Page 326 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

XIV.] COAST OF ARABIA. 307

within the Sea, there is an abundance of well
sheltered harbours on either shore, which will
be found suited to the purpose.
In concluding, I may add that it must
prove a source of extreme congratulation to

every individual interested in the commercial
prosperity of his native country and her de­

pendencies, to find that now the question of
a communication between India and the
mother country, by means at once rapid and
regular, is fairly before the public, that the
liberality of the British government presents
the fairest hopes of its final and complete es­
tablishment *.

* The greater portion of the matter which appears in this
chapter was given by the author during his examination before
the House of Commons in June of the present year. A small
portion has likewise appeared in Dr. Lardner’s Letter on Steam
Communicatioji with India by the Red Sea.

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