Handbook for Travellers in India, Burma and Ceylon Including AllBritish ...

lingdon (1913-1919), Sir George Lloyd (1919-1923); and the Rt. Hon. Col. Sir Leslie Wilson, G.C.I.E. since 1923.

The Island of Bombay is situated in lat. 18° 53′ 45′′, long. 72° 52' It is one of a group of twelve islands which were at one time separated from the mainland and from one another by very narrow channels, some of which have now been filled up, the principal being Bassein, Dharavi (Dravi), Salsette, Trombay (in which the hill called the Neat's Tongue, 1000 ft. high, is a conspicuous mark), Bombay, and Elephanta.

Bombay Island is 11 m. long from the S. extremity of Colaba to Sion Causeway, over which the G.I.P. Railway passes to the island of Salsette, and from 3 to 4 m. broad in that portion which lies to the N. of the Esplanade. The area is 22.48 sq. m. "In the beauty of its scenery," says the Traveller's Companion, as well as in the commercial advantages of its position, Bombay is unsurpassed by any of the cities in the East."

Climate. The average temperature of Bombay is 79.2° F. It is neither so hot in summer nor so cold in winter as many places in the interior. The coolest months are from November till March. The S.W. monsoon begins about the second week in June, and the rains continue till the end of September. The average rainfall is 70.30 in.

Bombay Harbour. As the harbour is approached and entered the scene is very picturesque. To the W. the shore is crowded with buildings, some of them, as the Colaba Church, the Tower of the University, and that of the Municipal Buildings, very lofty and well proportioned. To the N. and E. are numerous islands,

and on the mainland hills rising to an altitude of from 1000 to 2000 ft. Pre-eminent amongst these is the remarkable hill of Bawa Malang, otherwise called Mallangarh, on the top of which is an enormous mass of rock with perpendicular sides, crowded with a fort, now in ruins. (See p. 455.)

The main defences of the harbour, remodelled and armed with the newest and heaviest guns, consist of batteries on the islands in the harbour, in addition to which there are three large batteries on the mainland. The South Island fort is called the Oyster Rock; that on the Middle Ground shoal is in the middle of the anchorage; the third defence is on Cross Island, at the N. end of the anchorage, the higher part of which has been cut down and armed with a battery.

Landing. The mail steamers lie alongside the landing wharf at Ballard Pier Station. Passengers have, of course, to pass their luggage through the Custom House. Passengers for the Panjab proceed to Colaba Station (B. B. and C. I. Ry.) for the Peshawar mail, or the Delhi Express, and those for Calcutta or Madras proceed to the Victoria Terminus (G. I. P. Ry.) for the mail viâ Nagpur or viâ Jubbulpore and for the Madras mail. Bombay to Calcutta, 424 hrs; to Delhi, 29 hrs.; to Madras, 291 hrs. In the cold weather season from Ballard Pier Station a postal express with a limited number of passengers runs to Calcutta, and a special Panjab mail on the B. B. and C. I. Ry. if there be a sufficient number of passengers. The hotel authorities and various agents send representatives to meet passengers on landing, and it will be found most convenient to entrust the baggage to one of them, furnishing him with detailed list of the boxes.

Customs forms, to be filled up with the contents of large packages, and with all articles liable to Customs duty, are usually provided on board the steamer. The Customs examination is not severe, if a fair declaration seems to have been made. Articles for the bonâ fide personal use of the traveller are not usually charged with duty. Special care is exercised as regards firearms.

If these

have not been in India before, or have not been in India for a year, a high ad valorem duty is levied on them, and they cannot be removed from the Custom House until the duty is paid, or a certificate is given that a full year has not elapsed since the owner left India.

Travellers who have not been in the East before will be struck by the picturesqueness of the scene on landing in Bombay. The quaint native craft in the harbour; the crowds of people dressed in the most brilliant and varied costumes; the Hindus of different castes; the Muhammadans, Jews, and Parsis, with a sprinkling from other nationalities; the gaily-painted bullockcarts; and other sights of equal novelty, combine to make a lasting impression on the stranger's mind.

For the good hotels, restaurants, and shops, and for leading doctors, etc., the Index under Bombay should be consulted. The visitor who halts in Bombay should, after shopping and lunch, visit the Malabar Hill (from which a grand view of the Back Bay is possible), the Queen's Road Burning Ghat, the Zoo, the Prince of Wales Museum, and the Old Fort behind the Town Hall. If he has friends, he should go to the Royal Bombay Yacht Club and drive to the Willingdon Sports Club near the Racecourse.

General Description of Bombay and its Suburbs.-The road from the Ballard Pier-after passing

the new Custom House, a handsome building in the early Italian renaissance style, and skirting the newly laid-out Ballard estate of the Bombay Port Trust, now fully covered by business houses enters the circuit of the Old Fort of Bombay_just above the ancient Castle. From this point Mint Road leads N. to the Victoria Station and onwards to the main part of the Indian city Marine Street and Apollo Street lead S. to Rampart Row along the S. side of the Fort, and the open space W. of the Apollo Bandar, the landing-place so well known to former generations of visitors to India-and Church Gate Street leads W. to Esplanade Road, which follows the landward line of the former defences, and to the Back Bay on the Western side of the Island, beyond which most of the residences of the more wealthy classes are situated. Between the shore and Esplanade Road, which runs parallel to it, is the range of Public Offices. S. of the open space, near which all the principal hotels are situated, extends the promontory of Colaba; and Northwards, along the course of the Back Bay, Queen's Road leads to Malabar Hill, which bends round the N.W. side of the bay, and is continued to the N. by Cumballa Hill; from both of these beautiful views of the Back Bay and of the sea are obtained. E. of the two hills and of the Northern part of Queen's Road lies the native city, with the quarters of Byculla and Mazagon along the north side of it. Above Byculla is the principal location of the Bombay mills; in Mazagon are the P. & O. Docks, below which, and E. of the main city, lie the Prince's, Victoria and Alexandra Docks. To the S. of the Indian city, and between it and the N.W. side of the Fort, are also a number of fine new buildings, including many places business, though many of

houses connected with the trade of the port are still situated inside the Old Fort.

PUBLIC OFFICES.

The impressive Government buildings already mentioned succeed one another in the following order from S. to N., the Prince of Wales' Museum and the College of Science S. of the Secretariat; then come the Government Secretariat, close to Watson's Hotel on the Esplanade, University Hall, Library, and Clock Tower, High Court, Public Works' Secretariat, Telegraph Office, and New Post Office. There is a building to the N.E. of the Telegraph Office which is used for the accommodation of

the employés of the Telegraph Department.

The Presidential Secretariat is 443 ft. long, with two wings 81 ft. long. In the first floor are the Council Hall, 50 ft. long, Committee Rooms, Private Rooms for the Governor and Members of Council, and the Offices of the Revenue floor Department. The second contains the Offices of the Judicial and Military Departments. The style is Venetian Gothic, and the designer was Colonel Wilkins, R.E. The carving is by Indian artists. The staircase is lighted by the great window, 90 ft. high, over which rises the tower to 170 ft. At the entrance are the arms of Sir Bartle Frere (who was Governor when the plans were formulated for erecting Public Buildings, and to whom Bombay owes many of its improvements), and Sir S. Fitzgerald.

University Hall.-This fine building, in the French Decorated style of the 15th century, is 104 ft. long, 44 ft. broad, and 63 ft. high to the apex of the groined ceiling, with an apse separated from the Hall

y a grand arch, and a gallery, 8 ft.

broad, round three sides. The painted - glass windows have an excellent effect. The Hall, designed by Sir Gilbert Scott, R.A., is called after Sir Cowasjee Jehangir Readymoney, who contributed Rs. 100,600 towards the cost of erection. It was completed in 1874.

The University Library and Clock Tower form a grand pile, designed by Sir Gilbert Scott in the style of 14th century Gothic. The Library is a long, low room, adorned with carving, and the Great University or Rajabai Tower on the W. side forms part of it, and is from its height (260 ft.) the most conspicuous building in Bombay. It was built at the expense of Mr Premchand Raichand, in memory of his mother, Rajabai, and cost Rs.300,000. He also gave Rs.100,000 for the Library. The Tower is divided into six storeys, and is surmounted by an octagonal lantern spire, with figures in niches at the angles. There are twenty-four figures in all upon the tower, representing the castes of W. India. The first floor forms part of the upper room of the Library, and the second contains a study for the Registrar. There is an opening several feet square in the centre of each floor, so that one can look up 115 ft. to the ceiling of the Dial Room. The fourth floor contains the great clock. Under the dials outside are four small galleries, with stone balustrades. From the top of the tower there is a fine view of Bombay. On the E. are the harbour, fringed with islands, Mody Bay, and the Fort; and to the W. are Malabar Hill and Back Bay; and to the S. Colaba Point.

If these have not been in India before, or have not been in India for a year, a high ad valorem duty is levied on them, and they cannot be removed from the Custom House until the duty is paid, or a certificate is given that a full year has not elapsed since the owner left India.

General Description of Bombay and its Suburbs.-The road from

the Ballard Pier-after passing

the new Custom House, a handsome building in the early Italian renaissance style, and skirting the newly laid-out Ballard estate of the Bombay Port Trust, now fully covered by business houses - enters the circuit of the Old Fort of Bombay_just above the ancient Castle. From this point Mint Road leads N. to the Victoria Station and onwards to the main part of the Indian city-Marine Street and Apollo Street lead S. to Rampart Row along the S. side of the Fort, and the open space W. of the Apollo Bandar, the landing-place so well known to former generations of visitors to India and Church Gate Street leads W. to Esplanade Road, which follows the landward line of the former defences, and to the Back Bay on the Western side of the Island, beyond which most of the residences of the more wealthy classes are situated. Between the shore and Esplanade Road, which runs parallel to it, is the range of Public Offices. S. of the open space, near which all the principal hotels are situated, extends the promontory of Colaba; and Northwards, along the course of the Back Bay, Queen's Road leads to Malabar Hill, which bends round the N.W. side of the bay, and is continued to the N. by Cumballa Hill; from both of these beautiful views of the Back Bay and of the sea are obtained. E. of the two hills and of the Northern part of Queen's Road lies the native city, with the quarters of Byculla and Mazagon along the north side of it. Above Byculla is the principal location of the Bombay mills; in Mazagon are the P. & O. Docks, below which, and E. of the main city, lie the Prince's, Victoria and Alexandra Docks. To the S. of the Indian city, and between it and the N.W. side of the Fort, are also a number of fine new buildings, including many places of business, though many of the

The Presidential Secretariat is 443 ft. long, with two wings 81 ft. long. In the first floor are the Council Hall, 50 ft. long, Committee Rooms, Private Rooms for the Governor and Members of Council, and the Offices of the Revenue Department. The second floor contains the Offices of the Judicial and Military Departments. The style is Venetian Gothic, and the designer was Colonel Wilkins, R.E. The carving is by Indian artists. The staircase is lighted by the great window, 90 ft. high, over which rises the tower to 170 ft. At the entrance are the arms of Sir Bartle Frere (who was Governor when the plans were formulated for erecting Public Buildings, and to whom Bombay owes many of its improvements), and Sir S. Fitzgerald.

broad, round three sides. The painted - glass windows have an excellent effect. The Hall, designed by Sir Gilbert Scott, R.A., is called after Sir Cowasjee Jehangir Readymoney, who contributed Rs.100,600 towards the cost of erection. It was completed in 1874.

The University Library and Clock Tower form a grand pile, designed by Sir Gilbert Scott in the style of 14th century Gothic. The Library is a long, low room, adorned with carving, and the Great University or Rajabai Tower on the W. side forms part of it, and is from its height (260 ft.) the most conspicuous building in Bombay. It was built at the expense of Mr Premchand Raichand, in memory of his mother, Rajabai, and cost Rs.300,000. He also gave Rs.100,000 for the Library. The Tower is divided into six storeys, and is surmounted by an octagonal lantern spire, with figures in niches at the angles. There are twenty-four figures in all upon the tower, representing the castes of W. India. The first floor forms part of the upper room of the Library, and the second contains a study for the Registrar. There is an opening several feet square in the centre of each floor, so that one can look up 115 ft. to the ceiling of the Dial Room. fourth floor contains the great clock. Under the dials outside are four small galleries, with stone balustrades. From the top of the tower there is a fine view of Bombay. On the E. are the harbour, fringed with islands, Mody Bay, and the Fort; and to the W. are Malabar Hill and Back Bay; and to the S. Colaba Point.

The

« Previous Continue »

Books