text:  522) had for many years been progressively declining was doubled during 1840 and 1841 (_Bombay Times_ April 2 1842 ) and is believed to be still on the increase! The opening of the navigation of the Indus with the exertions of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce to establish depots on its course and to facilitate the transmission of goods into the surrounding countries has already done much for the restoration of traffic in this direction in spite of the efforts of the Russian agents in the north to keep possession of the opening thus unexpectedly afforded them; but it cannot be denied that the "great enlargement of our field of commerce " so confidently prognosticated by Lord Palmerston from "the great operations undertaken in the countries lying west of the Indus " has run a heavy risk of being permanently diverted into other channels by the operation of the causes detailed above