790 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[May  r,  1897. 
on  our  (Indian)  side  are  very  good  indeed. 
I don’t  suppose  we  have  had  a branch  line 
whicli  otters  such  good  prospects  in  itself,  even 
without  the  aid  of  a guarantee,  (Hear,  hear). 
I left  Illy  big  ship  at  Colombo  and  took  a 
small  ship  to  Tuticorin  to  see  the  approaches 
to  the  Indian  coast.  The  dist.ance  from  coast 
to  coast  (on  the  railway  route)  is,  I think, 
about  equal  to  the  breadth  of  the  English 
Channel  from  Dover  to  Calais.  That  is,  of 
course,  a formidable  distance  to  get  across.  I 
saw  not  only  Sir  West  Kidgeway,  but  also  Sir 
Arthur  Havelock  and  the  Viceroy  in  Calcutta, 
and  they  all  seem  to  look  upon  the  Indo- 
Ceyloii  junction  as  a thing  for  future  consideration 
entirely,  not  for  the  jnesent.  it  would  involve 
the  making  of  a railway  20-odd  miles  across  the 
water,  and  though  it  is  true  that  for  a great 
portion  of  that  dist.ance  there  are  rocks  ami 
ground  seldom  more  than  seven  or  eight  feet 
under  the  surface  of  the  water,  yet,  even  so, 
anyone  with  the  slightest  knowledge  of  engineer- 
ing would  know  that  it  must  be  a formiilable 
work.  Then  there  comes  .a  i>ortion  of  very 
deep  water,  and  how  that  is  to  be  spanned  is 
tor  engineers  to  explain.  But  the  present  sug- 
gestion is  by  steamers.  A good  [lort  can  be  ob- 
tained on  eacdi  side  by  steamers  of  considerable 
size.  It  is  siiggesteil  tiiat  the  existence  of  this 
ridge  under  water  would  alf’ord  in  one  monsoon 
protection  on  the  one  side,  and  in  the  other 
half  of  the  ye.ar,  during  the  other  monsoon, 
the  passage  would  be  on  tlie  other  side,  by 
which  the  ships  would  be  e([iially  protected.  So  it 
is  considered  tl.at  the  passage  by  water  would 
be  a tolerably  easy  one — considerably  easier  than 
the  one  of  150  miles  tliat  I made.  It  is  alto- 
gether .an  nmlertakitur  of  a most  interesting 
character,  and  I am  glad  Mr.  Ferguson  of 
(jolombo  has  brought  it  before  us  at  this 
time,  when  discussion  is  taking  place  with  a 
view  to  bringing  the  matter  into  practical  shape, 
(Applause.) 
Mr.  F.  J.  Warixg,  c.M.f!.,  said  ; — I spent  some 
considerable  time  at  Adam’s  Bridge,  during  which 
I made  .a  survey  of  it.  Mr.  Ferguson  was  hardly 
correct  in  saying  theware  s no  “column”.*  I saw 
there  was ; it  was  all  sand.  As  to  the  depth  of 
water,  I took  very  careful  soundings  ami  there 
is  a maximum  depth  in  one  place  of  34  feet. 
About  half  (he  distance  is  of  sand  and  sand 
islands,  and  the  other  half  water.  About  the 
route  for  the  connecting  railw.ay  between  .Adam’s 
Bridge  and  the  rest  of  Ceylon,  1 have  advocated 
a line  from  Mannar  to  Madawachchi,  where  it 
would  connect  with  the  proposed  Northern 
railway.  Travelling  from  Mannar  to  Puttalam 
the  country  is  quite  uninhabited  and  any  line 
passing  through  that  country  would  there  cross 
rivers  at  their  deltas,  where  they  .are  veiy  low  and 
subject  to  very  serious  Hoods,  I think,  f The 
rainfall  for  several  months  is  practically  nil.  The 
lineilown  the  centre  of  the  island,  recommended  by 
.a  Commission  sitting  in  Colombo,  would  pass 
through  country  with  a better  rainfall— country 
which  was  at  one  time  in  a high  state  of  culti- 
vation, as  is  evidenced  by  the  ruined  tanks  by 
which  it  is  covered.  I do  not  wish  to  be  under- 
stood as  indicating  any  doubt  as  to  the  practi- 
cability of  constructing  a line  between  Alannar 
and  India.  I believe  it  to  be  perfectly  pr.acti- 
* Sic  in  reporter’s  notes,  but  must  be  some  blunder. 
—Ed.  T.A. 
t This  is  obviated  by  passing  frjm  Mannar  ia 
Auuradhipura  to  Balta’ani. — Eu.  7’.  I. 
cable.  But  there  can  be  no  doubt  whatever  th.at 
it  would  be  very  costly,  and  I fear  that 
the  colony  of  Ceylon  would  hardly  undertake 
that  at  present,  though  I think— and  I have 
spoken  with  many  otticials  in  Ceylon  upon  the 
subject,  and  I think  the  general  iinpres.sion 
among  these  otticials  is  that  the  line  will  come  — 
that  a line  between  Ceylon  and  India  will  come 
in  the  iuture,  though  possibly  the  present  time 
is  hardly  riiie  for  it.  There  is  one  little  point 
on  which  1 should  like  to  touch.  I have  been 
a great  deal  maligned.  I have,  I fear,  the 
character  of  being  a determined  advocate  of  the 
broad-gauge,  irrespective  of  any  conditions  whatso- 
ever. That,  sir,  is  not  the  ca.se.  I am  not  .an 
advocate  for  broad  or  any  other  gauge.  The 
gauge  of  a line  should  be*  a geographical  ques- 
tion. But  there  is  one  thing  I am  opposed  to, 
and  that  is  a break  of  gauge.  When  once  the 
guage  of  a railway  h.as  been  introduced  into  a 
country,  after  mature  deliberation  and  great  study 
of  the  question,  I think  that  should  be  adhered 
to.  We  have  in  England  the  experience  of  the 
(ireat  Western  Railway.  When  it  was  constructed 
Mr.  Brunei  made  light  of  break  of  gauge.  His- 
tory has  shown  us  how  great  its  evils  are.  It 
is  no  use  to  say  there  will  no  difficulty  in  an 
independent  line  from  Mannar  down  the  coast. 
It  would  not  be  independent,  I think.  The  ma- 
jority of  the  p.issengers  would  be  immigrant 
coolies,  the  bulk  of  whom  go  to  the  different 
estates  upcountry.  Taking  them  down  from 
I’uttalani  to  Colombo  would  be  distinctly  sending 
them  out  on  their  wa3'.  They  would  have  to 
go  back  again  to  reach  the  upland  estates.  I 
think  the  cry  for  a branch-line  from  Puttalam 
to  Kurunegala  would  come  at  once,  in  order  to 
save  the  coolies’ travelling  distance.  (Hear,  hear.) 
Mr.  F.  H,  M.  CoKiJKT : — We  are  once  more 
greatly  indebted  to  Mr.  Ferguson.  (Hear,  hear).  The 
line  may  not  be  possible  just  at  present,  but  it  must 
come,  and  the  sooner  the  better  ; and  Mr.  Ferguson 
has  greatly  helped  to  break  the  ground.  (Hear,  hear). 
If  there  has  to  be  a break  of  gauge  we  have  to 
make  it  where  it  will  cause  the  least  incon- 
venience. Probably  Puttalam  would  be  the  easier 
point.  Even  if  goods  were  wanted  upcountry  their 
transhipment  from  Colombo  wouhl  not  be  a very 
serious  matter.  The  increase  of  passenger  trattic 
between  Puttalam  and  Colombo  may  be  reckoned 
upon  as  a certainty.  There  is  a thriving  popula- 
tion between  the  two,  and  it  lends  itself  to  great 
increase  should  facilities  for  transjiort  be  given. 
Experience  in  Ceylon,  has  shown  that  within  an 
exceedingly  short  time  a population  has  clustered 
around  railway  stations,  ami  has  provided  the 
traffic  which  the  line  was  intended  to  serve,  and 
as  a rule,  that  has  far  exceeded  the  estimates 
formed  at  the  outset.  Everything  in  Ceylon  has 
been  in  favour  of  railway  construction.  (Hear, 
hear.) 
Mr.  H.  W.  C.WE : — I think  the  railway  should 
not  go  from  Puttalam  to  Manaar ; but  as  far 
north  as  possible.  It  would  be  the  means  of  opening 
u[)  the  North-Central  Province,  which  was,  two 
Imndred  years  ago,  the  .supportof  millions  of  people. 
The  district  is  now  uncultivated  ; and,  liaving 
recently  spent  con.siderable  time  in  that  part  of 
the  island,  I expre.ss  the  opinion  that  if  the 
railway  were  brought  directlj'  through  the  Pro- 
vince it  would  be  the  means  of  not  merely 
bringing  coolies  to  Colombo  but  would  open  up 
the  whole  of  this  I’rovince.  (Hear,  hear.)  No 
doubt  if  the  railway  were  made,  British  enter- 
prise would  be  the  means  of  bringing  the  Province 
under  cultivation  once  moi’C.  (Hear,  hear.) 
