Page:Notes of a journey across the Isthmus of Krà.pdf/32

 .—The following positions I have determined with care:—

Wat Chang, Bangkok.—Lat. 13° 45' 12" N. Lon. 100° 28' 45" E.

Regent's House, Paknam Chumpon.—Lat. 10° 55" N. Long. 99° 15' 02" E.

Langsuen, New Town.—Lat. 9° 58' 10" N. Long. 99° 4' 56" E.

Ban Song, Province Langsuen.—Lat. 9° 43' 32" N. Long. 98° 39' 15" E.

Raat Koot, Province Rehnong.—Lat. 9° 43' 49" N. Long. 98° 33' 10" E.

Rehnong, Governor's House.—Lat. 9° 56' 52" N. Long. 98° 36' 40" E.

Krà Tananeap, near Old Fort.—Lat. 10° 31' 01" N. Long. 98° 51' 02" E.

Let us now see what works would most probably have to be performed to carry out the canal scheme in its entirety.

1st.—The prodigious work of cutting the canal, and the removal of the excavations, a question of enormous time and money.

2nd.—The alignment and deepening of the Pakchan river, from Klong Kumaon to Krà, another prodigious undertaking, not to mention the continuous labour and expense of keeping the channel free, as the river would constantly be filling up with deposits from the affluents.

3rd.—The construction of a strong breakwater from Spiteful rock, which in itself would be no trifle.

4th.—The dredging of a channel through the shoal part of the Bay of Chumpon, with breakwaters on each side to prevent silting.

5th.—The erection of lighthouses, landmarks, and beacons, and lastly a pilot vessel at the Bengal entrance, if not another in the Gulf of Siam.

From what has been stated it will readily be perceived that the cost of such an undertaking would inevitably be enormous. We will now see what distance would be saved by the proposed "cut off."—