PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
PLIFIC.O. 882
4 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
132
macadamised road, there remaining only 33 miles to be completed, and which distance is now a passable road, requiring but the erection of bridges over the main streams and metalling of the surface.
Sickness along the route has up till lately been the excuse for the delay in completing this road; a wealthy native gentleman, Mr. de Soysa, has, however, cleared and planted up a large area of the land along that part of the route which was considered unhealthy, and this is now inhabited, so that further delay on this score is out of the question.
The cultivation of tea has now become a most important enterprise in Ceylon, s0 much so that at no former period of the island's history has there been so much land under cultivation, and cheaper and more rapid transport is now of the gravest moment to the planters in this district.
The very large interests I represent in this district must be my excuse for addressing you on this most important matter, and the making of a railway all the way to Badulla, or the opening up of the lower Badulla road, are matters of such urgency that I should esteem it a great favour if you would grant me the honour of an
interview.
The Right Honourable
SIR,
1
I have, &o. (Signed) JOHN BROWN,
Managing Director of the
:
Sir Henry T. Holland, Bart., G.C.M.G.,
Secretary of State for the Colonies,
Colonial Office, Downing Street.
No. 30.
Ouvah Coffee Co., Lim., Spring Valley Coffee Co., Lim,, Colombo Commercial Co., Lim,
GOVERNOR THE HON. SIE A. H. GORDON, G.C.M.G., to the RIGHT HON. SIR H. T. HOLLAND, BART., G.C.M.G., M.P. (Received June 11, 1887.) (No. 194.)
Queen's Cottage, Nuwara Eliya, Ceylon,
May 13, 1887.
WITH reference to my Despatch, No. 152, of the 7th April,* and to previous correspondence on the subject of Railway Extension to Haputale, I have the honour to transmit copy of a letter received from Mr. F. Prestage, Managing Director of the Darjeeling-Himalayan Railway, offering to construct a first class substantial 2 feet 6 inches gauge railway from Nanu-Oya to Badulla, and equip it with the necessary rolling stock and appliances, for the sum of 6,3501. sterling per mile, or a lump sum of 349,2501.
I venture to recommend that the proposal be referred to Sir C. H. Gregory, the Consulting Engineer (or other competent authority), for his opinion as to its feasibility. The proposed heads of agreement mentioned in the last paragraph of Mr. Prestage's letter were not, as stated, enclosed with that letter.
I have, &o. (Signed) A. H. GORDON.
The Right Hon. Sir H. T. Holland, Bart., M.P., G.C.M.G.,
&c.
&o.
&o.
133
Second. The engine power and rolling stock to be equal to carrying in two mixed trains all the goods traffic estimated to be received by the Commissioners of 1886, and, in addition, all the passage traffic that is expected will offer at the onset.
Third. The contract dates of completion of the works and equipping of the line ready for opening for traffic to Haputale to be the end of 1888, and to Badulla by the Queen's birthday 1889, provided that his Excellency will grant provisional sanction to commence preliminaries before I leave the island this week, and full and complete sanction to proceed by the middle of May next.
Fourth. The line and rolling stock to be satisfactorily tested up to a speed of 20 miles per hour, but the usual werking speed not to exceed 12 miles.
By the first and second conditions, the Colony will obtain a completely equipped railway equal to carrying in one hour out of the twenty-four all the traffic authoritatively estimated to come upon it for some time to come, and it is most-unlikely to be tested up to half its full carrying power for In addition, the total outlay will not reach two-thirds that
ages.
of the proposed broad-gauge line to Haputale only, exclusive of rolling stock.
I propose a 2 feet 6 inches gauge for the reasons previously intimated, as I find that curves of over 100 feet radius can be got in at all points without serious outlay. The gauge will also allow of fully the estimated power being put on the line, and of the proposed speed, which exceeds that of the present main line, being easily run to.
Although I am of opinion that the proposed two mixed trains run each way daily will carry and serve well all the traffic offering for some time to come, yet it will be satisfac- tory when sufficient traffic offers to necessitate the working of passenger trains only. The two mixed trains would, however, be equal to carrying the estimated quantity of goods, and some 150 passengers per train, much more than the number that now arrive at and depart from Nanu-oya daily.
I beg to enclose the proposed heads of an agreement under which it is intended I should be bound, by the penaltics mentioned, to carry out the four main conditions herein enumerated, and under which I hope it will be thought that the interest of the Government will be sufficiently protected, and I shall be obliged if you will bring to his Excellency's notice that I am prepared to agree to any reasonable conditions by which the satisfactory performance of the railway up to the standard noted shall be considered fulfilment of the contract.
SIB,
I have, &c. (Signed) F. PRESTAGE.
Enclosure in No. 30.
From F. PRESTAGE to the Honourable Colonial Secretary, Colombo, Ceylon. SIR
Newara Eliya, March 21, 1887. HAVING Completed an inspection of the proposed railway extension to Badulla, via Haputale, and prospected on to Passara, I have the honour to submit the following firm offer for his Excellency the Governor's consideration.
First. I will engage to construct a first class substantial 2 feet 6 inches gauge railway from Nanu-oya to Badulls, and equip it with the necessary rolling stock and appliances, for the sum of 6,3507. sterling per mile, or a lump sum of 349,2501.
No. 26.
No. 31.
T. N. CHRISTIE, Esq., to COLONIAL OFFICE.
Cotgreen, Melrose, Roxburghshire,
July 13, 1887.
I HAVE the honour, in connection with the question of railway extension to Uva, to lay before you the special claims which the planters of Ceylon have for encourage- ment in their efforts to obtain railways in Ceylon. On the occasion of my recent interview-and I venture to take this opportunity of expressing my appreciation of the attention then given to my remarks-the merits of the Haputale Extension, and matters contained in Mr. Stanhope's Despatch of 7th January, were fully gone into, and I would only not ask to be allowed to record general facts.
It is to the planters of Ceylon, and more particularly to the Association over which I have the honour now to preside, that the Colony owes the possession of the main line to Kandy. When that line was projected the planters had, in order to remove the doubts of Government as to its remunerativeness, to assent to the imposition of a special export duty on coffee. This tax was continued until a sum of about 500,0001. was collected, and that money was devoted to discharging the liabilities of the railway. I may point specially to the fact that the Uva plantera, who shared equally in the payment of the tax, derived no benefit from the railway which absorbed their money. This line of railway proved so remunerative that it not only paid the interest on the
• No. 15.
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i 93293.