Thomas Fletcher Waghorn

Thomas Fletcher Waghorn (* baptized July 16, 1800 in Chatham (Kent ); † January 7, 1850 in London, mostly Lieutenant Waghorn or ( incorrectly called ) Lieutenant Waghorn ) was a British Navy lieutenant and post business operator making a new route across Sue developed and thereby shortened the way from the UK to India by around 10 000 miles.

Thomas Waghorn was baptized on July 16, 1800 in Chatham, Kent. He joined at the age of 12 years in the Royal Navy, which he in 1817, after the end of the wars against Napoleon, as Lieutenant and left at the East India Company 's action was soon promoted him to pilot the Bengal Pilot Service. There he first saw a steamboat and began the development of a steamship line between the UK and India ponder, but the higher ranks in India showed little interest, to obtain orders from London quickly and regularly.

During a stay in London in 1825, he learned from the British Post Office, that the statutory postal rates could not be increased for shipments by steamer.

Waghorn developed it later than Overland route become known route of Great Britain by land to Marseilles or Trieste, by ship to Alexandria, with river boats to Cairo, by camel on a device equipped with picnic areas and Übernachtungsmöglichkeitgen route through the desert to Suez and from there by ship to Bombay or Calcutta. His first, regarded as a test journey to India lasted despite numerous adversities 4 months and 21 days, which was indeed a record, but significantly longer than the promised him 90 days. Despite the lack of official support points he succeeded with great commitment and the establishment of good personal relations with the tribes in the desert to build a widely accepted transport for passengers and letters to India, the einhielt 1835, the promised 90 days reliably. Over the years the service has been more luxurious. In Egypt, comfortable steamships were used and used new hotels with bathroom. The route through the desert lasted, with special horse only 20 hours in spite of the change of horses in the seven small rest homes, where even champagne was served. The number of passengers increased from 275 in 1835 over 2100 in 1835 to more than 3000 ten years later, who used to travel also to sightseeing tours in Egypt, which offered a Mr. Thomas Cook.

In Egypt he met the French Consul Ferdinand de Lesseps know, who was inspired among other things by the Overland route to his plan, years later to build the Suez Canal.

Waghorns success attracted to the competition. In 1841 he had to merge his business with rivals to JR Hill and Co.. At the time of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company was active in the India market. Finally, the viceroy Muhammad Ali Pasha took over the company in 1842 and continued as Egyptian Transit Company on.

Waghorn still focused on the acceleration of the post in Europe by the new railways. However, lack Asked prospect payments by the government in London ended this project with debts of £ 5 000

He died alone and penniless largely on January 7, 1850 in London.

Lesseps, who explicitly praised Waghorns pioneering achievements, had a statue of Waghorn build in Sue standing on the pier in the harbor. In his birthplace Chatham a statue of him was erected in 1888.