out-of-the-way part of the Madras Presidency, where machinery was almost unobtainable and most of the skilled labour had to be trained as the work went on, it was an extraordinary feat.' The construction was under the charge of Lieutenant (afterwards General) G. T. Haig, R.E., and his energy and skill are commended in the highest terms by Sir Arthur Cotton: 'That a single officer with two or three overseers should have managed about 5,000 workmen, and with the help of only one or two efficient workmen, is one of the most surprising things I have met with. Every time I visited the work I was astonished at the energy and admirable arrangement of this young officer. I cannot say less than that I think him the most effective officer I have ever had attached to me, I have never yet seen such energy displayed by any other man.' It is, in truth, difficult to realize, as one views this imposing work, that it was actually completed in one working season.
Money for further extensions of the distributary works was at first grudged by Government, who were sceptical of the prospects of the scheme and aghast at the enormous excess over the original estimates of expenditure which had been incurred. 'The records teem with remonstrances from Colonel Cotton and with minutes,' 'notes' and letters by Governors, Members of Council, Boards and Secretaries, now wrathful and now penned more in sorrow than in anger, on the subject of the surprises which Colonel Cotton was springing on them in his demands for what they considered unexpected developments of the original scheme, or to cover expenditure incurred on work which had not been sanctioned or had been much altered or largely exceeded in execution. . . . On the one hand was the enthusiast whose genius and special knowledge enabled him to see clearly that what he proposed to do was in the best interests of Government as well as of the people, and who was impatient of delay; on the other hand were the controlling powers who held the purse strings and whose duty it was to check too hurried an advance along a path the issue from which to them was obscure.'1[1] It was not till 1853 that the success of the project became so apparent that funds were granted readily for its development. From that time onwards the canal and channels were rapidly pushed forward. At the present time there are in the Gódávari district (not counting the works in Kistna, on the western bank of the river) 287 miles of canal (nearly all of which are navigable) and 1,047 miles of distributaries.
- ↑ 1 Mr. Walch, op. cit., p. 89.
