2299. You also told us that you had in your eye, as one of the other vessels of the contract, a steamer which had gone to China in the year 1830?--Yes. 2300. Will you be so good as to state what, according to your intention, was to have been the third ship by which the contract was to be performed?--The tender states that two vessels were to be built within a year for that purpose. 2301. But, speaking of time present, you intended to employ the “India,” and to take the chance of a steamer which went out to China in the year 1830, and to take the risk of your being able to pick up a third vessel; was that your intention?--Yes; but a company, of which I was a large proprietor, had five ships in India besides the “India.” 2302. Was that company, of which you were a large proprietor, able to guarantee that there would be other vessels to perform the contract?--Certainly. I made this tender quite certain that they would be very glad to employ their vessels there. 2303. Why, then, did you say, in answer to question 1931, that you could not guarantee any vessels?--If we had not time to offer it to them, and get an answer from them, I cannot say that they might not turn round and refuse to let us have the vessels. 2304. Did you expect the Admiralty, in the absence of any guarantee, to form a contract with you to take the “India,” which in your judgment was bad of her kind, as one ship, and to take a steamer which went to China in the year 1830, and which you thought you probably could get as a second ship, and the chance of some third ship then in the Indian seas; upon that basis, did you expect the Admiralty to form a contract with you; was that so?--What I expect is stated in my former evidence. 2305. The “India” lay for a long time for sale in the London docks, did she not, in 1839?--I think, for three or four months, she lay there for sale. 2306. Was she not put up for sale at Lloyd’s?--Yes, I believe she was. 2307. Who were the owners of the “India” when she sailed for India?--An old gentleman from Norfolk, a Mr. Banyan, was the registered owner. 2308. He was not the real owner?--Yes, he was a real owner; she belonged to a company got up by Captain Ross, and he represented them. 2309. When she went to India, was she not mortgaged?--Yes, she was. 2310. To what amount?--She was under two mortgages, I understood, but what the other mortgage was I do not remember. There was $20,000 advanced to the builders, as stated in answer to question 1814; but she was not under mortgage when I tendered her for contract mail service. The real owners were some forty residents and natives in India, and seven firms and individuals in England, who purchased her from the mortgagees, and established the India Steam Company of Calcutta in 1841.