'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎268] (401/458)

268 REPORT ON THE HEAVY
no measures have ever been taken for rendering them habitable, though
the subject lias been repeatedly noticed from this office.
2 . —The pendalls on the heights, and the new European pendalls are
temporary mud buildings; the former have suffered considerably, while
the latter have not at all, scarcely.
3. —The pendalls occupied by the Native troops, are all built of mud;
they leaked during the late rain, but no damage of consequence occur
red, except to one of the 1st. Grenadier pendalls which fell down, and
this again was occasioned in consequence of the roof being covered
with chunam plaster. It was the only pendall so covered. All the
others being of mud.
4 . —Government-House has suffered more than any other building
constructed of mud, and to put it in good order will cost a considera
ble sum of money, which might have been in a measure avoided had
the estimate forwarded with this office letter No. 647, dated 8 th August
1850, for rendering water-tight the roofs of the verandahs, been
approved of.
5. —From what has come under my observation, connected with the
effects on public buildings of the late rain, I beg to state that I see no
reason for altering the opinion I have ever entertained regarding the
manner in which buildings should be constructed at Kurrachee, viz., all
buildings of importance or intended to be permanent should be built of
stone and lime, while temporary buildings, and such as are of minor
importance should be built with stone, and mud foundations and
splinths and mud superstructure. A mud building requires its roof to
be put on in a very careful manner, and when finished constant atten
tion to it is necessary, for there is no saying how much damage may
not occur to mud walls in a very short space of time, if many tiles
happen to be broken when rain falls, and to obtain new tiles at such a
period is often impossible, as the surface of the country becomes no
more nor less than a large quicksand, and both man and beast move
about with considerable difficulty attended with danger, and such will
continue to be the case, until permanent roads, bridges, &c., have been
constructed.
6. —There cannot be a doubt regarding the desirableness of retaining
rain water by means of tanks, but I am not aware of any thing ever
having been done with a view to getting tanks excavated. A small