3-008-793 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The East India Steam Navigation Company's steamer Stanley, running on the Ganges, 1862. 'Some few years since the Indian Government appointed a commissioner to investigate the best means of affording facilities for navigating the rivers in India. When the report was concluded several gentlemen interested in Indian affairs formed themselves into a company, and with a small capital succeeded in placing on the Ganges a steamer and two barges, the former drawing only 18in. with 150 tons of coal on board, and the latter only 13in. The boats at present on the river, owing to their great draught of water, ranging from 3ft. 3in. to 5ft., are quite incapable of carrying the traffic on to Allahabad during the dry seasons, many of them, even during the rainy seasons, being able to get only a portion of the way. The steamer Stanley, which our Engraving represents, is 250ft. long, 40ft. beam, and 150-horse power engines, working up to 600. The trial-trip, which took place in Calcutta on the 19th of May last, was most satisfactory, and she obtained an average speed of eleven knots, the engines working at twenty-four revolutions with 40lb. of steam'. From "Illustrated London News", 1862.