AGRrcuLTUiur. and Commercial Sooietv. 3 
miles to the head waters of the Semang, and down that 
stream into the Mazaruni, as has been seriously proposed. 
To say nothing of the ever decreasing size of craft 
capable of navigating to the upper waters of the 
Couriebrong — possibly reaching at the end the dimen- 
sions of an oil-motor driven Indian wood-skin ! — the 
route would involve no fewer than thirteen changes or 
liandling of goods between the Demerara River and tlie 
Mazaruni. made up as follows : — 
2 at Wismar, 2 at Rockstone, 2 at Tumatumari 
falls (low side), 2 at Tumatumari (top side), 2 at 
Couriebrong head, 2 at Semang head, and one 
at Semang mouth : 
with possibly others to surmount the difficulties of 
shallows and falls in the Couriebrong and Semang, which 
we know little of at present. As is well-known and freely 
admitted, every " handling " adds materially to the total 
cost of transport of goods in the Bush-, as well as 
elsewhere. 
Coming back now to the possiliilities of further 
railway development in the colony, I shall deal first 
with our coast lands. 
The East and West Coast railways already supply 
the want's of our sugar estates on those coasts, the 
extension to Berbice taps the cattle ranches and farms 
of Maluiica, Mahaicony and Berbice West Coast ; and 
all tliat remains to complete the coast connection east- 
ward is tlie Corentyne Rnihvay botwoen New Amster- 
dam and Skeldon, the iout3 for which has been 
completely surveyed, the construction awaiting a 
compreliensive water supply scheme for the fuller 
development of the rice industry, for the cultivation of 
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