370 STEAM NAVIGATION BY THE RED SEA. 



ever the weather will admit of it, and corrects his courses 

 and bearings accordingly. The local variation of the com- 

 pass, since first observed by Captain Flinders, has been the 

 subject of much speculation. For scientific purposes, the 

 local variation must be carefully ascertained ; but for the 

 common uses of navigation it is not quite so important. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



Proposed Steam Communication between England and the 

 East Indies by the Red Sea. 



Voyage of Sir John Malcolm from Bombay to Cosseir in the Hugh Lind- 

 say Steamer— Reasons for preferring the Route by Cosseir to that by 

 Suez— Siie of Vessels— To be manned from the Indian Navy— Coals — 

 Sir John Malcolm's Opinion of the Advantages of this Communication 

 — Obstacles to it— The Plague — Winds in the Red Sea— Post-office 

 Regulations — Mr. Waghorn's Remarks on the Navigation of the Nile— 

 Sleam-tugs on the Ganges. 



A COMMUNICATION with India by means of steam has 

 lately occupied the attention, not only of individuals, but 

 of the government in India. The different passages to In- 

 dia round the Cape of Good Hope, by steamers, have been 

 all unsuccessful as to time ; and it may fairly be doubted 

 whether steam will ever compete with sails on this long 

 passage. The honourable company's ship Thomas Coutts 

 made the passage to Bombay in eighty-four days, — the Atlas 

 in eighty-three, — and ninety da3's is not considered as any 

 thing very extraordinary by some of the free-traders, such 

 as the Roxburgh Castle and others. Mr. W^aghorn, an 

 enterprising ofticer of the Bengal pilot service, is the princi- 

 pal advocate and projector of the passage by steam round 

 the Cape. The route by the Red Sea having been lately 

 traversed with complete success by Sir John Malcolm, our 

 observations shall be confined to this route. The present 

 Pacha of Egypt is higlily favourable to the establishment of 

 steam-packets at Alexandria, and would afford every facility 

 on the land journey, if this great object is undertaken by 

 government. The following observations (in substance) 



