Analyses of Booh. 
153 
183JJ 
The Tmnlook Salt Boat has a flat bottom, brought up at an angle to the prow and 
stern : it is of strong build, and constructed especially for the salt trade. 
The Saltee is a kind of long canoe, cut out of a solid trunk of saul timber: the 
bottom is flat and thick, which renders it, although narrow, diflicult to overturn. 
The Doo/iga is, in like manner, made of the hollow butt end of the Taree Palm 
tree. It is used by the fishermen to punt about the Salt-water Lake. 
An almost endless variety of other native boats might be enumerated : some will 
be found in the accompanying plates, whence they will be more easily understood 
than by description. 
So piecarious is the navigation of the Ganges, from eddies, gusts of wind, 
shifting sands, sunken trees, and falling banks, that the premium of insur- 
ance on a voyage to Cawnpoor (3| per cent.) is absolutely as high as on one 
to England : the time required to mount against the stream is also well nigh as great; 
while the expense to a traveller, Carrying his baggage, provisions, and servants, is 
upon the same scale. These circumstances, combined with the extraordinary suc- 
cess of steam navigation on other rivers, were sufficient to draw the attention of spe- 
culators, and lead them to look for equal advantages from its introduction on the 
Ganges, which began to draw attention about 10 years ago. 
“ The boat built at Lucknow, by Mr. W. Trickett, in 1819, for the Nuwab, was 
the first vessel in India propelled by steam.” It was furnished with an excellent 
little single engine of 8 horse power, from the Butterley works. We believe she is 
still used as a pleasure boat of passage to the palace gardens, although her repairs 
may be, as Mr. Prinsep says, totally neglected. 
The next application of steam power was made by the late Major Sclialch, to a 
Dredging boat, in 1822 : its power was found insufficient ; and the Pluto was con- 
verted into a floating battery in the Arracan expedition. She was afterwards sold, 
and dismantled, and her hull finally sunk in a gale, in May, 1830. 
The engines and frartie of the Diana were carried out by Mr. Robarts, to China, 
on speculation, in 1822 ; thence transferred to Calcutta, they were purchased by the 
agency houses, and fitted into a new vessel, in 1823. She was first employed as a 
passage boat ; then sold to Government for the Rangoon expedition, where she proved 
very useful. The vessel has been principally used in the Tenasserim provinces. 
The attention of the Indian community was, by this time, fully alive to the advan- 
tages of steam navigation ; and many schemes were canvassed for shortening the 
voyage to and from England, by establishing steam communication, either round the 
Cape, or through the Mediterranean and Red Sea. A general meeting, in London, in 
1822, concurred with Mr. Joliffe, in adopting the former route : — but Captain John- 
stone, who was sanguine in preferring the latter, proceeded to Calcutta with a 
proposal to this effect; after several public meetings, in 1823-4, a large subscription 
fund was raised, for the encouragement of any attempt by either route, made be- 
fore the expiration of 1826 ; with limitations, as to time, of 140 days, for the double 
voyage. 
As a candidate for the prize thus held out, the Enterprise was the first vessel put 
in hand ; she was intended for the Cape voyage, and was already in progress when 
Captain Johnston reached England, and was entrusted with her command. She 
was launched in February, 1825, and arrived in the Hoogly, in December, after a 
very fatiguing voyage of 113 days, 63 under steam, and 40 under sail, entirely dis- 
appointing the exaggerated expectations of the share-holders and the public. It was 
a fortunate circumstance for the speculators, that the Burmese war was then at its 
height, and that the Government, having proof of the utility of steamers in the ser- 
vices of the Diana , were willing to take her off their hands at prime cost, retaining 
also Captain Johnston in command. 
