[128] Mailla was despatched by the Jesuits in 1703 on a mission into the interior of China, and had a good opportunity of knowing the country, where he lived for forty-five years, and of which he was employed by the emperor to construct a map. [129] ‘Histoire générale de la Chine, ou Annales de cet Empire, traduite du Tong-Kien-Kang-Mou.’ 13 vols. [130] 8th edition, art. “China.” [131] The Ho-hang-ho, or Yellow River, sometimes described as “China’s sorrow,” is about 2000 miles in length, and its periodical overflowings cause frequent damage to the canal. [132] ‘Sketches of China,’ vol. i. p. 245. [133] Brunel, by the way, was not specially identified with canal construction. Perhaps the writer means Brindley. Brunel had, however, no doubt sufficient knowledge of his art to serve the purpose in view. [134] This enormous undertaking was, however, erected at least 1100 years before the Grand Canal, having been finished B.C. 204. Its entire length is 1255 miles in a straight line, and it was ten years in building. CHAPTER XIX. THE WATERWAYS OF BRITISH INDIA. “Flies tow’rd the springs Of Ganges or Hydaspes.” —_Milton._ It has long been a contested point between different sections of the officials charged with the government of India whether canals or railways were likely to provide the cheapest and the most suitable means of communication for that extensive country. The enormous area of British India, the generally level character of the immense plains that form so prominent a feature of her physical conformation, the generally slow pace at which everything is carried on, and the comparatively little importance that is attached to a high rate of speed, all seemed to mark out the Indian possessions of the British Crown as extremely favourable for the construction of an extensive system of artificial waterways adapted to the twin purposes of irrigation and navigation. Sir Arthur Cotton has even advocated the summary and indefinite suspension of nearly all railway schemes and works, in order that the attention of the Government might be concentrated upon canals, mainly for irrigation, but also adapted for purposes of navigation.[135] Irrigation is, indeed, one of the absolutely indispensable requirements of the country, and the State has expended many millions for this purpose. But the work has been carried out, for the most part, for agricultural purposes alone, and it was not discovered until too late that a valuable source of power and economy was lost in not, at the same time, adapting them for navigation purposes.[136] In some of the later canals this oversight has been repaired. In the great deltas most of the principal irrigation canals recently constructed have been adapted for navigation, as well as some of the larger canals in the North-western Provinces and the Punjaub. In the Madras Presidency, again, there is a system, commencing with the Buckingham Canal, at