"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٤‎٠‎١] (١٧٨٢/١٥٥٦)

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1401
In April 1846 an attempt was made by Commander Felix Jones under
instructions from Major Rawlinson, who attached great importance to its
success^ to take the " Nitocris " up the Tigris upon the spring floods
as far as Musal. The river had already been ascended to some distance
above Baghdad in 1843. The experiment was a failure, however, owing
to the inability of the steamer to make head against the current at the
spot where the river passes through a gap in the Hamrin hills not far
above Dur. Major Rawlinson had intended that advantage should be
taken of the voyage to establish friendly relations with the -"Obaid,
'Azzah Tai and Shammar tribes, and he authorised* special disbursements
in this connection ; but his chief object was to retain the right of naviga
tion " in active exercise, wherever there may be sufficient water for the
steam vessel that bears our flag.'
The Nitocris " was found particularly useful in 1849, when in
consequence of tribal disturbances, all native navigation was stopped,
while British-owned boats continued to pass freely up and down the
Tigris. In 1850, however, she was reported unserivceable, and her re
placement was urged by the Acting Resident, Lieutenant Kemball. In
1852 she was so crippled by defective boilers that she could not, even
had the Resident approved of such a use being made of her, " be prudent
ly sent on any service where she might be required to come into action
with the Arabs. ,J
At length in 1852, after a delay caused by the Burmese War, the
" Comet, a by no means new but otherwise suitable steamer, was refitted
and sent to Basrah to take the place of the " Nitocris. She performed
the same duties as her predecessor; chiefly the carrying of the British
mails, the maintenance of friendly relations with the tribes, and the
surveillance and protection of British trade and shipping, also survey and
observation work.
In 1839 a site was required for putting together the British Govern
ment steamers sent in parts from Europe, and as a d^pot for the coal and
other stores of the British flotilla that was to be, and Kut-al-Farangi or
" Magil/' on the right bank of the Shatt-al- J Arab 4 miles above Basrah,
was provisionally occupied. This was an estate bought by Mr. Manesty,
when he was British Resident at Basrah, from the native proprietors; on
Attempt to
reach M usal
with the
" Nitocris,"
1846.
* From 1844 onwards the Commander of the " Nitocris " had a grant of Ks. 100
a month from Government for the purpose of making small presents to the Arab
Shaikhs with whom he was thrown in contact.
f It does not appear that she derived her name from Bell's first steamer on the Clyde.
The Indian Navy at this time possessed a whole galaxy of astronomical bodies, including
a " Planet," a " Satellite " and a " Meteor, " as well as a " Comet. " The " Comet "
seem to have been built in 1838, and she took part in the operations in Sind in 1843.
Absence of
the
" Nitocris ** هذه التواريخ تقريبية
at Bombay,
1849-52.
Substitution
of the
" Comet" for
the " Nito
cris," 1852.
British
steamer
dep6ts at
Basrah
(Kut-al-
Farangi or
" Magil")
and Baghdad,
1839-58.
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