'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎68] (87/622)

CHAPTER II.
1828-1838.
Review of tlie Surveys made by the Indian Navy during the Administration of
Sir Charles Malcolm—Surveys of the Red Sea by Captain Elwon and Com
mander Moresby; of the Maldive Islands, by Commander Moresby; of the
South-east Coast of Arabia, by Commander Haines and Lieutenant Sanders;
of the Soomalie Coast and the Mouths of the Indus, by Lieutenant Carless—
The Survey and Occupation of Socotra—Surveys of Commanders Lloyd and
Fell on the Coromandel Coast—Travels of Lieutenants Whitelock, Wellsted,
Barker, Wood, and Wyburd.
THE chief glory of the administration of Sir Charles Malcolm
is derived from the care with which he fostered, and the
energy with which he advanced, the surveys of the Indian
Navy. In this he displayed his chief qualification to be
considered the enlightened leader of a Service which has been
unsurpassed as the nursery of an accomplished race of surveyors
and draughtsmen. We will now detail the surveys completed
by the officers of the Indian Navy during the ten years of Sir
Charles Malcolm's tenure of office.
In 1828 Lieutenant Cogan commenced the survey of the
coast near Bombay. In the following year he made a survey
of Bombay harbour, and, assisted by Lieutenant Peters, com
pleted by the year 1832, a survey of the coast between the
latitude of the island and the mouth of Bancoot river, which
w T as published in a chart of two sheets.*
When steam navigation between Bombay and Suez was
determined upon, the Bombay Government directed a survey of
the Red Sea, which had not been examined since Captain
Court, having as his assistants, Messrs. Crawford and Hurst,
proceeded thither with Lord Valentia in 1804-6, in the
'Panther,' in company with the 'Assaye,' tender, under
Lieutenant Maxfield. In those days the Red Sea was indeed
*= Reference has already been made to Captain Cogan's chart, of 1829, of
Bombay Harbour, in the account of the proceedings of the Committee over which
he presided, to inquire into the allegations of Sir John Gore, the Naval Com
mander-in-chief in India, as to the deterioration of the harbour. In 1794
Captain M'Cluer made a chart of the port, and a second was constructed from
Captain Keys' survey of 1813.