'Report on the Preliminary Survey of The Route for The Central Persia Telegraph Line from Quetta to Bam and Pahra' [‎44r] (92/162)

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intervals between observation offices, and some system of signalling to them
the state of line communication, by means of bell stations, introduced, the risk of
long interruptions would be lessened.
My suggestions with regard to maintenance requirements admit of a good
deal of alteration and modification ; they are intended only as an outline of what
may be required.
Estimate, part III.
Ladis ta Pahra i i6j miles.
13. From Ladis to Pahra, the construction of a telegraph line would be
^ A f t f 1 plain sailing.’ There are no great difficul-
The totals of this est.mate are: v*, => ,, ,
Capital cost of litie and offices, Rs. 3.60,000; tlCS met With. 1 he COUTSC should be
Annual Maintenance charges , 12.000; fc e p t to west 0 f t } ie Koh-i-Taftan.
Ftti# abstracts given at end of this report. m. 1 , ir ... 1 • • . ^
Mr. Wood during his journey in 1898
travelled to Khash, and then came north to Ladis round the east side of this
mountain, but his report of this part of the route is not favourable. He w'rites
as follows:—“ Between Khash and Ladis, round the eastern base of the mighty
Taftan, the country is indeed rough, and is a series of ravines and deep nullahs,
taking the Taftan drainage, to build and maintain a line over w'hich w'culd prove
an arduous and expensive undertaking.” The western route, which 1 travelled
by, may be described briefly as follows :—First 24 miles in a westerly direction
ascending an open stony valley; next 23 miles over fairly even ground, through
hilly country; then 62 miles over level country, midst valleys in some places;
next 15 miles over very rough undulating ground; 29 miles along one of the
banks of the Karwandar river bed, in which a small stream of fresh water flows ;
and last 10 miles over a stony plain. The country throughout is more or less
barren, and uninhabited ; little or no supplies can be procured north of Damin
village, 17I miles from Pahra. There will however be no great difficulty in
arranging for the wants of the construction working party. A substantial
amount of grain and food can be taken on from Pahra, where there is plenty,
and, as this becomes exhausted, spare camels can be sent back for more. Sheep
and goats can be purchased along the route at intervals. Water is scarce in
the country for the first f of the distance from Ladis, but there is enough at all
the halting places for one working party.
It is best, I think, to send all line stores and material for this section to
Pahra, vid Gwadur. The cost for primary and local distribution of stores have
been calculated in my estimate accordingly.
Telegraph offices for local business.
14. No telegraph offices for local business will be required anywhere
between Ladis and Pahra.
Maintenance. Observation Offices.
15. An important matter for consideration is to locate a suitable site for an
observation office on this section of line. Mr. Wood, on page 153 of his report on the
Preliminary survey of the route for the Central Persia telegraph line (1899), recom
mends the opening of an office at Bazman. This place is 67 miles north west from
Pahra, and Pahra is 163 miles from Ladis. The half of the sum of these distances
is 115 miles. I therefore think Karwandar which is 112J miles south-south-
w'est from Ladis would be suitable for an office. Its altitude is about 3,600 feet.
I don’t know much about its climate, as I arrived there late one evening and left
early next morning. The minimum temperature on the night of March 5th last was
44 0 V. Probably the summers are very hot, and the rest of the year pleasant.
At presem the place is marked by a few mud huts in which about 20 people live.
The supply of water is plentiful and good from an open stream*'which flows
down the Karwandar river ^ ec ^- The inhabitants cultivate a small amount of
land, enough to supply their owm wants. Excellent dates can be obtained there
from a fine grove of about 150 date trees. Camel grazing from a plant called