2G8 . SIR RODERICK I. MURCHISON'S ADDRESS. [May 23, 1859. 



satisfied that I shall render good service by placing on record the 

 present state of the coast survey in the East Indies and China ; at 

 the same time expressing our thankfulness as geographers for what 

 the East India Company has already done. It is proposed to 

 extend this brief notice from Suez in the West throughout India, 

 China, and the Asiatic Archipelago, to New Guinea and New 

 Zealand in the East. 



The Ked Sea, Gulf of Aden, Socotra, and the south-east coast of 

 Arabia, have been sufficiently surveyed for the purposes of naviga- 

 tion by the officers of the Indian Navy, as also the coasts of Belu- 

 chistan, Scinde, and Kattiwar, as far south as Cambay. The Gulf 

 of Persia, however, requires some re-examination, which, it is 

 understood, is in progress. 



From Cambay southward, along the entire coast of Malabar to 

 Cape Comorin, and thence northward by Madras to Calcutta, the 

 whole of the peninsula of India has been triangulated. The nautical 

 survey of the west coast, and of the east coast between Madras and 

 Santipilly, have also been completed. From the Gulf of Manaar 

 northward to Madras, and from Santipilly to Point Palmyra, is in 

 course of progress by the officers of the Indian Navy. The Sun- 

 derbunds, or mouths of the Ganges, up to Calcutta and to Chittagong, 

 have been completely surveyed. 



In Ceylon the west-coast is also surveyed, but the south and east 

 coasts only very partially, and require early attention, especially in 

 the neighbourhood of the dangerous rocks — the Basses — off the 

 south-east side of the island. The plans of Trincomalee and Point 

 de Galle are passable ; that of Colombo is still wanting. The 

 Maldivas, Laccadivas, and Chagos Archipelago, have been carefully 

 surveyed, and published on a large scale by the East India Company. 

 The coast of Chittagong and Aracan, southward to Cape Negrais, 

 has been partially surveyed, but requires further examination. The 

 river up to Aracan, the Negrais up to Persaim, with its outlying 

 dangers to Preparis, and the Eangoon River, have been sufficiently 

 surveyed. The coasts of Martaban and Tenasserim, as far as St. 

 Matthew Island, including the Mergui Archipelago, have been 

 partially surveyed, but require more examination. From Isle St. 

 Matthew southwards to within ten miles of Pulo Penang, the 

 Malacca coast is all but unknown, though a survey is in progress. 

 The same with the Andaman and Nicobar groups, of which we 

 hardly know anything. Keeling Island has been completely sur- 

 veyed. The eastern shore of the Strait of Malacca as far as Singa- 



