1 ( 67 )
2 Section BD.
3 POST OFFICE.
4 — ee,
5 106. The Government have- given the Post Office a place in the
6 order of the Sections of this Report, prescribing that only such facts as
7 might relate to the interests of the Province should be mentioned here ;
8 and that the detailed Departmental Report should be submitted by the
9 Director General of the Post Office in India,
10 107. The arterial line of postal communication is of course the Grand
11 a er eee Trunk Road, running East to West from Kurnal
12 Postal line from Kurnal to Peshawur, being in continuation of the great
13 i line from Calcutta, traversing the upper and richer
14 portion of the Punjab, and passing through Umballa, Loodianah, Jul-
15 lunder, Umritsur; Lahore, Jhelum, Rawul Pindee, Peshawur. From this,
16 cross lines branch off to the neighboring stations, both to the North and
17 to the South. Along the greater part of this main line, the mail is con-
18 veyed in carts drawn by two horses, running at a pace of not less than
19 8 miles per hour. During the rainy months, and in difficult parts
20 of the road, however, the postmen ride the horses, carrying the mails in
21 bag; but the temporary abandonment of the carts causes no dimi-
22 .nution of pace. On the whole the postal communication on this line is
23 but slightly, if at all, inferior to that of any line in India. The Govern-
24 The Government Bul. Ment Bullock Train (consisting of covered waggons
25 lock Train. drawn by bullocks) runs along this line as far as
26 Lahore, at a pace of 3 miles per hour, for eight months in the year,
27 stopping only during the rainy season. It is primarily for the transport
28 of Government stores, but it also conveys a large amount of private
29 goods and a considerable number of passengers, thereby proving a great
30 convenience to the public. The private Companies which run their
31 carriages and waggons up to Kurnal from Calcutta have not yet carried
32 their operations into the Punjab; but they will doubtless do so, as
33 soon as the road shall be somewhat more complete. From Kurnal to
34 Peshawur, the palanqueens of private travellers can be -carried on the
35 shoulders of bearers. The mail carts, both ordinary and express, also