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Sir John Coode, C.E.

30 Mar,

1882.

of constructing docks at Colombo I have heard in- directly that a question is likely to be submitted to me shortly with regard to the nature of the accommodation to be given for the repairing and cleansing of vessels, and I am told that the idea of the community at this moment is a large patent slip. There has been an idea of con- structing docks at the Lotus Pond, but there have been some apprehensions of evils that might arise from dis- turbing the mud; whether these are well founded or not I am unable to say.

5633. Is there no other place where they could be constructed ?—There is no other place suitable just there; it is only quite lately that I have understood it was a matter likely to be referred home.

5634. The Earl of Camperdown.-Is there any likelihood of dealing with the silt by quicklime — I don't see why you should not deal with it by means of quicklime.

5635. Sir Henry IIolland.-It is very shallow, is it not? Yes, the water is, but there is a very great depth of mud.

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5636. Sir Lintorn Simmons.-Is it sea water there or fresh water ?-It is fresh water. The water comes down into it from the back country. There is a great rise of country at the back of Colombo, and the water running down brings considerable deposits with it.

5637. Sir Alexander Milne.-Does that go into the harbour ?—Yes, that goes either over what is called a spillwater, or through a sluice. The depth of the water is very small; but there is little reason to doubt that there would be about 35 feet, until you come to a bed of rock.

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5638. Does this dry up in the hot season ?—Oh, no ; it never dries.

5639. The Earl of Camperdown.-What is the average depth there?—I should say it ranges from 5 to 10 feet; I am not sure.

5640. Sir Lintorn Simmons. What means are there for repairing ships and steam apparatus at Colombo? There is only one foundry of commercial enterprise, and a shop belonging to the Railway Department which is worked by the Government. The railways, as you are probably aware, in Ceylon were all con- structed by the Government, and very profitable they

have been.

5641. Is there any intention of making any extensive repairs?-All locomotive repairs, but not heavy works. 5642. Not for ships?—No, not heavy ship work, but only such repairs as locomotives would require; nothing beyond that.

5643. Are there any shops of that character at Galle -No, not so much at Galle.

5644. Sir Henry Barkly.-Do you think the stock of coal will be entirely removed from Galle?—That is the intention.

5645. There will be none left there ?- No.

5646. Sir Alexander Milne.-Will the coal not be retained there by local traders --There may be a small quantity; but when they find all these large steamers coming to Colombo, I think there will be a very small quantity of coal there. It is to be borne in mind, with regard to Galle, that you cannot get in at night; no steamer arriving at night can get in, she is obliged to anchor outside.

5647. What is the distance from Galle to Colombo ? -72 or 73 miles.

5648. And they have all to call there on their way back from the East? Well, the difference in that respect depends upon the point where you alter your course. If you are going round, say to Calcutta-

5649. Or going to Singapore, for instance ?—You cannot get through the Paumben Channel, you must go round Ceylon, and the fact of being able to get into Colombo any hour of the day or night would be a saving of time.

5650. Sir Henry Holland,—You gave us an estimate of the probable expense of this original plan, entered as Design (A). Supposing what you call the North Arm, as suggested on your last plan, was given up, but that it was, as you have also suggested, pivoted round and extended to some other point of the shore

towards Mutwal Point, could you give us any notion of what the probable expense of that would be?—I could give a rough estimate.

5651. Sir Alexander Milne.-Will that entrance allow of a vessel going in through the south-western monsoon and the sea breaking; because, as you say, the sea would break right in, and no vessel could be taken in or out?-The run of the sea is from the work south-west, but the sea breaks upon our directly from the west because the breakwater is there.

5652. Sir Henry Barkly.-When the head of the breakwater is finished, will it not be sufficiently solid and compact for the foundation of a turret for heavy guns? If there is to be a very heavy iron-clad work, there would not be a sufficient foundation. I should like to see the base extended. We found our- selves in the same position at Portland, where the same question was raised several times before the head of "Is there to be a the breakwater was finished: heavy fort built upon this? -I am speaking of (6 No, not a thirty years ago-and the answer was, heavy fort built upon this; anything you put up in reason the work will carry." Well, one day I had a request from Sir William Jervois, putting it to me whether it would be possible to put a fort upon that and three tiers of guns, and one tier en barbette; but Now we can my answer was it was impossible. do anything, if intimation is given, say, in about eight to twelve months from the present time.

5653. Sir Lintorn Simmons.—What does your pier rest upon ?----Upon the sand.

5654. What is underneath the sand ?-Rock. There is a remarkable thing here-a reef, which just pro- jects a little above the sand, in the form of a narrow spit or tongue. There are 7 fathoms over this line, and & beyond, and we have followed the line of this reef, so far as it is possible, upon the surface.

5655. So you would not apprehend any material injury under the pier portion through the winds?--- What we have to apprehend is the No, not at all. consolidation of the rubble on which it is formed now that the depth of this rubble is at the maximum.

5656. The Earl of Camperdown.—Do you think it would be better to wait and see what the trade of Colombo is likely to be before building the outer wall? I should like to see it begun at once; but the Government have decided that they cannot afford to spend more than 800,0007., and nothing, I think, but sheer necessity would induce them to construct that North Arm.

5657. But besides the design, to begin with, have you considered the possibility that hereafter it may be desirable to make something larger ?-I have always had that in my mind since this was suspended.

5658. But if afterwards it was found desirable to make larger works, would it not be rather a waste?

-Yes, it would.

5659. Sir Lintorn Simmons.—Is the town extending much up towards the North Point?-No. Of course it can be extended; but, as a matter of fact, it is not That is the native town; the extending much. commercial part of Colombo, which is called the Fort, occupies pretty well the whole area between the sea- board and the neck.

5660. Sir Henry Holland.-Supposing it is necessary to build a naval establishment there, whereabouts would it be placed-is there room to have a consider- able establishment there?—Yes; we could reclaim land. A rubble bank for the purpose of retaining some of the dredged material is now nearly com- pleted.

5661. And for the purpose of creating an establish- ment you would reclaim land?—Yes, from the harbour itself, and that we could do very well indeed; there is a capital place for it.

5662. Sir Alexander Milne. Where do you get water from?-From wells. These wells rise and fall with the tide, which does not in the slightest degree influence them as regards the quality of the water.

5663. Do you mean to say that the water supply

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