56. I have not alluded to the road from Sircy via Devenhully and the Abcheway Ghaut, to join the Ankola line to Beitkul, or to the road from Dharwar via Hullial and the Unshy Ghaut to Boree Bunder, opposite Mullapoor. Neither of these lines can be touched till the more important ones down the Kyga and Arbyle Ghauts are completed.

(signed) W. A. Baker, Captain,

Executive Engineer, North Canara.

LIST of Tools, &c. lent to the Manchester Cotton Company (Limited) not yet returned.

LIST of Articles, &c. belonging to Government expended by the Manchester Cotton Company and not yet paid for.

From Dr. G. F. Forbes, Superintendent of Sedashegar, North Canara, to Captain E. Holland, Under Secretary to Government, Bombay.

Sir,

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge receipt of the Government Despatch, No. 19, dated India Office, London, 13th November 1862, and bearing your endorsement, No. 6437, of the 19th instant, for my immediate report. In reply, I beg to state, first, with regard to the company's complaint that "they have suffered considerable pecuniary loss by reason of works not being completed by the time that they had been led to expect that they would be available for conveying cotton to the site of their presses," &c.

2. Before cotton can be pressed, the presses must be set up. This is the work of the company, and though they have now been there upwards of eight months, as I can testify from having visited the spot yesterday, even the foundations of the building which are to 81.

hold the presses have not yet been commenced upon, although they have obtained their land, and have their materials on the spot. If all the cotton of Dharwar was now at their doors, they could neither press, nor export, a single bale of it, and all the Public Works required for conveyance of cotton from the interior to the port are likely to be ready long before the company can be prepared to receive any; to say, therefore, that they have suffered pecuniary loss from the cause mentioned is entirely out of the question.

3. They state that "having sent out presses to Sedashegar at great expense, they could not for some time land them for want of a pier." Their first vessel, the "Seringapatam," arrived at Sedashegar on the 6th of May last; at daylight next morning, as the records of the company will show, boats were sent alongside, and from that time forward, until the whole of the cargo was landed, the unloading of it went on as quickly as the crew could deliver it over the side; to say, therefore, that they could not for some time land their presses for want of a pier is simply untrue.

4. The company's engineer and manager, Mr. Fleming, having expressed himself unable to make the necessary preparations for landing the ship's cargo, I was asked, as a special favour towards the company, to undertake that duty, and before the arrival of their vessel I had prepared a convenient landing place, which was provided (from the Government stores) with a tramway, cranes, and shears, and also with sheds for the protection of the stores. It is true that this work was done at the company's expense, but the cost was something very trifling.

5. Besides the above work, which I calculate may have cost about 60 7. or 70 l. at the outside, the company have, since the monsoon, constructed a small jetty contiguous to their own ground at a spot where Government never contemplated building a pier, which is entirely useless to any one but themselves, and which they would have built for their own convenience, whether the Government pier had been ready or not. The cost of this erection cannot have exceeded 100 7,

6. From the date above-mentioned, at which the first company's vessel arrived at Sedashegar, it will be seen that the season was very far advanced, but up to that time the company had made no preparation whatsoever towards providing shelter for their stores and machinery upon their own land (obtained a year ago), though their agent had been out for several months, and might with the greatest ease have done so. Accordingly when I undertook the duty I had no such preparation to fall back upon, and with the prospect of the immediate approach of the rains it became expedient that I should avail myself of the spot most conveniently situated, towards enabling me to carry out the unloading of the vessel. Had the company's store sheds upon their own land been ready before the ship arrived, I should have been saved a great deal of trouble, and the whole of the ship's cargo could have been placed in them, instead of the spot which I was obliged to select.

I have, &c. (signed) G. F. Forbes, Superintendent of Sedashegar.

EXTRACT from the Proceedings of Government in the Public Works Department, No. 17, dated 8 January 1863.

Read the following letter, No. 3418, dated 22d December 1862, from the Superintending Engineer, Southern Circle.

I HAVE the honour to report that I have inspected the road in progress from Beitkool to near Ankola, and also from the latter point to Iddagoonjee, the top of the Arbyle Ghaut.

2. The road between Beitkool and the point near Ankola is a new line; from near Ankola to Iddagoonjee the work now to be done consists of the completion of a partially finished road commenced some years since.

3. I will speak of these portions separately.

5. You are aware that cart communication was made practicable last season by a road, on a narrow trace, from the point near Ankola to Beitkool; this road passes over the Hyderghur Ghaut. The passage over the Hyderghur Ghaut (a saddle of some 700 feet of elevation) was, however, considered only a temporary arrangement. The ghaut had several years since been nearly opened out to 12 feet, and as it could be completed to that width quicker than a new road on a better line could be constructed, it was adopted for last year's use only.

6. The road now in progress does not force the traffic over such high levels, and is shorter. It was selected by Colonel Turner during his visit to North Canara last year, and ordered to be adopted as the permanent line. In distinction, it is called the Bhinghy Bay line, and, as it will be observed, it joins the Hyderghur Ghaut road at Amadu ly, south of which point the line is common to both.

7. I shall

7. I shall now speak only of the Bhinghy Bay line.

8. Leaving Beitkool, the road, starting from the head of the cove, crosses a saddle of inconsiderable elevation, over which it is out to full width and nearly completed.

9. Bhinghy Bay has then to be crossed by an embankment through rice fields. This embankment is in progress, and on it about 350 coolies were employed at the date of my visit; more labour is, however, wanted, and I trust will soon be forthcoming.

10. South of Bhinghy Bay a second range of hills of no great height is crossed, and this part on which occurs the greatest quantity of rock on the whole line is now in vigorous progress. The 3d company of sappers and miners and 1,200 coolies are at work at it, and this force will soon clear it out.

11. Passing this saddle the low land is attained, and the road is thenceforward as far as Amudully nearly on a dead level, and through rice fields. Over this part a 12 feet slightly embanked road already exists; a portion of the old coast line executed many years since, by, I believe, the Revenue Department. This line, which is as nearly direct and level as possible, will be generally adhered to; thus saving labour, and, what is of more consequence, diminishing the amount of valuable land to be taken up.

12. On this part there are numerous small irrigation channels required, but very little natural drainage has to be provided for. Over the most considerable stream a brick bridge already exists, which, though narrow and awkwardly placed, will serve till a better crossing can be provided for.

13. The line bere has been staked out, but work on it has not yet been commenced for want of sufficient labour; but arrangements will, I trust, shortly be made for pushing it forward, and for procuring the requisite number of carts to bring the surface material from the neighbouring hills. It is here, however, that the greatest difficulty in respect to opening the whole line may be expected. With fresh drafts of prisoners, however, and increased exertion to get more coolies, as well as by sending those now employed to this part on the completion of the work on which they are at present engaged, I hope and think the executive engineer will be able to complete this section sufficiently early to be of use for this season's traffic.

14. Should he from any cause be prevented from doing so, it is a fortunate circumstance that the unfinished part will lie north of the Hyderghur Ghaut Junction, and that this branch can, therefore, be made available for communicating with Beitkool.

15. South of Amadully to the Bellikery river, the 2d company of sappers and miners, and about 1,000 coolies are now employed, and will, I trust, finish the work, which is mostly over hilly ground and in siding section, in a month, and they can then be transferred to the northern part of the line.

16. The Bellikerry river is the only stream of any importance which intersects the road. It is 240 feet wide, has a hard bottom (shingle), and is perfectly fordable at half tide at ordinary springs; it has 33 feet of water in it, and at low tide only about 9 inches.

17. On my visit to this ford, I took borings of the bed to enable me to determine the description of bridge most applicable to the case, and I have ordered the erection of a timber bridge on piles. This, I hope, will be ready in three months from hence; at least I can see no reason why it should not. In the meantime, and until the river fills in the monsoon, there is no impediment whatever for laden carts at the crossing.

18. From the Bellikerry ford to the junction with the Ankola line the road has been completed with drains, except at one inconsiderable nullah, and with moorum surface; this part has been very well done.

19. The total length of the line is about 18 miles, of which about six miles are over hilly ground, and 12 miles over level land, mostly rice fields. Twelve miles have been completed or are in progress, and six miles have yet to be taken in hand. On the whole distance, two companies of sappers and about 2,200 coolies were working when I passed along, and I hope there will shortly in addition to this be 700 convicts, numerous carts, and a considerable reinforcement of coolies. With this force the whole ought to be finished at least as soon as the Manchester Cotton Company, or Messrs. Nicol & Co., are prepared to receive cotton at Beitkool.

20. The road from Ankola to the top of the Arbyle Ghaut was constructed some years since, and is a very good fair-weather road as far as the village of Houmbulibyle, or for a distance of 15 miles from the junction of the new road to Beitkool. Up to this village there is no made surface and few drainage works; the line is merely cleared.

21. On this part one considerable river and several formidable nullahs are met with, over which I have directed the executive engineer to lose no time in throwing timber bridges. At the smaller streams a good deal of material has been collected, which I have ordered to be used up into drains and small bridges. I have also instructed Captain Baker to get a surface on some of the worst parts as soon as he can.

22. On this section a few masons and about 100 coolies are now at work. The prevalence of fever has prevented the collection of a larger party, but I hope this force will be largely increased shortly.

23. From the junction with the Coomta road the line is, generally speaking, in very fair order, and quite capable of carrying a considerable traffic. Nearly all the nullahs are bridged. Perhaps the worst part is the ghaut itself, which, towards the bottom, is without a surface and soft; it has, however, the easiest ascent I have seen along the western range; true, it has here and there gradients of 1 in 16, but in other parts they are less; in places it is nearly level, and there are even counterslopes. It follows the crest of a long spur the whole way, and crosses little or no drainage; and on it there is very little earth, and no rock cutting.

24. Captain Baker has been making great efforts to procure coolies from Coondapoor and the south for the improvement of the Arbyle line, but as yet with very partial success. Two parties of 50 men each only started for the work; of one party only 14 men arrived, the rest having returned, owing to the reports of fever that met them on the road; the other arrived with nearly the full strength; but I very much fear that it has, within the last few days, deserted. Such difficulties are very trying to the executive officer. 1,000 men for a month would do all that is needed to the line; and I still hope that this number may be collected. If not, though the road will not be as convenient as it might be, it will still be easily passable in the dry season.

25. I have now taken my laden carts down the Kyga Ghaut to the head of the navigation of the Kallee Nuddee, and I have brought them up from Beitkool by the Arbyle line, without difficulty and without assistance of any kind on either route. The carts have travelled, generally speaking, on dark nights; and the facts I report will give a good general idea of both approaches as they now are, and previous to the improvements we hope to make and are making.

26. I have not troubled you with copies of my instructions to Captain Baker in reference to this line, or to the Sedashegar harbour works, they have been given in many and some voluminous letters which you would probably have neither time nor inclination to read through.

RESOLUTION OF GOVERNMENT.

Lieutenant-Colonel Kennedy to be informed that Government are gratified by the receipt of this report, and that they consider great credit due to him and to Captain Baker for the exertions they have made. The Governor in Council sympathises with the disappointment they must feel at the delay caused by the unlooked-for sickness; but this was an unavoidable obstacle, and it is to be hoped will disappear as the season advances.

2. The Hydurghur branch should be kept in order as a permanent branch of much local value, even when superseded as a main line by the road, viâ Bhinghy Bay.

To the Chief Engineer at the Presidency.

(With reference to his Memo. No. 1950 of 26th December 1862.) The Revenue Commissioner, S. D.

EXTRACT from the Proceedings of Government in the Public Works Department, No 19, dated 8 January 1863.

Read the following papers :

LETTER from the Executive Engineer, North Canara, No. 1966, dated 10th December

1862.

I AM Sorry to report that, owing to cholera on the coast, and fever on the ghauts, my supply of labour will not be anything like so large as I expected. On this point I report more fully in a separate communication; the object of this letter is to ask for more prisoners. I understand from Captain Ker that he has only lately broken up a gang, and that the number of men he has returned to the gaols at Poona, Nuggur, and Sholapoor is about 400. He also tells me that there is a considerable body of men available in the Tanna gaol. The deputy gaoler in charge of the Dharwar gang states that there are still about 350 men in the Dharwar gaol, and I have no doubt a few may be obtained from Honore. I wish to have every one of these men; in fact, every convict in the Presidency who is not positively unfit for out-door labour. With an officer in charge of each gang of 500 men, I am prepared to employ, and wish to have the 3,000 convicts alluded to by Sir G. Clerk in his Minute on Sedashegar.

2. It is absolutely essential that all commissariat arrangements be made in Dharwar and Belgaum.

3. I beg

3. I beg to bring prominently to your notice the question of the monsoon head quarters for the prisoners. I do not see why they should not be hutted at Sedashegar next monsoon. During the breaks they might do a great deal of work, which would go far towards our having first-class roads completed next season. I would put them in separate eucampinents, of about 500 each, at Konay, Beitkool, and Bhinghy. The only difficulty I see is the keeping up a constant supply of provisions in the monsoon, and this, I think, may be gct over by sending it down from Bombay in steamers once a month.

4. Should Government approve of this arrangement, I trust they will provide us with proper medical aid, the apothecary now in charge of Beitkool is so sick and decrepid that he can hardly move, and this morning a bullock cart has passed my camp to take him to Dharwar, so that in a few days there will be no medical aid at Beitkool. A civil surgeon is absolutely required during the monsoon, even if he is moved away after it.

5. Barracks must be built for prisoners and for guards, and they cannot be built on the spur of a moment; I beg therefore for immediate orders on this most important question, "Where are the prisoners to reside during the monsoon of 1863 ?"

MEMORANDUM, No. 3389, dated 16th December 1862, from the Superintending Engineer, Southern Circle.

Forwarded to the Chief Engineer.

If any more prisoners are available, they should be sent to North Canara, for, owing to the failure of the supply of free labour, without the assistance of a large body of convicts, it will be impossible to push on the works as speedily as it is desirable to do.

2. It is a great pity that Captain Ker's gang was broken up. The superintending engineer was under the impression that the difficulty of procuring work people in Canera was known and appreciated. This gang should be re-collected, and sent with all available prisoners from Dharwar, with as little delay as possible, and officers should be appointed to assist Captain Ker in the proportion of one to every 500 prisoners.

3. In respect to monsoon quarters for the convicts, the superintending engineer recommends that Captain Baker's proposal to locate them at and about Beitkool be approved of. Under Captain Ker's general management they will do good service there and be profitably employed, and the experience of the sappers company last rains shows that the place is not unhealthy at that season.

4. As to the application in Captain Baker's 4th paragraph for a civil surgeon, I would observe that Dr. Forbes, the superintendent, if assisted by a good apothecary in minor cases, may possibly be able, in addition to his other duties, which cannot be heavy, to undertake the medical charge of the station in the same way that the superintendent of Mahablesh wur does.

RESOLUTION OF GOVERNMENT.

1. THE several session judges should be asked, through the Judicial Department, how many able-bodied convicts, who have not less than four months of hard labour sentence unexpired, they can spare for North Canara, and be ordered to hold them in readiness.

2. At the end of the season, prisoners whose term of sentence will expire before the opening of next working season may be sent back by steamer, if the superintendent of convicts approves. It is possible that some of them may be willing to stay on as free labourers, if well paid. The superintendent of convicts should be empowered to retain such men on wages in a reformatory gang, apart from the prisoners.

3. All Captain Baker's proposals for hutting the convicts at Sedashegar in the monsoon are approved.

4. The commissariat should be instructed to give any aid required in feeding or provisioning which the executive engineer or superintendent of convicts may require, without further reference for sanction.

5. The principal inspector general, medical department, should be requested to make arrangements for supplying Mr. Carvalho's place, and asked whether an assistant surgeon can be spared, as it has been decided that Dr. Forbes should not be required to take medical charge, as it might interfere with his other duties.

6. The deputy inspector general of hospitals, Southern Division, should be instructed personally to visit the district to which the fever appears to be extending, to report minutely the result of his inquiries as to the cause of the epidemic, and the best mode of checking it.