- 

 vers. The men were consequently employed till nine a. m. in the 

 small channel. Went out at seven a.m. with six leather cases, with 



