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402 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.

was all oil a trigonometrical basis. He measured bases on
shore by running a ten-foot rod along a cord stretched tight
between the extreme points, and kept in position by stakes, the
direction being verified by a telescope. When work on shore
was impracticable, recourse was had to measurement by sound.
The vessels were anchored when the weather was calm, and
the time was taken between the flash and report of a gun, on
the assumption that sound travels 1,140 feet per second. All
angles were taken with a sextant, and the triangulation was
verified by frequent astronomical observations. In Ross' time
the Government of India used to strike off a few copies of his
charts at Calcutta by lithography, and send the originals to the
India House for engraving and publication." The Company
published Captain Eoss' charts of "Chittagong to Arracan
River," and " Arracan River to Foul Island."
In November, 1833, Captain Ross resigned his appointment,
and retired to Bombay, where he was appointed Master Attendant,
and, in 1838, succeeded Sir Charles Malcolm, Superintendent of
the Indian Navy, in the office of President of the Bombay
Geographical Society. He was succeeded in the post of Marine
Surveyor-General by his Assistant, Commander Robert Lloyd,*
who had served under him for ten years. He held the office
until 1840, when it was abolished, and during that period did
much and useful work. One of the great clogs to the usefulness
of the department arose from its being placed under the control
of a Marine Board, composed of civilians who knew little more
of the necessities of the survey and of the means by which the
duties could be accomyjlished, than the green-covered table
round which their meetings were held.
Lieutenant Dominicetti, who was employed on a survey of the
coasts of the Southern Concan, wrote a valuable report, dated
the 9th of June, 1819, an extract from which, relating to the
ports of Viziadroog and Zyghur, was published by order of the
Governor in Council. At this time Lieutenant Robert Moresby
was engaged on a survey of the Madagascar Archipelago, which
was published by the Court of Directors in 1822. Lieutenant
W. S. CoUinson, in the Company's cruiser 'Prince of Wales,'
with Lieutenants J. C. Hawkins and R. Moresby as his assist-
ants, was engaged in surveying to the eastward, and, under date
'"Prince of Wales,' the 3ist of October, 1822," he published
his " Directions for passing through the north-east entrance of
the straits of Singapore from the Straits of Dryon." While
thus engaged the Supreme Government directed him to proceed
to the Nicobars, in order to search and rescue the survivors of
* This veteran officer still survives, the last of the school of surveyors of which
McCluer, Court, Ross, and Crawford, were distinojuished exemplars ; and who
-were the predecessors of the school of Haines, Carless, Moresby, and Elwon, and
of the still later band of hydrographers.