Even after the settlement of the Factory at Húglí, it was long before the Company's ships began to ascend the river from the roadsteads in the Bay, nor indeed does this appear to have been practised, unless exceptionally, till after Húglí had been more or less superseded by Calcutta. The lading for the Company's ships was habitually brought down to Balasore from Húglí and Kásimbázár–and, as regards saltpetre, from Patna,–mainly in country craft of various kinds, known as patellas, boras, purgoes and what not, and partially in the sloops and pinnaces which the Company maintained on the river.

Still from an early period we see that the Court recognised the possibility and expediency of making their ships proceed up the Ganges (i.e., the great delta branch which we call the Húglí), in order to avoid the expense, delays, and risks of this transhipment, and they repeatedly made suggestions on this subject to their servants in the Bay. They also maintained something of a Pilot establishment for the conduct of the sloops, and of such larger craft as occasionally ascended the River, and with some view no doubt to the eventual realisation of their desire that their sea-going ships should habitually proceed up to the chief depots of their trade.