1 ( 53 )
2 vast quantities of Government stores and materiel for the Military and
3 Public Establishments in that quarter, and large number of European
4 travellers would frequent’ this line (in preference to the Eastern route),
5 on account of its comparative shortness and proximity to overland
6 passage to: Europe. ’
7 86. For the opening up of this Western route, the importance’ of
8 which, upon general considerations, is so evident, it is proposed in the .
9 first place to establish communication by rail and steam from Kurrachee
10 upwards to Mooltan (a distance of 425 miles), just above the point where
11 the Punjab rivers join the Indus. For the first section of this linea
12 _ Railroad from Kurrachee to Hyderabad on the Indus, a distance of 123
13 miles, has been undertaken by the Sindh Railway Company. At first
14 Railroad from Umrit- the line may be continued thence up to Mooltan,
15 eur to Moolsan: by steamers on the Indus, to be followed by a
16 Railway as soon as it can be constructed; there would then remain
17 to be constructed a Railroad from Mooltan to Lahore and Umritsur,
18 to join or cross the great North-Western line between Calcutia and
19 Peshawur. It is this last-named Railroad, from Mooltan to Lahore and
20 Unritsur, which immediately concerns the Punjeb, and the Supreme
21 Government have directed complete inquiries on the subject to be made,
22 It will now be proper to state briefly what the advantages and facilities
23 of the line are likely to be. .
24 87. The Northern terminus of the line will be Umritsur, which is ;
25 not only the first mart in the Punjab, but also one of the first
26 commercial cities in Upper India, Its merchants have dealings,
27 not only with all parts of India, but also with many parts: of
28 Europe on the one hand, and of Central Asia on the othet. To
29 this city there come the choicest Asiatic products,. the wool of Thibet,
30 the shawls of Cashmere, the dried fruit and spices of Affghanistan, the
31 carpets of Turkey, the silk of Bokhara, the furs and skins of Tartary,
32 the chintzes and leather of Russia. In return for these arrive the piece-
33 goods and iron of Europe, the fabrics of Bengal, the sugar of Hindoostan
34 _and the Punjab. To the same Emporium are gathered all kinds of indi-
35 genous produce of the Punjab. Of this trade, amounting, according to
36 reliable returns, to three and a half million pounds
37 sterling per annum, a large portion proceeds to,
38 and from Calcutta, by the Grand Trunk line ; another portion to Bombay
39 Trade of Umritsur,