'Report on the Preliminary Survey of The Route for The Central Persia Telegraph Line from Quetta to Bam and Pahra' [‎29v] (63/162)

4
Water.
5. A great difficulty for construction, as well as for maintenance, of a tele
graph line from Quetta to the Persian Frontier vid Nushki will be the supply of
water. West of Dalbandin along the trade route the water is scarce, and bad,
in many places, and between Chahsundan and Makak, a distance of 120^ miles,
there is none fit for drinking purposes to be had at all. During my visit to
Dalbandin in 1898, I considered the water obtainable there from a small open
stream fairly good, but, on my last visit in December 1900, I was surprised to
find the water in this same stream brackish in taste. There are two springs in a
low range of hills towards the north where this stream takes its source. I
brought back with me samples of the water from each of these springs, and also
samples of the water obtainable from wells at Kondi, Mushki Chah, Ware Chah,
and Makak. The first stage west of Chahsundan is Tratoh ; here the water
tested so bad that I did not consider it worth while bringing any with me for
analysis. The other places I have just mentioned are the halting stages along
the trade route in consecutive order west from Tratoh. The water at each
tasted very bad, and was obviously unfit for human consumption ; however to
corroborate my opinion regarding it, I brought back samples for examination.
Captain Fleury, R.A.M.C., very kindly analysed these samples for me, and 1 now
quote his statement.
" Report on the analysis of six samples of water submitted for examination by
H. A. Armstrong, Esqf
The six samples submitted bore many common characteristics. The
colour of all was greyish, the sediment was plentiful, the taste distinctly
metallic, and the smell nauseating, due to the presence of sulphuretted
hydrogen in thewater. In the samples taken from wells at Dalbandin (z) and
(ii), and Mushki Chah, chlorine was present in considerable quantities, while it
was present to excess in the samples taken from Kondi, Makak and Ware Chah.
In all six samples the amount of oxygen required to oxidise organic matter
was in excess, but very much so in the sample waters from Dalbandin (z) and
Mushki Chah. In all six samples the presence of nitrates was detected, due part
ly to mineral constituents found in the sediment, and derived from the Surround
ing soil, and partly due to vegetable and animal matter as found on microscopic
examination. 1 he samples obtained from Dalbandin (i) and Mushki Chah
appeared to be the worst, and, although Dalbandin (ii) was a bad water I con
sider from the sample furnished that it is a slightly better water than Dalban-
din (z).
I am of opinion therefore that none of the wells from which these samples
were drawn contain water fit for human consumption ; even if cleaned out and
allowed to refill, the amount of sulphuretted hydrogen present would render the
uater very nauseous, and unfit for drinking purposes.*'
Karachi ; ^
The nth April igor. J
(Sd.) c. M. FLEURY, Captain,
Royal Army Medical Corps.
I also quote an analysis of a sample of Mushki Chah water which CantMn
^'th' ?!°ir e ’ 6th n° mbay Cavalry - ' vho was exploring the country onbehalf
of the Intelligence Department, very kindly supplied me with in 1893
,• “ Analysis of a sample of Mushki Chah water. Colour-ligh-er than above
report, T ' ater ’ “ ^ yS ‘ S ° f WhlCh ' vUe P ara g ra P l > 4 A of my former
Turbidity—less marked,
Odour—offensive.
Taste—salt, and objectionable.
Sediment slight, mostly organic.
Chlorine, considerably in excess of 10 grs. per gallon.
Organic matter, in enormous excess, more than i gr. per gallon
s&nsK f r m -