George Turnbull (1809-1889): Autobiography: Chapter 3

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Chapter 03. 1850. (pages 091-106). East Indian Railway.

1850.—January. On the 19th January a letter came from Mr. William Cubitt, asking me if I would like to go out to India, to be chief Engineer of the East Indian Railway, which had been finally decided upon after many and long discussions. Mr. Rendel was the consulting Engineer, and he and Cubitt had recommended me as well suited for the appointment, which was complimentary and gratifying to me. The great point with me was, whether it would suit dear Jane's health, which had been far from good for a long time. She had no defined complaint, but was not strong, much liable to severe headaches, and easily fatigued. We went to town and consulted Dr. F. Ramsbotham, who was much in favour of her going out to India, and thought the change to a warm climate would do her good. Of course Mr. Pope’s advice was also asked, and it was much to the same effect. We also consulted Mr. Tucker, who was kind, as usual, and cheered Jane a good deal by praising India and Indian living. William and Heriot arrived on the 22nd, and strongly advised accepting the offer. After a good deal of “conferring” with Mr. Rendel, I finally accepted the situation on the 23rd January, on the understanding that no time was to be lost about starting.

February. At this time the East India Company was still in existence, the “ Old Lady” still lived in Leadenhall Street. After many “ minutes ” were written, and many opinions given on all sides, it was settled that Railways were to be made in India; the difficulty was, how the money was to be provided. No Railway Company could be got up in the usual way, as no one would subscribe on account of the risk, until a scheme was devised by the East India Company guaranteeing from the Government of India a dividend of 5 per cent, per annum. This, which was called an Agreement between the East India Company and the East Indian Railway Company, was made the subject of an Act ot Parliament, and the money was paid in as fast, or faster than it was wanted.

The Agreement provided that, in consideration of the 5 per cent, guarantee, the Government of India, through their authorised officers, were to fix the direction and course of the line of Railway, and that no expenditure of money could be sanctioned without the previous leave sought and obtained from the Government of India.

This last was intended as a check against extravagance and useless expenditure. It did not turn out to be a very efficient one. It applied to the other lines as well—the Great Indian Peninsula Line from Bombay into the interior, the Bombay and Baroda, and others. If the receipts from an opened Railway exceeded the 5 per cent, the surplus was to be divided equally between the shareholders and the Government of India, the one half by way of bonus to the shareholders, the other half to reimburse the Government for their outlay in paying interest.

In the case of the East Indian Railway, the 5 per cent, has been exceeded, and shareholders received a bonus, but I am not sure that any other line has been so fortunate.

The following is a copy of Mr. Cubitt’s letter to the secretary of the East India Company about the salary of the chief Engineer—a kind of proof that the said Company exercised due control over expenditure :—

From William Cubitt, Civil Engineer, to J. C. Melville, Esq., Secretary, East India Company. Dated 6, Great George Street, Westminster. 28th January, 1850.

“ SIR,—I am this morning favoured with a note from the India House, signed, J. Danvers, to the effect that, in the event of my being in a position to make my report upon the subject of the * salary of the chief Engineer to the East India Railway Company, I am requested to submit it to the Court, through you, as their secretary.

“ Now the fact is, that having had no instructions to report to the Court on the salary of the chief Engineer to the East Indian Railway Company, other than the above, I can only state what has taken place within my knowledge on the subject.

“About a week or ten days since I was called upon, whilst attending a Railway Board in the city, by Mr. Danvers, with a verbal message, as I understood, from the Court of Directors, requesting me to put myself in communication with Mr. Rendel, the consulting Engineer of the East Indian Railway Company, touching the appointment and salary of a chief Engineer for that Company in India, should Mr. Rendel consult me on that subject. This I promised to attend to, and Mr. Rendel did confer with me immediately after, and we had many consultations, both as to a suitable party for such an important post, and the amount of salary, below which we could not recommend him to undertake the duty.

“I can therefore report that we have both agreed on the subject. The party is Mr. George Turnbull, who was a pupil of Mr. Telford’s in and at the construction of the St. Katharine’s Docks, and acquitted himself so well in every respect, that he entered Mr. Telford’s office immediately after, and remained with that celebrated man as his confidential clerk, draughtsman and assistant till his death. After which he came under my command, in the year i 835, as my resident engineer in the construction of the Bute Docks, and afterwards constructed the Middlesbro’ Docks for me in the River Tees. And subsequently some of the most difficult parts of the South Eastern Railway, near Dover and the Harbour of Folkstone. He also acted for some time under the immediate eye of Mr. Rendel himself in the commencement of the Docks at Birkenhead, and then at my instance was appointed by my son (who is the engineer of the Great Northern Railway), to be the resident engineer of the most important division of that great work, viz., the first twenty miles out of London, where he is now engaged with great credit to himself and advantage to the Company; and if he go, will be a great loss to my son as the chief engineer on the Line, as well as to myself as the consulting engineer.

“ Mr. Rendel made application to me to know if Mr. Turnbull could be procured to go out to India if terms could be arranged, as he knew his worth. I promised to put no obstruction in the way if he was disposed to go ; and we both agreed that the lowest terms we could fix, under the circumstances of the case, was £2,000 per annum clear of the expenses out and back, and with a veto as to the appointment of all the subordinate officers in his department.

“ Upon any terms short of the above I could not recommend Mr. Turnbull to move, and with them some little time must be had to enable him to wind up, and deliver up his charge of the great works now in his hands to my son, to place in other hands.

“ I have the honour to be, &c., &c., W. CUBITT.”

On the 12th Mr. Rendel told me I was appointed Chief Engineer, to the East India Railway. He gave an introduction to Mr. Noad, and so all was settled.

A good deal had to be done in squaring the railway accounts with Mr. Bartlett, but it was got over by hard work in a few days. Lewis Cubitt was the architect of the Company as to stations, and so we had many meetings about the King’s Cross station, as to the roads, of which I had to give him the plans. The drainage especially was to be settled. The Fleet Ditch, as it is called historically, passes across King's Cross and down Farringdon Street. It was interesting to examine the drains, and so I had the opportunity of seeing this curious old drain of London, and taking the levels, and connecting our drains with it. To the best of my recollection, it was running about 18 ins. deep and about 12 ft. wide, at about 3I or 4 miles an hour. There was no offensive smell, the ventilation was so good.

March. It had been a burden on my mind for a long time that I had never been baptized, This was owing to, so far as my father told me, that when a separation took place among the Glassites in Perth, the congregation of which he was one of the elders, were in doubt as to whether they were qualified to administer the sacrament of baptism ; and so, as I think, they very properly let it alone. So neither I, nor, I suppose, some of my sisters were baptized.

I went to Mr. Mackenzie, at Holloway, a most excellent, pious man, whose church we attended, and in the end I was baptized on the 2nd March, publicly, in Holloway church.

Mr. Bartlett and I had heavy work to get the accounts of the London District squared 'up and settled. But we managed it; he had carte blanche from Mr. Brassey, and I had something like it from the Great Northern Company.

My diary says : “ To Oakfield (J, Cubitt’s), to dinner; Board meeting E. I. R.; Mr. Laing’s, with Fanny Thomas; with E. Purser and George Smith to London, and with Rendel and Joseph Cubitt; dined at Mr. Tucker’s; with Bartlett at accounts; Wm. Richards, from Cardiff, came; he had a notion of marrying Fanny Thomas, but she would not have him. William Richards was an old Cardiff friend, a good, sensible man, uncle to Mr. Watson, whose brother, Josias Watson, lives still at Landaff, near Cardiff, timbermerchant, &c., as his father was, much esteemed as an honourable mercantile man.

On the nth we left Woodberry Oaks, and took up our quarters in Eastey’s Hotel, Southampton Street, Strand. A quantity of packages containing books, instruments, and clothes, and other things, were despatched on the 12th.

The next few days were busy days, making final arrangements about the works, and making calls and receiving our friends and taking leave of them.

On the 15th we dined at Mr. Cubitt’s, at Clapham. On the 18th called on Bircham, Mr. Cubitt, George Lindsay, was introduced to Sir Archibald Gallaway, chairman of East India Company, and Captain Shepherd, the deputy chairman. Also on Mr. Tucker. On the 19th attended meeting of Board of Directors of East Indian Railway, and took leave; also on Rendel, and conferred with him and Mr. Cubitt. Settled all accounts and bills, and left for Southampton at 5 p.m.

We embarked on board the Peninsular and Oriental Company’s steamer “ Indus ” on the zoth, and sailed about 2 p.ni., and had a very fine passage. In the Bay of Biscay on the 23rd. On the 25th arrived at Gibraltar, and had time to land and see the town and fortifications, at least as much as could be seen in four or five hours. The steamer sailed again at 10 p.m. The 29th was Good Friday; weather delightful, light easterly breezes ; Cape Bon about twelve miles off, very clear. Passed close to the island of Pantellaria, which belongs to Naples. Some think this was the famous island of Calypso, where she entertained Ulysses for three years ; but the “ learned” are not agreed on the subject, and some assert it is alia myth together.

Arrived at Malta at three in the morning of the 31st, which was Sunday. Went ashore, and visited the celebrated Church of St. John, and saw other sights which I need not describe here, as I wrote fully about Malta and the whole voyage in a long letter, written every day all the way out, and sent to my brother at intervals ; this letter is still in existence, and is now before me. All the places are so well known now by overland travellers and their friends, that the description reads now rather flat, as of an often- told tale, the novelty worn off.

April. Left Malta at noon on the ist April.

Arrived at Alexandria on the 5th, and landed at 10 a.m. Made the most of our time in seeing all we could : Pompey’s pillar, Cleopatra’s Needle, the Bazaars ; dined at the Hotel d’ Orient, and were all packed off in canal boats by four o’clock on the Mamoudieh Canal, which connects Alexandria with the Nile. The canal boats were about 80 ft. long and 15 ft. wide, towed by small steamers. The accommodation was very poor, the ladies in one compartment and the gentlemen in another. The night was got through at last, as all nights are, and we arrived at Atfeh, on the Nile, at five on the morning of the 6th. The length of this fine canal is forty-eight miles, which we got over in thirteen hours —a little under four miles an hour.

In the street in Alexandria I met Mr. Macdonald Stephenson for the first time, and was much pleased with him. He was on his way out to Calcutta, like myself, being appointed agent for the East India Railway Company in India, and general manager there. He did not come with us from Southampton, but had travelled across the Continent by Vienna, I think.

At Atfeh no time was lost; mails and passengers were soon transferred from the boats to the two steamers waiting to convey us up the Nile. We were all on board and under weigh at six o’clock a.m. ; certainly a very quick dispatch, considering there were eighty- two passengers, with all their heavy luggage, besides the mail bags.

The sail up the Nile was delightful.

We arrived at Boulac, the port of Cairo, at two in the morning of Sunday, the 7th April. From Atfeh to Boulac the distance is 120 miles, which was done in twenty hours; not a bad run, considering that there was sometimes a strong current against us. We expected a day’s rest at Cairo, but the passengers, now ninety in number, were much disappointed at being packed off in the cars to cross the desert at once. Our car started at six o’clock at a furious pace. An immense mass of boxes of merchandise, passengers’ luggage, mail boxes and bags, were loaded on camels and started off as fast as possible for Suez, the whole under the management of the Transit Company. The cars are simply wooden boxes, mounted on one pair of wheels to each. Each car carried six passengers, and had four horses, two in the shafts, and two leaders. The driver sits on the box, a strange-looking figure. Some are Arabs, some Egyptians, few with shoes or stockings. The distance from Cairo to Suez is about eighty-four miles, divided into sixteen stations, nearly equidistant ; each station had large stables and relays of horses. The vans were despatched, in detachments of six in each, at intervals of three or four hours. The horses that take the vans to No. i station come back and bring on the second batch in the same manner, and so it is all the way to Suez. For some distance from Cairo the road is formed of ample width, with good broken stone ; in short, a good macadamized road, defined with a mound and ditch on each side.

The first station is quite in the desert, but this desert is not so formidable as the name would imply. It is composed on the west, or Cairo side, of gently undulating hills of sandstone, with a thin covering of sand, destitute of vegetation, except occasional tufts of coarse grass. Looking back in a north-west direction towards Cairo, we see the green fertile valley of the Nile, of no great breadth, and the sandy desert on the west side beyond it, clearly defined ; also on the east side of the Nile, the line of division between the arid desert and the highly cultivated land, watered by the Nile, appears to the eye as well defined as the shores of the sea.

It may be said that there is a track, or road, of some kind, good, bad, or indifferent, all the way from Cairo to Suez. It might be made a very good road, as there are abundant materials for making it close at hand the whole way. The country seems to be composed of rock, with a thin covering of sand, although here and there are drift sand ridges, valleys and hills of fine sand.

Darkness came on about fifteen miles from Suez, so we could see nothing of the country. We left Cairo at six in the morning, and reached Suez at ten at night; distance, eighty-four miles. The last three stages were insufferably jolting, as the night was too dark for the drivers to avoid big stones, and they occasionally got off the track ; indeed the little unbroken Arab horses had much their own way with us, and seemed often to choose the way for themselves in spite of the efforts of the drivers. The passengers, especially the lady part of them, were much fatigued, although all declared the journey to be delightful, and that the reports of the discomforts were much exaggerated.

Suez is, or rather was then a miserable, small town, mostly built of sun-dried bricks, plastered with mud. The Bazaar is curious, but wretchedly poor. The town was surrounded by a mean-looking brick wall, with gates in it, which seemed to be kept entire, and not in very bad condition. The large hotel, built by the Pacha for the use of passengers, was fairly comfortable. The party of about ninety breakfasted in one large room.

The steamer “ Oriental ” was lying at anchor about five miles off Suez. We were all put safety on board by the Arab boats by one o’clock on the Sth April, and soon after were under steam and began the voyage down the Red Sea. Thermometer on the deck 70°.

On the gth my journal says : “ We are all enjoying the delightful weather, and cannot believe we are on the Red Sea, the breezes are so fresh, and the sea so beautifully smooth. At noon were in lat. 27° 23'N., long. 34° 13'E. Distance run—183 miles. Thermom., min. 68°, max. 71'. In the straits of Jubal, at the entrance of the gulf of Suez.

10th April, noon. Lat. 24° N., long. 36° 12'E. Temp., min. 69° max. 74°.

11th April. Passed the small island of St. John at 8 a.m. Noon, lat. 20° 43' N., long. 38° 24' E. Temp., min. 71°, max. 78° Miles run, 233.

12th April. The weather continues very fine, becoming sensibly warmer from day to day. Temp, of the sea, 81°, being a trifle warmer than the air, which was exactly 80° this morning. Noon, lat. 17° 12' N., long. 40° 28' E. Temp., min. 77°, max. 84’. Run 243 miles. Zodiacal light was visible to-night about half-past seven, and continued until nine. The apex was near, and rather above the constellation Pleiades, about 20° above the horizon. It was in the shape of an isosceles triangle, of which the base about two-thirds° of the height; the edge very ill defined; colour a light, brownish yellow.

13th April. At noon, lat. 14° 1'N., long. 43° 2'E. Run miles. Thermom., min. 78°, max. 86° ; temp, of sea, 80°. after noon we were abreast of the little rocky island, Jibbel Zoogen, a desolate spot, volcanic peaks covered with scoria, strange rocky reefs running out to sea. It has a few scrubby bushes and stunted trees. Uninhabited, except, it is said, by a few antelopes. Abreast of the town of Mocha about 5 p.m., distant about four miles; said to be the principal port of Arabia on the Red Sea. It has a fine bright look at this distance. The strong sunshine shows up its white-washed houses. We could see the houses, mosques, and minarets very well with a telescope. The town seems well built, with houses of two or more storeys, almost white, and shining in the strong sunlight. The captain (Bouchier) says it is one of the hottest places in the world, it is so exposed to the south-east hot wind blowing across Africa, and to the north-east hot wind blowing across Arabia. There were two large brigs lying at anchor near the town, besides a collection of Arab craft. Here the famous Mocha cotfee is exported, besides dates, and various spices, and other articles, gum, &c.

14th April, Sunday. Anchored in Aden harbour this morning about 8 o’clock ; distance from Suez 1,350 geographical miles, which has been done in 6^ days, being about 200 miles a day. Considered a very fair run.

Aden, as is well known, is a mass of volcanic rocks, very barren and wild-looking. It resembles Gibraltar in some respects, as it is a mass of insulated rock, connected with the mainland by a narrow, sandy isthmus, perfectly flat. It is evidently a place of immense importance as regards the trade with India, forming as it does a key to the navigation of the Red Sea, as Gibraltar does to that of the Mediterranean. The water supply seems to be the main difficulty. The supply is brought by the Arabs in skins from the mainland, which is not a satisfactory plan. The Peninsular and Oriental Company have a large apparatus for distilling the salt water, but that must be an expensive plan. There is very seldom any rain here, but occasional thunder storms give a precarious supply, and to catch it there are a series of tanks built on the mountain side near the cantonments, one above the other, which are occasionally filled by the storm rains. I shall say no more about barren Aden, as it has been so often described.

The coals were all on board, the signal guns fired, and the anchor up at 7 p.m. the same day, and we were again off on our voyage. When rounding the point, it was discovered that three of the passengers had been left behind. The captain could not stop, so they were doomed to have a month’s enjoyment of what pleasures they could find on the rocks of Aden. Their names were : Cairns, a merchant going to Bombay ; Bayne, a cadet for Madras : Smith, for Hong Kong, where he had a Government appointment,

The thermom. on shore stood at 90° in the shade; on board ship 85°.

15th April.—Gulf of Aden, Gentle breeze from the east. Noon, lat. 12° 45' N., long. 47° 6' E. Max. 85°, min. 83°. Run 116 miles.

16th April. At noon lat. 12° 44' N., long. 50° 50' E., max. temp. 86°, min. 82°, Run 222 miles. Nearly all day sailing along the north side of the large island Socotra—famous for its aloes. The island has an “uninviting” appearance. Vegetation looks very scanty. The sea seems to teem with fish. A number of fishing boats cruising about.

17th April. Arabian sea. Noon lat. 12° 42' N., long. 54° 27' E., max. 86°, min. 83'. Run 217 miles. Light breeze from north-east, smooth sea. Flying fish, etc.

18th April. Beautiful sunrise, sea smooth as glass, flying fish, sea a beautiful deep blue. At noon lat. 11° 20' N., long. 57° 58' E., max. 86°, min. 82°. Run 227 miles. Went into the engine room to-day on a visit, and found the temperature to be 96°, thermometer hanging on the cast iron frame; took a thermom. into the space in front of the furnaces where the stokers were at work, and it rose immediately to 136°, I did not stay there long. The stokers are Abys- synians, or Seedee men from near Aden, and sometimes they suffer a good deal from the heat.

The sun at noon to-day was nearly on the Zenith, declination being ..

The ship’s time being about four hours earlier, we have 4 x 52".! the hourly difference of declination ..

The latitude being as above .,

The sun’s zenith distance would be ..

19th. Fine weather, with light breezes from east-south. Min. temp., 8iJ-°, max. 87°. Noon, lat. 10° 13' N.‘, long. 61° 34' E. Temp, of sea, 82^°. Distance run, 228 miles.

21 st, Sunday. Two sermons from Mr. Pettit. Min. 83°, max. 88°. Noon, lat. 8° 9' N., long. 69° 19' E., sea, 84°. Run 242 miles. The high temperature of the sea was thought remarkable.

22nd. Near the Maldine Islands, but we did not come in sight of them. Weather as before. Max. 86°, min. 83°. Lat. 7° 36' N. long. 73° 27' E. Run 250 miles.

23rd. Light breezes, variable, north-east, &c. Max. 86^°, min. 82°. Lat. 6“ 18' N., long. 77° 34' E. Run 260 miles.

24th. At six o’clock this morning we were in full sight of the Island of Ceylon, and at seven the anchor was dropped in the harbour of Point de Galle. The Bombay steamer “ Pekin ” had arrived only a few minutes before us; she goes on to China, and will take some of our passengers—abour twenty are bound for China. We stopped only one day at Point de Galle, but had time to see a good deal in that time. The passengers landed, and some went to see the town, hotel, churches, and light-house; others drove into the country, and saw the cinnamon gardens, Buddhist temple, and beautiful groves of palm-trees. Altogether a most enjoyable day.

The light-house is an iron one, constructed by my old friend, Alexander Gordon, London.

25th. Sailed from Point de Galle this morning, with beautiful weather. Noon, lat. 6° 41' N., long. 82° 6'. Run 130 miles. Max. thermom. 88°, min. 83°.

26th. Sailing along the coast of Ceylon. Noon, lat. 10° 33' N., long. 81° 7'E. Run miles. Max. 87°, min. 82°. Sun nearly vertical; at present it is on the north of the ship at noon.

27th. Arrived in Madras Roads; very few people landed, and we were off again the same day. The Catamaran boats, often described, are known to every one, also the Massoolah boats for landing through surf, which is rather alarming to look at, but accident very seldom happens.

Left Madras anchorage on 27th.

29th. Noon, lat. 19° 52' N., long. 86° 85'E. Max. thermom., 88°, min. 83°; sea, 86°. Distance run, 282 miles, a great run.

Calcutta. Arrived at Calcutta by the good ship “ Oriental,” of the Peninsular and Oriental Company s fleet, on the 30th April. This was a bad time of year to land in Calcutta, in the middle of the hot season of the year. We went to Mrs. Curwin’s boardinghouse, Middleton Street.

May I. Went with R. M. Stephenson to the East Indian Railway office for the first time, and met there Mr. Adams and Mr. Daniels, the former a joint-agent, and the latter the secretary of the company. They had been “living in clover” for a long time, as they had literally nothing to do. Adams was a London barrister, no doubt very clever in his line, a great talker, and a very bad man of business, at the same time a good-natured, kind-hearted man. I could not help liking him. He evidently disliked Stephenson, and was jealous of him. Daniels was a man of excellent abilities, brought up under Philip Hardwick the architect, and was an accomplished sketcher and designer, but too lazy to do any good for himself. An amusing companion, very good-natured, well-informed and humorous ; enjoyed life, to all appearance, and was much in request in Calcutta society for his social qualities. He left the company’s service some years afterwards, and was drowned in Rangoon harbour, making a false step from the gangway ladder of a steamer into a boat, and was never more seen.

Some time was now occupied in making calls, with Stephenson, on the Government officials—Stephenson as agent, and I as chief » engineer of the East Indian Railway. Among them were Halliday B (then Home Secretary, eventually Lieut.-Governor of Bengal), F. I W. Simms, then consulting engineer to Government of India, Lieut. Beadle, of the ‘‘ Military Board ; ” also on that excellent man. Colonel Forbes, of the Bengal Engineers, then Master of the Mint in Calcutta.

On the 7th M. Stephenson, Slater and I started on an excursion to see the country, intending to go as far as Burd wan, and perhaps further. We left Chowringhee at four a.m., crossed the Hooghly, and on to Serampore, in what was called a d&k garrhee, reaching I Serampore at ten o’clock ; distance, ten miles. When we reached Mr. Marshman’s house, he received us, standing at his door with I his hands raised above his head, in amazement. He had been advised of our coming, but did not reckon on our taking six hours to do ten miles. The horse was such a miserable old “ Tat” that we walked most of the way.

We went forward under the same miserable plan until we finally reached Burdwan about seven in the morning on the 9th, stayed indoors all day, the heat being so great. Returning in the same style and reaching Calcutta on Saturday the i ith, very tired. The distance to Burdwan is only sixty-six miles, so it was rather useless as an exploring expedition as it knocked up Slater and Stephenson, although I did not feel any the worse, and we really did nothing.

On Sunday the 12th, my dear wife and I attended Robert Boswell’s church, and it was a great solace and comfort to her making his acquaintance, and he was a sure and dear friend to us both.

There were three young men who came out with us from London under some vague promise of employment from R. M. Stephenson, namely Walter Bourne, C. Dus Fox, and Aston Key. All fine young men. I did not like the proceeding as I was to be the chief engineer, and should have, as I stipulated, the appointment of, or at least a voice and a veto in all engineering appointments. Ultimately however, no harm happened as the two first soon became valuable men, but poor Aston Key, although a very clever fellow, fell into bad courses, and after some years of patient forbearance on my part was obliged to go away.

Five native draughtsmen were now set at work copying plans, whose names I have got down as Soban Bux, Abdod Cattar, Azzham Ali, Kurreem Ali, Ahmud Kolat. They all remained with me for a number of years.

The weather was now very hot and my dear wife felt it most oppressive, although she did not complain much. It was not in her nature to do so. On the i8th we were at the Cathedral and joined in the sacrament.

On the 22nd bought a carriage for her from Eastman’s to use in place of the hired one, and that was a comfort to her as the evening drives were a great relief. This day I registered the maxim, temp, in the shade in the office 95°, the minm. 81°.

On the 27th we breakfasted with the Bishop (Bishop Wilson) who was very kind to us. Archdeacon Pratt and Mr. Boswell.

Several excursions were now made by Slater and me to ascertain the best line of railway, and to find out the nature of the soil, the Nullahs, and the floods, and the embankments. We were excessively busy about it and worked hard.

June. It seems absurd now, but so it was then, that I was prevented from marking out any line of railway on the ground, because the Government could not or would not give us power to enter on any private property. We were ready to proceed, but nothing could be done about letting the works until I could hand in plans and sections ; I could not mark out the centre line without cutting down trees and breaking down barriers, and the Government could not give authority to do so.

To meet the difficulty I wrote a specification of works adapted as well as I could to the circumstances of the case, offering works to contractors to be done on a table of rates for earthwork, brickwork, and so forth. Designs of standard kind to be seen at the office. This was duly advertised on the 1st July.

July. The rainy season had now commenced, and my Jeanie was now much better and was in good spirits, and so I had no anxiety ? in leaving her for a short time, as she had her good friend, klrs.

Mackail, as her near neighbour, and so I started with Mr. Slater, Jas. Mackintosh and Mr. Emslie for an exploration of the River Damoodah, which falls into the Hooghly below Calcutta ; but before reaching its outlet it goes through the country which the railway was to traverse, and brings down the coals which the railway is to bring down, and so the “ looking upof the River Damoodah was seemed to be desirable.

Captain Boscawen was with us, a fine old fellow, I have now the Slater’s likeness of him, it is a very good one, and I can see an extraordinary resemblance to the face of Count Ankerstrom, who shot Gustavus IV. of Sweden. See Dr. Adam Clarke’s Travels in Sweden, and the picture there which is a curious one.

On the 3 r st Tenders for the works were received, six in number, from Burn and Co., Hunt, Bray and Emslie, Jessop and Co., F. T. Ryan, the other two were from natives, but they were inadmissible, as they did not comply with the terms of the Tender as printed, and were almost unintelligible.

Thomas Leahy arrived in Calcutta on the 31st. It was a great pleasure to us to receive him.

August. My beloved wife was laid up with fever on the Sth August, it began with a severe headache, the symptoms soon became alarming. Dr. Webb took a gloomy view of her case from the first, and called in Dr. Jackson to advise, but all was in vain, she breathed her last on the 23rd of August in great peace. It would be of no use, and I am sure I would fail in the attempt to describe what I felt under this sore calamity. She had already made many friends even in the short time she had been in Calcutta, and the beauty and sweetness of her character had become known and appreciated, and many there were about her who lamented her sad and early death.

Frederick William Simms, formerly one of Mr. Cubitt's resident engineers on the South Eastern Railway, had been sent out some five years previously in the capacity of Consulting Engineer to the Government of India about railways. He had made some reports which did not turn out of much account, and did not seem to have been much valued ; anyhow, nothing resulted from them. He finally left Calcutta by the steamer of the 7th September, telling me before he went away, that he did not think that the Government of India, or rather, I should say the East India Company then the ruling power, really intended to make any railway in India. This he told me confidentially, as I was an old friend. I told him whether they liked railways or not they were sure to be made to some extent, as we had got the money subscribed and paid in London, and that we should certainly go to work, and that before long. Simms was made a Director of the railway on his retirement from India. He died a few years ago.

At this time I was laid up with fever, but it lasted only about a week, and I was at work again in a few weeks.

September. Charles Hugh Lushington was appointed Commissioner for handing over land to the Railway Company. An able man and a hard-working one, but narrow-minded and prejudiced in many things. He did not think that railways would succeed, and said it was a mere throwing away of money. He was a pompous kind of man, with a high opinion of his own importance and position, at the same time a most honourable and just man. He married a titled lady, she was called Lady Margaret “ something,” and so it came to be that he was called Lord Margaret, by way of nickname.

Mr. Leahy was enlisted, and was now a member of the staff. I sent him on to Chandernagore to set out the line and make land plans, Slator and Bourne commencing at Howrah.

Messrs. Purser, Evans and Goldsmidt, the three newly-arrived resident engineers, Avere formally installed and introduced to Mr. Stephenson, the agent.

October. Experienced a relapse, and was again laid up with fever for a while. Webb said it was owing to weakness, and going out in the sun too much. Sent Purser and Evans on to Burdwan, to explore and take trial sections, and went to Chandernagore and settled the line, with Goldsmidt, returning to Calcutta with Henry Burrows, in his paddle boat.

November. George Kinder arrived as engineer, a fine young man, very intelligent, and hard-working. Poor fellow, he did not live long.

The first office was at Howrah, but not finding it convenient, I took a house and office at Serampore, and removed there before the end of the month. Mr. Marshman was then living at Serampore, conducting the “ Friend of India,” a weekly paper, then the leading journal of Calcutta.

Leahy had erected a bamboo tower, 80 ft. high, at Serampore, for setting out the line of railway. The palm-trees were so thick and high, that it was impossible to set out the line without being able to see through, or over them. As no land plan could be made without a previous setting out of the centre line, the tower became very useful. Slator erected another similar tower near Balli Khal, for ranging out. Mr. Lushington could not give possession without a plan of the land required ; we could not make a land plan without clearing a space and marking out the centre line on the ground, and we were prohibited from cutting down any trees, or anything else, or injuring native huts or buildings, and so we were in a kind of deadlock. After some delay, I considered this was a case for taking the law into our own hands ; and so, as no one could possibly be injured in the long run except myself, I gave Leahy and Slator written orders to proceed, and in a short time, less than a week, there was a lane cut through the trees, bamboos and jungle, about 100 ft. wide, all through, from Howrah up to near Chandernagore. This being an illegal act, was of course condemned by those in authority. 'he object, however, was effected ; the central line was marked out, and the land plans were not long in being prepared and sent in to Mr. Lushington. No further result occurred, except that the chief engineer (Mr. Turnbull) was “warned” not to do the like any more ! Mr. Marshman seemed rather to enjoy the proceeding, which was done quite “ under his nose,” not far from his house and office. He said, in his humorous way, that there had been no such piece of audacity performed in these parts since the time when Admiral Watson opened fire on- the Dutch fleet in the Hooghly, when we were at peace with Holland.

December. On the i ith left Serampore early, going by water to Bandel, over Goldsmidt’s works, sleeping at the dak bungalows. Slept in a tent for the first time on the 13th ; rode with Evans and Burrows on to Burd wan. Next day to Bood Bood, Kyrasah, Mungulpore Colliery, Raneegunge Colliery, and on to Ahsensoli, at night. Next day on to the river Barrakur, and examined collieries on the west, or right bank of the river ; then returned and examined crossings of river Singarrow, and so on, marching to Chandernagore, -where I met Major Kennedy for the first time. My note-book says : “ First impression a most agreeable one.”

Major Kennedy was a friend of Sir Charles Napier, who had brought him out as his secretary when he came out on his special mission to Scinde. On Sir Charles’s return, Kennedy was appointed consulting engineer to the Government of India, and had just arrived on his special duties, but with the intention of going to England soon and returning soon.

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