17
POONA DIVISION OF THE ARMY.
at Tanna, which has been relieved annually. The Company of Artillery was here only for about
a half-year, and at the end of June the men who had not been invalided or discharged the
service, were transferred to the 2nd Company Native Artillery with Guzerat Mountain Train
at Rajcote, on the abolition of the Khandeish Mountain Train.
Since arrival here the troops have continued healthy, and though epidemic cholera was
present in the province of Khandeish in 1868 and 1869, the disease passed lightly over the
station when the neighbouring districts were suffering from its ravages. Indeed, the health
of the troops contrasts very favorably with the condition of those stationed here from 1850 to
1860, for which there are tables at hand for comparison; and which show that cholera was
present in cantonment in seven years, and eruptive fever annually daring that period.
The station is about 1,300 feet above the level of the sea, and is about 32 miles to the
south of the civil station of Dhoolia and 24 miles from Munmar on the Great Indian Penin
-sula Railway, with which it is connected by a good bridged road. The cantonment has a
somewhat bare look from the scarcity of large trees, which are rare, excepting in the Officers'
compounds; but trees have been planted in the lines and along the principal roads in camp,
in view to eventually attracting a greater and more equable rainfall in this arid climate.
Notwithstanding, however, every care, there has been great loss in many of those recently
planted from insufficient moisture, and about 150 young trees besides a number of large full
-grown ones in Officers' compounds, are reported to have died in a single season. The can
-tonment is stationed in an open level plain, dry and free from jungle in its vicinity, with
good natural drainage, the slope being towards the river Moosum, so that the heaviest fall
of rain either passes into the ground or drains off to the river in a few hours.
The river Moosum, which is a branch of the Girna, passes behind the regimental hos
- t a l a n d s u d d e r b a z a a r , a n d i s a f a i r l y s i z e d s t r e a m i n t h e r a i n s , a f t e r w h i c h i t d r i e s u p , a n d
in the cold and hot season its bed is nearly dry, with pools of water at intervals. The water
supply at these seasons is chiefly obtained from wells from 36 to 49 feet in depth, which are
surrounded with solid masonry slope and drain. In the year 1868, apprehension was felt
as to state of the wells in the following hot season from the failure of the monsoon. The
public wells had to be deepened, and two of Norton's tube wells were sunk near the river, as
several of the wells in the higher part of camp had completely dried up, and numbers of trees
there also suffered from want of moisture, the springs having been affected from the scanty
rainfall. This met the difficulty and a favorable monsoon in 1869 restored the supply to the
wells in the lower part of camp, which have since yielded their usual quantity. The quality
of the water is generally good and contains a considerable quantity of lime, the exact propor
- t i o n o f w h i c h h a d n o t h i t h e r t o b e e n d e t e r m i n e d b y c h e m i c a l a n a l y s i s . L a t e l y a s p e c i m e n o f
well and river water was forwarded to the Chemical Analyser to Government in accordance
with Circular No. 1869 of the 14th June 1869; and he has reported more unfavorably on
the quality of the water than was anticipated, and has stated that "both samples appear to
be contaminated with organic matter probably of a very deleterious character."
The quantity of solid matter in both samples is greater than was apprehended, and if
judged of by the composition and quantity of the London Companies as given by Dr.
Letheby in June last presents an unfavorable comparison; but it is, however, within the
proportion fixed by the Brussels' Sanitary Congress for potable water, and the amount of
organic matter is larger than desirable, indicating that stricter river conservancy is required.
The contamination in regimental wells of vegetable debris may probably be to a certain extent
from leaves of trees blown into the wells in high winds. If so, this will be liable to occur until
the wells are duly protected and covered over, excepting an aperture for a drawing bucket.
The wells were cleaned out a year and a half ago, and the ground in the vicinity has been pro
-tected from substances likely to affect the water, and the wells have been kept for drinking
purposes only, the men having to proceed to the river for bathing, which is prohibited on the
masonry slope.
5 s