Ganges Canal : A Disquisition on the Heads of The Ganges and Jumna Canals, North-Western Provinces

The main point at issue discussed in this essay, is whether, as an engineering project, the head of the Ganges Canal should have been led off above the commencement of the high land of the Northern Doab, where the river runs upon shingle on a high incline ; or below it, by the construction of a dam across the river, where it flows in a depressed trough, upon a sandy bed. The former plan was adopted by me, and although it has been assailed by Sir Arthur Cotton, I hold that it was the only sound one. But in order to justify it, I have been compelled to enter into minute and tedious details regarding the surface contour of the country ; the slopes of the river beds in relation to the higher levels and slope of the land ; and the lines of drainage, by which the Doab is longitudinally intersected.