The Sun.
London, England, 1865-10-31 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY, OCT. 31, 1865.

It has long been apparent to the most casual ob-
server that irrigation is one of the great wants of
India. In spite of the facilities offered for the pur-
pose by the magnificent rivers which flow through
various parts of the country, and in spite of the
zeal and ability which Englishmen have shown in
other parts of the, world in carrying out works of
this description, these great and important under-
takings have been hitherto very much negatived.
Yet there is the less excuse for this negligence and
delay, because the Indians themselves were long
remarkable for the construction of their tanks and
other works of the kind, since it needed very little
of intelligence or civilisation to show the natives
the advantage of conveying water through the dry

and arid plains, whose inhabitants perished with
famine, while the residents in happier localities had
plentiful supplies. If any further inducements
were needed to prosecute the irrigation works with
energy, it would, one would think, have been found
in the extraordinary success and consequent profit
of the Godavery works. The Government of India,
as usual, thinks differently on this matter from the
general body public, and whether they think that
too great energy would reproach their own previous
inaction, or whether they have a rooted ob-
jection to all improvement and reform,
it is certain that the supreme authority in India has
never looked with favour on any of these national
undertakings. Sir ARTHUR COTTON, an engineer of
high standing and long experience, whose name is
well known in connection with the Godavery and
Kistuah works, has recently addressed a letter to a
contemporary respecting the remodelling of the
Ganges Canal, in which, as usual, he finds reason to
complain of the management of the India Office.
The Ganges Canal has been by general consent a
comparative failure. The Calcutta press has spoken
decidedly on the subject, one journal having stated
that it has "to a very small extent fulfilled the
objects of irrigation for which it was mainly designed,
while for the purpose of navigation it has been next
to useless." It has been said, in answer to this, that
the canal was never intended for navigation, but
there can be no reason why a properly constructed
canal should not perform double duty, and, whilst
it enriches the country through which it flows by
watering the soil, serve also the ends of commerce
and facilitate the transit of heavy goods. The two
ends have been attained in other parts, and there
is no reason why the Ganges Canal under efficient
management should not produce equally satisfactory
results. The Government, indeed, according tr the
offiCial Blue Book on the matter, professes to be
satisfied with what has been done. "We believe,"
it is said, " that very few engineering works of
equal novelty of design and magnitude would be
found to bear the test of actual experience with a
more favourable result." These are not days in
which to talk of the magnitude of engineering diffi-
culty, unless it is something very serious and per-
plexing ; but Sir ARTHUR. CorroN is ready to deny
the assertion that there is anything stupendous
about the Ganges Canal. He says, " The extent of
irrigation provided by several Madras projects far
exceeds that provided by or projected for the Ganges
Canal. The latter is only intended to irrigate about
1i million acres of wheat, and is not yet supposed
to have reached one-third of that number. The
Tanjore project is actually irrigating 11 million
acres of rice, and the Godavery and Kistuah pro-
jects together provide for two million acres of rice,
which requires four or five times as much water as
wheat." Sir ARTHUR CorroN distinctly shows that
the results of the Ganges Canal are by no means so
satisfactory as the Government professes to believe.
The canal has been, he says, instead of a source of
profit, a heavy charge on the tax-payers, the inte-
rest on the capital invested having been nearly
all raised by taxes. The Madras works, on the con-
trary, aro paying 80 and 180 per. cent., while the
whole neighbourhood of the works has reaped great
benefits from them, although the works are not yet
fully carried out. The engineer is positive that
when the water is fairly distributed in these dis-
tricts the increase shown in the revenue (already
80 per cent. in some parts) will be doubled, and
the same results must, he believes, follow works of
irrigation and navigation properly carried out in
every part of India. The effects produced by in-
creased fertility in the soil and by increased
wealth and comfort to tho people, besides the
means afforded of cheap and easy transmission
of heavy goods and raw material, will be everywhere
the same, and as they all tend to the national wealth
of the country, one might suppose that the Govern-
ment would be only too glad to avail itself of so
easy and certain a means of benefiting itself and
the people. Such, however, does not seem to be
the case. The Ganges Canal is unsafe, and the
Government is prepared to go to a great outlay to
repair and improve it, but the plan which Sir
ARTHUR COTTON submitted has been entirely put
aside. This is to be regretted, as that gentleman has
the advantage of forty years' experience, and has
proved his engineering ability by the construction '
of many successful works in Indian irriga-
tion. But Sir ARTHUR COTTON believes that
the deficiencies of the Ganges Canal are not due to
any natural difficulties of the situation, but to the
projection of the work on wrong principles. He
proposes to construct a new head to the canal, and
taking the canal along a route which presents very
few obstacles to the engineer, and he believes
this could be done at a very small cost. He com-
plains that his plans have been submitted to an in-
experienced officer, and that, consequently, they
have not received fair consideration. Sir AR-
THUR CorroN founds his works on the prin-
ciples which have proved so successful in
the undertakings of the native engineers. The
fact is, that the Anglo-Indian authorities
have never shown themselves willing to give a fair
hearing to any comprehensive scheme. When
forced by the necessities of the time, or by the voice
of public opinion, to do something, they set about
it in a hesitating, unwilling manner, usually at
great expense. Instead of consulting the ablest
and most experienced men in the profession
and undertaking of work that is to last
for generations, and to affect millions of
people in a large and enlightened manner,
they go on in the ordinary routine fashion, and
leave the decision of affairs in the hands of any
official whom chance may have placed for the
moment in command. It is not surprising that
an old and experienced engineer like Sir
ARTHUR COTTON, who has so often seen his
views prove correct when put into practice,
should experience some irritation in seeing public
money and time sib-cruelty frittered away. It must
be remembered,
too, that the question is not
merely one of property, since the too frequent
famines in the North-West, and the consequent
loss of life, would be
completely averted
by means of an efficient canal. Sir ARTBUR
COT-
TON mentions as a proof of the failure of the present
Ganges Canal, that between 100,000 and 200,000
persons perished of famine in the very districts
which it traversed in 1861. If public questions
were only dealt with in a public spirit, we should
soon see these matters very differently arranged.
As it is, there is so much prejudice, ignorance, and
routine to combat that independent reformers have
but a poor chance.

servThateivmesanoyf
meetings
gapaptheearrin
atgs ol
af stthteo Choanv
countrygs and
e
inspired the opposite side with activity.
00tyt.Ak p
At Chathamiace
last night a grand entertainment to
celebrate the return of Mr. OTWAY at the late
election. Mr. TRIBE, the Mayor of Rochester, and
an elector of Chatham, presided. Mr. BASS, M.P.,
responded on behalf of the House of Commons, and
made an energetic speech, in which he, advocated
the claims of his party to the respect and confidence
of the country. Ile deplored the many serious
losses which had befallen the Liberal ranks of late,
and mentioned the names of those who had departed.
The deaths of Sir JANIES GR.AHAM, Sir G. C. Tylvis,
Mr. Sunirr HERBERT, the " honcuted" COBDEN,

and the late Prime Minister, make great gaps in
the places they once filled ; but, as Mr. BASS ob-
served, the people of England were much the same
as the Sovereign of England. The King is dead ;
long live the King ; and so it is with the Parliament
of England. " Parliament died, and Parliament
lived again,' and when great men died others suc-
ceeded to them, so that the success and safety of
our commonwealth is secured. Mr. BASS highly
approved of Earl RUSSELL being selected as
Minister, and in energetic terms endeavoured to
show that an able body of men would support the
Premier. As for the talent of the Opposition, he
said he had sat for eighteen years in the House
but had not seen it, with the exception of its
leader. Indeed, he seemed to think that
the gentlemen referred to were too sensible to think
they were superior to those on the Ministerial
benches. The hon. member did not make out his
case very successfully, however, for he bestowed
the chief praise upon Sir CHARLES WOOD, which
was, indeed, extraordinary. If the right hon. gen-
tleman is the best of the set, it must be on the prin-
ciple of the adage, Parna les aveugles les bornes sort
rois. Another mistake by Mr. BASS was, that he
went on to szy that he regretted Lord RUSSELL had
not more of his colleagues in the Lower House, but,
upon reflection, he did not know where the mate-
rials " for any other Cabinet were to be found in the
Liberal ranks of that house." It is scarcely consistent
with the foregoing declaration of the excellence and
strength of the Liberal phalanx.
Mr. OTWAY was enthusiastically received, and
spoke at some length on the public questions of the
day. He paid a tribute to the memory of LDrd
PALMERSTON, whose loss England now mourns.
Although he did not at all times concur with that
eminent statesman, Mr. OTwAY declared himself
anxious to express his admiration and appreciation
of his high qualities and the great services he had
rendered to his, country. "As a Minister he was
truly patriotic, setting before himself only the
power and the honour of England ; as a man be
was kind, generous, sympathetic, incapable of
rancour, possessed of marvellous tact ; he combined
the geniality of the Irish, with the solidity of the
English character ; during fifty years he was en-
gaged in the conduct of public affairs, and he was
the foremost actor in the political drama of our day;
yet it can with truth be said that, during all that
time, he never deserted a friend or quailed before a
foe." Mr. OTwAY mentioned an anecdote which
had been told him of the late PREMIER, which
was characteristic of his high sense of rectitude.
He had expressed a desire to be buried at Romsey
Abbey, by the side of his parents, but he was told
that the recent Act prohibited any inter-
ment in churches, yet it was suggested that
in his • case an alteration might be made.
The noble lord, however, decidedly declined
to accept of the privilege, and said that the Act re-
ferred to was passed during his Ministry, and that
be ought to be the last man who should seek to in-
fringe its, statutes.
Passing on to the more immediate subject of the
day, Mr. OTWAY inquired what was to be-
come of Liberal principles, and what their
majority was to do. He did not think that some
of the criticisms on Lord RUSSELL were very fair.
The hon. member indignantly demanded if Lord
RUSSELL was not " the Minister of her MAJESTY'S
Government that carried the Reform Bill?" He
seemed to forget, however, that those services were
rendered to what may be called a past generation,
whereas the present one cannot admire or applaud the
shuffling schemes and tortuous policy to which the
man who was erst the champion of Reform has
resorted, and to which he owed his last succession
to power. Mr. OTWAY endeavoured also to defend
the foreign policy of the noble lord, but he con-
tended against too powerful odds to be successful,
when he said that the country was not disposed
to go to war either for Denmark or Poland.
Mr. GLADSTONE'S name, the hon. member for
Chatham considers to be a tower of strength, and
a true earnest of the new Premier's success. In
this he is very sanguine, because many sapient
judges have prophesied that this eminent man will
not agree with Lord RUSSELL, and may find the
task of leading theHouso of Commons too difficult.
Such men as now possess the confidence of the.
SOVEREIGN must succeed, as Mr. OTWAY believes,
against all opponents. It is as well to be candid,
however, and when the hon. member declared
that the Conservatives were found wanting, he
should remember that those who declared them to be
so did nothing themselves to show that they were
more proficient. As for India, the present Govern-
ment has nothing to plume itself upon.
Mr. OTWAY mentioned that the Opposition,
when in office, brought in two great measures only,
the one on India was " laughed out of the House,"
the other he did not dwell upon. Perhaps it was not
convenient to refer to a passage in Lord RUSSELL'S
career which was so very inconvenient. The noble
lord will soon reap very unpleasant consequences
from his insincere career in 1859, because upon him
will rest the onus of bringing in a Reform Bill; and,
with the unsettled state of his party, it will be
very difficult for him to steer his course successfully,
and to keep in office while he conciliates so many
adverse opinions. The people of this country do
not wish to see any great question of the
day made a tool of merely to suit party purposes,
as the question of Reform has certainly been. Lord'
RUSSELL has not shown himself of late years. so
zealous in the cause of Reform as he has been
anxious to secure office, and he must turn over a
new leaf if he expects to succeed in gaining the con-
fidence of his countrymen, or in being at the head of
a strong Government. His " rest and be thankful"
policy must be superseded by a vigorous course,
worthy of the reputation of a new Parliament and
of the credit of a Liberal Government. Mr. OTWAY
deems it advisable for the electors of Chatham to
" sleep with their armour on ;" and perhaps he had
better extend his caution to the gentlemen who
still occupy high places in Downing-street.