'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1863 to December 1864. (Edited by the Secretary.) Volume XVII.' [‎218] (391/524)

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218 report on the line of telegraph
build. The position of the buried cable would be in view from this.
Proper drainage near it would render the place infinitely drier than at
present, and the water should be excluded from the vicinity by a mud
wall or enclosure of some extent. Special care would have to be taken
in securing the foundation, as the mud or clay, though as hard as brick
when dry, loses its consistency when wetted.
Temporary buildings might be erected in the first instance, to
ascertain whether European signallers (if such are to be stationed here)
could live in the hot weather. There are hardly any people of
sufficient intelligence at Fail to obtain information from as to salubrity,
but all agreed that it was better than Basrah, and that they did not
have to leave it in summer.
This, if true, may be attributable to the proximity of the sea, also
to the North-wester blowing across plains wetted by salt water every
fortnight. The people areUtubi Arabs from Koweit, the place belong
ing to one Ibn Bedir of that place; it is a thriving place, and
every day new plantations are forming.
Building Materials .—No building materials are obtainable at Fan.
Mr. Johnston, the British Consul at Basrah, has kindly given me
the following information regarding prices, &c. at that place :—
Kiln burnt bricks, 10 to 12 kerans per 1,000 (size 7 X 7 X 1|.)
Sun dried do. 2 do. do. (made on the spot).
Date trunks for beams or rafters, 1 keran each (made on spot).
Chandul (African wood) for rafters, 2| to 3 kerans (whole).
Of the latter, which arc much more durable, a supply would have
to be ordered or sent from Bombay. All joiners work and fittings
should he sent up, also workmen to put them together. The freight
from Busrah to Fan would be about 2 kerans a ton.
Report on land line deferred.—Y defer the remaining portion of my
report, viz. on the land line from Fad to Basrah, until I shall have
seen and conferred with Colonel Kemball, there remain certain consi
derations, 1 think it will not be out of place to record an opinion on.
Best time for laying the Cable.-—Y am of opinion, that the best time
for laying the cable, unless other considerations render it desirable to
do so sooner, would be between the JOth November and the 15th De
cember, both as regards temperature, and settled weather. I would