434 



Memoir on the Indian Surveys. 



[April 



may probably contain many well-detevmined points which have not 

 yet been ascertained either by Captains Ross, Crawford, or Grant. 

 They are accompanied at least by sketches of the coast, done with 

 jnuch care, and referred to a series of hearings, latitudes, and longi- 

 tudes, which is to be inferred from the fact, that the entire book is 

 throughout in the hand-writing of that skilful mathematician. 



Mr. Michael Topping's observations on the currents in the bay of 

 Bengal, of the 1st March, 1788, on the I6th January, and 26th June, 

 1792, may probably be found of essential importance in future inves- 

 tigations respecting the retreat or advance of the sea on the east 

 coast of India, and the exact registration of the tides. His survey of 

 the mouths of the Godavery river and Coringa road, 18th September, 

 .17^0, and 21st Jantiary, 1791, and his proceedings and report in the 

 Masulipatam Circar, drawn up with a view to ascertain the practica- 

 bility of applying the waters of the rivers Krishna and Godavery to 

 the fertilization of the land, with charts, observations, and levels, 

 communicated 20th February, 1794, and 2d October, 1795, may yet 

 induce the Madras government and authorities at home to reconsi- 

 der that valuable project, 



I have drawn up this summary account of a few of the most remark- 

 able attempts to add to our stores of geographical and hydrographical 

 information before the conquest of Mysore, during which interval the 

 office of surveyor-general had been held successively by Colonels 

 Call, Charles Reynolds, and Colebrook. I should not omit, however, 

 to notice the valuable maritime surveys of Captains Huddart and 

 M'Cluer, and Lieutenants Ringrose, Wedgeborough, and Skinner, on 

 the western coast of India, from 1790 to 1793, which still continue to 

 be good authority to navigators of that coast, and were actually incor- 

 porated by Colonel Reynolds in his map. At the time they were deli- 

 vered to the government an outcry was raised against their accuracy, 

 which subsequent inquiry has shown to be without a shadow of justice ; 

 and I may mention it as a corroborative proof of the attention and skill 

 which must have been bestowed on the subject by Captain M'Cluer, 

 that in carrying on a trigonometrical and topographical survey of the 

 coast upwards, with all the helps and improved methods for which our 

 recent acquisition of the country afforded also greater facilities, I 

 found the actual outlines of the coast and exact distances differ very im- 

 materially from those in M'Cluer's charts, and I had the more favoura- 

 ble opportunity of verifying the fact, as the superintendent of marine 

 furnished me with Captain M'Cluer's original drafts, on a large scale, 

 for this express purpose. 



