Page 563 - INDIANNAVYV1

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA^'Y. 531

summation was brought about, and the successive steps are of
interest, and shouUl be l)riefty injcorded in the history of the
Service which achieved this great result.
Sir John Malcohn, in co-operation with his brothers, Sir
Charles and Sir Pulteney— the latter then Naval Commander-
in-chief in the Mediterranean, who assisted to the extent of his
power on the European side of Alexandria—continued the
efforts of his predecessor, ]\Ir. Elphinstone, in promoting steam
communication between this counti-y and India by the lied Sea
route, and thetwo former, recognising the fact that asnrveyof that
sea must be a preliminary to action, entrusted the duty to Cap-
tain Elwon, connnanding the ' Benares,' and Lieutenant Moresby,
in the ' Palinurus,' assisted by an efficient staff of officers.
The survey of the Red Sea, of which a detailed account will
be given in another chapter, was commenced in October, 1829,
and Comniander Wilson sailed in the ' Hugh Lindsay' in the
following ]\Iarch. It had been intimded that this great experi-
ment should be made by the ' Enter[)rise,' and, in May, Ls2i',
Lieutenant VV. Denton, of the Indian Navy, brought her round
from Calcutta to Bombay, but her boilers were found to be
worn out, and the 'Hugh Lindsay,' then building, was substituted.
The narrow escape she iiad of expending all her coal before reach-
ing Aden, showed that the distance was too great for a steamer
of her carrying capacity, without an intermediate coaling station,
and, accordingly, a coal depot was established at Maculla, on
the coast of Arabia, about two hundred and fifty miles nearer
Bombay than Aden. On the 5th of Deceml)er, 1830, the
'Hugh Lindsay' started on her second voyage, this time having
as a passenger Sir John ^lalcolm, who was returning to England,
accompanieil by his suite. She touched at Maculhi and Jiddali,
and reached Cosseir on the 27th of De^jember, " making," Sir
John Malcolm says in a letter, " twenty-two days and some
hours from Bomba}^ of which tlioy had spout nearly six at
Maculla and Jiddah, an average of seven miles an hour from
Bombay," "A pleasanter voyage," adds Sir John, "was
never made." At Cosseir Lord Clare, the new Governor of
Bombay, embarked, and rcturned in the 'Hugh Lindsay' to
India. Commander Wilson started on his third voyage on the
5th of January, 1832, and reached Suez on the 4th of February,
having made the passage in twenty-one ilays sixteen hours
actually steaming. The mail, consisting of seven hundred and
nineteen private letters, reached England without any steam in
the Mediterranean, in sixty days from Bondmy, On the 1 Ith of
January, 1833,* the 'Hugh Lindsay' starteil on her fourth
* In this year a young civilian proceeded to Bojnbiiy by tlio Cosseir route,
who was destined to rise to tlie highest distinetion. Tliis was ."?ir Biirtle Frero.
Bart., G.C.13., G.G.S.I.. late Governor of I3ouiba.y, aud uow at the lie.id of tho
Goveruuieut of Cape Colony.
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