George Turnbull (1809-1889): Autobiography: Chapter 5

Note: This is a sub-section of George Turnbull (1809-1889): Autobiography

Important: View the pdf version for original scans with improved readability

---

Chapter 05. 1852. (pages 120-133). East Indian Railway.

1852. January 1st.—This day was spent at Bherampore writing letters, and at 10 p.m. started in a palkee for Kishnaghur, fifty-four miles, arriving there at noon on the 2nd. A curious character, a half-caste man, called Peters, an excellent cook and a sharp, intelligent fellow, presided at the dak bungalow, and made his visitors very comfortable. He kept a register book, and invited his customers to enter their names and any observations they chose; the consequence was a well filled volume of names and encomiums, both in verse and prose. Many wellknown names were there, and verses good, bad, and indifferent.

3rd. Arrived at Hooghly and slept at Goldsmid's bungalow at Bandel; arrived at Serampore at midnight, having been away thirty-four days (say five weeks) and explored and laid out 120 miles of the railway.

7th. At Howrah. Slept at Slater’s bungalow. Slater was at that time resident engineer at Howrah, a very useful hard-working man, he soon fell ill and was obliged to return home. He left Calcutta on the 24th in the “ Hotspur,” on eight months’ leave of absence ; but he never returned to India: he died in London not long after his arrival.

During the next three months nothing of much importance occurred, the works were making fair progress on the whole, and the “authorities” seemed satisfied.

On the 14th I had the honour of breakfasting with the Bishop. There were present Mr. and Mrs. Buckland, Mr. and Mrs. Marshman,. Mr. and Mrs. Hunt, Mr. and Mrs. Bray, Mr. and Mrs. Colley, Mr. Davis, and Miss Leith.

Cubitt Rundle came to work about this time.

Richard Thomas was staying with me, and we went together to see Slater off in the “ Hotspur.”

Mr. Eville was now the chaplain at Serampore.

Charles Hugh Lushington was the commissioner appointed to obtain possession and to hand over the land to the Railway Company, a very pompous man, but a good man and very- conscientious. He never could be induced to believe in the use of railways in India, which was unfortunate, as he threw so many obstacles in the way of our obtaining sufficient land for the works, but especially for the stations.

For example, he opposed greatly the acquiring of land for Howrah Station, and reported to Government that my requisitions were extravagant and unreasonable and unnecessary. He would not even admit that a frontage to the river Hooghly was necessary. I asked him where then he would have a station laid out for Howrah. He replied he thought it did not much matter where the station was fixed for all the traffic we should get, and suggested a low, swampy place about a mile inland among the rice-fields, where land could be got at a cheap rate.

Major Baker, the Government consulting engineer, proved rather narrow-minded in this respect, and could not grasp the idea of the magnitude of a station which was to be a terminus for upwards of 1,500 miles of railway. The result was that we were obliged to put up with a minimum of land and frontage at first, notwithstanding all my reports and remonstrances, and, in the end, the Government had to purchase the large space now occupied at a price five or six times greater than what was asked for in 1852. This want of foresight is, however, not peculiar to India.

29th. A war in Burmah was considered imminent at this time, and the Governor-General, Lord Dalhousie, came down to Calcutta from the North-West Provinces, arriving on the 2gth of January.

February. Mr. Bruce, the new resident engineer for Howrah, arrived on the 3rd.

The first pile of the bridge over Sursuttee Kbal was driven to-day.

I finished the formal report on the proposed extension to Rajmahal, and despatched it to London, with complete plans and section and approximate estimate, on the 25th of this month.

Edward Purser, who was then in charge of the Raneegunge District, complains bitterly of Major Baker interfering and condemning the earthwork on his district, and as the Major’s was an official report, it almost stopped operations; and I sent Purser’s remonstrance in answer to Government, and so there was a contention of opinions. R. M. Stephenson wanted me to withdraw Purser’s letter, which I declined to do, as I thought he was right; but this little controversy did no harm, but long run.

March 3rd. Left Serampore at 5 a.m. on along the works, and stopped at Bandel with was formerly a Portuguese settlement. There is still a cathedral here; a small one of very unpretending kind, with some tawdry decorations. It is feebly supported by the Roman Catholics, but the priests are very poor. The head man says they are not under the authority of the Pope of Rome, which is not very intelligible.

On the 2Sth at Burdwan, where William Evans was in charge, then on to Poonabad, and inspected the Lumlahnuddy works. Then on to Ahsensole and Talganda with Purser, and examined the river Barrakur for some distance up and down.

April 2nd. Rode with Purser sixteen miles across the country to Raneegunge, arriving at 10 a.m., and breakfasted with Mr. Biddle, the well-known manager of the Raneegunge Collieries. His company was and is the Bengal Coal Company, the largest and at that time the best managed of them all. Cheenacoory Colliery, belonging to the same company, is managed by Mr. Cornelius. The great difficulty they had to contend with was the want of a means of transport of their coals to the market in Calcutta. The only means of conveyance was by native boats carrying down the coals on the River Damoodah, for a long way below Raneegunge only navigable when the river is flooded in the rainy season. Seasons pass away when there is not water enough in the river for the boats, and so the stock of coals accumulate. Mr. Cornelius said there were twenty to thirty lacs of maunds of coal (say 25,000 tons) lying on the river bank for transport: some of it had been there for four years.

The yield of coal of the district at that time was as follows, per annum:— 3,480,000

[List missing. See pdf]

Calculating the maund at 82 pounds avoirdupois, the above quantity amounts to 42,240 tons ; or, omitting the Chaunch Colliery not in work, the yield may be taken in round numbers at 40,000 tons per annum in 1852.

Of course all connected with these colliery works viewed the prospect of railway communication with lively interest, and could scarcely realise the idea of their being able to send down to the port of Calcutta any amount of coal they might choose to send, in six hours or less, all the year round.

Our most sanguine expectations in this matter of coal traffic have now been more than realized, for in the last report of the East Indian Railway Directors, dated the 2nd of January, 1879, it is Stated that the quantity of coal carried down to the river ports near

Calcutta—namely, Howrah, Balli, Bederbatti—amounted, in the year 1877, to 436,019 tons. Considerably more than ten times the quantity sent down by the tedious route of the river Damoodah.

A large increase has taken place since 1887, for it appears that in the first six months of 1878 no less than 261,249 tons were brought, doubling which for the whole year would come to no less than the important amount of 522,500 tons per annum.

The Raneegunge coal is good for some purposes, but not so good as Newcastle coal. The experiments made by Mr. Stokes, the locomotive superintendent, showed that for the purposes of raising steam the proportion as between the Newcastle and Raneegunge was as five to eight—that is, that five maunds of good Newcastle coal would do the work of eight maunds of Raneegunge coal. The latter, however, answers very well for locomotive purposes, and is largely used over India.

The church at Burdwan belongs to the Church Missionary Society. There are a good many Christian native converts here, but no great progress is said to be making. Mr. Weishtbucht has left the place, very much regretted ; he was a noble-minded man.

On the 19th of April the first piece of permanent-way was laid at Serampore.

On the 23rd news arrived that Rangoon had been taken by the British forces under General Godwin on the 5th, and Martaban on the 14th, Rear-Admiral Austin being in command of the Fleet.

May. On the 5th my good friends Dr. and Mrs. Webb came to Serampore to reside for a time.

On the 14th a tremendous gale of wind ending in a cyclone. The wind veered round to all points of the compass. Much damage was done to houses, and trees were blown down. Colonel Welbee’s house, which stood by itself in the middle of a large compound, suffered most; all the windows were blown in, and the tempest of wind and rain made a clean sweep through the house. The Colonel, an old feeble man, was found sitting on the ground in the middle of the compound. The tempest was at its height about 2 a.m. on the 15th. The shores of the river were strewn with the wrecks of native boats. Fifteen bodies of natives were lying at Barrackpore Ghat, drowned in the storm.

Evans and Purser were in my house at the time.

The storm had the effect of cooling the air for a time, and so we found it not so oppressive when we started next day on a trip along the line to inspect the works. Temp, in office at i p.m. 88°.

The heat soon came on again, for I find the temp, in the office was on the 25th at 94° under the punkah.

Mr. Marshman, at Serampore, was very hospitable and gave frequent dinner parties. On the 28th I dined there with Mr. and Mrs. Buckland, Mrs. and Miss Boyce, Miss Deacon, Messrs. C. Rundle, C. Fox, Mr. Townsend, and others.

The temp, in the drawing-office to-day was 95° at 3.30 p.m. I remark, this heat does not feel oppressive, as the heat is a dry heat.”

The Howrah Station plans and designs were now my work of most importance, and took much time and thought. I see now my error was in undertaking too much myself. 1 should have insisted on having a good experienced architectural draughtsman, or rather a head architectural assistant and several under him.

June. Mr. R. M. Stephenson, being unwell, went off for three months to the Neilgherry hills, and so the whole burden of the works and agency fell on my shoulders. I went to Calcutta and made all the best arrangements I could with him and Major Baker. After all there was no difficulty, and things went on as well as before—there was no appreciable difference. Stephenson went away on the 3rd of June.

On the 7th I dined with Major Baker and Robert Boswell, the latter was in excellent health and spirits.

Dr. Falconer, the eminent geologist and botanist, was in Calcutta, and we had long consultations with Major Baker about Indian woods for sleepers and other matters ; also Mr. Oldham’s report was discussed, who advised a line to Patna by Curruckdea.

The Bishop honoured me with his company to dinner on the gth. His plan was to invite himself, and at short notice too, and so it was difficult to get up a small party to meet him. He reckoned on that no doubt, as the dear old man disliked large dinner parties. His speciality was a large breakfast party, and in these he did excel.

On the I 2th George Freer Smith arrived, and also his brother, Hamilton Lee Smith. I placed George with Mr. Bruce at Howrah, and took Hamilton into my own office at Serampore.

On the 15th the rain began to fall heavily.

On the 16th the newly-hrrived engineers came from Chan- dernagore to breakfast—namely, Walter King, James Walker, Win. Lancey, Charles Denham, and James Perry. Sent Walker to E. Purser at Raneegunge, Walter King to Patna, to watch "and register the floods, the others to Megra, pro tem.

On the 19th, Mr. T. Vigors called for the first time, but not before I had written to him to ask him to call. I did not think his delay in calling was very polite.

Dr. Sheridan was now at Serampore. He and I were good friends—a warm-hearted Irishman of an excellent type ; a strong Roman Catholic. There was good company at Serampore then, the Bishop being the leader of the “ ton ” or fashionable society. Dr. and Mrs. Webb, Mr. Eville, Sheridan, the Marshmans, the Bucklands. Mr. Woodrow came on the 26th.

Mr. James Hunt, the contractor, was very unpleasant, constantly complaining of Sibley, and the difficulty he had of obtaining money for his work. The great banyan-tree at Serampore was a great rendezvous in the morning in our early rides.

July. Aston Key and Mr. Claxton, the two new engineers, ' made their appearance ; neither did us any good.

Henry Hederstedt, Mrs. Stephenson’s brother, was staying with me at this time.

On the 20th attended Wm. Evans’ marriage in the old church ; Mr, Thomas officiated.

On the 24th off again on a tour of inspection by boat, to Chan- dernagore, the French settlement, Claxton and Denham were there, overtook Major Baker at Pundooah, and slept at Memaree dak Bungalow where we found Burrows, and so with him rode along the works. Most of the fields covered with water, the rice crops in full vegetation. At Burdwan on the 28th, and spent the next few days with the Major inspecting the River Damooda and the bunds thereof; there had been no less than seven breaches in the bunds and the country in part had been submerged but no great damage had been done. These “ bunds” or embankments of the river were the subject of much study, as they affected the railway works, and on their efficiency depended the quantity of flood openings we should I make in the railway embankments.

1 Dr. Hastings_was then the medical officer at Burdwan, at his house w'e met Mrs. Marshman and Miss Deacon. Arrived again at Serampore on the 31 st. August. Much office work now in hand, rather more than could be well attended to. Mr. Pickering came to assist, but his services were not of much value. He never could be made to understand the difference between a cubic foot and a square foot.

September. Henry Hederstedt left me to-day to return to Mr, Stephenson in Calcutta,

October. 28th, mail arrived bringing the news of the death of the Duke of Wellington.

Thomas Leahy was at that time in Sydney—New South Wales— letters from him very interesting.

Richard Thomas was my visitor for some time this month, and a most welcome inmate.

Tenders for the works at Howrah Station were sent in this month of October, as follows :—

November. On the 6th Major Baker and I set out on a long journey of exploration to see whether any better line could be found for the Railway than the circuitous one by Rajmahal, that is going to Raneegunge first, and then to see whether something like a tolerably straight line could not be found from that place to the city of Patna. Patna being now considered of such importance that it should not be on a branch but on the main line.

This was a long and a very agreeable journey, riding ten or twelve miles a-day on the average and living in tents. Mrs. Baker accompanied her husband, and was invariably pleasant and agreeable ; in short, an experienced traveller. She was fond of botanical pursuits and had a good collection of grasses, to which she added on all convenient opportunities. Also she had a fancy for birds, and had several cages with favourite canaries in camp, which were suspended on the tent ropes when we stopped.

The journey from Ahsensoh near Raneegunge was mostly through a wild jungly country with mere tracks for roads, occasionally with fine scenery, but we met with no adventures, except Mrs. Baker’s goat being carried off by a tiger, and now and then having to go without our dinners from the carters losing their way in the jungle.

December. On the 2nd we came upon the River Keeul, an affluent of the Ganges. Here we met Mr. King, whom I had appointed a resident engineer, a very fine, bright young man, well educated and highly principled; he died near that place on the banks of the Keeul, to our great regret a few years afterwards, leaving a widow but no children.

Next day to a place called Burgoozah, a miserable village on the banks of the Hulloohur River.

This locality became afterwards of great importance as it eventually was decided noon as the point, namely on the Keeul, where the chord line should join the main line, and so it is at the present time.

It became clear to me that the River Hulloohur must be crossed near Burgooza and that it would be a very difficult and very expensive business to erect a railway bridge over it. The country is on a dead level, annually inundated by the Ganges from five to ten feet deep, the soil a dark colour, sometimes almost black, alluvium, very soft when wet. The river, although of no great width, about 250 yards, has perpendicular sides of alluvium continually breaking down, about 25 or 30 feet of water in the dry season and an unknown depth of soft mud.

After leaving this unpromising part we moved on to Bucktearpore on the Ganges. Then to Barr, and the Poonpoon River. The country now being beautifully fertile, in the rich crops ; no rice, but plenty of grain, lentils, castor oil plant, corn, etc.

We reached Noorpoor the east suburb of Patna on the 9th December. Thirty-three days from Calcutta. Temperature very pleasant at 9.30 a.m. 64°, 4 p.m. 72°. Rain.

Major Baker and I spent a few days at Patna. The City of Patna is still a very large place, although not what it was, it is said formerly to have contained 300,000 inhabitants; the city proper was surrounded by a wall about mile long by f mile broad. Very little remains of the wall, but the site can easily be traced by the mound and partly filled up ditch on the east, south and west sides, the north side being on the River Ganges. The suburbs extend much further east and west, including the civil station of Bankipore, the city may be said to extend for about seven miles along the south bank of the Ganges. Here is the emporium of the opium trade, a Government monopoly, cultivation of the white poppy is here, in Behar, strictly under Government supervision, brought in in a crude state by the cultiva’tors, and manufactured by a simple process into balls ready for market, and sent down to Calcutta for shipment. The revenue derived from opium is said to be about three and a-half millions sterling. A large quantity of saltpetre is manufactured in these parts, and sold and bought at Patna.

At Bankipore is the well known building called the Ghola, an immense granary, built during the government of Warren Hastings, for the purpose of holding grain to supply the city in seasons of scarcity or famine. Built of brick in the shape of nearly a hemisphere or half globe, like a gigantic beehive. A spiral staircase on the outside conducts the visitor to the top, where there is a circular aperture or round hole for filling in the grain; a door at the bottom of the building was for drawing it out, but it has never been filled, and as the door opens inwards, it would have been a troublesome business to draw out the grain, which did not seem to have occurred to the architect.

After calling on the Collector and other officials, and Mr. Pigon, the saltpetre merchant, and examining King’s water gauge for recording the levels of the river, a very important instrument as regards our railway operations, we rode on to Dinapore and pitched our tents there, a long ride which took nine hours, as we had to examine the country on our way. Dinapore is a place of importance on account of the long cantonments for English and native troops. The barracks are said to be about the best in India, at any rate, they are very extensive and well arranged, and have an imposing appearance.

We then moved on through the Muneer to the banks of the River Soane, crossed and encamped at Koelwar on the left bank. On the 15th we reached Arrah, a large native town with good, wide streets and bazaars. Also a civil station. Judge’s house and other European residences. This place became famous during the mutiny for the gallant and successful defence of what was called the “ House at Arrah,” by a handful of Europeans against 1,500 sepoys, who occupied Arrah. There were to the best of my recollecticn 16 Europeans and about 150 sheiks in the house.

The crossing of the Soane was naturally the main object of this journey, so far as the part between Patna and the plateau on the west side of the ri ver. I objected to crossing at the place where the Grand Trunk Road crossed it, because the breadth of water in the time of floods was no less than three miles, the land on each side flat, and con sequently very heavy embankments necessary. Major Baker was a good diplomatist, he never gave any opinion about it, in fact, I never asked him for any; he was evidently afraid that in my reports I might possibly quote his opinion; he was an amiable, pleasant man, but totally inexperienced in practical works and very cautious.

I settled in my own mind what was the best place for crossing near Pures, where the banks were well defined, and the channel had evidently for ages been confined within certain limits, proved by the existence of old temples of Hindoo construction, far anterior to the Mohammedan works at Muneer, built about 200 years ago.

I Sth. On through a fine fertile district, through Belowtee and encamped at Bhojpon, a large Hindoo village, with a great temple at the east end of it.

At I p.m. temperature in shade 74°, in the sun io6°.

A short march brought us to Buxar, our tents were pitched on the glacis of the old fort, a delightful situation, the fort stands on a high bank, or rather cliff, on the brink of the River Ganges, which is here deep with well defined banks ; no dry sand banks or churs as in other places, the channel unusually narrow and deep. There is Kunkur limestone and stiff clay at the foot of the cliff.

This place was the scene of a, great battle fought in the year 1764, where Major Munro commanded the Company’s troopsand defeated Soojah ood Dowlah and Cossim Kahn. The native army numbered about 50,000, but Munro did not hesitate to attack them, completely routed them, and compelled them to abandon their camp and stores and 130 pieces of cannon. This victory was scarcely less important than the battle of Plassy in its results, as it destroyed the power of the Vizier Soojah'and made the English masters of the Valley of the Ganges, from the Himalayas to the sea. Dr. Young was then the civil surgeon, stationed at the fort. Mjjor Evans was in charge of the “stud,” a large establishment for breeding horses at Kurruchtadee, a short distance from Buxar. Major Shevar was chief superintendent. Buxar depends much on the stud for its importance. There were then about 5,000 young horses, kept until they are three or four years old, and then sent on to Ghazeepore for training and distribution. Various breeds are tried experimentally, English, country bred, Arabs, Australian, Cabool, horses and mares. The colts are fed on chopped oat, straw and a little grain, the stallions on grain and soaked bran and oats, and chopped straw.

We overtook Claxton and Laney here, who had completed sixty miles of the trial survey, and I arranged for Laney to go on to Benares, and Claxton to return to the River Soane to take levels and sections.

Leaving Buxar on the 21st, we went through the large native village of Chowsa on to the River Kurrumnassa, a deep, sluggish stream, about 200 yards wide, which forms the boundary between Bengal and the north-west provinces.

Major Baker went straight on towards Mirzapore, and I turned to the right to have a look at the famous old town of Ghazeepore, which is on the north or left bank of the Ganges; we pitched our tents near a large indigo factory, and Laney, De Cruz and I crossed in the ferry boat, and had a long ramble through the town. A great deal of business seemed to be going on, the bazaar much crowded, but the shops have a mean, dirty appearance like most native towns. We saw no Europeans, but there are large cantonments and a civil station about four miles west of the town. Much grain selling in bazaar, a great show of raw cotton in bags, boats loading cotton, the bank of river lined with boats taking in cargo. A native hospital on the bank, evidently fortified formerly. A fine terraced building covered with arcades, partly in ruins, we were told it was a Mohammedan Cutcherry (or Court house) in former times. A considerable spread of land here is covered with rose-bushes, cultivated for the celebrated Rose-water made at Ghazeepore, a large trade is said to be carried on in this article which is much esteemed and used by the wealthier natives.

On the zznd we left Ghazeepore and made a long march of twenty- two miles through a rich country, perfectly flat, by Zoemaneah. Near Tajpore we passed a large native boat of about 500 maunds lying dry in a wheat field, a sure sign of the extent and nature of the inundations of the Ganges in these parts. Encamped at Aonkee, all tired, horses, bullocks and men.

On the 25th we reached Rajghat, opposite Benares. The city has a noble appearance from this the south side of the river. The hum of the city is heard some miles off. This was Christmas day. Next day was spent walking about Benares and seeing all that could be seen in the short time at my disposal.

A most interesting place that would take a long time to describe. It reminds me a little of the old town of Edinburgh in its narrow, crooked streets, built of stone, some so narrow as to be passable only by foot passengers. Houses mostly built of Chumar stone. Evident signs of great wealth among the inhabitants. Some of the temples are very fine and other public buildings.

The Aloom Geeree Musjeed is beautiful. I climbed the minaret, said to be 120 feet high, and enjoyed the view from the lantern. The shaft is octagonal, and only 8 feet in diameter, the balcony on the top only 12 feet in diameter, so it has a very fragile appearance, and nervous people are not very anxious to risk themselves on the top.

At Rajghat, z5th December, the temperature at 7 a.m. was 40°, at 8 p.m. S3°.

On the 26th of December there was an eclipse of the moon, beautifully seen from Rajghat, where our tents stood ; first visible over the mist at 5.55 p.m. I made nine sketches of the moon’s phases, but I shall not insert them here. The middle of the eclipse was about 7 p.m., compass bearing E.N.E., about three- fourths eclipsed. End of eclipse, 8.40, p.m.

Many natives came to Benares this day; it was a high Poojah, but whether they anticipated an. eclipse I did not know. They said it was an evil demon eating into the moon. Bathing in the holy river went on all day, and in the evening floating lamps innumerable were sent off, some in floats made of wicker-work, matted straw, cotton-wicks and oil, but most, I think, in shallow earthenware dishes. The sight was very curious and interesting.

An account of this practice is given in Tom Moore’s poem of “ Lalla Rooke,’’ but of course he gives a more poetical view of the thing than we could realize at Rajghit.

A very good account of Benares—and a readable one that is not a dry one—is given by Bishop Heber; but perhaps the best accounts are those in the “ Asiatic Journal.” There is no doubt as to the great size of the city. In 1803 the population was put down at 580,000, later on the estimates raised the population to 632,000. The population of Manchester in 493 000, and of Glasgow 477,000, Benares does not strike a visitor of those mentioned. The census inexact, though better times are coming in that respect. When at Bombay I rvas told that its population, including suburbs, was nearly a million. That may be an exaggeration, but I think we may safely say that Bombay is the second city in the British Empire as regards population.

Omitting details, we reached Chunar on the 28th. Tents pitched in a Mohammedan burying-ground. Several old bridges built by Alohammedans. The rock of Chunar and its fortress, interesting on man)' accounts, to me interesting for the inexhaustible supply of building stones to be had.

The temp, at 7 a.m. was 44° ; at noon 74° in the shade, in the sun IJ1° !

We reached Mirzapore on the 30th, and Dr. Tresider kindly took me round and about the place. He said it contained 90,000 inhabitants. Mr. Probyn, the joint magistrate, was very obliging, and took a great interest in what we were about.

The old year went out here, and a new one began.

In my investigations one thing struck me very much, and which I do not think I have yet alluded to, and that is the great number of useful works in the shape of bridges, ghats, tanks, canals, and so forth, built by the natives of the country. The ghats, tanks, and canals, for irrigation and water supply generally, are as good as we could make, but the bridges, mostly by Mohammedans, are, though no doubt useful, not quite up to the mark in our eyes, the piers being mostly somewhat thicker than the span of the arches ; still they are very useful and very strong, and have not the property of tumbling down like some of our modern bridges.

One of these, in excellent condition, I carefully measured and sketched on the 28th near Suhespoonale—that is the name in my journal. The sketch shows the design, the easy curve of the parapets, the plain but tasteful mouldings, slope of banks covered with jungle creepers and climbing plants and constant acacia arabica, making the whole very pleasing. The acacia arabica is the babool of Bengal, which produces gum-arabic.

See Also

Loading...