NAVIGATION OF THE INDUS. 95 



of water, and the view of the opposite sliore is 

 very interesting. It is a pity that in building 

 steamers heretofore for the Indus flotilla, the 

 ojjinions of experienced commanders have not 

 been consulted, as the vessels last launched, the 

 Frere, Laivrence, cVc, are declared l)y most 

 of them ill calculated for the navigation of the 

 Upper Indus, having been built for the double 

 purpose of threading the narrow channels of the 

 Delta and getting round by sea to Kurrachee ; 

 but now that the river steamers will only be 

 required to ply between Kotree and Mooltan, 

 a distance of 570 miles of comparatively open 

 navigation, the vessels best adapted for that 

 portion of the Indus, — and such ought not to 

 exceed two feet in draught, — will of course be 

 constructed in future. It will not be out of 

 place here to give an extract from a very able 

 letter on the Navigation of the Indus and the 

 Commerce of Sindh, which appeared in the Star 

 of the 29th of October last under the signature 

 of " a Merchant :" — 



" I have been for years connected with the 

 trade of Kurrachee, and can state that the rapid 

 increase in the trade of that port is without j^re- 

 cedent in India ; — to no fortuitous cause, says an 



