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Leader (1850-1860), 7th June 1856, Edition 1 of 2, Page 542

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      msfcioa at the Cariton Club . It is remembered what effective use Mr . Abbaham Hatwam 3 > made of hia knowledge of the Toryparty while Lord Debbt and Mr . Disraeli were staggering- at the head of affairs . That gentleman ) when the motion was debated , had time to count the antagonists he had wounded , for they rioted with vociferous vulgarity , after the manner approved by the gentlemen of England , all the time he addressed them . This outburst was , of course ,

      no more than a display of exasperated incapacity ; but the incident illustrates , in a sufficiently remarkable manner , the truth of the observation now so frequently heard in political circles , that the Tory party is losing , year by year , in numbers and in intellectual resources . The great public itself can appreciate their parliamentary speakers ; and as for their -journalists , they who read them know them .

      The inability to bear criticism is another sign of failing powers . It is not necessary to the political life of a great party that it should circulate lampoons and scurrilities in reply to every suggestion of fault or failure . Yet this is the Tory method . In the inverse ratio they find it necessary to drive everlastingly in " a substantive-and-six" the fame of

      their two rhetoricians , to call then : secondrate talkers judicious when they cannot call them eloquent , to praise their property when they cannot praise their arguments , to allude to the first Duke as a compliment to the tenth , and to fatigue the public with perpetual complaints that the Duke of Aaoxir . is a precocious Cabinet minister , and that Mr . F . Peel is allowed to be saucy in the House of Commons .

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      INDIAN PUBLIC WORKS * The river Godavery rises in the western Ghauts , not far from Bombay , at an elevation of 3000 feet above the sea , and , after flowing 800 miles in nearly a direct course to the eastward , finally empties itself into the Bay of Bengal , about 400 miles north of the city of Madras . This mighty river drains a district containing 130 , 000 square miles , and , according to the season of the year , discharges from 1 , 500 , 000 to 150 , 000 , 000 of cubic yards of water per hour . About 80 miles from the sea it has forced a

      passage , five miles in length , through solid rocks 2500 feet in height . The width of the stream at its surface during the freshes is 300 yards , and the depth at the same time not less than 180 feet . Beyond these hills the breadth of the river varies from 800 yards to one mile . During the monsoon it sometimes suddenly rises 80 feet , and submerges the whole surrounding country . Below the hills the Godavery spreads itself out in a channel several miles in breadth through a soft alluvial soil , formed by the detritus washed down by its own swollen floods . About 30 miles down stream the Delta

      may be said to commence . This extensive tract of laud was formerly constantly liable to inundation , so that frequently the only intercourse between villages was oy meana of boats . Agricultural operations were , in consequence , fatally retarded , and it was almost as usual a thing for the crops to fail as to arrivo at maturity . During many months of the year the roads were absolutely impassable , and at afi times so bad that the transit of floods cost 3 id . a ton per mile . And if in any particular year tho people escaped a deluge of waters , their labours were equally neutralized by the effects of severe drought . From these two opposite causes the inhabitants of one of the most tortile districts iu tho

      ¦ world were nearly always compelled to import grain , and very frequently were reduced to the verge of starvation . Under tho most favourable circumstances the value of tho two annual crops did not exceed 17 . per acre . The facilities for irrigation were , however , so great and obvious , that in the year 1843 Sir H . Montgomery , the Revenue Commissioner iu the district of ttajahnauiidry , recommended tliat an experienced engineer should be instructed to report upon the capabilities of the Delta . Tho Madras

      Government did honour to its judgment by selecting Colonel Arthur Cotton , late Chief Engineer of that Presidency . That able officer soon discovered that to develop the resources of the country there were four things needful : the river must be restrained from wandering in devious and ever-changing courses ; artificial channels must be cut to carry oft the floods from the low lands ; the water of the river must be kept at a sufficiently high level to command the country for the purposes of irrigation ; and lastly , means must be provided for the cheap transit of goods and agricultural produce . Owing to various causes , which it is needless to recapitulate , it was not until 1848 that the works

      were actually commenced , but , once begun , they were pushed forward with untiring and enlightened energy . These works were on a stupendous scale . Opposite the town of Rajahmundry the Godavery is aoout 3000 yards wide , and in the freshes rises 32 feet above its ordinary level . But , five miles lower down the rise is only 28 feet , while the ordinary depth was no more than 18 inches , owing to the great width of the channel . The distance from bank to bank at this spot measures 7200 yards , or rather more than four miles ; but of this space 2800 yards are occupied by low-lying islands , completely under water in the freshes . These islets stand in the midst of four channels of the

      respective breadth of 1800 , 1000 , 600 , and 1000 yards . This was the point selected for the construction of a gigantic weir , to raise the water 14 feet above the bed of the river . The masonry p art is 12 feet high , with a level surface 18 feet broad , used as a carriage way , and a curved slope on the down stream side 30 feet wide . The islands are crossed by embankments three to eight yards high , and 12 yards broad at the top . Three main channels lead from the weir , one at eacli end aud one at the centre ; , the locks to admit boats into these being 100 feet by 15 , with side walls 24 feet high , but on the western side the lock is 150 feet long . On the crown of the weir strong grooved iron posts have been erected , to receive planks , and ; hus raise the level of the water two feet and a half

      above the masonry . This great work was begun in 1848 and completed in 1852 . The next and . partially simultaneous measure , was to deepen and widen the channels leading to the sea . When finished , there will be seven main lines from the weir to tide-water , and two highlevel channels parallel with the coast , "in all , about 850 miles of first-class navigation , besides the creeks and branches of the river connected by them , together about 500 miles , and at least 500 miles more of second-class navigation ; so that the Delta , which contains about 3000 square miles , will be pervaded by ] 000 miles of canal , or one

      most narrow and ignoble view of the great benefits already obtained . In the first place , 1 , 200 000 acres of excellent land have been drained ' banked , and irrigated , and the annual net produce raised from 11 . to 21 . 5 s . per acre . The exports have increased 126 , 000 * . yearly , while the import of food has diminished by 20 , 000 / . In transit alone , an annual saving of 70 , 000 ? . has been effected , and consequently the people are enriched to that extent . Previous to 1846 , the average export of bullion—that is , the balance against the district—was 98 , 000 / ., whereas in 1853-4 , a season of scarcity and drought , there was a balance of

      3000 / . in its favour . In this latter year , the revenue was 16 per cent , higher , and the exports of produce 4 £ fold greater than in an abundant season before the works . The traffic on the new canals in that same year has been estimated at 180 , 000 tons carried 30 miles , and no fewer than 18 , 000 boats passed down the three main channels from the weir . It must be remembered that these are the results obtained in the second year after the partial completion of the works . When the whole system of improvements shall be perfected

      their success will be far more conspicuous . It is not too much to expect , that by that time the Delta , hitherto scarcely able to support 500 , 000 wretched inhabitants , alternating between the fear of drought and of inundation , will be cultivated by at least 2 , 000 , 000 of a hapoy and prosperous people . The natural resources ot the soil are very considerable , and the facilities for producing cheap white and excellent salt are unbounded . Coal of good quality has been found in two or three localities , and timber can be had to an unlimited

      extent . These stupendous works have been devised and executed by the orders of that Government which it is now the fashion to abuse as neglectful of the material interests of the country entrusted to its guidance and control . According to the advocates of " Young India , " the ancient Hindoo and Mahommedan rulers far surpassed the government of the Hon . Court in the greatness and utility of

      thenpublic works . Are they aware of what has been done in the deltas of the Cauvery and the Godavery , or of the extent of the Ganges Canal ? Besides , with what sort of consistency do they upbraid the Indian Government for not laying out more money on public works , when they also reproach them for running into debt ? These undertakings can 6 nly be accomplished by means of loans in the first instance . And there is nothing

      to be expected at present from private companies , or from the introduction of English capital . The Manchester merchants deliberately refused a proposal "for forming a company to navigate the Godavery , and to bring down to the coast the excellent cotton of Berar , which is at present carried on bullocks' backs four hundred miles , at a cost of nearly a penny a pound . In this case there was everything that could well be thought of to stimulate to enterprise ; everything wns at stake ; but nothing has been done by them , and the whole matter has been left to tho Government ; and had it not been for the energy and wisdom of the Madras Government , no step m this matter of such yast national imnortancc . and such a vital point to

      Manmile to every three square miles , by which goods can be conveyed at £ d . per ton , and passengers at £ d . per head . " To obviate the danger of inundations , to which the Delta had previously been subject , immense channels are being cut , which will carry off all superfluous waters to the coast . By the same meana the Colair lake has been drained , and a tract of splendid land , 24 miles long and 12 broad , has been rendered suitable for cultivation . As the waters of the Godavery , like those of the Po , flow considerably above the level of the circumjacent

      Chester , would have been taken . The Oxford Commkmoration . —Oxford , during the past week , has been in tho thick of « tho Commemoration . " The degree of D . C . L . has been conferred on the following persons ; — Prince Frederic William oi Prussia ; the Prince of Baden ; Count Bernstorff ; Musurus Bey , Minister Plenipotentiary of the auicnn , the Karl of Clarendon ; the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine ; Lord Ashburton ; Sir Edmund Lyons , Man ., Admiral Sir Richard Saunders Dundas ; bir Henry Holland , Bart . ; Sir Colin Camp bell ; Sir William 1 ' enwick Williams , of Kars , Bart . ; Major- General b « Harry D . Jones ; Lord Abercorn ; Dr . Sandwith ; ana

      country , it has been found necessary to raise artificial embankments from two to four yards high and four or fivo yards broad at the top , from the hills to the sea . At the mouth of the river there is an excellent port , the only good one on that coast , though tho entrance is somewhat impeded by a bar , which is now being removed by dredging , " and there seems no doubt that a passage may be kept of any required depth , as tho bar is situated at the upper end of the bay , perfeotly sheltered from the swell of the sea . "

      To recapitulate : An enormous dam has been carried across the Delta ; seven , navigable channels connect tho weir with the coast ; immense drains diminish the risk of inundation ; eighty miles of embankments restrain the river in its proper bed ; a safe harbour is being constructed ; and several thousand men arc now employed in improving tho navigation of the Upper Godavery , and in ononing a communication , with tho sea for 10 , 000 , 000 of people . These great results have been obtained at a comparatively small cost . The actual expenditure up to 1853 was only 180 , 000 / ., producing an increased revenue of G 0 , 0 Q 0 / ., or an annual profit of 33 per cent . Before the improvements of the Delta arc completed , double that sum will no doubt bo expended , and the investment will prove still more lucrative . But this , in truth , is taking the

      Dr . Barth . _ , _ , on ( i Dinnkr at tiik Mansion Housic—The Lord ana Lady Mayoress , ou Wednesday , entertained at tlio «"" sion House a large party of notabilities including tuc Archbishop of Canterbury , tho Bishop of Wii' ^ icstor , Archdeacon Hale , tho Earl of Harrowby , Lord Jou » Russell , Mr . Honloy , Mr . Gladstone , &c . ^ . nts Acoidicnts vnoM TUB Fmrcwoiuu-i . — Later ICC () I t have unfortunately shown that wo were mistaken week in oaying that tho display on tho ovciiintf oi 29 th ult . passed off without casualties . O »« , resulted to a young man , who was struck on tno with a rocket-stick ; and several of tho looker * - > n w seriously injured . In one of those caaoa , totul Dim " was caused by a blow from the stick of on" <> rockets ; and in two other cases partial blindness oiw in tho same way .

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      * Pro / it * upon Britlth Capital expended upon Indian Public Works , < Jo . tft > . By Colonel Arthur Cotton . Rtc&uurdscm'Brothorfi .

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      fi&S THE LEAPBB , [ No . 324 , Saturday ,

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), June 7, 1856, page 542, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2144/page/14/