Overland Route To India Before Opening Of The Suez Canal, 1851 Map.
A rare 1851 map showing the overland route to India before the opening of the Suez Canal. The illustrations show the post offices of London, Bombay, Madras, Aden, Gibraltar, and the mail crossing the desert. The Suez Canal opened in 1869 it was believed godsend boon for all those travelling to the East.
Especially to India where the British were ruling until 1947. Travelling to India was a long tedious, and often perilous journey before 1869. People sailed around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope, a voyage of about 6 months. Ships stopped at the islands of Madeira and St Helena to take on food and fresh water.
However, some travellers trekked overland through Vienna to Basra on the Persian Gulf, then boarded a ship for India. Many others headed for the Red Sea, either sailing around Spain or journeying across Alexandria, Egypt. From Egypt, they crossed the desert by camel to the Red Sea port of Suez, then continued by ship. This is what the overland route to India before the opening of the Suez Canal was all about.
To know more about this map go here.
Did you know – the first modern rounding of the Cape of Good Hope was in 1487 by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias, ten years later Vasco Da Gama would sail around the cape again to reach Calicut (Kozhikode).
From the collection – 1964 M. Suriyamoorthy Charcoal Art Abstract (#13)., Esplanade & Madras Christian College, Old Photo 1877., Esplanade & Hornby Roads Bombay, 10 Old Postcards., Flying Boat/Seaplane Service In British India, Old Print 1948.
