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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
19
Reference *---
C.O. 882
8 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-
COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO
19587
SIR,
(No. 152.)
94
No. 78,
GOVERNOR SIR C. BRUCE to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.
(Received May 27, 1903.)
[Answered by No. 83.]
Government House, Mauritius, April 27, 1903. WITH reference to my despatch, No. 148, of the 25th instant,* on the subject of the construction of light railways, I have the honour to report on the Lorg mountain, branch project.
2. On the 14th of October last a petition from the proprietors and inhabitants of the district for the construction of such a railway was laid on the table of the Council of Government by the Member for Pamplemousses district, the Honourable E. Sauzier. On the 21st October, I addressed a Minute to the Council stating that I proposed to revive a Commission of Enquiry which had been appointed in the year 1893 but had never reported. At the same time I asked for a vote of Rs. 500 to meet preliminary expenses. I annex a copy of my Minute, which shows that a branch railway to Montagne Longue had been projected for many years.
3. I enclose a copy of the report of the Commission, dated the 10th of March last. It states sufficiently clearly the reasons that have made the early carrying out of the project a matter of urgency. Attached to the report are the Minutes of a meeting of the Commission on the 5th of March, including the final estimate of the Surveyor-General of the cost of construction.
4. I annex also:-
(A) Planst prepared by the Surveyor-General showing the projected branch
line; and
(B) An estimate of the revenue.and working expenses prepared by the Acting
General Manager of Railways, Mr. Dowson.
5. It will be seen from the enclosures to this despatch that the estimated cost of the project, including the necessary engines, was Rs. 180,000. This amount it was proposed to raise by loan. Interest and sinking fund on a loan of this amount would constitute an annual charge of Rs. 9,000, while the working expenses are estimated at about Rs. 10,000. The branch would, therefore, during the currency of the loan, involve an annual expenditure of about Rs. 19,000. The revenue is estimated by the Acting General Manager at Rs. 25,000. I may add, incidentally, that the branch line would save the Government about Rs. 1,000 a year, in the way of cost of transport for police, hospital and other purposes.
6. The realisation of a large part of this revenue would, however, depend upon arrangements being made with the proprietors of the estate "l'Industrie" for the construction of a siding of about two miles. Similar arrangements are frequently made with proprietors, the Government finding the materials and the proprietors paying the cost of labour and binding themselves to send their sugars and provisions, &c., by rail for a fixed term of years. The cost of the materials in all these cases is charged to the annual revenue of the Colony, and is not made a loan charge. These agreements are very remunerative.
7. After careful consideration of this scheme, in consultation with the Surveyor- General and the Acting General Manager of Railways, I ascertained that this short line could be constructed and worked with old, but serviceable, rails and light engines in the possession of the Department at a much reduced cost. I annex a report of the Surveyor-General prepared in conference with the General Manager, showing that the line can be constructed for about Rs. 110,000, while the new scheme will avoid the delay that must necessarily have occurred in obtaining the proposed plant from England.
8. At the same time I satisfied myself that, instead of constructing the line out of lean funds, the cost might be met out of revenue chargeable to the extent of
• No. 76.
† Not reproduced.
95
Rs. 50,000 to the current financial year; provision being made for the balance in the estimates for the year 1903-04. Assuming the working expenses to be, as estimated, Rs. 10,000, the line should give a very satisfactory net revenue.
9. I therefore lost no time in consulting the Executive Council, and, in accordance with their advice, gave orders that the construction of the line should be undertaken at once. Later in the year it is certain that there will be a very great demand for labour, and I attached considerable importance to the prompt prosecution of the work at a time of year when labour is more readily available.
10. In view of the quite exceptional circumstances of the moment, I trust that my action will commend itself to your approval. The area of land to be served by this branch line is of about 11 square miles, with a population of about 10,000. A great part of this area was thrown out of cultivation for years, and has been restored by the energy of the small proprietors, who have acquired it and work it with profit. Unless they can be supplied with means of transport, in substitution of the animal draught on which they have hitherto depended, it is much to be feared that the result of the industry of years will be lost to the proprietors and to the Colony.
(No. 28 of 1902.)
I have, &c.,
Enclosure 1 in No. 78.
MINUTE.
CHAS. BRUCE,
RAILWAY EXTENSION TO MONTAGNE LONGUE.
Governor.
In June, 1889, a petition was laid on the table of the Council of Government by
the Honourable Member for Pamplemousses, asking for the extension of the north line of the railway to Montagne Longue, and in July, 1889, a description of the proposed work and total cost was prepared by the Surveyor-General, Mr. M. Connal.
On the 23rd of May, 1893, a motion was carried in Council for a committee to report on the proposed railway. The Governor then appointed a Commission, which, Procl. however, never reported.
No. 21
In 1897 a report from the General Manager of Railways and the Acting Surveyor- of 1893. General, together with plan showing intended line and schedule of quantities giving estimates of probable cost, was submitted to the Commission.
The Honourable Member for Pamplemousses, on the 20th November, 1900, laid on the table a petition from the inhabitants of Long Mountain praying for an extension of the railway, which was also referred to the Long Mountain Railway Commission. Under these circumstances and with reference to the petition from the proprietors and tenants of Montagne Longue for a railway line from Terre Rouge to "Industrie Estate, laid on the table by the Honourable Member for Pamplemousses at the last meeting, the Governor has the honour to inform the Council of Government that he proposes to revive the Commission appointed for that purpose on the 10th of June, 1893.
The Governor has further the honour to request the Council to revote the sum G. M. 99 of Rs. 500 for the preliminary expenses which was voted in 1893, 1894 and 1895, but of 1888, not expended. The course now proposed is the same as was adopted with reference F... to the Moka Railway extension in 1888.
Government House, October 18, 1902.
Enclosure 2 in No. 78.
CHAS. BRUCE,
Governor.
REPORT OF THE LONG MOUNTAIN RAILWAY COMMISSION.
MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY,
WE, the undersigned Commissioners, appointed by Your Excellency to report
on the expediency of creating a branch line of railway starting from some point on
of 1888.