The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1853-08-05
Gangea lCanal.

one Of the qrandest undertakings Of
the present day. 1t is being con-
strucled under the drectiops, and at
the ekpense of The government, NAN
" for the purpose Of irrigating the
Ieyel. fertile tracts between the Can
pes and Jumna, but also to afford the
means Of transporting the produc-
tions Of the country 10 the head Of
navigation in the former river, at
Cawnpore. The labor of more than
ten years have already beenexpended
on il, and four or FIVE years more will
be erequired to complete it. It will be
90 feet wide, varying in depth accord
ing TO the season, bnt probably aver
aging 8 feet, and, inclueingit its numer.
Gus branches, will have an extent Of
800 milesl 1t taps the Ganges at
Hundwar-l8 miles to the northeast
Of this place-and returns to it again
al Cawnpore, a distance of more than
400 miles. The total cost, when!
completed, will not fall far short of
E2,0OO,OOO, but it is expected to
yield a return of E5O0,OOO annually.
This calculation is based upon the
success Of the East and West Jumna
canals which are, comparatively, on a
small scale. The former Of these was
finished in 1895, since when it has
paid all the expenses Of construction,
together with an annual interest Of 5
per cent. thereupCn, and ESQ, 900
clear profit. The latter, finished a
few years since. has paid the cost and
interest, with f3O.O0O profit.
The use of the water for irrigation
is not obligatory upon the inhabitants,
but they are generally quite willing to
avail themselves of it. There are
three ways in which it is furnished to
them: first. by villages, or companies
of cultivators, contracting for as much
as they want; secondly, by a fixed
rate per acre, according to the kind ol
grain, rice being the most expensive,
and cotton the cheapest; and thirdly,
by renting an outlet of certain fixed
dimension, at so much per year
Along the Jumna canal, the people dc
not wait, as formerly. to see whether
the crops will be likely to succeed
without irrigation, but employ it in all
seasons. and are, thereby, assured Of
a constant return for their labor. The
Ganges canal will be of vast import,
ance in increasing the amount o.
grain produced iii Hindostan, the de-
sign Of the government being, to rem
der famine impossible. 1t is hoped
that such dreadful spectacle as thu
famine of 1888, when hundreds o
thousands perished from want, will
never again be seen in India, Tha
such things have happened, is the nat
ural result of the tenure by whicl
land is held and cultivated. The gov
ernment is the proprietor, and the ge
mindGrs, or tenants, pay rs per cent
of the assessed value of the products
The land is sub-let by the zemindar
to the yyots, or laborers, and these
the poor and ignorant millions Of In
dia, of course gain little or nothin,
beyond a bare subsistence. If tn
crops fail, they have nothing at ALL
The Ganges canal will, therefore, t
certain extent, prevent famine, b,
assuring perennial crops. 1t will en-
rich the government, because, in ad
dition to the sale of the water, it vii
increase the rent of the lands as the,
become productive, but it will yer,
slightly mitigate the condition of tn
ryOts.
The greatest modern work in India
is the canal aqueduct over the Salane,
river, at this place. 1t is entirel,
constructed of brick, and, including
the abutments, it is about a quarter o
a mile in length, by 1870 feet il