592 Documents relative to the application of [July, 



To Major Davidson, of the Bengal Engineers, we believe must be 

 assigned the signal credit of having first demonstrated the practicability 

 of using the Camel for carriage draught. Some years have elapsed, since 

 Major Davidson exhibited a Camel harnessed to a light car, on which he 

 travelled at the rate of eleven to fourteen miles an hour, and executed 

 daily stages of thirty-six miles for several days in succession. Encouraged 

 by this example, Mr. Bird, of Allahabad, constructed the carriage of 

 which we publish a striking sketch and plan, and in which he has ac- 

 complished the tours described by Mr. Taylor, in his note published in 

 the present series of documents ; for the illustrations we are indebted to 

 the kindness of the Hon. Mr. William Wilberforce Bird, of Calcutta. 



In a subsequent number we hope to be enabled to publish interesting 

 details regarding the Camel Artillery organized by Major Pew, and 

 which, throughout the whole of the trying march on Cabul, has given 

 such perfect satisfaction to the projectors of this important addi- 

 tion to our military resources. Meanwhile, the papers we subjoin, 

 afford copious information on the practical points to be considered in 

 attempting to introduce this system on the great line of communication 

 through Egypt and in India. Under the auspices of the British Consu- 

 late, and the direction of Mr. Walne, we are sanguine as to the early 

 success of the attempt to establish across the isthmus of Suez a train of 

 vehicles in celerity only inferior to the steam vans, of which the Camel 

 is the certain precursor. — Eds. 



Extracts from a letter to Captain Barber from Alfred Walne, Esq., 

 Vice- Consul in Cairo. 

 Her Majesty's Vice- Consulate, Cairo, 17 th March, 1839. 

 [Comparative expenses of Horse and Camel draught in Egypt.~\ 

 I question altogether the feasibility of finding persons in Egypt 

 willing and able to contract for a supply of one hundred and twenty 

 horses, to drag the ten vans, which are for the carriage of coals 

 to Suez, and of goods from that place. But supposing even that- per- 

 sons were ready to come forward with the capital, it would be impossi- 

 ble for them to find here horses suitable for such an undertaking. 

 The horses of Egypt, as experience has proved, are not in the least 

 calculated for draught, and not at all accustomed to it ; and even if they 

 were, the wear and tear in this climate, more particularly in the deserts, 



