'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎212] (231/622)

212
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
of science owe to this distinguished body of men, to allude
shortly to the history of their military achievements, their
maritime surveys, and diplomatic negotiations," Sir Alexander
Johnston then gave a succinct account of the war services of
the Indian Navy from the date of the successes achieved by
Commodore James in 1755, and of their triumphs in the more
peaceful domain of scientific survey, and, in the course of his
remarks, paid the following tribute to the officers of the Service:
"They have shown the greatest promptitude,"the strictest
discipline, and the most undaunted courage. They have been
equally distinguished by the zeal, and by the great practical
and theoretical science with which they have executed those
maritime surveys by which they have been enabled, during the
last forty years, to complete the most useful and valuable charts
of different parts of the coasts of Asia, and of the coasts of the
Arabian^and Persian Gulfs."
During the China War of 1840-42, the Service found an
ample field for vindicating its character for efficiency as a war
marine, but when, in 1844, nearly two years after the cessation
of hostilities, the surveys were resumed, it was on the meagre
footing mentioned by Commander Taylor, and on the cheese
paring principles for which Mr. Markham is our authority.
On the 5th of January, 1843, Lieutenant W. Christopher, com
manding the 'Tigris,' sailed from Aden for Zanzibar, whither
he was despatched by Captain Haines, Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , with
the returning envoys of Seyyid Said, the Imaum of Muscat,
and was directed by that officer to make an examination of the
coast to the northward, that portion between Brava and Ras
Hafoon being utterly unknown except in so far as the running
surveys of Captain Owen were concerned. Lieutenant Chris
topher made a journe'y into the interior, and discovered a noble
river to the northward of the Juba, which he called after Cap
tain Haines.
He says, in his interesting report, that he arrived at the to\\n
of Brava, about thirty-eight leagues to the northward of the
Juba River, on the 19th of Marcn, 1843, and, on the following
day, started from the 6 Tigris,' passing the town of Brava, within
a mile of which is a watch-tower, erected on a rocky islet by the
Portuguese some centuries ago. He then crossed the sand -In s?
and, after some hours' journey, arrived on the banks ot tie
Haines River, which, though now said to be at its lowest, was
44 from seventy to one hundred and fifty feet broad, ten
fifteen deep, with a current, by estimate, of a mile and a a
an hour." Lieutenant Christopher was debarred from carryjn^
out his wish to explore this river, which has no debouchure, u
falls into a lake, owing to the great sickness on boar _
6 Tigris,' no less than thirty-one European seamen being i-
Hearing that the river approached within four miles or t ie s '