26 INDIAN MARINE SURVEYS. 



Lieutenant E. 0. H. Helby, R.N., in charge of No. 1 Boat survey 

 party, completed the survey of the approaches to Bhaunagar com- 

 menced in the previous season. The soundings extended over 104 

 square miles, charted on the scale of three inches to a nautical mile. 

 No. 2 Boat party, under Lieutenant M. H. iSmyth, R.N., was 

 engaged in buoying the China Bakir entrance to the Irawadi 

 river, and in the survey of Mergui, already mentioned. 



On the " Investigator's " return from the Western Torres islands, 

 in March, she completed the southern approach to Mergui, taking 

 in some 20 miles of the beaten track to the southward. Preparis, 

 Narcondam, and Barren islands were next visited. Prom the last 

 two islands radiating lines of soundings were carried out to ascertain 

 their slope to the floor of the ocean. It was found that they rose 

 from a depth of 1,140 fathoms, but that the north-east slope of 

 Narcondam was being encroached upon by the outlying banks from 

 the great rivers flowing into the Gulf of Martaban. The temperature 

 observations taken seemed to favour the inference that no greater 

 depth than 760 fathoms exists in any of the passages between the 

 Andaman islands or between that group and Acheen. 



In May, Lieutenant A. Channer, R.N., was again appointed as 

 Surveyor in charge (Commander Carpenter being absent on leave 

 in England). The following charts and plans were drawn during the 



Irawadi river from Thayetmyo to Bhamo, 



on f-inch 



scale in 



4 sheets. 







China Bakir river - 



on 2-inch scale. 



Mergui Fells passage - 

 „ Northern approach 

 „ Kings island to Christinas island 



„ 2 „ 

 „ 1 „ 

 „ 1 „ 



" 



Cambay Perim to Bhaunagar 

 „ Narbada „ 



„ 3 „ 



„ 2 „ 



» 



,, Mandwa Bay, Diu - 



„ 6 „ 



„ 



besides sailing directions, tidal, and other data. These were all 

 completed and forwarded to the Admiralty Hydrographer, copies 

 having been photo-zincographed by the Poona Office. 



The first place examined by the " Investigator " was Hinze basin 

 on the Burmese coast : the Moscos islands were then re-plotted, 

 and the beaten track in the Mergui archipelago from Christmas 



