3-065-874 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Indian Famine: steam-tugs and lighters for conveying grain, 1874. 'Among the efforts made by the British Indian Government to relieve the distress from the failure of the crops in Bengal, there are special arrangements for inland water transport of rice and grain up the rivers and canals of that country. One of the earliest acts of the...Secretary of State for India, was to contract for the speedy construction of a small fleet of iron barges and steam-tugs, of very light draught, for this purpose. His Lordship gave orders to Messrs. J. and G. Rennie for the building of six steamers and five barges, while Messrs. Hamilton, of Liverpool, were ordered to build four steamers, from the designs of Messrs. Rennie. The whole fleet, ten steamers and five barges, have been completed and put on board the powerful steam-ship Duke of Buccleuch, which left the Thames on Thursday week, and will proceed to India by the Suez Canal, arriving at Calcutta, probably, by June 1, in time for the opening of the Bengal inland navigation...In designing these vessels regard has been had to the shallowness of the waters they will have to navigate, and to their rapid transport from this country to Calcutta. They are, therefore, of very light draught'. From "Illustrated London News", 1874.