to be traversed by the rail. Other sections will, it is expected, be opened as follows:- 30. A most important addition made since the beginning of this year has been already referred to (at page 3), viz., the Bhore Ghât Incline, the completion of which will put an end to the interruption of the through traffic on the SouthEastern line, and to the great expense of working that section by means of carts and bullocks. These have been quite inadequate to carry to the Railway the large quantities of cotton which were brought for conveyance to Bombay, and which have consequently accumulated at the head of the Ghât. It will be interesting to watch the effect of the opening of this section upon the traffic, which, during the past year, has shown a steady increase, notwithstanding the drawbacks to which it has hitherto been subject. It is satisfactory to know that, previously to the opening of the Bhore Ghât Incline, a considerable reduction has been effected in the working expenses, and that there is now fair ground for expecting that this reduction will continue. The improvement, however, is hardly perceptible in the following returns, which are not brought up beyond the 30th June last. STATEMENT No. I. STATEMENT showing the Amount of Receipts from Passengers and Goods, and of Working Expenses, during the Years ending 30th June 1859, 1860, 1861, and 1862. Traffic. STATEMENT showing the Proportion of Working Expenses to Gross Receipts, and the Proportion of Receipts from Passengers and Goods. 16 STATEMENT No. III. STATEMENT showing the Number of Passengers conveyed during the Years ending 30th June, 1859, 1860, 1861, and 1862. STATEMENT showing the Number of Passengers conveyed per Mile, and the Number per Mile Madras. MADRAS RAILWAY. 31. The whole of the South-West division of this line, 406 miles in length, from Madras to Beypore, was opened for traffic in May 1862. The Bangalore branch approaches completion, and will, it is expected, be ready for traffic by the beginning of next year. On the North-West line, 14 miles have been added to the extent (27 miles) previously opened, and the line to Cuddapah will probably be completed by the end of this year. It will be seen that the traffic is still small, although increasing. The gross receipts for the two half-years ending the 31st December 1861, and 30th June 1862, exceeding those of the corresponding periods in the previous year by 19,5317. and 20,6297. respectively; but the net profits are reduced by an extraordinary charge, under the head of maintenance of way, for replacing worn-out wooden sleepers with iron ones. The raising of the fares from two to three pies per mile for third class passengers is said to have produced successful results; for although the numbers are rather less, the receipts are more. For the first time, the receipts from the conveyance of goods have exceeded the receipts from passengers. STATEMENT No. I. Showing the Amount of Receipts from Passengers, Goods, &c., and of Working Expenses, during the 17 STATEMENT No. II. Showing the Proportion of Working Expenses to Gross Receipts, and the Proportion of Receipts from Period. Passengers and Goods. Showing the Number of Passengers conveyed during the Years ending 30th June 1859, 1860, 1861, Showing the Number of Passengers conveyed per Mile, and the Number per Mile in each Class. 32. Of the 310 miles of Railway undertaken by this Company, 185 are now open Bombay and for traffic, extending from the Par River, 125 miles north of Bombay, to the Baroda. northern terminus at Ahmedabad. The southern section of the line, which will take it into Bombay, still remains to be finished. This important link will, it is expected, be completed in the course of the present year. Until then the traffic is carried on under great disadvantages, but the returns already contain evidence of the large amount that will probably come on the line. The Chairman of the Company, Colonel P. T. French, has lately returned from Bombay, and, after frequent visits to all parts of the line, is very favourably impressed with its capabilities and prospects. Colonel Kennedy, the Consulting Engineer to the Company, has recently proceeded to Bombay to superintend the completion of the line. Scinde. 18 The number of passengers conveyed during the year ending the 30th June last, was as follows, viz. : The following Statement shows the receipts from passengers and goods and the expenses of working, &c., for the years ending 30th June 1861 and 1862:— 33. This line has now been opened for traffic nearly two years. Since it has been properly equipped with rolling stock, the traffic has been increasing in a satisfactory manner. The trade returns furnish strong proof of the benefits which the railway is conferring upon Scinde and the adjacent provinces. Prior to 1862, no cotton was seen on the Indus. Now, great quantities, as well as other products, such as indigo and grain, wool, &c., are conveyed by the steamers and by the railway. The unprecedented floods in June last damaged the earthworks and some of the culverts on a portion of the line so much, that the traffic was stopped, but in the course of nine days the necessary repairs were completed, and business was resumed. 34. It will be seen by the following traffic returns that the net receipts for the year ending 30th June 1862, amounted to 5,4427., and that, with the exception of about 1007., the whole was earned during the second half-year. This was in a great measure caused by the inadequate supply of rolling stock when the line was opened. The traffic has hitherto increased in proportion to the number of waggons. More are required and are being provided. The working expenses will, it is hoped, then be reduced. In the latter half-year given below, they were 75 per cent. of the gross receipts : Since June last the traffic has improved still more, and it is expected that the net receipts for the half-year ending 31st December last, will be nearly double that for the whole of the previous year. The number of passengers conveyed during the year ending 30th June 1862 was as follows: 35. The section of the Punjab Railway between Lahore and Umritsir, 32 miles Punjab Railway, in length, was opened in April. The traffic has been confined principally to passengers, of whom more than a quarter of a million had been carried between April and December, of which 121,707 were conveyed before the 30th June, viz. :— The goods traffic, which did not commence till late in the year, is inconsiderable. INDUS FLOTILLA. 36. This flotilla now consists of 7 passenger steamers and 11 accommodation Indus Flotilla. and other barges, which keep up a bi-monthly communication between Kotree and Mooltan. Five of these steamers and barges were purchased from the Government, together with workshops, &c. There has been lamentable delay in completing the boats originally contracted for, and all the proceedings connected with that contract have been unsatisfactory. Several boats, which should have been afloat more than a year ago, are not yet launched, and the two boats which have been taken over by the Company from the contractors, do not attain the speed expected. While, however, failure has hitherto attended the formation of the fleet, fault is not to be found with the management of that portion which has been completed; but, even when all the boats are finished and well equipped, it may be doubted, looking to the rapidly increasing trade, and to the difficulties of navigating the river in the dry season, whether this means of conveyance can ever be adequate for the great traffic which will be created between the termini of the two railways. EASTERN BENGAL RAILWAY. 37. This line, 110 miles in length, was opened throughout in November last, a Eastern Bengal. portion having been previously opened in September. The works, which, from all accounts, have been completed in a very substantial and satisfactory manner, were commenced in April 1859, so that the line has been about three years and a half in course of construction. A proposition is now under consideration for extending this line, as originally intended, towards Dacca. 38. The traffic has been steadily improving since the first opening, and the weekly receipts now average upwards of 147. per mile. During the eleven weeks between the 11th October and the 31st December last, 98,025 passengers were conveyed, being, 4,178 first class. 5,094 second class. 88,953 third class. |