'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From December 1854 to March 1856. (New Issue.) Edited by the Secretary. Volume XII.' [‎24] (43/258)

XXIV
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY.
of load ifc boars, and then, plumming down through space, measure the inequalities of the
earth’s surface. I descend into the Valley of the Dead Sea, and it rises an inch an 1 a quarter
above the cut at which it stood on the shores of the Mediterranean, and I know ^ have descend
ed nearly 1,400 feet: I ascend Mount Sinai, and I find it stands six inches lower than it did
at Akaba, and I know that I am more than 6,000 feet above the level of the sea. It indicates
to me vast waves of air rolling overhead twice a day two hours before noon and midnight, and
it tells me when a hurricane sweeps the Bay of Bengal, 1,200 miles away—•noting its approach,
and warning the mariner how he may steer out of its path, how turn its outer circles to account
in speeding him on his voyage ; or how, if too near him, or rushing along betwixt him and the
outer ocean, so as to leave no room to manoeuvre his ship between it and the shore, he may
prepare to meet extremities, and battle as he best may, with the fury of the element he can
hope no longer to escape.”
For the following I am indebted to Captain Haines
“ The first plan of Bombay Harbour was, I believe, by Nicholson, an officer of the
Marine, in the 18th century. The next was by Lieutenant Court and McClure, H. C. Marine
—afterwards corrected by Lieutenant Robinson and Domini cetti. 'Ihe last Trigonometrical
Survey, (1829) was by Lieutenants Cogan and Peters, I. If.—All I had to do with the survey
of the Harbour, consisted of a strict examination and survey of the Mag Staff, Middle
Ground and other Shoals, and the fixing of the exact positions of the different mooring
Buoys .”—Note from Captain Haines, June 1855.
“ One brig and one cutter were employed in 1849 surveying the islands and reefs at the nor
thern part of the Laccadive Group, with the Padua and Sesostris Banks, which latter bank was
discovered by the late Capt. Carless, in the Hon. Company’s steam frigate “Sesostris on her
return from Aden to Cannanore with troops in April 1847. This survey was finished in May,
when the whole of the surveying vessels returned to Bombay for the S. W. monsoon, and to
refit, after which they resumed their surveying duties; one brig, the “ Taptee,” with her tend
er, the u Maldiva,” being employed in surveying the various banks off Bombay. Phe limits of
the ground to be sounded over and examined north and south was that comprised between the
extreme northern edge of Angria’s Bank up to the southern edge of the Malacca Banks, and
east and west from the longitude of Bombay lighthouse, in 72° 48' 56" east, out to 70° 30' east.
The object of this survey is to furnish ships, as far as possible, with a correct guide for ap
proaching and making the harbour of Bombay, particularly during the thick and unsettled
weather that prevails during the S. W. monsoon. This survey is not yet completed, (July
1849 .”)—Extract from Captain Montriou’s returns— *Blue Book) 1851.
The Ordinary Monthly Meeting of the Bombay Geographical Society
took place on the 16th November, and was unusually well attended.
Amongst a large number of ladies and gentlemen who were present, we
observed Mrs. Willoughby, Mrs. Boyd, Mrs. Feet, Mrs. Woosnam, Mrs.
Erskine, Miss Swanson, Miss Willoughby, Miss Patullo, the Misses Boyd, Sir
Henry Somerset, Sir H. Leeke, Colonels Willoughby, Swanson, Brett,
and Grant, Majors Glasse, and Woosnam, Rev. G. Cook, Rev. T. Clark,
Messrs. C. J. Erskine, J. M. Erskine, J. G. Brown, John Stuart, W. F. Hunter,
J. Ritchie, Drs. McLennan, Feet, Giraud, and Bhawoo Dajee, Venayek Row
Jugganathjee, Dhunjeebhoy Framjee, Dadabhoy Nowrojee, Ardaseer
Framjee, Dossabhoy Framjee, and Messrs. Boswell and Peyton were also
present with some of the pupils Rom their respective establishments.
The following motions and paper were then laid before the meeting :—
Motion.— 1. — That Mr. Adolphe Schlagintweit be admitted Honorary
Member of the Society.
2—That a catalogue of the Society’s books, maps and charts be printed
for the use of members, by itself, or to form a part of the next number of the
Transactions—and that the official list of charts and maps published by the