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2 1854 the Line was in working order as far as Lahore, and as far as
3 Peshawur by January 1855, since which date the whole Line has been
4 continuously open. The Telegraph extends East and West along the
5 Grand Trunk Road from Kurnal to Peshawur, providing instantaneous
6 communication between all the large Northern stations. The distance is
7 about 520 miles. The Telegraph Offices, that is, stations where messages
8 can be received and delivered, are five in number, namely, Umballa,
9 Jullunder, Lahore, Rawul Pindee, Peshawur, which
10 are indeed the five most important places in a
11 Civil, Military, and Political point of view, though there are other places ‘
12 of greater commercial importance, such as Umritsur, Mooltan, Ferozepore,
13 where Telegraph communication has not been as yet opened. An Office
14 was opened at Umritsur, but it did not pay.and was removed ; the native
15 merchants there had not at that time learnt to appreciate the Telegraph. —
16 At some future time a second Line from North to South, through Mooltan
17 to Kurrachee, may be opened. - In fact if Rail and Steam communication
18 be established by that route, a Telegraph Line will be essential.
19 116. The wire is supported on posts of Himalayan fir timber. There
20 Descriptionof the posts ate about 10,000 such posts to the 520 miles, the
21 supporting the wire. average interval between the posts being 50 or
22 60 yards. The posts cannot be generally styled permanent, .though
23 many of them on the road between Lahore and Peshawur are excellent.
24 The ravages of white-ants prove very destructive, and numbers of posts
25 will require periodical renovation. Plans are however being devised for
26 protecting the posts against the destroying insect. In difficult places, such
27 as the banks and beds of streams and rivers, low marshy ground, and the
28 like, the wire is supported on solid masonry pedestals or piers. It is carried
29 across great rivers by means of cables underneath the surface of the water.
30 There js no subterraneous Line. Such a Line was projected in the Peshawur
31 valley for® safety’s sake; but the plan was not carried out. On one
32 ‘ occasion only has the wire been wilfully injured, and as yet the Peshawur
33 -people are found to treat the Line with as much respect as any other
34 people. But in time of commotion,a subterraneous Line would prove useful.
35 The construction of the Line, including timber and masonry works, has
36 amounted to about Rupees 2,10,000 or £21,000
37 or Rupees 400 (£40) per mile. This is however
38 exclusive of the wire itself, the instruments, and such like stores, which
39 Telegraph Stations,
40 Cost of the Line.