INDIAN SHIPPING
Dr. Robertson also expresses the same opinion:—
That a fleet so numerous should have been collected in so short a time is apt to appear at first sight incredible. But as the Punjab country is full of navigable rivers, on which all the intercourse among the natives was carried on, it abounded with vessels ready constructed to the conqueror's hands, so that he might easily collect that number. If we could give credit to the account of the invasion of India by Semiramis, no fewer than 4,000 vessels were assembled in the Indus to oppose her fleet (Diod. Sicul., lib. ii., cap. 74). It is remarkable that when Mahmud of Ghazni invaded India, a fleet was collected on the Indus to oppose his, consisting of the same number of vessels. We learn from the Ayeen Akbari that the inhabitants of this part of India still continue to carry on all their communication with each other by water; the inhabitants of the Circar of Tatta alone (in Sindh) have not less than 40,000 vessels of various construction.[1]
Further, we have the actual mention made by Arrian of the construction of dockyards, and the supply by the tribe called Xathroi of galleys of thirty oars and transport vessels which were all built by them.[2]
All this clearly indicates that in the age of the Mauryas shipbuilding in India was a regular and flourishing industry of which the output was quite large. The industry was, however, in the hands of the State and was a Government monopoly; for, as Megasthenes[3] informs us, while noticing the existence of a class of shipbuilders among the artisans, they were salaried public servants and were not permitted to work for any private person. These
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