May  I,  1897,] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
7S9 
and  from  the  former,  got  a certain  time-concession, 
now  expired.  A Syndicate  or  Company  formed  in 
this  City  of  L mdon  with  an  intelligent  appreciation 
of  the  benelits  accruing  from  its  work,  ought,  I 
should  think,  to  be  readily  met  by  the  Indian, 
Colonial  an  i Horae  authorities.  A joint  guarantee 
of  3 per  cent,  the  responsibility  being  divided  be- 
tween the  Indian,  Ceylon  and  Imperial  Treasuries, 
ought  not  to  be  grudged  and  ought  surely  to  suffice. 
It  has  been  suggested  that  as  an  Indo-Ceylon 
Railway  would  probably  enable  the  Iraperi  il  authorities 
to  station  a’.  Bangalore  the  British  Infantry  regi- 
ment now  divided  between  Colombo  and  Trincomalee, 
so  some  financial  aid  towards  the  guarantee  for  the 
line  might  be  got  through  the  saving  in  the  Military 
Contribution,  v'eylon  at  present  pays  into  the 
Imperial  Treasury  by  way  of  Military  Contribution 
about  Rl,i500,0,)()  (says  £100,000)  per  annum.  Part 
of  this  at  least  mif.»lit  be  saved  under  the  con- 
ditions iilready  indicated  and  utilised  to  promote  so 
useful  a work  for  the  Imperial,  Indian  and  Ceylon 
interests  as  an  Indo-Ceylou  Railway. 
While  Indian  and  Ceylon  Railways,  in  spite  of 
miuy  troubles,  arc — says  a recent  writer  in 
the  Indian  press— paying  literally  “ hand  over- 
fist,”  it  is  anomalous  that  the  English  capitalist 
should  continue  to  send  his  money  for  investment 
in  South  American  and  other  such  speculations.  The 
fact  probably  is  that  in  the  City  of  London  the 
promoter’s,  the  broker's,  and  the  gambling  specu- 
lator's interests  lie  in  far  more  tempestuous  waters 
than  in  the  calm  harbours  of  Indian  railw.ay  enter- 
prise. Wnere  out  of  India  and  Ceylon  will  be  found 
many  tliomauds  of  miles  of  railways  woriced  under 
au  unimpeachable  system  of  audit,  an]  cos  ing  in 
operating  expenses  only  about  half  of  their  entire 
earnings'?  Aud  yet  capital  is  shy  of  coming  forward. 
Anything  that  the  Governments  of  India  and  Ceylon 
can  do  to  make  it  clear  to  the  sensible  English 
investor  that  in  Indian  ruihv.ij-s  there  is  a fair  field 
for  legitimate  enterprise,  will  be  a g.iin  all  round 
as  well  to  the  English  capitalist  as  to  the  Indian 
taxpayer. 
I send  with  this  MSS.  a copy  of  the  Report  of 
Mr.  Waring,  m.i.c.e..  c.m.g.,  and  also  of  that  of  Mr. 
Shadbolt,  the  Indian  Engineer,  with  their  diagrams 
and  pi, ins,  as  referred  to  in  my  paper,  to  lay  on 
the  table  for  the  use  of  members.  I also  forward  a 
map  of  Ceylon  with  the  Railway  lines  constructed, 
surveyed  aud  projected,  duly  m irked, 
J.  Feuguson. 
Colombo,  Ceylon,  February  2.3th,  1897. 
DISCUSSION. 
Tlie  Chairm.aN: — I came  hei-e  to  learn,  for 
it  was  quite  suHicient  for  me  to  know  that 
Mr.  F erguson  of  CuIoiiiIm),  had  prepared 
tlie  paper  to  be  sure  that  there  would  be 
a gre.at  deal  of  information  in  it.  (Hear,  hear.) 
I think  it  will  save  a con.siderahle  amount  of 
time  if  rve  do  not  follow  the  paper  tlirongliont. 
It  is  well-known  to  almost  everybody  in  this 
room — because  tliey  are  nearly  all  praclical 
people,  accustomed  to  trade  with  the  East — that 
Colombo  is  a magnificent  port.  In  the  next 
place  I think  we  can  clear  a good  deal  of  gronnd 
if  we  do  not  follow  the  paper  into  the  military 
question  today.  In  the  railway  to  unite  Colombo 
with  India,  I think  we  shall  find  we  liave  a 
sulficieiitly  large  field  to  cover  tins  afternoon. 
Anyone  looking  at  tlie  map  of  Ceylon,  and 
the  map  of  Southern  Asia,  must  see  rlnit  Ceylon 
is  the  central  point.  GoieniineiUs  are  not 
always  in  advance  of  the  people,  and  the  peojile 
tliemselves  are  not  always  ready  to  advance — 
especially  people  in  new  co  ntne-*  (and  Ceylon 
is  practically  a new  country).  But  Ceylu'n  is 
ready  for  tiie  ne-.v  railw.ay.  If  a railway  could 
he  made  it  is  quite  certain  that  it  imist  pay. 
In  America  we  see  how  much  is  hrdng  done  to 
save  a few  hours,  and  sometime's  even  a few 
minutes,  in  travel  and  transit.  By  thi.s  railway 
ibis  hoped  to  save  days,  ami  thus  to  bring  Australia 
and  Java  aud  South  and  Central  India  into  closer 
connection.  There  are  so  many  practical  people 
in  the  room,  tlioronglily  conversant  with  tliis 
subject  that  I am  sure  you  will  be  glad  to  liear 
them  instead  of  myself.  I may  say,  however, 
that  1 have  heard  that  matters  are  rather  more 
advanced  tlian  some  of  us  had  thought. 
Mr.  H.  Ki.miikI!,  M.P.,*  said: — I have  just  re- 
turned from  a journey  to  India,  in  the  course 
of  which  1 went  over  the  groimd  with  which  the 
lecturer  has  dealt  in  liis  interesting  paper.  There 
is  no  doubt  that  a line  such  as  he  describes, 
conireetiiig  Ceylon  with  the  mainland  of  India, 
and  connecting  it  by  a bridge,  is  rather  a more 
serious  undertaking  than  he  contemplates.  But 
undoubtedly  it  will  eventually  be  an  accomplished 
fact,  and  it  will,  I am  sure,  be  for  the  benefit  of 
coiniiierce  generallj'  and  of  India  and  Ceylon  in 
particular.  (Hoar,  hear.)  I have  been  a 
Director  of  the  Southern  Indian  Railway  for  years, 
and  this  line  would  be  a branch  of  our  main  line. 
The  concc.ssion  which  Mr.  Ferguson  referred  to, 
granted  some  three  or  four  years  ago,  liaving 
expired,  fresh  negotiations  are  now  before  the 
Government.  We  have  had  meetings  to  confer 
on  the  subject  and  to  get  into  practical  shape 
a project  for  construction  by  feeder  line  Com- 
panies, with  a view — one  view — of  getting  the 
.subscription  of  Indian  and  Ceylon  and  English 
capital.  The  propo.sitions  to  the  Government 
offered  two  alternatives — one  to  tlo  it  under  a 
3 per  cent  guarantee,  and  one  to  do  it  under  a 
3^  l)er  cent  qualified  guarantee.  In  the  first  case 
(the  3 [)er  cent)  tlie  terms  can  be  obtained  at 
the  India  Office  : they  were  published  last  week 
in  a Parliamentary  return.  The  3 per  cent  guaran- 
tee would  be  one  by  the  tloverninent,  with  cer- 
tain conditions  attached  whicli  1 need  not  go 
into  now.  The  3i  per  cent  is  a guarantee  by 
tlie  parent  Company  out  of  traffic,  the  details  of 
which  are  in  a statement  which  I have  not  got 
with  me ; .and  I prefer  not  to  give  them  from 
memory.  I think  this  brings  the  railway  very 
near  to  accomplishment.  I saw  Sir  West  Ridge- 
way in  passing  through,  and  had  some  conver- 
.sation  with  him  as  to  the  railways  upon  the 
Ceylon  side.  The  heads  of  the  Ceylon  Govern- 
ment are  bent  upon  railway  construction,  and 
there  can  be  no  doubt  that  there  Avill  be  pro- 
gress on  the  Ceylon  side  trending  towards  the 
Indian  Coast.  Sir  West  Ridgeway  told  me 
the  question  was  one  of  gauge.  I pressed 
upon  him  as  to  Mannar  that  he  should  make 
tliat  witli  the  metre  gauge.  As  ours  is  metre- 
gauge,  and  the  gauge  extends  up  to  Poona,  it 
will  be  seen  that  if  they  want  to  run  from 
Ceylon  np  to  Bombay  quickly  it  should  be  by 
one  gaiure,  and  that  one  the  metre-gauge.  The 
position  on  that  side  we  must  leave  for  the 
Ceylon  Government.  Prospects  as  reg.ards  traffic 
* Kimber,  Henry.  [Wamhioorth.)  a.  of  Mr.  Joseph 
Kimber,  of  Caiionbury.  B.  in  Loudou  July,  1834  ; m. 
1860,  Mary  Adelaide,  d.  of  the  late  General  Charles 
Dixon,  11. E.,  of  Rectory  Grove,  Claphara.  Was  admitted 
a solicitor  in  1858,  having  previously  taken  the  first 
prize  of  the  Incorporated  Law  Society,  and  a second- 
class  certificate  in  law  at  University  College,  London. 
Is  a director  of  the  South  Indian  Ridlway  Co.,  chair 
man  of  the  Natal  Land  and  Colonization  Co.,  and 
director  of  several  colonization  aud  other  Companies. 
Is  also  a member  of  the  Royal  Colonial  Institute 
Has  sat  for  Wandsworth  since  1885.  A ” progressive 
Conservative.”— 79,  Lombard-st.,  E.  C.;  Lansdowne 
LodffC,  West-hill,  Wandsioorth,  S.  IP.;  Carlton,  City 
Carlton,  St.  Stephen's  and  Constitutional  Clubs. — ‘‘Dod,’* 
