'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎426] (445/622)

426
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
they given to India such an extension of hydrographic know
ledge as she was entitled to expect." He then proposes his
remedy, which is the common sense one of " the establishment
of an Indian Hydrographic Office at Calcutta, under an ex
perienced hydrographer, who, as a practical surveyor and
seaman, can bring a knowledge of the shores and harbours of
India to bear upon his duties." He adds: " Fortunately the
information acquired in the service of the late Indian Navy, is
still to be had, and no other branch of the public service
possesses equal qualifications." Commander Taylor then sub
mitted a list of the surveys requiring immediate attention, and
of the lights that should be placed on the four thousand miles
of coast of British India, there being only fifty at that date.
In a valuable " Memorandum on the State of the Coast Survey
in India in 1862," drawn up in that year by Captain Constable,
in conjunction with Commanders Taylor and Ward, and Lieu
tenants Sweny and Stiffe, for the information of Admiral
Washington, the Hydrographic Department had already been
informed of the surveys, twenty-two in number, that remained
to be completed.
Assisted by these papers, by Mr. Markham's valuable review
of the surveys accomplished by the old Bombay Marine The navy of the East India Company. and
Indian Navy, by a paper on "Indian Nautical Surveys," from
the pen of Mr. Trelawney Saunders, Assistant-Geographer at
the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , the Indian Government were able to come to a
decision. Commander Taylor's paper on the "Harbours of
India,"* dated August, 1870, read before the British Association
at the meeting at Liverpool, in that year, his " Memorandum,"
already referred to, and his experience, well-known ability as a
scientific observer, and familiarity with the whole subject,
pointed him out as the most suitable person to organize and
conduct the new Indian Marine Survey.f He was appointed
* Commander Taylor also prepared for Dr. Forbes Watson a list of Indian
ports and harbours, of wbich as many as six hundred and fifty-six are enumerated
and described. Of these the three principal ones are Kurrachee, Bombay, and
Carwar (or Sedasheghur), where, at Bell Cove, a century ago, the Company's
ships used to careen. Other five ports which might be made serviceable, are
Poshetra and Seria at the entrance of the Gulf of Cutch, Zyghur, or Spastri
River, Viziadroog and Cochin.
f Commander Taylor describes as follows the steps preceding his appointment
as Surveyor;—" In the eaily part of 1871, the Secretary of State, in a despatch
forwarding Mr. Markham's Memoir, &c., brought this important subject to notice,
and requested the earliest and serious attention of the Government of India, ask
ing, at the same time, for opinions and suggestions as to the measures to be
adopted for providing some efficient substitute for the establishments formerly
maintained for the survey of the Indian seas. The Government of India, before
giving any decided answer, suggested that I should be sent out to India to assist
in devising suitable measures to remedy the inconveniences pointed out. lins
proposal was approved of by Her Majesty's Secretary of State, and I arrived m
Calcutta in December, 1873. Under the direction of the Government, 1 P re "
pared a review of all existing charts, or materials for charts, in India or in
land, of the coast from Pakchan Estuary to Sonmiani Bay, as also of the islands m