12

         44. In this event the very first thing to do is to provide deep subsoil drains,
as well as shallow surface drains, so as to prevent the soil around

           1. each barrack,

           2. each patcherry,

           3. the hospital, and

           4. each officer's house,

being saturated with water. The shallow trenches that are now being dug, good
as they are, are yet, in my opinion, insufficient, and are not in accordance with the
principles of subsoil drainage laid down by the Army Sanitary Commission,
which are, in my opinion, the only means which can effectively drain this site;
although I am glad to see that Colonel Finch, R.E., the Executive Engineer, is
doing a great amount of good by levelling off the surface around each barrack on
a slope to a shallow earthen surface trench, and I am informed the surface round
the barracks is to be metalled. This action will, doubtless, do much good; but it
will not, in my opinion, do away with the necessity of draining the subsoil as well
as the surface.

         45. I consider the 12 old-pattern barracks should be absolutely con-
demned. They are on such low plinths that they never can be made healthy.
They are utterly faulty in their construction, as they are so much shut in, that
the prevailing breeze can never reach them properly, and their roofs are so low
that there can be no ventilation when the doors are shut to keep out the wind
both in the cold and hot weather and the rain during the monsoon, and they are
not worth going to any expense in the hopes of improving their condition. They
are occupied by 312 men, so that accommodation for that number would be
required.

         46. Regarding the 12 new-pattern barracks, much may be done towards
their improvement, and I should recommend—

       (a .) That the roofs be provided with large zinc rain-water gutters, with
             downtakes of sufficient calibre to carry off the rainfall. It is not
             difficult to calculate the receiving area of the roof and the necessary
             calibre of both gutter and downtake. I, however, strongly record my
             opinion that the downtake should not end over the bare ground as
             now universally seen. There should be a pipe or an open masonry
             drain under each to carry away the rainfall to a main drain, which
             should deliver the water at a lower level and at a distance from the
             barracks.

       (b .) The roofs should be provided with a continuous ridge-ventilator extend-
             ing along the whole length of roof, the lean to inside should be planked
             as high as the ventilator, and at the eaves of the roof should be air
             inlets as recommended by the Army Sanitary Commission. If the pre-
             sent clerestory windows areretained, the bonnets should be removed; they
             prevent the entrance of air. The clerestory windows should be fitted
             with open gauze as at present during the fine weather, and they might
             be protected by a projecting louvre so as to prevent the rain beating in.

       (c .) I also think that the serjeants' rooms at either end of the building
             should be removed, and that the space so recovered should be thrown
             into the barrack; that the verandah all round the barrack be cleared
             of all excrescences, dividing walls, &c., &c., and be left quite free, de-
             tached lavatories being provided for ablution purposes, and that a
             detached bungalow, containing quarters sufficient for the serjeants of
             each barrack, be erected in the space between adjoining barracks.