399 
execution would convert tho barreu district of Madura 
into a veritaMo garden. Tho Tungabudra Project is a 
sohomo for giving tho cantonment, of Bellary a good 
supply of water, and at the .same time extending irrig- 
ation in tho district. The Maraudaliully Project is 
designed to improvo the supply to certain tanks in the 
Salem district. Tho last two Projects, though fully 
worked out as regards investigation, have not yet been 
sanctioned. Other important Projects have been sug- 
gested and investigated, but the want of funds has 
indefinitely postponed their execution. 
Turning from irruption works proper, some mention 
should be made of tlie lines of water communication in 
tho Presidency. In the two northern deltas tho main 
lines of Oanal are utilised both for navigation and irrig- 
ation, but until the last few years, these deltas, though 
connected with each other, had no connection with the 
south of the Presidency, and itvvas not till the Famine 
of 187G-7H that the importance of water communication 
between tho north ami south was fully realised, and 
that an attempt was made to improve and extend the 
Bast (least Oanal, to meet the fresh-water high-level 
Canals of tho Kistna Delta. The East Coast Oanal, or, 
as it is now called, the Buckingham Oanal, in honour of 
the Duke Of Buckingham and Chaudos, Governor of 
Madras, 1875 to 1880, is a salt-water Canal, and tosomo 
extent tidal. 1 1 was begun so long ago as 1801, but up 
to tho years 187o'-78, the total expenditure upouitwas 
only about 54 lakhs of rupees. In the years mentioned, 
the Oanal was taken up at tho instance of the Duke as 
a famine relief work, and an expenditure of 2f> lakhs 
was incurred. Since that date improvements have 
been carried out steadily and continuously, and at the 
present time there is very fair through communication 
between Madras and Pedda Ganjam in the Kistna dis- 
trict. At this point the Buckingham Canal meetB the 
Kistna high-level fresh-water Canals, ami is, through 
them, connected with the Goda very system, thus open- 
ing up traffic with the sea port of Ooconada. The com- 
pletion estimates lately sanctioned amount to nearly 100 
lakhs, and it is expected that the works will be com- 
pleted in I .v. I. Until this is the case, and the Canal 
has been fully protected from river-floods, it cannot be 
considered an altogether safe means of communication. 
Its value, ks a cheap means of transport, is already re- 
cognised; its prospects in the future are. very favour- 
able; and by connecting tho City of Madras, or the 
head-quarters .of the trade and railway system of the 
Presidency, with the deltas of tho Godavery, Kistna, aud 
Nellore, it will he simply invaluable in times of famine. 
( In the West Coast also tho subject of water com- 
munication is receiving much attention. The benefits 
to bederivod from expenditure on a largo scale are, 
howover, not so obvious as in the ca*e of the Bucking- 
ham Canal ; for already Cochin has very good water 
communication with Trichoor, a town situated twenty 
miles from the Madras Railway station of Shorauoor. 
Prom Tirur, another station on the same line, there is 
also a continuous line of canal to Cochin. Portions, 
however, are not excavated to full depth, aud iu con- 
sequence tho traflic is diverted to Trichoor. Kstimates 
for improving this latter line have been prepared, and 
the work will no doubt be put HI hand when funds can 
be spared. From the above brief sketch, it will readily 
be admit ted that whatever may bo tho shortcomings in 
regard to ordinary irrigation works, the fifty years since 
Her Mijesty's accession have been marked by progress 
that has materially improved the condition of a very 
large number of Her Majesty's subjects in Madras. 
PUSHING CEYLON TEA : CLAIMS OF Mi ssus. 
SII.WD \NI> Met 'DM HIM Mlltlt.W TO 111.1,1'. 
Wo insert (on page (DO) a letter to Mr. Rutherford 
from Mr. Shand in which he shows not only 
what he has dono but what he has suffered for 
Ceylon. There aro also letters addressed to us 
from Mr. MoCombio Murray, which aro of a 
similar tenor: he lias dono much to push I'oylon tea 
in America, has expended his capital, lost money by 
exhibiting at a (air. and ho must retire from tho 
light in favour of Coylon tea diseomlillod, unless 
help goes to him from Coylou in tho shape of 
consignments of tea to give away, so as to spread 
a knowledge of and a taste for the article. It 
will bo seen that an influential iirm, Messrs. 
Finley Acker & Co., have promised to aid the 
crusade, if only we in Ceylon do our part. While 
measures are being taken to do justice to Ceylon 
tea at Glasgow and Melbourne, Mr. Butherford 
and other leading planters will feel the duty of 
recognizing the claims of those who. at the sacrifice 
of effort, time and money, have fought our battles 
for us at Liverpool and in Philadelphia, The 
case of Mr. McCombie Murray is specially urgent 
and ought to receive immediate attention, because, 
while our tea has already secured large triumphs 
in Britain and tardy recognition in Australia, it 
has to conquer acquired taste, strong prejudice and 
powerful vested interests in America. In at once 
acting in aid of Mr. McCombie Murray, so as 
to prevent the collapse of the most determined 
effort yet made to give Ceylon tea a footing in America, 
we feel certain Mr. Itutherford will be sustained 
by the planters. Government might well be asked 
for a grant of money in this exceptional case, 
as well as in that of Mr, Shand. The packet of 
miscellanies which has reached us shows 
how indefatigable Mr. McCombie Murray has 
been in advertising our pure tea. It was 
sold hot and iced at the Exhibition to which 
he refers, and delicate muslin handkerchiefs were 
distributed on which the merits were described in 
print of the produot which the head of the firm 
had como a distance of 13,000 miles to introduce. 
The photograph referred to includes three figures, — 
Mr. J. McCombie Murray ; Sinhalese Ayah ; Lady 
Assistant. The ayah comes out exceedingly well, 
and locks quite effective with a tea tray before 
her. Prominent are the inscriptions :—" Ceylon 
Tea a>'d Coffee Exiiwr;" " Try Ceylon Tea," &a. ; 
and it is explained that a glass globe which is 
conspicuous " contains the result in liquor" from one 
ounce of Ceylon tea. Frame top of show case i3 
the President's letter, flat case on counter, samples 
of Ceylon Tea and Coffee. The charge of 5$ tot- 
tea was made to keep off a class of 'how-much- 
oau-I-get-for-nothing' people, who do nothing but 
obstruct business. Those who showed any interest, 
nice people, or purchasers, were not charged. 
Length of Exhibit 15 feet by 10 feet deep. About 
10,000 circulars given out during the fair." 
It will thus be seen that Mr. McCombie Murray 
has worked hard in a cause which is largely that of 
tho Ceylon tea planters, who would benetit immensely 
were our cousins in the United States to acquire 
a taste for and widely use our teas, instead of con- 
lining themselves chiefly to the highly tired article 
from .lapau with some China, chiefly tho produce of 
Formosa. We feel sure tho claims of Messrs. Shand 
and McCombie Murray will receive recognition from 
both Government and tho planting community, and 
that from the plantors' meeting in December, if not 
earlier, will go a cablegram to the latter announcing 
"Tea coming for distribution." 
♦ 
If is with much regret that we have perused tho 
letter of the Government of India in which thoy 
state tln ir inability, owing to financial pressure, to 
recommend for .sanction to the Secretary of Statu 
tho fchemo lately sent up by the Bengal Government 
for the est iblishinent of n Veterinary College for this 
presidency. Tho Government of India recognise the. 
great importance of making provision throughout India 
lor veterinary instruction, with a view to checking the 
enormous amount of preventiblo mortality among cattle, 
and it is with " great regret" that tho Uovermr- 
Genend hns decided to postpone this scheme. Thia 
postponement has a precedent in tho H unb.iy \ eterm- 
ary College, which has now, however, boon established. 
Wc trust tho name may no the easy, with tho Bengal 
institution. -~ In iin t dgictdturitl, 
