1 FRONTIER DEFENCES, ‘ 625
2 and merchants, and is calculated to afford then special facilities of communi-
3 cation with India and Central Asia.
4 The trade of the Province with Afghanistdu and Central Asia is im-
5 proving, owing to the increased facilities of communication now afforded, and
6 the general tranquillity in Afghanistén. The increase, according to Mr. D.
7 C. Johnstone’s report, is chiefly in piece-goods, and the Indian and European
8 cotton traffic. The trade with Central Asia would be susceptible of further
9 improvement, but for the well-known hostility of the Russian fiscal system,
10 and the heavy imposts laid on British merchandise passing through Af
11 ghanistén.
12 The scheme for the proposed railway from Karrachi to Delhi, has been
13 lately before the Government of India, to whom Mr. Croudace submitted his
14 report on the survey and estimated cost of the line. Although the con-
15 struction of the proposed line would be abnormally expensive, it would be
16 valuable, as affording special facilities for the concentration of troops at
17 that strategical point from three converging lines, Peshdwar and Rawalpindi,
18 Delhi and southern and eastern India, Karrachi and Europe, and would add
19 materially to the strength of the Frontier Railway system. It is, moreover, cal-
20 culated to bring the commercial town of Delhi into direct communication with
21 the great and rising port of Karrachi. As pointed out by Lord Lansdowne in
22 his reply to the Address of the Delhi Municipality in November, 1890, there
23 is no prospect of this project receiving direct assistance from the Government
24 in the immediate future. But “the scheme,” observed His Excellency,
25 “was one, for which, if it was based upon sound commercial principles, a
26 large amouut of private support might he anticipated,” and should this be
27 the case, His Excellency hoped, “the Government of India would not deny
28 the promoters any facilities which they could reasonably expect.” ~
29 ‘Another subject of importance under the consideration of the Govern-
30 ment in connection with the scheme of defences for the North-West Frontier,
31 is the proposed Karrachi-Ladhore route. Under instructions from the
32 Naval Commander-in-Chief, a minute inspection of Karrachi harbour was
33 made towards the close of 1890, with a view to using the port for the-
34 embarkation and debarkation of troops to and from England. It was found
35 that ‘the channel, although comparatively narrow, was still easily navigable,
36 and that troops could be landed more expeditiously and in far greater
37 numbers than they could even at Portsmouth. The improvements already
38 made in the harbour have made it‘accessible to vessels of the largest tonnage.
39 The wharf accommodation has been largely increased, and the means of land-
40 ing cargo by the use of modern appliances have been greatly improved;
41 but as the natural terminus of the Panj4b Railway and the natural outlet
42 of its commerce, the harbour possesses still further capabilities of improve-
43 ment. It is proposed to establish a large depot at Landi, about ten miles
44 from Karrachi, with four rest camps between Landi and Lahore, namely,
45 Misin “Mir, Shershah, Reti and Dadu. It is heped that the new route, when
46 completed, will not only prove economical to the public and beneficial to the
47 mercantile classes, drawing to Karrachi, as the natural seaport of North-
48 West India, a great bulk of the direct trade of foreign countries with Northern
49 India, but that, Karrachi being the nearest port for reinforcement from Eng-
50 land to the front, it will contribute, in no small degree, to the development
51 of the Indian military organization. The recent completion of the Khojak
52 Tunnel by the boring of the Khwdja Amran Range, has brought the Railway
53 from Karrachi within easy distance of Candahar, and the measure may, it is
54 hoped, result in better acquaintance with the countries of Afghanistan.
55 ' The gigantic works at the Khojak and the piercing of the hills were
56 Trade with
57 Afghanistan.
58 The Karrachi Rail-
59 way scheme,
60 ‘The pror osed
61 Karrachi Lahore
62 route.
63 Karrachi as a
64 harbour for troops.
65 The Khojak Tunnel.
66 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com