Mussoorie

Mussoorie, or Masuri, a town and sanitarium of British India, in the Dehra Dun district of the United Provinces, about 6600 ft. above the sea. Pop. (1901), 6461, rising to 15,000 in the hot season. It stands on a ridge of one of the lower Himalayan ranges, amid beautiful mountain scenery, and forms with Naini Tal the chief summer resort for European residents in the plains of the United Provinces. The view from Mussoorie over the valley of the Dun and across the Siwalik hills to the plains is very beautiful, as also is the view towards the north, which is bounded by the peaks of the snowy range. Mussoorie practically forms one station with Landaur, the convalescent depot for European troops, 7362 ft. above the sea. Some distance off, on the road to Simla, is the cantonment of Chakrata, 7300 ft. It was formerly approached by road from Saharanpur in the plains, 58 m. distant, but in 1900 the railway was opened to Dehra, 21 m. by road. There are numerous schools for Europeans, including St George's college, the Philander-Smith institute, the Oak Grove school of the East Indian railway, and several Church of England and Roman Catholic institutions, together with a cathedral of the latter faith. The first brewery in India was established here in 1850. The town has botanical gardens, and is the summer headquarters of the Trigonometrical Survey.