CO882-(3-4) — Page 669

CEYLO N.

CORRESPONDENCE

RESPECTING

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PROPOSED RAILWAY EXTENSION IN UVA.

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

19

C.O. 882

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-| COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

No. 1.

GOVERNOR THE HON. Sm A. H. GORDON, G.C.M.G., to the RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF DERBY, K.G. (Received July 14, 1885.)

(No. 265.)

Queen's House, Colombo,

Ceylon, June 19, 1885.

MY LORD,

I HAVE the honour to enclose, for your Lordship's information, a report from the Chief Resident Engineer of the Nanu-oya Railway upon the proposed extension of the railway from Nanu-oya to Haputalé Pass, accompanied by a revised estimate of the probable cost of that work, prepared by the same gentleman.

2. This report is a very full and clear one, and merits your Lordship's attentive perusal and consideration.

3. Mr. Waring now estimates the cost of the work at 502,700%, but considers that very considerable reductions on this sum may, under certain circumstances, be effected, although he does not think it prudent to assume that such will be the case.

4. I also enclose returns* of produce actually sent during the past three years from Haputalé, Badulla, and Madalaima to Colombo vid Ratnapura, with returns of the rates of cart hire paid for each estate, and a paper by the General Manager of the Railway, giving an estimate of the financial result of the extension on various banes suggested to him by Mr. G. O'Brien, late Acting Colonial Secretary, as well as certain other particulars.

Inquiries are now being carried on with a view of ascertaining the proportion which the cart traffic to Colombo by way of Ratnapura bears to that which is conveyed by the Nuwara Eliya route. The result of these inquiries cannot affect the amount of estate produce shown to have been sent vid Ratnapura, but it may establish the fact that some traffic from other sources will be secured to the railway, when the proposed extension is completed.

5. It was essential to obtain the detailed particulars for the information of this Govern- ment and of your Lordship, but it is my duty to inform your Lordship that many pro- prietors and superintendents of estates object to the publication of these returns. This objection is quite consistent with their having been made in good faith,-is easily intelligible, and must of course be respected. I trust, therefore, that your Lordship will consider the detailed returns enclosed as strictly confidential, and will take care that they are not disclosed.

6. The average rates of cartage downwards to Colombo for each district have been obtained by the process of multiplying the amount of produce by the rate on each

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• Confidential. A