Steam to India and overland routes—East India Company establish a
Tátar post between Constantinople and Baghdad—First public meeting
in London to promote steam communication with India, 1822—Captain
Johnston—Calcutta meetings, 1823—The _Enterprize_, first steamer to
India by Cape, 1825—Sold in Calcutta to East India Company—Other
steamers follow—Pioneers of overland route viâ Egypt—Sir Miles
Nightingall in 1819 and Mount-Stuart Elphinstone in 1823 return home
by this route—Mr. Thomas Waghorn visits England to promote the
Cape route, 1829-30—Returns to India by way of Trieste and the Red
Sea—Still advocates Cape route, 1830—Mr. Taylor’s proposal—Reply
of Bombay Government and discussion of the question—Supineness
of the Court of Directors—Their views—Official report of the
first voyage of the _Hugh Lindsay_, 1830—Report of the Committee
of 1834—Decision of the House of Commons Committee influenced by
political considerations—Admiralty packets extended from Malta
to Alexandria—Steamers of the Indian navy—Modes of transport
across the Isthmus of Suez—Great exertions of Waghorn in the
establishment of this route—Suez Canal—Popular errors on this
subject—M. de Lesseps—His great scheme—Not fairly considered
in England—Commencement of M. de Lesseps’ works in 1857—General
details—Partial opening of Canal, April 18th, 1869—Finally opened by
Empress Eugénie, November 17th, 1869