5 INDIAN MA1UNE SURVEYS. 



Dabhol or Anjanwil river, where the passenger traffic by coasting 

 steamers was rapidly increasing, was next taken in hand and plotted 

 on a double-elephant sheet on the same scale as the above 

 survey, as well as that of Chaul, where the Chaul Kadu and other 

 dangerous reefs and shoals had caused many a wreck to vessels 

 making for Bombay harbour. 



Early in September 1878 Mr. Morris Chapman commenced his 

 survey of Tuticorin roadstead and harbour, the soundings being 

 carried out as far as the 5-fa.thom and 7-fathom line to the 

 north and south respectively. The heat was most trying, and the 

 weather so exceptionably bad that a suspension of the work became 

 necessary. Mr. Chapman was deputed to make an examination of 

 the water space eastward of the Shingle islands at Paumben, 

 principally with the object of finding a southern deep entrance to 

 the proposed ship canal through Eameswaram. Forty miles of 

 soundings were taken, but there proved to be no deep southern 

 entrance, though there are great advantages for one to the north. 

 On the 16th March Mr. Chapman became ill from severe exposure, 

 and though he was granted two months' leave to enable him to 

 proceed to Australia, he unfortunately died before the season closed. 

 He was a painstaking and hardworking survejor, and his loss 

 was severely felt in the Department. 



On the 4th December 1878 the building of the new surveying 

 steamer " Investigator " was commenced, and the formality of 

 driving the silver nail into her stem took place. The ceremony, 

 peculiar to Bombay, is said to be of Parsee origin, and is some- 

 what analogous to that of depositing coins, &c. under foundation 

 stones. The nail was of silver, about seven inches in length and 

 three-quarters of an inch diameter near the head. The four sides 

 bore the inscriptions: — (1) Indian Government surveying steamer 

 " Investigator," Bombay Dockyard, December 1878 ; (2) The Eight 

 Hon'ble Lord Lytton, G.C.S.I., Viceroy and Governor-General ; 



(3) The Hon'ble Sir R, Temple, G.C.S.I., Governor of Bombay; 



(4) Captain G. O'B. Carew, I.X., Officiating Superintendent of 

 Marine, and Jamsetjee Dhunjeebhoy "Wadia. master builder. 



During the year a Chart Depot at Calcutta had been established, 

 and was in good working order. Printed lists of all new charts 

 and hydrographic publications, and information as to where 

 the same were obtainable, were distributed to all Indian shipping 

 agencies, and to all shipmasters calling at Calcutta ; and the result 



