The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-13

while the sea route was long and trouble
some, involving. as IL did, the doubling OF
Ceylon. We need not dwell on the unhcard
of cost and pains with which the rich prod
ucts Of the interior were brought down to
ports Of shipment, or with which British
wares in turn were made to rcach the upper
country. This state Of things is now fast
vanishing.
Promising that the railway system Of
British India has boon constructed partly by
the Vice-Rcgal Government, hut mainly by
private companies who have state guar
untcc Of interest on their honda, and often on
| their stock, we may mark the extent and di
rcction OF the principal lines. The Calcutta
railroads, which are the most important
take for the most part. northeast course,
there il, however, one line now finished az
far rs Goalandu on the Bralmapootra
which will speedily be pushed to Daricel-
ing, on the frontier Of Bhotun. with II prob
able branch to the capital Of Assam, The seat
Of the prosperous tea industry. AS to the
great northeast trunk line. II follows the
valley Of the Gangcs, unscallng the sacred
cities. Benarcs and Allahabad. connecting at
the latter point with q railway from Bonn
bay. Still pursuing the same northcastcrly
direction, the main road touches at Gavin
pore. whence a branch runs to Lucknow,
next reaches Agra, then Delhi, and then the
terminus, Lahore. We ought rather to say
the former terminus, for since the Russian
conquest of Khiva an event which has
caused such profound excitement in British
India. the Calcutta line has hocn rapidly
pressed forward toward the fortress of Pcsh-
awur, on the frontier of Afghanlstan, and
commanding one OF the chief passes Of the
Hmalavas. When this extension is COM
plctod. the whole length Of this trunk road
Will be- sixteen hundred miles. We should
add that from Lahore a line, whose eXtromi-
tbs have been built and are now working.
de-cends in q southwest direction TO the
Indus. and thence to Kurrachcc at the en-
trance Of the Persian gulf This port al
ready has considerable trade and, should
the projected Euphratcs Valley Railroad be
executed must become one Of the most i'm
poItant cntrcpots of Indian commerce.
Bombay may almost be said to rank
before Calcutta as a focus Of Anglo-lndian
railways. three great roads raiiatng from
this point toward the north, n1rthea-t. and
southeast At present the northern line
stops at Walhwan, u distance of some four
hundred inilcs; but twill soon hc prolonged
in two directions one fork going to Kurra-
chcc, the port above mentioned, and the
other joining the linc from Delhi to icy
pore. The northeast line travelses central
India, following the valley OF the Ncrbudda
and when completed Will place Bombay in
more direct connection with the capital OF
Bengal. third and very important road
pursues a southeastern coursc. and places
the west coast in connection With Madras.
We ought 10 mention that new and veri-
table air line between Bombay and Cal
cutta Is Ia course Of construction. and now
working far a. Wharda, whence short
| branch leads to the remarkable coal and
iron district which has lately attracted 50
much attention. Passing finally to Madras.
the third railway centre Of Hindostan, we
find triiuroate line, whose several tcrm.ni
are Nagapntan, on the bay of Bengal Boy
pour, on the Arabian gulf; and Tutcorin at
the southern tip of the peninsula oppo. ite
the island OF Ceylon In this vast network
OF iron roads, in most respects admirably
planned, We note one conspicuous defect
the journey by rail from Madm to Calcutta
Is way Of Bombay and Allnhauad IS SO cir
cutou- and lengthy. covering a. 1t docs a
distance on more than two Thousand miles,
that tie route by sen Is naturally preferred
Tho direct outlay oi the Government TN
Anglo-InGidn railway is between sixty AID
seventy millions pt du!lal-, Lat ln tho 30 q
Of March 1875. the Amount expended lay tNf
several pr waite compauio- tell hut little
short Of iivr huuArl millions. interest o..
the whole ol thi- ma being guaranteed ~
the State. 1t il worth remark, a- shown.
the confidence OF Euyh-h capitalists in The
, stability Il the British. empire in india. tina
OF the OloO0 share and bond holders in thcs'
roads, less than one and q hal! per cent are
Residents Il tn i-uiL-ula A. regards tl
receipts " tho lo we may observe tha
= while the Quautt. 1 irc gilt fell q slight.
q in 1875, owing the famine and iiminsAa'
I production Of On, Previous year, the pns
/ scngcr business has steadily increased, tn
number II lefsoLs carried In the first men
= toned year haNih been nearly twouty
, seven millions. The circumstance, perhaps
deserves citing. that two-thirls OF the Who'll
L. number were rated rs third. and the bulk d
!, the remainder as fourth class; and her
n we should montlcnthntons some In Han lines
in order To- mcet the prejudicrs Of the east
q system, garbage are distributed IN iiy
II classes. On certain roads, however, thrr
g are but two Glasses, a iii-t aAi third; hu
% in th case There are special compartment
for Europeans.
\. OF tie gro-s receipts, which are nov D,
i far from forty Mlllion- IL dollars, litilerpr
q than half is required iur rcpiir- AID unlln
+ expenses, the remainder beiug available io
= interest and sinking fund II il very proI
e crly regarded as an DucOura.yng TACT th
Il the net returns per train mile alo near
1t forty per cent preaterin India than IN ~
II United Kingd, IN. Moreover the cost
l. operating rail Fays in II ndoetan h. diH
IS ishiuR as the u-'oi imported coal dcorct-o
% the natl rc iuiuo- already Wording moro tha
s. half the quantity consumed. Whoh N
le Mr3-ulr the upatu, impaired by hpn rol'
s,ll M,h,uto fo the production az zen. cu
o, tou and zinc, nnd consider the 0ep1,it-
II cYal ani iron now i.r tne first time ma,
- uc'r-. Iu.e. Nc incline to thnk That q a.
/; ieDtd railway -y-ten may ut nI d.etn
Il, day place British India in the front mnk
"a product iyrWl olMtc.ciI -tut.3. Nor
This oll Tia poyu., of the .anple h.