[305] Mr. Taylor was one of the earliest proposers and founders of the Red Sea route, and had, in 1823, been associated with Lieutenant Johnston, who subsequently commanded the _Enterprize_, and with the Calcutta Steam Committee, from whom he seceded because they relinquished the Red Sea route for that of the Cape of Good Hope. Indeed, he was the first to adventure capital on this route, and is said to have lost not less than 12,000_l._ in an endeavour to combine steam-tugs and sailing-vessels. [306] Prospectus of an establishment of steam-vessels, dated 1st December, 1829. [307] Letter from Mr. J. W. Taylor, to Sir John Malcolm, Governor of Bombay, 1st December, 1829. [308] Letter from the Bombay Government (the Marine Department) to the Court of Directors, dated 18th April, 1830. [309] Letter from the Court of Directors to the Governor in Council at Bombay, Public Department, 14th March, 1832. To this opinion of the Court I may add that Mr. Peacock, the “senior assistant examiner in the East India House,” in his evidence before the Committee of 1834 (pp. 3 and 4) when asked, if he thought any returns might be anticipated for postages and passengers to justify an expenditure of 100,000_l._ per annum in establishing and maintaining a quarterly steam service overland by way of Suez between England and India, would pay, replied: “_I think nothing to pay the expense; something certainly, but not above one-fourth of the amount_.” The gross earnings of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company alone between 1856 and 1874, inclusive of the amount received for the conveyance of mails, passengers, and cargo, amounted to 41,546,818_l._ [310] The _Hugh Lindsay_ sailed _for_ Suez on her first experimental voyage on the 20th of March, 1830, the day before Mr. Waghorn arrived at Bombay in the _Thetis_; and she continued in that service under command of Captain Wilson, making one voyage annually, during the north-east monsoons till April 1836, when Captain Wilson was appointed Controller of the dock-yards at Bombay as an acknowledgment of his services, for it is unquestionable that he did much to “educate” the Governments of England and India on the importance of the overland route, as appears by the official correspondence of the period. [311] See note (310), p. 352. [312] For an account of the voyages of this ship in detail see Report of the Committee of the House of Commons, 1834. [313] Cossier, which is about 100 miles from the Nile, was one of the ports of departure for the vessels of ancient times engaged in trade with the East. [314] The reasons for preferring the Euphrates route, are given at great length in the _Bombay Gazette_, 7th August, 1833.