MEANS OP COMMUNICATI0N.
in favour of the latter route, which, though steeper, was shorter. The country alongside this latter is also richer than the Ráyagada valley, where there is little irrigated land. The authorities however considered that the difficulties of the gháts up to Pottangi and down to Jeypore would probably prove more considerable than was anticipated and that the cost of working trains up the heavy inclines on that line would be great, and preferred the easier route now finally selected. Mr. Nordmaun suggested that, if this was chosen, a road should be carried from Naurangpur eastwards to Ráyagada to tap the rich wet area round the former place and kótapád, but this would have to cross a saddle 2,700 feet above the sea and about 25 miles of it would be within the Kálhandi State. An easier line would probably be that from Kalyána Singapur to Maidalpur and thence through Pappadahandi to Naurangapur.
Connected with the new line is the question of the construction of a harbour at Vizagapatam (see p. 327) — or perhaps Bimlipatam — for the export of the produce of the Central Provinces which is expected to pour down to the sea. Calcutta is said to have already as much trade as it can cope with, and an alternative outlet is considered necessary on this ground alone. The steps which should be taken, and the agency and funds which should be employed, are now under consideration.
Vizagapatam and Bimlipatam are regularly visited by the boats of the British India Steam Navigation Co., and Clan Line steamers call at intervals at the former place for the manganese (see p. 125) from the Garividi mines. Within recent memory a regular fleet of schooners, owned and manned by natives, used to ply from vizagapatam, and boats of this class were built in the backwater there, but the steamers have now captured all the trade to Burma and the coasting traffic is monopolized by the railway.
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