'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎398] (417/622)

398
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY.
in progress, and the Governor-General has every reason to
expect that in the course of the ensuing year, the regular com
munication with Kalabagh may be extended to Jhelum and
Kalabagh on the Indus." By Government Orders, Lieutenant
Grounds was appointed Surveyor of the Punjaub Rivers, from
the 12th of September, 1853, with Lieutenant Stroyan as his
Assistant.
Meanwhile, the Indian Navy had done good service by its
surveys on the Bengal side.
In 1840, on the retirement of Captain Lloyd, the office of
Marine Surveyor in Bengal was abolished; but his assistant,
Commander W. Fell, was employed, says Markham, from
1841 to 1848, onboard the brig 'Krishna/ in "completing
detached surveys on the Coromandel coast, along the Pegu and
Martaban shores, and on the north coast of Sumatra.* In
1851, he was engaged in compiling a chart, in three sheets, of
the whole of the Coromandel coast from Pulicat to Bimlipitam "
In March of the following year. Commander Fell proceeded to
Europe on sick leave, when he was succeeded in the command
of the 'Krishna' by Lieutenant C. Y. Ward, who, in the energy
with which he prosecuted the work, showed himself a worthy
successor of Ross, Lloyd, and Fell. The following list of the
surveys executed by him, between the years 1851-1859, is
furnished by Lieutenant Ward, at our request:—"Malacca
Strait, from Pulo Penang to Strait of Singapore; Preparis
Channel, Rangoon River; Bassein River; Sittang River and
inland waters of Pegu ; Mutlah River."
The surveys conducted by Lieutenant Ward during the
Burmese War, were of essential service. Early in February,
1853, the 6 Krishna' and 6 Spy,'t under his command, had com-
* In the Geographical Department of the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , there are printed sailing
directions by Commander Fell for the coast of Pegu and Gulf of Martaban, dated
the 4th of March, 1852, and MS. sailing directions for the north coast of
Sumatra, from Acheen Head to Diamond Point.
f The following anecdote affords an illustration of the dangers and disad
vantages under which the survey of Burmese waters, was conducted during the
period of our hostilities with the King of Ava. A party under Lieutenant Ward,
in the schooner ' Spy,' was engaged surveying on the Irrawaddy; and, when off
a place called Chingjao, the schooner's boats, three in number, under the charge
of European officers, were engaged in placing flags and taking angles on both
sides of the river. Mr. Lay was on the right bank, having placed his flag close
to his boat, and Mr. Shepherd was on the opposite bank of the river, the
schooner having dropped 300 or 400 yards below the boats. While thus engaged,
two Burmese came down to the water's edge close to Mr. Lay's boat, and one or
them handed him a paper similar to one before shown onboard the schooner, on
the 22nd of October, 1852, when she was surveying at Pantanno, which stated
that the bearer, a good man and a Christian, was persecuted by the Burmese,
and obliged to live in the jungle. Mr. Lay handed the man back his paper, an
he immediately disappeared, when a volley of musketry was fired into the boa ,
wounding Mr. Lay severely in the head, and a Malay close to him y ece ^ e ^ S1X
gunshot wounds in different parts of the body ; the boat s crew, all being Ma ays,
immediately jumped into the water, leaving their officer to fight it out. Mr. ay,
though severely wounded, returned the fire, killing one man and wounding ^