§ 1 '/A #: jV3 ULfJI\ HISTOET OF THE INDIAN NAVY. (1613—1863). BY CHARLES RATHBONE LOW, LIEUTENANT (LATE) INDIAN NAVY, Fellow of the Eoyal Geographical Society. AUTHOR OP " THE LIFE OF F.M. SIR GEORGE POLLOCK, BART., G.C.B., G.G.S.I." " TALES OF OLD OCEAN," " THE LAND OF THE SUN," &C. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON", NEW BURLINGTON STREET. ^ubUsbera m ©itiinarg to J^er iJIajcstg. 1877. LONDON : Printed by A. Scbulze, 13, Poland Street. r V, I I THESE VOLUMES ARE DEDICATED (by special perjiission, graciously accorded) TO TO WHOM ARE RESPECTFULLY TENDERED, ON BEHALF OF HIS BROTHER OFFICERS, WHO HIGHLY APPRECIATE THE HONOUR PAID TO THEIR OLD AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE, THE GRATEFUL THANES OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS'S HUMBLE AND OBEDIENT SERVANT, THE AUTHOR. ^ 357184 PREFACE. MACAULAY, speaking of the indifference of the English pubhc to Indian affairs, wrote that "a disturbance amidst the Spitalfields' weavers excited more attention in the Senate than the legislating for one hundred millions of its native subjects." But though the Indian Budget, annually brought before the House of Commons, excites a more languid inte- rest among our legislators than a debate on a *' breach of privilege," or a " personal explanation," yet the degree of interest this country attaches to Indian sub- jects has greatly increased since the time of the great Essayist. Hence I venture to hope that the records of a Service, which has been abolished and consisrned to oblivion, may interest the British public sufficiently to be my apology for laying the story of its eventful career before the world. Historical works have been written detailing the services of the Army in every Indian War of import- ance, generally by military writers of repute, as Wilkie, Thorn, Snodgrass, Kaye, and others, while naval his- torians, like James and Marshall, have narrated the deeds of the British Navy in Eastern waters ; but, be- tween the two, the Indian Navy has been forgotten, and accounts have actually been written of such events as the capture of Mauritius, and the Java War, in which VI PREFACE. 110 meDtion appears even of the presence of a squadron of ships of the Service, while the official reports make the barest reference to them. ]t is, therefore, a weighty, no less than a pleasing, task, that of doing justice to the dead, and to the survivors of a Service which, though uniformly treated with neglect and contumely, took a noble revenge by ever doing its duty. It will be understood that, in confining myself in these pages to recording the services of the Indian Navy in the wars and other hostile operations in which they participated, I do not claim for the Service, by reason of this prominence, a preponderating share in the successes achieved. I would point out that, irrespective of whatever interest may attach to this work as an Historical Record of the Indian Navy, many episodes of our conquest of India and the consolidation of our rule in our Eastern Empire, are, for the first time, disentombed from musty records and despatches, and brought before the public in the form of a connected narrative. Of such a nature are many passages in the early his- tory of the Service, such as the operations against the Joasmi pirates and, generally, in the Persian Grulf, against the Beni-Boo-Ali Arabs, in the Eastern Islands preceding, and during, our occupation of Java, at the capture of Kurrachee and Aden, and the repulse of the repeated attacks of the Arabs in their desperate attempts to recapture that stronghold ; also the part played by the Service in the First China War, in New Zealand, at the siege of Mooltan, in the First and Second Bur- mese Wars, the Persian War, the occupation of Perim and the Andaman Islands, and, finally, the services of the Indian Naval Brigades during the Sepoy Mutiny, which have been quietly ignored by all historians and PREFACE. Vii other authorities. If I have made pubHc some of these events and shed new light on others, this work will not be without some value in the opinion of those to whom the services of the Indian Navy, per se, are of small moment. A point to which also I have devoted special attention is the surveys made by the Service. Mr. Clements Markham has written an ad- mirable and succinct sketch of the hydrographical labours of the Indian Navy, in his " Memoir on Indian Surveys," but, in the succeeding pages, I have given a detailed account of each Survey, including the names of the officers engaged, from the time of Lieutenant McCluer, in the year 1773, to the date of the aboli- tion of the Service. The Indian Navy ceased to exist in 1863, but, though a period of fourteen years has elapsed since its extinc- tion, not even the briefest sketch of its services has been given to the world. Mr. Clements Markham, in his work above mentioned, expresses an opinion that some oflScer of the Indian Navy " should gather together the recollections of his colleagues, and, with the aid of such fragments as have survived the general destruction, give to the world a history of the work done by the Indian Navy in war and during peace." Agreeing as I do with that accomplished geographer, I could have wished that some senior, and more competent, officer of the Service, had under- taken the 'task of writing a connected History of the Indian Navy, but as so many years have elapsed since the fatal day when our flag was hauled down in Bom- bay Harbour, and no person, qualified by familiarity with India, and imbued with the traditions of the Service, has come forward to accomplish the arduous, but honourable, duty, I reluctantly consented to under- take the work. It was at the annual Indian Navy Vlll PREFACE. dinner, held in June, 1875, that the proposal was made to me, and, at first, I shrank from the task ; but, en- couraged bj offers of assistance from the late Comman- der Heathcote, I.N., and other friends, I, as I have said, consented, with some diffidence, and many misgivings as to my ability, to prepare this record of the history of a Service in which were passed some of the best years of my life. In writing of places so familiar to my brother officers, I have adopted the orthography in vogue before the abolition of the Service, ere the Hunterian system vexed the unlearned soul ; not that I would, for a moment, seek to controvert the theories of its advocates, that the latter is an adaptation of an old system and may be more strictly correct. Far be it from me to discuss the knotty subject, upon which doctors " have agreed to differ;" I am content, with a due sense of humility at the confession, to class myself with the unlearned aforesaid. The arrangement of the work is, as far as practi- cable, consecutive as to dates, but where distinct episodes, stretching over a period of years, require separate treatment, a chapter is devoted to the sub- ject. This course is followed in such instances as the narrative of the dealing^s of the Service with the Joasmi pirates, and the records of the Surveys, events which, being of an episodical character, and ranging over a period of years, are more intelligible to the reader when thus treated/ This explanation may be considered necessary to account for the absence of se- quence as regards dates in the headings of the chapters. Almost without exception, the entire body of sur- viving officers of the Service have responded to my appeal, and placed at my disposal details of their own services and such other information as they might PREFACE. ix possess, and I here tender to them all, — from the senior officer, Captain Boyce,* a name honoured in the Service, as the following annals will show, — my hearty thanks for their co-operation. But the difficulties that stand in the way of com- piling a reliable and connected History of the Indian Navy, are of no common order, and this chiefly through an act of Vandalism more worthy of the days when the Alexandrian library was committed to the flames, than of the present century, — though, perhaps, we do the ancients scant justice when we instance this memor- able deed as peculiarly typical of that age, for there are men still living who can recall the destruction by fire of the Public Library at Washington, when our troops entered that city in 1814. The act of Vandalism, men- tioned above, was the destruction of the public records of the Indian Navy, and is thus referred to by Mr. Markham : — " Before the Indian Navy had become a thing of the past, there was a destruction of the materials for its history. Previous to 1860 there were many and most valuable records of that Service in the India Office, but in that year nearly all were reduced to pulp." Again he writes : — " The official records of the Bombay Marine and Indian Navy have been almost entirely destroyed. Its history can now only be traced in fragmentary memoirs, papers, and reports." Horace has said : — " Vixere fortes ante Agamem' nona multi ;" but, as the bard adds, these heroes have gone down to oblivion, " carent quia vate sacro.'^ It is to rescue the names, " unhonoured and unsung," of * This gallant veteran, who entered the Service so for back as the year 1802, and lost his legs in the memorable action fought on the 30th of June, 1816, between his brig, the 'Nautilus,' and the United States ship ' Peacock,' still survives, and wrote to me in excellent health and spirits on the 9th of April, 1877. X PREFACE. forgotten worthies of a Service consigned to obscurity by those formerly in power at the India Office, with studied intent, as would appear by the extracts from Markham's work, that I take up the pen. The sphere of duty of the Indian Navy was remote, the operations, oftentimes, insignificant, and the results of small import to the destinies of the world. Though these reasons may, perhaps, militate against this record being received with interest by the countrymen of the gallant seamen whose achievements it registers, I would submit that this should not be so. It is both more glorious and less exacting on one's sense of duty, to participate in some great European conflict, with such incentives as " all the world" for spectators, the applause of an admiring people, and a grateful sove- reign ready to shower rewards on the victors, than to serve through a " little war," such as many we shall detail, the very name of which is forgotten, a war waged in an obscure inland sea or gulf, in a deadly climate, against a bloodthirsty foe who gives no quarter, and with the depressing knowledge that success brings no honours to the survivors who, too often, carry away with them the seeds of disease and premature death. By its works, now for the first time made public, let the Indian Navy be judged at the bar of History, and let the stern arbiter decide whether it failed in its mission in those distant East- ern Seas durino; the two and a half centuries of its existence, or whether it has acted a part worthy the country of its birth. If the people of these isles, and the world in general, are ag^reed in extollino^ one achievement of our race as pre-eminently greater than any other, without doubt that achievement is the acquisition of our magnificent Eastern Empire. It is an episode of the first magnitude PREFACE. xi in the history of the human race, for it has exerted a great and an abiding influence, not only on the two hundred and thirty millions of souls in Hindostan, but on the teeming population of China, with which its con- quest has mainly brought us into contact, and of Asia generally. That we are now a first-rate Asiatic, as well as European, Power, is due to our Indian Empire, and ray readers will, I trust, concede, after perusing this work, that the Service, whose history it records, had no inconsiderable share in acquiring this glorious inheritance, and achieving this renown for our be- loved country. Any one now visiting the E,ed Sea, the East Coast of Africa, and the Persian Gulf, would fail to realise the fact that, up to within the latter half of this century, the British flag was seldom seen in these waters, ex- cept from the peak of the cruisers of the Indian Navy. The steamers of the Peninsular and Oriental Company — the pioneer of which, the ' Hindostan,' was com- manded by Captain Moresby, I.N. — were the first to break the spell in the Red Sea, then the telegraph lines were laid, and, lastly, the construction of the Suez Canal made it the highway to all the Eastern world, and led to the establishment of lines of steamers from Aden and the Cape to Zanzibar. Officers of the Service, to whom the Persian Gulf was familiar ground, can re- member how, not more than twenty years ago, the only postal communication the squadron had with the outer world, was when a ship-of-war arrived from Bombay to relieve another, or a steam-frigate was despatched on a special service. A British merchantman was seldom seen, and a steamer never, in this inland sea, which bore a bad name as the haunt of pirates from time immemorial, and by reason of the intricate navi- gation of the Arabian littoral; but, since the establish- Xll PREFACE. ment of the telef^raph, in ]8'3t, regular lines of steamers, between Bombay and Bushire and Bussorah, and London and these ports, via the Suez Canal, have sprung into existence, and the Persian Gulf is no more a mare incognita than the Red Sea and the East Coast of Africa. The romance has long departed from all these places, and the Nile and Bagdad have become well nigh as vulgarised by the inroad of excursionists as the Rhine or Venice. But service in these inland waters a quarter of a cen- tury ago, meant expatriation, and letters from friends in England were usually nine months old. Hence it was, perhaps, that echoes of the doings of the Indian Navy, in their encounters with the warlike maritime Arab tribes of the Persian Gulf, and with the truculent races of the African coast and Red Sea, were long in reaching Bombay, and died away before they fell upon English ears. As the historian of the Indian Navy, I have received many letters from officers of the highest rank and distinction, who have served with us, testifying to the efficiency of the Service and ability of the officers, but the exigencies of space and the patience of my readers forbid a reference to them. I feel, however, 1 shall encroach neither on the one nor the other, by extracting the following generous panegyric from a letter addressed to me, under date the 18th of April, 1877, by Vice-Admiral Sir F. Beauchamp Seymour, K.C.B., Commanding the Channel Squadron, an officer deservedly held in high esteem in the noble Service he adorns : — " No person regretted more than I did the abolition of that gallant Service. In my opinion no greater mistake was ever made. It was a Service which ranked among its officers some of the finest and best PREFACE. xiii fellows I have ever met during a career of over forty- three years, and during its existence I ever endea- voured to show to the officers of it my appreciation of its merits wherever we met. Campbell, Eennie, Lynch, and many others, will always be remembered by me. From many of them I have received great hos- pitality and kindness, while their knowledge of Eastern languages, and of the countries in which they served so continuously, countries never or rarely visited at that time by my brother officers, was of the greatest possible service to us all." One other extract I shall make from a letter, dated the 14th of March, 1877, from Sir James D. H. Elphinstone, Bart., M.P., one of the Lords of the Treasury in the present Government : — '•'I have taken the greatest interest in a Service which I had no hesitation in stating in my place in the House of Commons, had in a short time produced more men of varied ability as diplomatists, surveyors, navigators, and explorers, than any Service of similar dimensions in the world, and I could only wonder at the fatuity of a Government in breaking up such an establishment, a proceeding not only foolish in itself, but which has been attended by expensive and disas- trous consequences, as I distinctly prognosticated." Though the records of the Indian Navy do not show a roll of great actions won by fleets in line of battle, the Service was seldom at peace, and displayed the traditional heroism of British seamen in ship duels, boat actions, and other unpretentious affairs, in which species of combat courage and devotion have ever found their most remarkable opportunities for display, as is evidenced in the history of the Royal Navy. The Company's ships have, in olden times, been engaged in sanguinary conflict with Portuguese, Dutch, xlv PREFACE. and French ships-of-war, and with the pirate fleets of Arabs, Sanganians, Coolies, and Malvvins. In such actions, in the capture by bombardment, or storm, of strono^ forts — as Ormuz, Surat, Tannah, Severndroog, Gheriah, and Mocha, and in good service rendered ashore and afloat in Burmah, China, New Zealand, Persia, and India — the honour of the Indian Navy as a war marine has been vindicated, while, as the nur- sery of an unsurpassed band of scientific marine sur- veyors, its services to commerce and civilisation have been universally acknowledged, I therefore appeal with confidence to the verdict of History as to the conduct and career of the Service, judged from these public records, and, if the task has been inadequately discharged, the blame must be equally divided between my shortcomings as a narrator, and the paucity and want of continuity of the available ma- terials. And here I would 'thank the Secretary of State for India, the Marquis of Salisbury, for having permitted me to consult such records of the Service as still remain. I have also had access to detached MS. notes collected by the late Commodore Brucks, I.N., who designed to write a history of the Indian Navy ; while, I may observe, that personally I was famihar with the subject, having from time to time during the past ten years, treated of episodes of the Service in magazine articles. That portion of my materials derived from published sources, was acquired in the libraries of the British Museum, Royal Geographical Society, Royal United Service Institution, and India OSice, the two latter, owing to the courtesy of the librarians, being of special value. Lastly, I have re- ceived the cordial assistance of brother officers, and relatives of those deceased, who have placed at my PREFACE. XV disposal a vast amount of matter, including journals and correspondence, official and private. Tlie majority of English readers, in speaking of the victories achieved by British arms in India, regard Clive as if he was the first to cause the name and flag of England to be respected in that country ; but though, in the marvellous story of the founding and building up of the magnificent fabric of Eastern Empire, the name of the hero of Plassy shines conspicuous as, perhaps, the greatest Enghshman of his time, and the master-mason, under whose inspiring genius the work gave promise of assuming its present imperial proportions, — yet even in those far-distant times when the East India Company was a feeble commercial cor- poration, struggling against the competition of the Dutch and Portuguese, there were gallant seamen in their service, as Best and Downton, who upheld the honour of this country, and testified to their European and Asiatic enemies that they were not degenerate descendants of the race from which had sprung Raleigh and Drake. In those early days, when the Company contended for very existence with rival associations and hostile nationalities, they found in their Marine the only champion to fight their battles. Those forgotten worthies did " yeoman's service " for their honourable masters, and now that the Indian Navy, which was the last titular transformation under- gone by the original Service, no longer exists, it is only just that, equally with their military brethren, they should receive the meed of credit which is their due ; for, as a writer says of them, " in their early struggles with the Moguls and Mahrattas, the Dutch and Portuguese, they displayed an energy, perse- verance, and courage, as indomitable as that which subsequently conquered at Plassy and Assaye — albeit XVI PREFACE. they have not been so fortunate as to be praised by a brilliant essayist." This, therefore, has been my self-imposed task, and though, in literary style and defective treatment of the theme, I may halt at an immeasurable distance behind the great masters who have written on cognate Indian subjects, at least it has been my endeavour, in treating of events and of the actions of men, to " Speak of them as they are ; " Nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice." Personally I have no interests to serve, no grievance to air ; the furtherance of truth and justice has been my only object, and I venture to afi&rm that this plain speaking is the wisest course in the interests of the Service, notwithstanding the averment of Bacon, that " a mixture of a lie, doth ever add pleasure." C. R. LOW. Chelsea, November, 1877. LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. Derby, The Eight Hon. Earl, E.G. {First Secretary of State for India) Lawrence, The Right Hon. Lord, G-.C.B., G-.C.S.I. [late Viceroy of India) ....... Lttton, Tiie Right Hon. Lord, G-.M.S.I. {Viceroy of India) . Napier of Magdala, G-eneral the Right Hon. Lord, Gr.C.B., Gr.C.S.I. (late Commander-in-Chiff in India) . . , . NoRTHBROOK, The Right Hon. Earl, G-.C.S.L, D.C.L. {late Viceroy of India) ....... Salisbury, The Most Noble the Marquis of, E.G. {Secretary of State for India) ...... Xo. of Copies 1 Abbott, Major-General Sir Frederick, C.B., R.E. {late Governor of Addis comhe) ..... Abbott, General James, C.B., R.A. Abbott, Major-General, S.A. {late Commissioner in tlie Punjauh) Adams, Major-General E. . . . Adams, Captain G. N., I.N. Alcock, Lady .... Allen, G. W., Esq. .... Allenbv, H., Esq., J.P. AndreW, W. P., Esq., E.R.G.S. . Anstruther, Major-General Philip, C.B., R.A. Antram, J. P., Esq., I.N. Applegath, Major-General F. . Aylesbury, Commander T., I.N. . Balfour, General Sir George, K.C.B., M.P., R.A. Barker, Lieutenant W. H., I.N. . Barron, Lieutenant T. H., I.N. {Commissioner of Police, Brisbane) Barrow, John, Esq., F.R.S. Bates, Major C. E. {Private Secretary, Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjanb) .... Bathoe, Mrs. M. . Baxter, Robert, Esq. .... Bayley, Sir E. Clive, K.C.S.I. {Council of the Governor- General) Bayly, Lieutenant-General R.A. . Becher, General J. R., C.B., R.E. B. R.* . Beresford, Captain Lord William L. De la Poor, 9th Lancers {A. D. C. to the Viceroy) .... Berthon, Commander C. H., I.N. Birdwood, Lieutenant-General C. Bisliop, E., Esq., I.N. .... Blowers, Major Charles E., late of the I.N. {Bombay Staff Corps) Boileau, Sir Francis M., Bart. Boileau, Major-General J. T., R.E., F.R S. Boileau, Lieutenant-Colonel Geo. \V. {late of the Bengal Army) Boileau, Major Charles L. [late of the Rifie Brigade) Bond, Reverend Alfred * Widow of au Officer of tbc Indian Navy. 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 3 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Bone, Fi-ederick G-., Esq., I.N. {late Secretary to the Commander-in-Chief, Indian Navy) .... Booth, Lieutenant W. C, I.N. . Boyee, Captain C, I.N. Brazier, Lieutenant E. J , I.N. Brechin, the Riglit Reverend the Bishop of (Dr. Jerinyu) Bridge, Captain Cyprian A. Gr., K.N. Brownlow, Eev. W. E. B. Buckle, Rev. J. (late Lieutenant I.N.) Buckler, C. D., Esq. .... Bullock, Fred., Esq. .... Burne, Lieutenant-Colonel 0. T., C.S.I. [Private Secretary to the Viceroy) Burne, Colonel H. K., C.B. (Miiitary Secretary, Government of India) Burt, Lieutenant Turner, W., I.N. [late of the 15th Regiment) . Burton, Captain Richard F., F.R.G-.S. (late IHih Bombay N.I.) Butt, H. a., Esq. ..... Buxton, the Hon. Mrs. F. W. . Bvthesea, Rear- Admiral J., V.C. (Consulting Naval Officer to the Govern ment of India) .... Caldwell, W. B., Esq. .... Campbell, General G., C.B., R.A. Campbell, Captain C. D., I.N. . Carey, Lieutenant Henry C, I.N. Carpendale, Rev. W. H. (Jaie Lieutenant I.N) Cavenagh, G-eueral Orfeur (late Governor Straits Settlements) Chapman, M., Esq., I.N. Chesney. Mrs. F. R. . Child,* Mrs. S. . . . . Cliitty, Commander A. W., I.N. . Clark, Lieutenant A. J., I.N. Clarke, Colonel Su- Andi-ew, K.C.M.G., C.B., R.E. (Council of the Governor- General) .... Cleghorn, G-eorge, Esq. (late Captain Scots Greys) Coghlau, General Sir William M., K.C.B., R.A. (late Brigadier an Political Mesident at Aden) Cole, W. T. Esq., I.N. ..... Coles, George, Esq. ..... Colley, Colonel G. Pomeroy, C.B. (Military Secretary to the Viceroy) Collingridge, Captain, Clate H.E.I.C. Maritime Service) CoUingwood, Lieutenant W., I.N. Combe, J., Esq. ..... Connolly,* Mrs. CM. Constable, Captain C. Or., I.N. .... Conybeare, Major-General F., R.A. Cookson, Commander A. A., I.N. Cousens, Rev. R. R. (late Lieutenant I.N.) Crofton,* Mrs. ..... Crookshank, Captain A. C. W. (Assistant Secretary, Military Department Government of India) Cruttenden, Captain C. J., I.N. . Curtis, Major-General W. P. . Daniell, Captain E. W. S., I.N. . Davies, Commander W. H., I.N. . Davis, Lieutenant, H. H., I.N. Dawes, Lieutenant Edwin, I.N. . Dawes, Richard, Esq. • . . . Dawes, George, Esq. .... Dawes, N., Esq. .... De Montmorency, Mrs R. H. . Dent, Lieutenant T. W., I.N. Draper, Commander J. S., I.N. . Drought, Captain H. A. M., I.N. * Widow of an Officer of the Indian Navy. No. of Cojiica Dii Boulaj, Lieutenant J. G-., I.N. Edlin, Lieutenant H. E., I.N. .... Edwards, Lieutenant H. J., I.N. [Emigration Officer and Nautica Surveyor, Board of Trade) .... Egerton, Eobert Eyles, Esq., C.S.I. {Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjauh) EUiott, Mrs. W. . . . . . Ellis, Captain Frederick {late of the 9th Lancers) Ellis, Lieutenant Henry, I.N. (Master- Attendant, Singapore) . Elphinstone, Sir James D. Horn, Bart., M.P. {Lord Commissioner of th Treasury) ..... Etheridge, Captain H. W., I.N. .... Evans, Captain Frederick J., E.N., C.B., F.E.S. {Hydrographer) Evans, Colonel W. E. {late of the 10.3rcZ Roi/al Bombay Fusiliers) Eyre, Ma-jor-G-eneral Sir Vincent, K.C.S.I., C.B., E.A. Payrer, Surgeon-Greneral Sir Joseph, K.C.S.I., F.E.S. Flack, Mrs. W. S. . Forsyth, Sir T. Douglas, K.C.S.L, C.B. {Council of India) French, Lieutenant-Colonel P. T. . Frere, The Eight Hon. Sir H. Bartle E., Bart., a.C.B., G.C.S.I. {late Governor of Bo mh ay) .... Frushard, Captain J. J., I.N. .... Fry, Lieutenant F. W., I.N. .... Grardner,* Mrs. Alan Hyde .... Garrett, Lieutenant H. H., I.N. . . . • Giles, Commander E., I.N. {late Master- Attendant, Kiirrachee) Girdlestone, P. B., Esq., I.N. {late Assistant Superintendent, Topo graphical Survey of India Glen, Physician-General Joseph {late of the Bomhay Army) Glvnn, Eear- Admiral Hon. H. Carr, C.B., C.S.I. Godwin-Austen, E. A. C, Esq., J.P., F.E.S. Gomm, Lady .... Gordon, Captain, A. H., I.N. Grant, Mrs. John .... Grant,* Mrs. George .... Green, Major-General Sir W. Henry E., K.C.S.L, C.B. Green, Colonel Malcolm, C.B. Greig, Lieutenant-Colonel I. M., E.E. Greig, Lieutenant, J. G., I.N. Greig, Major P. H., E.A. Greig, Captain P. H. {\Uh Bombay Native Infantry) Grounds, Captain H. W., I.N. Haines, General Sir Frederick Paul, G.C.B. {Commander-in-Chief in India) HaU, Vice-Admiral Sir William King, K.C.B. {Commander-in-Chief, Sheerness) .... Hall, Colonel E. . . . . Hall, Major John .... Hall, Lieutenant A. H., I.N. . . Halliday, Sir Frederick J., K.C.B., {Vice President, Council of India late Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal) Hamilton, Lord George, M.P. {Under-Secretary of State for India) Hamilton, Sir Eobert N., Bart., K.C.B. Hamilton, Captain B., I.N. Haugliton, Colonel J. C, C.S.I., {late Superintendent of Port Blair) Hawkins, Eeverend B. D., M.A. . Hawkins, Miss S. C. . Hay, Eear-Admiral the Eight Hon. Lord John, C.B. {Commanding the Channel Squadron) Hayman,* Mrs. W. E. ... Hellard, Commander S. B., I.N. . Helsham, Mrs. J. . Hevvett, Prescott G-., Esq., F.E.S., (President, College of Surgeons) Hodge, Gen. Sir Edvrard C, K.C.B. {late of the 4th Dragoon Guards) * Widow of an Ollicur of the ludiaii Xavy. No of Copies 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 2 1 1 1 I 3 I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 1 3 3 1 1 •> I 3 1 Hogg, Lieutenant Colonel Sir James M. McGarel, Bart., K.C.B., M.P. Holl, Lieuteiiaut-Gcueral C Holt, Commander Gr. T., I.N. {Nautical Assessor, Board of Trade) Home, Mrs. E. Hope, Admiral Sir James, Gr.C.B., A.D.C. {late Commander-in-Chief, China and East India Station) Hopkins, Captain F. W., I.N. Hopkins, Mrs. S. Hora, F. H., Esq., I.N. Hordern, R. O., Esq., I.N. Howell, A. P., Esq. {Under-Secretary, Home Department, Government of India) .... Hudson, Eobert, Esq., D.L., F.R.S. Humphry, Captain E. W., R.E. . Hunter, Lieutenant T. R., I.N. . Hurlock, Lieutenant R. Gr., I.N. . Huyslie, General Alfred, C.B., R.A. Ibbs, Miss ..... Jackson, Lieutenant H., I.N. Jacob, Major-General Sir George Le Grand, K.C.S.I., C.B Jacob, Captain S. S. {Bombay Staff Corps) James, Commander H. H., I.N. . Jefferis, Major John Jenkins, Captain Griffith, C.B., I.N. Jermyn, Lieutenant E. F., I.N. . Johnson, Lieutenant-General Sir Edwin B., K.C.B., R.A. {Council ofth Governor- General) Johnson, Colonel Allen {Military Secretary Johnstone, Mrs. Jones, Captain J. Felix, I.N. Joynt, Sm-geon-Major C. {Bombay Army) Kane, Surgeon-Major M. Eemball, Lieutenant-General Sir Arnold B., K. C.S.I. , C.B., R.A. Kennedy, Mrs. H. Kennelly, Acting-Master D. J., I.N. Keys, J. A., Esq., I.N. . Kiell, G. M., Esq. Kinchant, Commander R., I.N. Kinchant, Mrs. R. King, Lieutenant Duncan B., I.N. Lake,* Major-General Edward, C.S.I., R. Bunjaub) Lake, Mrs. Edward Lakes, Lieutenant J. Gould, I.N. . Lamb, Lieutenant H., I.N. Lambarde, Lieutenant T. M., I.N. Lambert, Rear- Admiral Rowley, C.B. Lamboru, Mr. {late Engineer, I.N.) Lawrence, Lieutenant-General Sir George St. P., K.C.S.I., C.B Lawrence, Major-General R. C, C.B. {late Bolitical Resident Leishman, Lieutenant W., I.N. . Le Messurier, Major A., R.E. Lewis, Lieutenant G. L., I.N. Leycester,t George P., Esq. {Bengal Civil Service) . Liardet, Lieutenant H. M., I.N. . Library — Army and Navy Club . „ Army Head-Quarter's Book Club {Simla) . „ Consulting Naval Officer to the Government of India „ East India United Service Club . „ Foreign Department, Government of India „ Junior Carlton Club ,, Kurrachee Club K.C.B., R.A. {Co India Office) K.C.S.I.^ C.B., R E. {late Commissioner in th t Nepau Deceased on the 7tli of Jime, 1877. + Deceased on the Srd of November, 187 Library — Madras Club ...... „ Madras Literary Society . . . . ,, Mess of the 10th Regiment Bombay Light Infantry . „ Military Department, Government of India „ Oriental Club ..... „ Persian Grulf Telegraph, Kurrachee „ Royal Engineer Institute .... „ Royal Greographical Society .... „ Royal Indian Civil Engineering College, Cooper's Hill „ Royal Naval Club, Portsmouth .... „ Royal United Service Institution „ St. Stephen's Club . . . . . „ Simla Librai'y and Reading Room „ Trinity House Corporation .... „ Viceroy's Book Club (Simla) .... Litchfield, E. S., Esq., I.N. ..... Little, Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald, K.C.B. (late of the dtli Lancer.s) Lloyd, Captain R., I.N. ..... Lloyd, Commander C, I.N. ..... Loch, Captain W. {A.D. C to the T'iceroy) .... Low, S. P., Esq., J.P. ...... Low, Captain H. {late 4.0th Bengal N.I.) .... Low, Hamilton L., Esq. ..... Low, Augustus F., Esq. ..... Low, Gustavus J., Esq. {Bengal Civil Service) Lowder, George G., Esq., I.N. {Chinese Imperial Customs, Shanghai) Lugard, General the Right Hon. Sir Edward, G.C.B. . Lumsden, Major-General P. S., C.B., C.S.I. {Adjutant- General in India) Lushington,* Admiral Su- Stephen, G.C.B. {late Commander-in-Chief, Indian Navy) ..... Lynch ,t Mrs. H. B. . Lysons, Lieutenant-General Sir Daniel, K.C.B. {Quartert7iaster- General Horse Guards) ..... MeConnell, Jas. E., Esq., J.P. .... Macgregor, Major-General Sir George H., K.C.B., R.A. Mackenzie of Seaforth, Keith Stewart, Esq. {late of the 9Qth Regiment L.I. Mackenzie, Lieutenant R., I.N. .... Mackinlay, John, Esq. {late lingineer-in- Chief, Indian Navy) . Maisey, Colonel F. C. {Examiner in Military Law to the Government of India) ...... Malcolm of Burnfoot Langholm, W. E., Esq Manners, Commander F. E., I.N. Marshall, Mrs. C. . Marshall, Mrs. J. . Marshall, Lieutenant W., I.N. .... Martin, James, Esq. ..... Mason, Commander G. N. P., I.N. Maughan, Wilham, Esq. .... May, Lieutenant E. R., I.N. .... Mayo, Lieutenant Arthur, I.N., V.C. Mayo, Rev. Herbert H. .... Meivill, Ma,jor-General Sir P. Melvill, K.C.B. {late Military Secretary Government of Bombay) .... Merewether, Colonel Sir William L., K.C.S.I., C.B. {Council of India) Mickleburiih, Frank H., Esq., I.N. Mignon, R. J., Esq., I.N. .... Milman, Miijor-General G. Bryan, C.B. {Major of the Tower of London) Mitcheson, Commander P. W., I.N. Morgan, Mrs. ..... Morland, E. H., Esq. {Bengal Civil Service) Morton, C. II. E., Esq., I.N. .... Nisbett, Commander A., I.N. .... No. of Ciipics 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 * Deceased oil the 28tli of Jlay, 1877. I 1 1 3 1 1 1 10 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 I 1 1 1 1 1 t Widow of nil Ollicer of the Indian Xavv C.B., F.R.S., D.C.L., LL.D Council and Acting- Governor NoUoth, Eear-Aclmiral M. S. North, Colonel J. Sydney, M.P., D.C.L Nott, Captain A. H., I.N. Ogilvy, Lieutenant W. H., I.N. O'Neill, W. Lane, Esq. Ottley, R. B., Esq. Ouscley, Colonel J. Parker, Lieutenant C C, I.N. (blaster- Attendant, Kurrachee) Peele, Surgeon-Major R. De C. {late of the Bombay Army) PeUy, Colonel Sir Lewis, K.C.B., K.C.S.I. . Peudlebury, A. A. Esq., I.N. Peiigelley, Commander W. M., I.N. Pe^Dper,* Mrs. Gr. A. . Percy, General Lord Henry H. M., K.C.B., V.C. Peters, C. H., Esq. .... Pbillimore, Rear- Admiral A., {Admiral- Superintendent, Natml Reserves) Playfair, Lieutenant-Colonel R. L. {S.M.'s Consul- General in Algeria) Polwhele, General T. . Poole, J. W., Esq. Porter, Captam J. P., I.N. Potts, Arthur, Esq. Powell, Osborne C, Esq. Pratt, F., Esq., I.N. Quanbrough, P. W., Esq. Rawlinson, Major-General Sir Henry C, K ( Council of India) Rawstorne, E. C, Esq. . Reid, Lestock R., Esq. {Late Member of Bombay) Renuie, Captain J., C.B., I.N. Renuie, Miss . Rennie, John, Esq. . Revell, Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph L. {late of the 2nd Bengal Europeans) Revell, Lieutenant-Colonel Blackett {late of the Zlst Madras N.I.) Ricliards, Rear- Admiral Sir George H., C.B., F.R.S. {late Sydrographer' Righy, Lieutenant-General H., R.E. Ritherdon, E. Esq. ..... Robbins, Reverend Dr. Jno, D.D. Roberts, Major-General F.S., C.B,, V.C, R.A., {Quartermaster- Genera in India) ..... Robinson, Captain G., I.N. .... Robinson, F., Esq., I.N. .... Rogers, Lieutenant T. R., I.N. .... Rose, Surgeon-Major H. Cooper, M.D. {Boyal East Middlesex Militia) Russell, Dr. William Howard, LL.D. Sanders,* Mrs. J. P. . Sawyer, Captain John, I.N. .... Sconce, Lieutenant G. C, I.N. {Emigration Officer and Nautical Surveyor Board of Trade) . / . . Scott, Major W. {late f mm Bengal Light Cavalry) Seaton, Lieutenant Frank L., I.N. Seymour, Admiral Sir Michael, G.C.B. {late Commander-in-Chief, China and East India Station) Seymour, Vice-Admiral Sir F. Beauchamp P., E.C.B. {late Commanding the Channel Squadron) Selwyn, Rear- Admiral Jasper H. Shand, Livingston, Esq. Sliarp, Commander C, I.N. Slieppard, Lieutenant J., I.N. Skottowe,* Mrs. R. . Smart, J. D., Esq., I.N. Spratt, Rear -Admiral Thomas A. B., C.B., F.R.S. * Widow of eak of it when hoisted being much higher than the mast itself. In general the galivats cire covered with a sjjar deck, made for lightness of split bamboos, and these carry only ' petteraroes,' which are fixed on swivels in the gunwale of the vessel ; but those of the larger size have a fixed deck on which the^' mount six or eight pieces of cannon, from two to four-pounders ; they have forty to fifty stout oars, and may be rowed four miles an hour." — Ormc's " History of Hindoostan," Vol. I., page 408. * The word Nabob is a corruption of Nawaub, which, again, is derived from Nayib, and means " dcjnity ;" he was an officer of lower rank than the Soubahdar, who was the Mogul Emperor's viceroy. VOL. I. C 18 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. near the sands of Swally, for Downton adhered to his resohition of not commencing hostilities. The fleet crossed the Gulf to the road of Gogo, where they burnt one hundred and twenty trading boats, and several ships, of which one was the ' Rehemy,' at tliis time the largest in the Indian seas ; after this the soldiers landed and destroyed several villages, but Gogo, being walled, was safe. The news of this devastation arrived at Surat on the 16th of December, and renewed the suspicion of Mocrib Khan that the English were in league with the Portuguese, because they had not fired on their ships as they passed. Before their return, Captain Downton weighed from Swally, and anchored off the bar of Surat, in order to protect the communication of his boats with the city. The roadstead is seven miles from the shore ; and everywhere along the coast are sands, which afford refuge to vessels of light draught against the approach of heavy ships, of which the "frigates" availed themselves, anchoring much nearer the shore, from whence they chased, even into the river, every boat which appeared, either coming in or going out, whilst others cruised around without let or hindrance. On several nights some bore down, as if they intended to set the English ships on fire, "which," says Orme, " were kept in continual alerts, either of guard, defence, or chase, with very little detriment done or received, until the 29th, when Captain Downton, finding that he could not prevent the cruises of the ' frigates ' at the mouth of the river, returned to Swally." On the l(5th of January, a second fleet of nearly forty sail appeared from the south, and, joining those already at the bar, went in company into the river to get water, and came out on the following day. Within forty-eight hours there arrived a further reinforcement of nine ships, which were followed by two galleys. The crews of the Portuguese Marine* in India were composed * What the naval power of the Portuguese in the East was in those days, may he gathered from the "Life of Albuquerque," and from an interesting record of a Portuguese expedition to the Eed Sea, which may be found in the " Log-book of Joao de Castro." This Portuguese admiral sailed, in January, 1541, from Goa with seventy-two sail, including twelve ships of war of gi'eat size, aud two tliousand picked soldiers, for the purpose of punishing the Turks who, four years before, had captured Aden and laid siege to the Portuguese settlement at Diu, but were repulsed by Governor Silveira. Joao de Castro was completely suc- cessful, aud having visited Socotra, Aden, Massowah, Suakim, Toro, near Mount Sinai (which he visited), and Suez, arrived at Goa on the 21st of July, after an absence of seven months and twenty-one days. The original Log-book was sent to his family, but a fair copy, accompanied by drawings, he sent to his patron, tlie Infante Dora Luiz, at Lisbon, and on the accession of Cardinal Henry in 1578, it was deposited as a national heirloom in the library of the University of Evora. This invaluable work, however, disappeared, but a Portuguese professor. Dr. Carvalho, in 1828, while examining the catalogue of Cottoniau MSS. in the British Museum (called after the donor. Sir R. Bruce Cotton), discovered this copy, consisting of sixty folios with fifteen drawings, of which a transcript was published in Paris in 1833. The first notice of tlie Red Sea, derived from otlier than ancient records, made its appearance at Venice in 1538, but it only con- HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 19 of two different orders. The fighting men were rated as genuine Portuguese, who, proud of this pre-eminence, refused, unless in cases of extremity, to take part in the services necessary to navigate the vessel, but reserved to themselves the management of the guns and small-arms. The mariners were either slaves or Hindoos of the meaner castes, or Christians born in the country, and considered unworthy of military ser- vice. The armament, which now appeared at the bar of Surar, was commanded by the Viceroy of Goa, Don Jeronimo de Azevedo, who hoisted his flag as Admiral, in the ' Todos Santos,' of 800 tons, having on board two hundred and sixty fighting men, of whom thirty were of family and distinction ; and twenty-eight pieces of ordnance, which, probably, were of large calibre, for two are expressly said to be 42-pounders. Five others of the ships were from 700 to 400 tons, with from one hundred and eighty to one hundred and forty men, and carrying from twenty to fourteen guns. These six were rated as galleons. The two next in force were each of 200 tons, fifty men, and eight guns; and there was also a pinnace of four guns and eighty fighting men, and two galleys, each having fifty men. The "frigates" had eighteen oars on a side, and were manned with thirty fighting men, besides the rowers, who were probably two to an oar. The numerical strength of the crews of this armament, accordingly, amounted to four thousand three hundred and twenty, and, with the mariners in the larger vessels, made a total of six thousand natives serving with the fleet. The number of Portuguese, or Europeans, was two thousand six hundred, whose duty it was to work* one hundred and thirty-four pieces of cannon, against eighty of much inferior calibre in the English ships and iSurat galiyats. Captain Downton considered the success of this armament as involving the certain destruction of English commerce in the Mogul's dominions, reasoning that, if his own ships should be driven from their station in the roads of Surat and Swally, the Portuguese Viceroy, by ravaging the city itself, would compel the Nabob to refuse the English all future resort and intercourse ; Captain Downton, therefore, regarding the loss of his ships as of much inferior moment to such a result, deliberately resolved sisted of two quarto pages. Exclusive of the logs of the Company's ships visiting the Red Sea, our own earliest work was published in 1750, and called " Naviga- tion and Voyages to the Red Sea." Tlie next embraced a series of " Instructions for Sailing from Cape Gruardafui to Babelmandeb, and through the Straits," by Captain Norton Hutchinson, of tlie ' Doddington,' 1753 ; and, five years latei-, appeared a " Journal of the ' Latham ' to Jeddab." Before the expedition of Sir Home Popham, and the surveys of Captam Court, a few years later, the Red Sea was a mare incognita. * Onne, from whom the above calculation is derived, says, " We have endea- voured to compute the force of the Armada from tlie depositions in Purchas, of a Portuguese who served in one of the galleons. Faria de Souza relates this cam- paign ; and although ditlering in some particulars from the English account*, without partiality to the Portuguese." c 2 20 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. to perish with them rather than recede. But like his prototype, Lord Howard of Effingham, who defeated the great Spanish Armada, in 1588, — and we do not deem the comparison un- worth}^ the high renown of that great Admiral, — Captain Down- ton, we are told, " did not despair that stratagem might avail to supply the defect of force." The Nabob, terrified by the appearance of the armament, sent his Shabandar, or Custom-master, and several other principal men, to the Viceroy, with a large present of pro- visions, and many promises to obtain peace ; this the haughty Admiral refused, not doubting, like the Spanish Duke of ]\Iedina Sidonia, that he could destroy the English ships ; after which he intended to exact much severer terms, or the full price of remission. Early in the morning of the 20th of January, 1615, at low water,^ Downtou sent the ' Merchant's Hope,' called in the accounts, the 'Hope,' of oOO tons, to anchor at the south entrance of the channel, where the galleons would not have sufficient depth to come near her until the flood was high ; the three other ships soon after came out of the cove, but anchored again in the channel. These manoeuvres produced the intended effect, which was to induce the Portuguese Admiral to believe that the English ships had quitted Swally, in order to put to sea and avoid an action. The ' Hope' had scarcely anchored, before the whole fleet of the enemy were under sail, in order to stop the channel ; the two smaller ships, with the pinnace, which were foremost, simultaneously grappled and boarded the ' Hope,' but the attack, being expected, was well met. Downton, cutting the cables of the three other ships, came down and fired into the enemy's ships entangled with the ' Hope,' the men of which had thrice beat off the Portuguese who had boarded. In despair at finding themselves between two fires, from which they suffered severely, the crews set fire to all the three and took to the water. Upon this a number of the " frigates," which had hitherto given no assistance, came upon the scene, and saved many of the drowning men. In the meantime the ' Hope ' had taken fire in her main and fore rigging, but, nevertheless, her crew managed to disengage her from the three ships, which were blazing fiercely and drove on the sands, where they burnt until overwhelmed by the flood. All this while the galleons kept on the outside of the spit, across which they cannonaded the English ships within the channel, which was answered, but with little loss on either side. * The Clianuel of Swally is about a mile and a-half in breadth, and seven in length, and lies between the shore and a sand-bank of this length, whicli is dry at low water. The ships, wlien Swally used to be the station, anchored in a cove called Swally-hole, which runs into the land about midway in the channel. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA\^'. 21 This success changed the aspect of affairs. The Yicero}' sent a deputation proposing a treat}' to the Nabob, who answered with a present of provisions, and a refusal to make any peace in which the English should not be included. He also ordered his officers at Swally to give every assistance to the latter, and sent a spar from the city to rephicethe mainmast of the ' Hope,' which had been destroyed by fire. Meantime the English ships carried on their usual duties in the channel, though sometimes alarmed, but never attacked, by the Portuguese, who waited for reinforcements. These arrived on the ord of February, and consisted of two ships, two large junks, and eight or ten of the country boats. On the 8th, in the forenoon, the two junks, with the two galleys before arrived, came driving up the channel with the flood, as if intending to fire the English ships, for which they were said to be prepared ; but as soon as the latter weighed and stood towards them, they put about and got away witli the wind. Captain Downton, who displayed a wonderful combination of judgment and dash throughout these trying circumstances, suspected that this appearance was only meant to fix his attention to this end of the channel, while it was really intended to make the attack from the otiier, where, during the ebb, the wind and tide served together; whereas the vvind constantly opposed the flood, which was the ordy aid to approach from the south. Nor was he mistaken : for, soon after dark, the interception of a bright light at a great distance, discovered that vessels were moving to the north of the channel, and, before midnight, four were descried coming down with the ebb, being two fire-boats, not yet lighted, towed by two " frigates." The cannon and small arms of the ships soon obliged the latter to throw off the boats, to which they set fire. These were avoided by three of the ships ; but both, at sonje interval, fell foul of the 'Hope' — one athwart her hawse, the other on her quarter— though she cleared herself without damage. In the morning the flood brought them back, still burning, when the ships' boats towed them aground. On the night of the 10th, there came down two boats towed by four "' frigates," which, as before, were forced by tiie fire of the ships to cast off and set light to the boats at too great a distance, when the strength of the wind drove them to leeward of the ships. They were scarcely passed when many more "frigates" were discovered, which had in tow four boats chained together ahead. All steered directly for the ' Hector,' afi'ording a good mark to the fire of the English ships, which again beat them oft", after they liad only lighted two of the boats. The 'Hector,' by swinging round on her cable, avoided them; and a shot set fire to the third boat, which fired the other, and all, confounded together, were driven by the breeze on the strand of Swally. 22 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. The Portuiynese galleons, which had all this while continucil at anchor to the northward, fell down the next day to the bar of Snrat, where Captain Downton caused them to be watched, suspecting the Viceroy might land and njarch on the city, in which case he resolved to attack the galleons, deprived of their fighting men ; but the Viceroy saw the danger, and only sent the " frigates " into the river, to give moral force to the nego- tiations which he renewed with the Nabob, who, however, answered as before, that he could not abandon the English. On the 13th, the Viceroy sailed away with all his fleet, except twenty " frigates," a step which created various conjectures concerning his future intentions. Notwithstanding the alarms to which the English ships had been lately exposed, they had continued landing their cargoes and receiving on board the goods provided for England ; when all were shipped, as well as the water and provisions, Captain Downton, deeming the fair season too far spent to permit of the enemy's fleet attacking the city, signified his intention of departing to the Nabob, who entreated him to defer it for fifteen days ; and, after much seeming objection, he consented to a delay of eight. The Nabob now sent his tents and equipage to Swally, and arrived there himself with a great train on the morning of the 24tb of February. On hearing of his arrival, Captain Downton landed with one hundred and twenty armed men, and proceeded to the Nabob's tent, where he was received and entertained with much courtesy. The Nabob returned the visit on board Captain Downton's ship, which he examined with intelligent curiosit}', and was escorted to the shore by the Captain ; two days after, the Nabob's son and son-in-law came on board to take leave, and, on the following day, several of the principal men of the town. On the 3rd of March, the English ships weighed from Swally, and saw a fleet of " frigates " coming from the westward into the river, most of which passed in shoal water, out of shot ; but the ships fired on the nearest, to give the last testimony of goodwill to their friends on shore. At daybreak, the Poi'tu- guese fleet, which was discerned at anchor nearer the shore, weighed and stood after the English ships throughout the day, but lost ground by not anchoring, as they did, on the flood.* The next day, the 5th of the month, both fleets stood on to the south ; but the Portuguese did not gain, although the 'Hope' sailed so ill that the 'Hector' was obliged to take her in tow. The succeeding day, Downton, thinking he had led the enemy's fleet far enough from their own ports and Surat, resolved to let them come up, and then, putting about suddenly, to attack them unexpectedly. He, accordingly, went in his * Vessels going from Suvat to tlie South, save their grouud hj anchoring ou the flood, unless tlie wuid is rerv stitl'. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVr. 23 boat to the three other ships, to give his instructions ; but during his absence the flood set in, when his own ship, which carried his flag as Admiral, fell astern of the others. At this time the Viceroy's galleon, sailing well, was far ahead of the rest of his fleet and near enough to have brought Downton to action. The Portuguese guinier, says Orme, proposed to sink the ' Hope' with the two 42-pounders, which seem to have been the pride of the armada ; but the officers warned him that the English Admiral had fallen astern with no other intention than to tempt the Viceroy to the trial, when the three other ships would bear down and overwhelm him. Acting upon this dis- creet advice, he hauled his wind towards the shore, was followed by his fleet, and all were soon out of sight, when the English ships continued their course.* When the Viceroy was after- wards arraigned for various crimes perpetrated during his government, his conduct on this day was one of the articles of accusation, and the ver}^ hidalgos, in deference to whose opinion he had refrained from the attack, bore witness against him. The English ships proceeded down the coast, and, on the lOth of the month, the ' Hope ' was despatched to England ; the other three doubled Cape Comorin on the 19tli, and arrived on the 2nd of June at Batavia, where Captain Downton died on the 6th of August, as Orme well adds, " lamented, admired, and unequalled."t In this affair the Portuguese lost three hundred and fifty men; and, says Mill, "the splendid achievements of the English against an enemy whom the Governments of India were ill able to resist, raised high their reputation for prowess in war." On the other hand, the Mogul fleet took little or no part in the action. The Emperor Jehangirc had already received a request that the English might be permitted to fortify their factory at Surat, which he had referred to his minister, Mocrib Khan, through whom the original firman for trade had been obtained ; but there appeared to be no desire to grant the boon, which must have appeared, and rightly, the thin end of the wedge that was to make the Company a territorial power. Mr. Edwardes — the Company's factor at Ahmedabad, who, with Mr. Kerridge, the agent at Surat, may be regarded as the first representatives of the Company in India — proceeded to Agra, and was presented to the P^mperor, on the 7th of Eebruary, by Asaph Khan, brother of the Empress Noor Mahal, so celebrated in Indian history for her beauty and goodness. During his stay, after the arrival of the news of the Portuguese defeat at Swally, * Faria De Sonza says that the English ships made their acknowledgments to the Viceroy for this resolution of not fighting them, by a salute of blank cartridge as an ironical compliment. t Orme's " Oriental Fragments," pp. 3-lG to 35G. 21: HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Jehaiigire expressed his satisfiiction with the ombay, was now sent to reinforce the fleet, which then quitted their station near Kenery. and anchored to block up the river, called by Orme, Negotan ; but, as they could not do this effectually, owing to its having two outlets, the Commodore proposed to enter, burn the enemy's fleet, and ravage the country. The Council at Bombay, however, and, still more, the Presidency at Surat, were unwilling to risk provoking Sevajee's resentment. The Mogul Government at Surat were as much alarmed as either the English or Portuguese, at Sevajee's attempts to gain the command of the sea: for, hitherto, they had only dreaded him on shore. The Seedee, having obtained from the Govern- ment at Surat the necessary supplies, for the first time without mdge or regret, proceeded to Bombay with his fieet of two F 2 rri 68 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA\^". large sliips, " three frigates of three masts," and fifteen stout galivats, in which, besides the Lascars, were seven hundred picked soldiers. They arrived at Bombay on the 10th of November, and, after conference with the Council there, joined the Company's fleet off Kenery, whose ofiBcers, at the same time, received instructions to be cautious. Seedee Cossim, having rowed round the island, proposed to assault it with his own men, if the Company's vessels would cover the landing; but Captain Keigwin discovered that he intended to keep it, if carried, and, as Bombay might receive more detriment from the island being in his possession than that of Sevajee, evaded giving assistance. On this the Seedee cannonaded the island from his two ships for several days, which was returned, but with little effect on either side ; during this time no firing passed between the Company's fleet and the island. This wariness confirmed the intelligence the Seedee had gained concerning the negociations between Bombay and Sevajee, and, in order to break them off, he sent his galivats in the night to ravage the neighbouring towns. Dowlet Khan prepared to come out of Negotan with a numerous convoy, laden with provisions and ammunition, and all his grabs appeared one morning at the mouth of the river; but, on the approach of the English and Mogul fleets from their stations, retired again. The smaller vessels were then left to block the outlets ; but the Seedee, fearing his own might be surprised, withdrew them, and the watch was continued by only two of the Company's. The Seedee continued firing at Kenery until the 9th Januar}', 1680, when, says Bruce, " without intimating his design to the English captains, he anchored his fleetatHenery, a smallerneigh- bouring island, from which it is separated by a shallow channel, on which he landed men and cannon, and declared his intention of fortifying it, as a check on Kenery. Four days later, Dowlet Khan came out, with all his vessels, from the river of Negotan, and a general engagement ensued, with little damage, for it was over before the English could take any share in it. Dowlet Khan then brought guns to a rising ground on the mainland opposite Henery, against which they fired, and were answered as well by the Seedee's ships as the guns in the island. This cannonade continued several days. On the 27th Dowlet Khan came out again with his whole fleet and engaged the Seedee's for four hours, until he had lost four grabs, and as many of the smaller vessels, with five hundred men killed and wounded, besides the prisoners, and was himself severely wounded. The Seedee lost no vessels, and had only ten men killed. After the engagement the grabs, leaving the galivats to guard the neighbouring rivers, bore away to refit at Rajahpore, which is one hundred miles to the south of Negotan. The Bombay Council were, at this time, negotiating a treaty HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 69 with an ambassador sent by Sevajee from Rairee, and, fearing- he should think that this success of the Seedee was acceptable to them, they immediately recalled their own fleet. The Seedee, against whom they were much incensed at his having so treacherously occupied Henery, tried again to break off the treaty then being negotiated with Sevajee, by sending the grabs he had taken to be sold in Bombay, and. on being refused the permission, he entered the harbour on the 27th of February with his whole fleet, and detached his galivats, crowded with men, into the River Penn, which they went up as far as the depth permitted, burning all the towns and villages on either hand. Nevertheless the treaty was concluded in the middle of March ; it confirmed that of 1674, made by Mr. Oxenden, and promised, on the part of Sevajee, immediate payment of what remained due of the compensation then allowed for the Company's losses at the sack of Rajahpore in 1673. The English, on their part, agreed to permit the Seedee's fleet to winter in the harbour, only on the condition of abstaining from any attack on the opposite shore. But Seedee Cossim made little account of treaties, and, on the 5th of May, came into the harbour with the main body of his fleet, and anchored off" the fort without permission or firing the customary salute. Upon this guns were fired on his ships, which forced them to a further distance and produced a discussion, which, at length, terminated by the Seedee's consenting to refrain from the invasion of the " Corlahs," conformably to the engagements lately made by the Council with Sevajee ; but their continuing in the harbour gave great umbrage to Sambhajee, the son and successor of the latter, who despatched troops to the shore, with the object of burning their fleet, though he continually deferred the attempt. On the 1st of August, the night being dark, two hundred Mah- rattas landed on the Island of Henery, and got within the works before they were discovered ; but the Seedee's men attacked them with resolution and either took or killed the greater part. Eighty heads were brought in baskets to Mazagon, where Seedee Cossim prepared to fix them along the shore on poles, but was inter- dicted by the Council. This ill-success increased the resentment of Sambhajee, who sent more troops to the Corlahs, and threatened the invasion of Bombay, upon which the Council reinforced the outposts towards Gallian. At length the Seedee put to sea on the 2nd of December, and, after again returning tt) Bombay in April, 1681, proceeded to Surat on the ord of ]\Iay.* Notwithstanding the treaties and agreements made with the Moguls and Mahrattas, the hostile attitude assumed by these two parties in retaining possession of the Islands of Henery and Kenery, and the ill-jndged orders for the reduction of the guard at Surat and the Military and Marine establishments at Bombay, * Orme's " Orieulal Fragments," pp. 7'J to i)7. 70 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY, rendered the Company's position on the Malabar coast extremely precarious, for, with such reduced establishments, they were absolutely at the mercy of both Mahrattas and Moguls, and only escaped annihilation by showing a bold face, and hiding their weakness. It was not without many protests that the Deputy-Governor and Council at Bombay, and the officers of tlie Marine, submitted to the indignity of seeing the islets of Kenery and Henery in the possession of theirwarlike neighbours. The Bombay Government had addressed the Court of Directors, requesting permission to expel these intruders, a task they expressed their willingness to undertake with the means at their disposal ; but the Court replied, on the 22nd of April, 1681, declaring themselves opposed to such an undertaking; and then, expounding their peace policy, added: — "Although we have formerly wrote you that we will have no war for Henery and Kenery, yet all war is so contrary'' to our constitution as well as our interest, that we cannot too often inculcate to you our aversion thereunto." In May of the following year, the same injunction is repeated in still stronger terms, although the inconvenience of allowing these islands to be occupied by the sailors of another nation is fully acknowledged.* The death of Sevajee, on the 5th of April, 1680, and the succession of his son, Sambhajee,t from which hopeful auguries were drawn, made no difference in the position of affairs. Sambhajee, who had raised his fleet by great exertions to fifteen grabs and one hundred and twenty galivats, enraged by the constant depredations of the Seedee's fleet— which made Henery the base of their operations, whence they ravaged the coast, and seized his trading vessels — threatened to punish the English and Portuguese for maintaing a neutrality towards them ; and, on the 5th of October, 1682, a portion of his fleet, numbering thirty sail, proceeded to attack that of the Mogul conunander, which was lying at anchor, off Mazagon, in Bombay Harbour. Tlie Seedee Cossim weighed with fifteen sail, having on board his best men, and stood up towards the Tannah River, where a sanguinar}^ action took place, which resulted in a complete victory for the Seedee, who took four ships, including the flag- ship of the Mahratta Admiral, who was mortally wounded. Sambhajee, exasperated at his defeat, began to fortify the Island of Elephanta, in Bombay Harbour, for tlie purpose of annoying the English, but, alarmed at the hostile designs of the Moguls, who appeared determined to oust the English from Bombay, and the Portuguese from Goa and Damaun, he changed his plans, * Anderson's " English in Western India." t This brave but unfortunate prince was captured by Aurungzebe's forces, and in August, 1689, was publicly decapitated, after having a red hot iron dra^vn across his eyes, aud his tongue cut out. On his deatli, Eajah Earn, son of Sevajee, and half brother of Sambhajee, by whom he was confined, was declared Regent during the minority of Shao, then a child in his sixth year. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 71 and sent an ambassador to Bombay to propose an alliance against the Imperial Government ; but the negotiations ended abortively. Taking advantage of the disturbed state of affairs, pirates swarmed along the Malabar coast, and even had the temerity to attack one of the largest ships of the Company, when they met with so warm a reception as to discourage any attempt at repetition. Early in 1683, the 'President,' Captain Hyde, who had commanded her in the action with the Dutch fleet at Metchlepatam, arrived on the Malabar coast, and, proceeding to Bombay, was attacked by two ships and four grabs. Three of the latter grappled, when the crew of one boarded, but were beaten off, and the grab itself sunk close alongside. On getting clear of the other grabs, she maintained so hot and well- directed a fire that one of them blew up so near that the tlasli scorched many of the ' President's ' men on the lower deck, and set her on lire in several places. Soon after, the other grab was also sunk, on which the remainder of the squadron sailed away. Of the floating men, some cut the ' President's' long-boat from her stern, and others were received into the ship. ]\lost of thetii were Arabs, and all the fleet hailed from Muscat ; they pretended to have mistaken the 'President' for a Portuguese shi[) which they were waiting for, but it was afterwards discovered at Rajahporc that they had all been hired by Sambhajee. The ' President' had eleven men killed and thirt3'-five wounded, and was obliged to put into Goa to repair her damages. As soon as this affair was known at Bombay, an envoy was sent to Kairee ;* but Sambhajee denied any knowledge or complicity in the attaek.f About this time the Company despatched from England, on a trading speculation to Mocha, Bussorah, and Gombroon, the ' Dragon,' of 180 tons, carrying eighteen guns ; and, in the following year, sent a squadron of armed ships to the East under Sir Thomas Grantham, who was also invested with the king's commission, with orders to proceed, in the first instance, to Java, and thence to the l\n-sian Gulf, in order to demand pay- ment of the arrears of Customs due from the Persian monarch, computed at thirty thousand tomans, agreeably to the treaty concluded when the Company's ships expelled the Portuguese from Ormuz ; and, in default of payment, he was directed to seize the Persian ships as prize, the amount realised being- carried to the credit of the treasin-y at Surat. During this same year(l()8;)) Bombay was cx])osed to danger from a source where it might least have been expected. Cajitain Richard Keigwin, commanding the Company's garrison at Bom- bay, in conjunction with the other military ofiicers, seized Mr. * The rcniuins of the stroug fort of Rairee, or Raree, still fonu a cou^picuous object fiom seaward. t Oriue's " Historical Fragments," p. 120. 72 HISTORY OF THE L\DIAN NAVY. Charles Ward, Deputy-Governor, and such members of Council as were in his interest, and, having annulled the Company's authority by a proclamation, dated tlie 27th of December, 1683, secured his own election as Governor by the inhabitants of the island and the garrison, consisting of one hundred and fifty European soldiers, and two hundred "topasses," as the native Portuguese soldiers were then called. He then proclaimed the authority of the King, to whom and the Duke of York, after- wards James IL, he addressed letters stating his reasons .for his conduct, and also seized on the Bombay Marine ships ' Revenge' and ' Hunter.' The President and Council at Surat, ' conscious of their inability to reduce the island by force, sent three commissioners in three of the Company's ships, with promises of redress of grievance and a general amnesty. The conferences, which lasted more than a month, were fruitless, and, in January, 1684, Mr. Child proceeded to Bombay with three of the Company's ships ; but Captain Keigvvin and his adherents were obstinate, for their resentment was mainly directed against the President and his brother. Sir Josiah Child, to whose influence they attributed the grievances of which they complained. As the crews of the Company's ships refused to act against the mutineers, Mr. Child and his council returned to the Presidency without having accomplished their object, though the ship ' Return,' sent to Surat, fell into their hands. On intelligence being received in England of these events, the Court of Directors appealed to the King, who issued an order, under sign manual, to Captain Keigwin and his associates, directing them to deliver up the island to the Presidency at Surat, and a commission, under the Great Seal, dated the 25th of August, 1684, Avas directed to Mr. Child, the members of Council at Bombay and Surat, and the commanders of the Company's ships, empowering them to receive the island from Keigwin and his associates, and to offer a general pardon to all — except the four ringleaders. Captain Keigwin, commanding the troops, Captain Alderton, commanding the ' Hunter,' which had gone over to the rebels, and Lieutenants Thornton and Fletcher — who should, within twenty-four hours' notice, return to their duty. Under these commissions President Child was appointed Captain-General and Admiral of the Company's sea and land forces ; Sir Thomas Grantham, a Company's officer, vice-admiral ; and the senior captain of the Company's ships, rear-admiral. The fleet, under command of Sir Charles Grantham, whose flag- ship was the 'Charles H.,' of eighty guns, had proceeded direct to Surat before the news of the revolt was known in England. From Surat, Sir Thomas sailed in his flag-ship to the Persian Gulf; but, finding that the Dutch were in great force off Gombroon, he returned to Surat, whence he immediately HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 73 proceeded to Bombay, where he arrived on the lOtli of November, 1684. With great promptitude and resohition he landed without any attendants, and demanded a conference with Captain Keigwin, the result of which was that the latter agreed to deliver up the fort to him, as a King's officer, (Sir Thomas having also the King's commission), on condition of a free pardon to himself and his adherents. Accordingly, on the 19th of November, the surrender took place to Sir Thomas Grantham, who immediately transferred the island to Dr. St. John, the Judge-Advocate, also bearing the King's commission, by whom it was again delivered to Mr. Zingan, as the Company's Governor, till the arrival of the President. Sir Thomas Grantham then returned to England in his ship, the ' Charles II.,' having Captain Keigwin on board as his prisoner, together with twelve other sail from Surat and Gombroon ; and thus terminated an episode that appeared fraught with disaster to the Company, but out of which they were extricated by the promptitude and ability of one of their Marine officers, whose situation was, at one time, no less trying to his courage, for, during the negotia- tions, one of the soldiers was on the point of shooting him, and, for a few days, the island was again in the possession of the mutineers.* In the year 1685 Mr. Child (now Sir John Child, Bart.) was appointed, by the King's patent, Captain-General and Admiral of the Company's sea and land forces between Cape Comorin and the Gulf of Persia, Sir John Wyborne being created Vice- Admiral and Deputy-Governor of Bombay ; and, in the following Year, the seat of Government was transferred from Surat to Bombay, the Company's stores being kept in the ' Castle,' and the larger ships lying in the harbour. Surat was also reduced to an agency, with a Council subordinate to the new Presidency, which was clothed with unlimited power over the rest of the Company's settlements. Sir John Child, having left Mr. Harris as his agent at Surat, arrived at Bombay on the 2nd of May, 1687, and his first measures appear of a doubtful character ; for, acting under insti'uctions from the Court,* he ordered the 'Charles II.,' Captain Andrews, with the ' Modena,' Captain Wildey, two of the Company's largest ships, to proceed to ]\locha and Bussorah, with secret orders to seize all ]\Iognl and Siamese vessels at those ports, and also sent two shiits to China with similar instructions. f * Briiee's " Annals," vol. i., p. 541. t The Company also entered on a course of active hostility in Bengal, which was abandoned as a trading station, and so grea'ly exasperated the Emperor Aurungzebe that he issued orders to expel the Englisli from his dominions, which were only cancelled on their making a humble submission. In the course of these transactions, Captain Heath, comniamling the Company's armed ship ' Defence,' accompanied by another vessel, on tlie 2'.ith of Novendier, 16S9, landed some troops and seamen at Ballasore and took a battery of thirty guns. In 1608 the Com- pany obtained a grant of tlie towns of Chuttanuttee, Govindpore, and Calcutta, and constructed Fort William, when the station was constituted a Presideucy. 74 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. It was intended, before any intelligence could reach Surat of the captures which these vessels might make, to endeavour, by address, in the first instance, and, in the event of failure, by force, to bring off the remaining factors, and the Company's property ; and, for this purpose, Captain Wright was sent to Surat in his ship, the ' Ccesar,' with orders to lay off the river's mouth, and endeavour, by every possible scheme, to release the agent and factors ; but, should that be impracticable, and the design of Sir John Child in sending the expedition up the Gulf of Persia, be discovered, then to seize on all ships belonging to the Mogul, or King of Slam, notwithstanding they might be under French, Dutch, or Spanish colours, and to detain the principal persons on board as hostages for the safety of the agent and factors at Surat. The incident of the 'Dragon' having seized a Surat vessel going to Siam, gave an alarm that the English intended hostilities, and rendered impracticable the escape of the agent and factors, who were carefully watched and detained by the Governor, though no violence was as yet offered to their property or persons. On receipt of intelligence of the seizure of these officers, Sir John Child detained, by way of reprisal, all the Surat vessels which were then in the port of Bombay. This decisive conduct convinced the Governor of Surat that con- ciliatory measures must be resorted to, or open war be inevitable; for, as yet, he had not learned that any captures had been made by the English ships sent to the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. Affairs were in this critical situation when Captain Andrews, in the ' Charles 11,,' returned from the Persian Gulf to Bombay with six Mogul vessels, under Dutch colours, detained during his voyage. This event rendered it impossible to conceal actual hostilities, and, therefore, Captain Andrews was despatched to Surat to act in conjunction with the 'Caesar,' to seize on all Mogul vessels he might meet with on his passage, or attempting to enter the port, and to watch the Seedee's fleet, reported to consist of two hundred galivats, which it was not the intention of Sir John Child to destroy, if they kept in port, as this would irritate the Mogul, who had recently been victorious in Viziapoor and Golcondah ; but in the event of this fleet attempting to put to sea, ])resumably under the order of the ]\Iogul, and with intentions hostile to Bombay, the 'Charles IL' and the 'Ctesar' were to attack them while crossing the bar of Surat. In the event of Captain Andrews conceiving the force of the Seedee to be too great, he was to retire to Bombay, where he would be joined by five ships, which were equipping to oppose the lesser fleet of grabs, fitting at Cambay for the invasion of the island. At tliis crisis Muchtar Khan, a nobleman of the highest rank, and related to the Mogul, was appointed Governor of Surat, and HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 75 he opened a conference with Mr. Harris for the accommodation of differences. On these negotiations ending abortively, Sir John Chikl embarked at Bombay on the 9th of October, 1G88, and again appeared off Surat with a fleet of seven ships ; and, though on this occasion he might have taken, or destroyed, the whole of the fleet of Yakoob Khan, the Seedee, from political considerations he avoided hostilities. Thus, as has so often happened when civil conjraissioners have hampered the action of military or naval commanders, the honour of the Service and of the British name, and, as eventually appeared in this instance, the interests of his master, were sacrificed to political exigencies. Muchtar Khan soon threw off the mask of friendship which he had assumed, seized and imprisoned Mr. Harris and Mr. Gladman on the 2Gth of December, 1{)(S, the departure of the English men-of-war, " without suppressing the pirates, against whom they had been sent to cruise," and also wrote of the audacity of the Arab cruisers from Muscat, which seized every ship they could overpower. During the following year these Arab pirates, emboldened by their success, adopted a more regular system of naval warfare, and, having obtained pei'mission from the King of Pegu to build ships at the ports of his country, spread their fleets over the entire seas surrounding the peninsula of India, causing great losses, especially on the Madras side, while they were so numerous and powerful in the Persian Gulf, that the Shah solicited naval aid from Bombay. " Already," says Bruce, "some of their ships carried from thirty to fifty guns, and they had made descents on several towns on the Malabar coasts, but to obtain plunder and a fixed station, from which they might annoy the trade, or with their collected fleet resist the Mogul or Mahratta fleets, or the more powerful vessels of the European nations. The Mahrattas, on this occasion, equipped a fleet of sixty vessels between Bombay and Goa, which acted not only M'ith the view of repelling the Arab fleets, but as pirates against all defenceless vessels ; while Kanhojee Angria, a Mahratta chief, possessed at this time a fleet of considerable force, which had piracy for its only object, and though occupying a port in the Mahratta country, and, therefore, deemed hostile to the Moguls, yet, like all Indian chiefs, he kept his own power distinct, though he acknowledged a kind of political relation witli the sovereignty with which his ports were connected."* Meanwhile the military and naval establishments were kept in a state rendering them wholly unable to cope with their numerous and powerful enemies. Urgent demands were there- fore made for military reinforcements, and for "either a supply of seamen, or power to impress them from the ships." Soon after the occupation of Bombay, a portion of the local force, established at Suratin 1613, was withdrawn for service at Bom- bay, and, on the formation of that island into the Presidency, it became officially known as the Bombay Marine. An officer was regularly appointed for the year as Admiral, and others were de- tailed for duty under his orders, the supply being kept up by drafts of officers and men from the ships arriving from Europe. During all these years they had been employed in the suppres- sion of piracy as far as their limited strength permitted, in the protection of Bombay, and also, in conjunction with the * Bruce's " Annals," vol. iii., pp. 6-49-50. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 01 squadron stationed at Surat, in convoying the ships trading with the Persian Gulf and Red Sea, and the ports on the MaUibar coast ; these duties were most arduous and taxed their limited resources to the utmost, but they were fulfilled with ardour and success, and the Service gained the approval and thanks of its masters. During the wars waged by this country with European Powers — the Portuguese (before their separation from Spain) the Dutch and the French — this Marino service had often to struggle against superior maritime forces, but they bore the flag of their country not without credit on many occasions, and earned the respect alike of European rivals and native enemies ; indeed, as we have shown, the grants of the early privileges of the Company were mainly won by the prowess of their seamen, who also stoutly defended their factories at Surat against the aggressions of the Mahrattas, when the French purchased exemption from their attacks. At the time of the squabbles with rival companies and " interlopers," their ships had been frequently employed in the less congenial task of protecting the trade of the Company from loss, and seizing "interloping" vessels,* and vrhen the depredations committed b}'- the pirates assumed such alarming proportions, as seriously to cripple the Company's trade, and to defy the utmost efforts of a squadron of royal men-of-war to eradicate them, they received King's commissions to seize and destroy these pests of the sea. Before entering upon a retrospect of the great struggle with the pirate chief Angria, which forms so important a chaptv-r in the " History of the Indian Navy," we will give an account, derived from various sources, of the services of the ships of the Bombay Marine in protecting the Company's factories on the ]\Ialabar coast. That this was no nominal duty we may gather from Hamilton, who was at Bombay at this time, and says in his " New Account of the East Indies :" — " In the year 1715 the Arabian fleet con- sisted of one ship of seventy-four guns, two of sixty, one of fifty, and eighteen small ships from thirty-two to twelve guns each, and some trankies or rowing vessels from four to eight guns each, with which sea forces they kept all the sea coast in awe, from Cape (Jomorin to the Red Sea." The Court of Directors, being dissatisfied with the conduct of the agents in charge of the Southern factories, ordered the Bombay Government to send thither Mr. Stephen Strutt, Deputy-Governor, with the necessary powers.f In his com- mission, bearing date the 23rd of October, 1715, he is instructed * Orme mentions, that in 1684, one of the Company's ships, on the arrival in Bombay harbour of one of tliese " interlojiers," which attempted intercourse with tlie shore, fired into her and drove lier out of the port. t General letter, dated tho 27th of March, 171-i. 92 HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. to investigate all matters relating to trade at Carvvar, Telli- clierr}^ Calicut, and Anjengo ; and was also charged with a letter for the Viceroy of Goa, "relating to the ship 'Moonsoon,' taken by a savage (Mahratta) pirate, and retaken by a I-*ortii- guese frigate out of the Carwar river, in the year ITO^/' Mr. Striitt, with three assistants, embarked on board the ' Catherine,' the 24th of October, under a salute of thirteen guns, returned by all the ships in the harbour, and accompanied by the 'Anne,' commenced a voyage, which, in those days, was sure to be attended with adventure and perils. It is singular to find him, when sailing out of the harbour, noting down the appearance of Kenery, as if it were an island almost unknown, because cautiously avoided by all unarmed vessels frequenting the port, and representing to his Government that it was " two miles in circumference, thirteen miles distance from the main- land, and fourteen from Bombay ; that Angria bad strongly fortified it, and that it was covered with houses." As he sighted Mai wan on the 31st, a grab and galivat made their appearance, " the latter firing both her chase guns very impudently," their object being to cut off and make prize of the defenceless 'Anne,'* but seven shots from the ' Catherine's' guns scared her away. Next day the party were off Carwar,t where they found a Portuguese cruiser, mounting eighteen or twenty guns, and were told that there were two more to the southward, each mount- ing forty guns, all of these being placed there to keep the coast clear, but, in reality, doing a little piracy on their own account, and fearing to appi-oach either Angria or the pirates of Malwan. Having landed at Carwar aud the other factories. Mr. Strutt ex- hibited his commission, and left certain written interrogatories, which he desired should be answered before his return. At Cochin, which the Dutch had possessed for fifty-two years, he was warmly pressed by the Commodore to go on shore, but declined. Permission, however, having been given to some other Euro- peans, they visited " the Barron," as he was called, and reported that " he was mighty alfable and courteous," although, like many other Dutch ofiicers of distinction, he had been promoted from the ranks. * "The intent," says the commissioner, "was for the 'Anne,' who being astern, we had lain by before, or they had piisled her, not having any stern ports, and the stern being what these savages annoy others with, and have large gnus, are the properest weapons to fight them." " The Malwan pirates," says Grant Duff, " were subjects of the Rajah of Kolapore, but this the Govennnent of Bom- bay seem not to have known, supposing that they belonged to the Sawunt country." The following is Hamilton's account of these pirates : — " About twelve leagues to the southward of Gheria is an island about two miles in circumference, and fortified with a stone wall round it, called Malwan. It lies about a mile from the mainland, and is governed by an independent ra,jah, who is also a freebooter, and keeps three or four grabs at sea to rob all whom they can master. And that is all I know of him." t Carwar, or Sedashighur, is one of the three only good ports on the west coast, the other two being Bombay and Kurrachee. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 93 At Anjengo, the Commissioner dismissed two of the Com- pany's servants, and, on mustering the garrison, found them to consist of a captain and ensign, forty-one Europeans, eighty Topasses and Africans, and a gunner with a small party under his command, their arms being in bad order, and their twenty cannon of all sizes, mounted on carriages of various fashions. Embarking again at Carwar, he steered towards Bombay, and, near Cabo de Kama, generally st_yled Cape Ramas, seeing three grabs, supposed to be engaged in piracy, with a ship in tow, he gave chase, and fired a broadside at them ; but the pirates managed to escape with their prize. At Goa the Viceroy " was mighty courteous, and expressed a mighty desire of a good correspondence with the English ;" but he was not so polite as to restore the ' Monsoon,"* which he affirmed had bet^n in the hands of the pirates for thirteen days, and, having been captured by the Portuguese after so long a detention, must be regarded as their lawful prize. At Gheria, Mr. Strutt's boats were suffered to pass without molestation, and he even exchanged civilities with Angria's brother, Angria himself having marched against the Seedee. On the 28th of January, 1717, tbe ' Catherine' anchored safel}' in the harbour of Bombay. We learn from a very curious work, written in 17o7, by a Lieutenant Downing, who served in several of the Company's ships-of-war at that time, that, in 1715, when Mr. Charles Boone assumed the Governorship of Bombay ,t the island was still in a * Tlie foUowiug is from the records of Government: — " Tlie Merchants' re- port of the taking of the ' Monsoon,' on the 12th of February, 1706, by the Girrca Savajees. " Tliis day tlie ' Aurenzeb' sailed out of Carwar Harbour to Mangalore, at ■which time the Girrea Savajees, with four grabs and thirty-five galivats (Nillu Purhoo, General of the ileet), lay in Bed Cove. She met the ' Monsoon' oti' An- jidiva, and told Mr. Wdcox, supercargo, the news. That night thoy kept com- pany together till they came oH' Collacon. Captain Edwards oilcrcd to see him oif Cape Eaymas, but he said he did not fear them. About midnight Captain Edwards parted company. Early in the morning the Savajees came out of tiie cove and engaged tlie ' Monsoon' for three hours, at which time he surrendered. They brought him to the Cove. Next day Mr. Mildmay wrote off to Nillu Pur- boo, and he delivered up all the Europeans. They said they had very little ammunition on board, having but eighteen shott. Alter the engagement Mr. Mildmay immediately wrote to the Viceroy this news. The Savajees kept the ' Monsoon' four days in Bed Cove. They went out with a design to carry her to Gu-rea, but off Goa they had such a strong northerly wind that they could hardly carry sail., At which time there came out from Algrarda one frigate, one grab, one Portuguese merchant, and a fighting munchua. The Savajees put afore the wind, and the Portuguese chased them. Tiu-y ran the siiip ashore in Beil Cove in the night, and left her, having ])hindered her of four bales of cloth. The Portuguese fired random shotts all that night. Next morning, seeing nobody on board, they lightened her and hauled her off. Tiic Savajees would fuin have persuaded the Rajah's peo])le to fire upon the Portuguese, which they refused. The Portuguese the same day carried tlie ' Monsoon' to Goa. The Savajees had her in possession nine days. That is all the Merchants know of this matter. Carwar, 4th of January, 1714-15." t In 1715 Bombay — according to the Reverend Richard Cobbe, the chaplain — had a population of sixteen thousand souls ; and, as regards its government, Aislabie was the last governor who bore the title of General. Ho left the Presi- 94 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. very unprotected state. He, accordingly, sent to Snrat, where he caused to be built, in six months, the ' Britannia,' Captain AVeeks commanding, and carrying eighteen guns and one hundred and forty men, and the ' Fame,' Captain Passvvater, sixteen guns and one hundred and twenty men. Each of these ships had, in addition to the crew, a company of marines on board. This squadron was now sent on a cruise down the coast ; and, after a skirmish or two with Angria's vessels, returned to Bombay, where the force was augmented by two new vessels, one of small size, called the ' Defiance,' Captain Matthews, and the other of twenty-four guns and one hundred and eighty men, called the ' Victory,' commanded by Captain Alexander Hamilton, who was Commodore and Commander-in-chief of all the Company's naval forces at Bombay, or on the coast of India. This squadron, having received a body of troops on board, pro- ceeded in 1718 to Carwar, where the sailors of the Bombay Marine performed good service. Having once been plundered by Mogul troops, the factory, which had been foolishly con- structed some distance from the sea, and so " was nothing but a genteel prison," had since been strongly fortified, and to this the inmates now owed their liberty, perhaps their lives, for the Desaee, as the ruler of the State of Sawunt Waree is called, having thrown off his allegiance to the Rajah of Sattara, considered that it was one of his royal privileges to claim all wrecks on the coast as his property, and resented the conduct of Mr. George Taylor, the Agent, who had appropriated to himself the cargo of a ship cast ashore about four miles from the factory. Commodore Hamilton gives the following interesting account of the operations :—" The Rajah besieged the factory for two months before the season would admit of forces coming to assist them by sea ; and when they arrived, the seas run so high on dency in 1715, and, after a brief interregnum, during which Stephen Strutt, the Deputy Governor, discharged the duties of the executive, was succeeded by Chai'les Boone, usually styled either President or Governor, who, again, was suc- ceeded in 1720, by William Phipps. The Governor's salary was £300 per annum, the Deputy-Governor, who was also accountant, received £100, and Lawrence Parker, who succeeded Strutt in the ofBce, received £100 as Chief Justice. The third in councU had £70, the fourth and fifth, £50 each, the sixth, seventh and eighth, had each £40. Then came " the Minister," as he was called, whose salary was £50 and usually another £50, a " gratuity, if found desei'ving." A physician and two surgeons received £50 each. Altogether, in 1720, there were forty-six covenanted servants in Bombay — military officers not being then included under that head — whose salaries were paid half-yearly, and amounted to £786 14*. 9d., or Rupees 6293. 3. 7, exchange being at the rate of 2s. 6d. per rupee. There was also a monthly charge of 2,620 rupees made on these gentlemen's account for diet and other allowances, and horses were pro- vided for them at tlie Company's cliarge. A separate account was kept for extraordinary disbursements, under which head came the steward's biU of 1,170 rupees, for festivities on New Year's and Christmas Days. There was no restric- tion on private trade, so that civil and military officers were openly engaged in large mercantile speculations, with the Company's sanction, as may be seen in the extant ledgers, called the " Latty Eecords." — (See "Bombay Quarterly Re- view," vol. iii.) HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 95 the shore, that there was great difficulty in landing- in the teeth of an enemy, who had ten times our numbers, so that the first attempt at landing was unsuccessful by our men's neglect and disobedience to the orders they had received, and about fourscore of our bravest fellows were cut off, and some taken prisoners ; but, about six weeks after, we had some revenge on the enemy in an engagement on the side of a hill among thick bushes. The enemy, being above our men, began their fire at break of day, to beat our men from a spring of fresh water close to the sea ; but our small vessels lying near the shore to cover about four hundred men, that lay to guard the water, fired with so good success, that, in an hour's time, they were obliged to run, and leave ;, near two hundred dead in the woods; and our men pursuing them in their flight, did some execution on them. We were in daily expectation of more forces, and did not offer the enemy battle, because of their numbers and our want of experience, but we harassed the enemies in the night in burning villages, for there was little to plunder ; and at sea we took some vessels laden with salt going to the enemy, and three ships of the Rajah coming from Arabia with horses, to the number (jf one hundred and forty, which created us much trouble to find provender and water for them. However, when our rein- forcement came, we could muster, in our fleet, of seamen and soldiers, two thousand two hundred and fifty men. The enemy raised some batteries on the strand to hinder our landing, and we took two of the prizes, and made them shot proof above water, cind laid them ashore at high water to batter their batteries, and keep the enemy at a distance with their great shot, till our men were landed and drawn up. Each of our floating batteries were covered with a frigate of twenty or twenty-four guns. When all was ready, we landed one thousand two hundred and fifty men without the least hindrance from the enemy, for they were preparing to flee to the woods ; but our fresh-water land officers were so long a drawing up of their men in a confounded iiollow square, that the enemy took courage, and, with horse and foot, came running towards our men, firing, and wounding some as they marched in their ranks, which our Commandant seeing, pulled off his red coat and vanished. Some other as valiant captains as he took example and left their posts, and then the soldiers followed, and threw down their arms. We lost in this skirmish about two hinidred and fifty, but our floating batteries would not permit the enemy to pursue far, nor durst they stay to gather up our scattered arms, so about eighty sailors went on the field of battle, and brought on board of the Commodore about two hundred stand of arms, most of them loaded. However, the enemy had some loss too, for we found eleven horses dead, and saw maiiy fires along the foot of the hills to burn their dead men in. The Kajah had, by this 90 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. time, seven thousand men engaged in this war, which expense he began to get tired of, and the k:)ss of his ships and horses was some mortification to him, besides the Sow Rajah* had made an inroad into his northern borders, which made him incline very much towards a peace, and accordingly he sent a Brahman on board to the Commodore of the fleet, to negociate about a peace. The Commodore heard him, and advised him to make his over- tures to Mr. Taylor. By the mediation of a Seid, who was a friend to both parties, ten days after the first overture was made, peace was proclaimed on easy terms for both parties^"t'' We find that, in 1716, the cost of theJVIarine wis ^£51,700, and it consisted of one ship of thirty-two guns, four grab-shi^TS, mounting between twenty and twenty-eight guns, and twenty grabs and galivats, carrying between five and twelve guns. It was not long before this little force had an opportunity of proving its metal by an encounter with a Maritime Power which had defied the efforts alike of the Portuguese, Dutch, and Mahrattas. This was Kanhojee Angria, who, from being a common seaman in Sevajee's fleet, rose from one post to another, till he was made Admiral of the Mahratta fleet by Rajah Ram. He took part * The Mahratta Rajah was so denominated by the English. t At Calicut the tide of English affairs had ebbed, and, in 1714, the Com- pany's agent suffered much personal loss from the failure of an attempt to clieek the encroachments of tlie Dutch, who liad commenced building a fort on laud, wliich the Zamorin claimed as his own, but which they maintahied Iiad been given them by the Eajah of Cochin. The consequence was, that the factors were removed to TeUicherry, and only a Portuguese agent, styled " the linguist, ' retained at Calicut. At TeUiclierry the Company had obtained, in 1708, the grant of a mud fort which originally belonged to the French, and which, after a few years, the English converted into a soUd structure. For twenty years the agent was engaged in hostilities of trifling importance with the principal Nair of the place, and lavished more money upon tlie fortifications than would have paid for tlie whole of the investments, and kept up a considei-able force of European and Goanese. The factors of Anjengo, situated seventy-eight miles from Cape Comorin, were, in 17^1, horror stricken by one of those calamities which so frequently chequered the lives of Englishmen in India. This was the murder of the Chief and of his council and a numerous suite, by the collectors of the Ranee of Attinga. In the year 1715, the Emperor Ferokshir, — grandson of Shah Aulum, who died in l7l2, after a reign of only five years, — impelled by a feeling of gratitude to Dr. Hamilton, physician to an embassy sent by the Company to his Court, who had cured him of a disgraceful disease, commanded his benefactor to name his own reward ; upon which the high-minded and disinterested Hamilton soli- cited privileges for the Company. This petition, which was delivered to the Emperor in January, 1716, contained among other clauses, " that a fixed sum should be paid at Surat in lieu of all duties," but it was not until January, 1717, just two years after the arrival of the embassy at Delhi, that the concessions were granted. Sir John Gayer had been released after a confinement of seven years, but the Company's servants at Surat had been so greatly oppressed by the Mogul Nawab of Guzerat and his officers, that the factory was actually closed between the years 1712 and 1716, though it was reopened by the terms of this patent, the concession of which was hastened by a well-placed bribe, and the expectation of a possible visit of an English fleet. The history of the small factory at Cam- bay, like those of Calicut and Anjengo, is also a record of oppression by the Mogul Government, and of depredations by lawless Mahrattas on shore, and the Cooly pirates at sea. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 97 with Sambhajee against Shao, grandson of Sevajee, but was induced by certain concessions to renounce the cause of the former, and release the Peishwa. Kanhojee possessed all the coast from Sawunt Waree to Bombay, but now received, as a bribe for his compliance, ten forts, including Kenery, Kolahah. Severndroog, and yiziadroCrg,--(as the Moguls called it), or G4ieriah, and sixteen fortified places, of less strength, together '^rtttr ctrmUiand of the fleet and the recognition of the title of 'Surkheil. The consequence of this compact was, that the Seedee found himself deprived of some places, the revenues of which he had enjoyed for twenty years ; but Ballajee Wishwanath, who commanded Shao's armies, and was now appointed Peishwa, compelled him to submit.* Angria now le\ied his " Chout." by continuing to plunder ships of all nations that appeared off his coast, but he refrained from molesting the English. At this time his fleet consisted of ten grabs, mounting from sixteen to thirty guns each, an'd Smn^ of nearly 400 tons, and also fifty galivats, some of 120 tons, and mounting four to ten ^ gimsT Atrimated by a lust for plunder, there now flocked to his standard numerous adventurers, including renegade Christians, mostly Dutch and Portuguese, Arabs, Mussulmen and negroes, a most daring and desperate band. Off the jMalabar coast, two ships and four grabs, in Kan- hojee's pay, attacked the Company's ship 'President,' when a desperate action ensued. I'liree of the grabs gra})pled and attempted to board, and the crew of one actually gained a footing on the ' President's' deck ; but their success was short-lived, for they were beaten back with terrible loss. Two of the grabs were sunk, and a third was blown up while lying close alongside the 'President,' so that several of the English crew were scorched, and the ship set on fire in sixteen places. The rest of the enemy's fleet now retreated, and the ' President' was left to refit and enjoy her hardly-won triumph. In this action she lost eleven men killed and thirty- five wounded, but the pirates, whose loss was enormous, learned a lesson as to the necessity of caution in attacking a Company's shi[), which they were not slow to take to heart. In 1717, Angria's cruisers captured the sliip 'Success,' sailing under British colours, which so incensed Mr. Boone that he resolved to commence active hostilities against the pirates. "In April, 1717," says Lieutenant Downing, "we got all our fleet together for the siege of the Castle of Gheriah, and, on the 10th, the President reviewed the land forces on shore, and saw all things put in good and sufficient order. We proceeded down the coast, which is not above twelve hours' sail from Pxiuibay, where we, with all our navy, soon arrived, and ran boldly into the harbour, Captain Berlew, Commodore, and arranged a line * Grant Duff's " History of the Mahrattas," vol. i., pp. 433-436. VOL. I. H 98 HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. from the easternmost part of the fortifications to the outer part of the harbour, keeping all our small galleys and galivatson the off-side under shelter. But they had strong fortifications on both sides, so that we left our strongest ships in the harbour to make a breach in the wall, in order to storm the castle. The rocks were very high and slippery, that one could hardly stand without a staff, and consequently not a place convenient to draw men up in any posture of defence. We endeavoured to get the fire-ship in, but could not, for on the east part of the fort they had a cove or creek, where they had laid up a great part of their fleet, and had a strong boom across the same, so that we could not get among them any otherwise than by throwing our bombs and cohorns very thickly into the garrison, which we did for a considerable time, and were in hopes, after the first and second days' siege, that we should have drove them out of that strong castle ; but we soon found that the place was impregnable : for as we kept throwing our shells as fast as we could, in regular time, cooling our chambers before we loaded again, after we had beat down two or three houses in the castle, the shells fell on the rocks in the inside of the castle, and the Aveight and force of falling would break them without so much as their blowing np, which was supposed to be owing to the fusee of the shell burning too long. As to storming the walls, they were so high, that the scaling ladders would not near reach the top of them." Notwithstanding all their exertions, the commanders had to draw oft' their forces on the 18th of April, 1717, having, pre- viously, made an attempt to storm with the troops, who were driven back with great loss. In October, 1718, we find the squadron employed, in conjunc- tion with the troops, in attacking Kenery, now in the occupation of Angria. The first day a continual fire was kept up on both sides from four in the morning till eight at night ; the English, how- ever, appear to have been short-handed, as we gather from the notice issued by the Governor, Mr. Boone, the same evening, " that if any would go volunteers for the next day's service, they should be paid on their arrival at Bombay forty rupees, and whosoever should lose a leg or an arm in the said expedition, should have £30 paid by the Company at their arrival in London, and be employed in their service during life." This bait only procured forty men, and the expedition proved unsuccessful; on landing next morning and attempting to carry the strong fortifications by storm, the small British force was driven back with considerable loss. This failure was said to be owing to the treachery of one Rama Kamattee, by whom the garrison were placed on their guard.* This man was brought * The following letter, said to have been written on this occasion by Rama Kamattee to Angria, is a curious specimen of the style used in addressing the petty princes of India ; — "To the Opulent and Magnificent as the Sun, valorous and victorious, always HISTORY OF THE IXDIAX XxVYY. 09 to trial on the 24th of March, 1720, on this and other charges of treachery, and, being convicted, was condemned to life-hmg imprisonment, and confiscation of all his property. Of this alTair, Hamilton says: — "Cundra (Kenery) is fortified by the Sevajee, and is now in the hands of Conhajee Angria. The English have made several attempts to take it, but never could, though in anno 1719, it had certainly been taken, had not a Portuguese traitor, who lay on one quarter of it with some vessels of war to hinder relief coming to it, betrayed his trust, and let some boats pass by in the night with provisions and ammunition, which the island was in great want of. The f^nglish landed, and were obliged to retire by some loss they received."' On the Governor's return to Bombay, we find him turning his attention to the construction of a novel class of vessel, for " he gave orders to build a floating castle, or a machine that should be almost cannon -proof." This vessel was flat-floored, and her sides were made of a thickness that was supposed to render her shot-proof; she was fitted to sail with one mast, carry- ing a topsail, and mounting twelve guns, 48-pounders, and, says Lieutenant Downing, " must have proved of great service to us against any of those castles, which we could approach near enough to cannonade." She does not appear to have fulfilled the expectations formed of her invulnerability, for, in the year following, when in tow of a vessel ]n-oceeding on a cruise, she was attacked by pirates, and, to prevent her falling into their hands, was set on fire and sunk. Angria still continued troublesome, capturing and destroying many vessels trading to Bombay, but, at the same time, losing many of his own through the vigilance of our cruisers. According to another account, an expedition was conducted against Gheriah in the year 1720, by a My. Walter Brown, which is also referred to by Grant Duff, who makes no mention of the attack in 1717, so that it is probable that there is a confusion of dates, and that the expeditions are identical, as the circumstances of the failures in which they resulted, would seem to denote. The author of "A Chapter in the History of Bombay," who derives his information from a contemporary couras^eous, the liberal, prudent, and pillar of fortitude, the essence of undcr- standmg, the protector of Braminee, defender of tlie faith, prosperous in all things, honoured of kings, above all councillors, Seuor Canhojee Angria, Sarqucel. Kamajee Comateo, your servant writes, witli all the veneration and readiness for your service, and with your favour. I remain as always. " Our General here has resolved in Council to attack and tako the fort of Cundrv, and thus it is agreed to environ the said fort the 17th day of October, and the armada, powder, and ball, and all other necessaries for war are ready. I therefore write your Honour tliat you may have the said fort well-furnished. As for the side of Rajaporee, I have spoke to and agreed with Alia Naiq Loucau- dee, that they of Rajaporee shall not help either party, thus I have given this notice. 1 do not write more, only beg that you will retain me in your favour. Dated the 12lh of October." H 2 100 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. writer,* says of this expedition : — " Mr. Walter Brown was appointed Coniniander-in-cliief, and numerous vessels, with a strong detachment of troops, were mustered. Immediatelj'' on entering the river he landed his soldiers, who attacked and put to flight a body of the enemy's troops, while a portion of his fleet ascending, destroyed sixteen vessels, and with the other portion he made a diversion by firing upon the fort. A platoon of Angria's men having come near, the English destroyed half of them ; but in doing so, one of their guns burst, and killed four of their own men. Mr. Brown's gain and loss ended here, for hopeless of making any impression upon the fort itself, he withdrew," The Government of Bombay celebrated this as a victory, and fired salutes ; but Angria affirmed it was an inglorious defeat, and, in a taunting letter to the Governor, scoft'ed at the efforts which the English and Portuguese had made to injure him. He, however, made proposals for peace, but Governor Phipps, in reply, refused to treat until the European prisoners were released. In April, 1720, four of Angria's grabs, and ten galivats, attacked the English ship 'Charlotte,' and, after a gallant defence, her powder being all consumed, they captured and carried her into Gheriah. On the succession, in the same year, of Mr. Phipps, as President in Council, hostilities were vigorously prosecuted ; but Kanhojee Angria continued to defy the efforts, both of the Portuguese and English, though his ships generally avoided a conflict with the Company's cruisers, and were captured if they risked an action ; but they had the protection of the strong forts, which lined the coast, and the cannon of these were of heavy calibre, and were well manned by European, as well as native, gunners. The Portuguese ill requited the hospitality extended to them in 1694, when the Arab fleets harried and pillaged the coasts of Salsette. Hamilton writes : — "About the year 1720 the priests of Salset disturbed the English at Mahim, animating the people to arms ; but a bomb or two thrown into the church at Bandara, had no respect to the priesthood, but sacrilegiously killed one or two, besides some lay brothers, which made them know that war was not their trade. They were also troublesome to the English in anno 1722, but the English surprised a parcel that were about repairing an old fort, contrary to articles of agree- ment, and killed a score or two, which made the rest take to their heels, and be quiet." The Bombay Government, incensed at Angria's continued * A New Account of the East Indies, being the observations and remarks of Captain Alexander Hamilton, who spent his time there from the year 1688 to 17:^3.— Edinburgh, 1727. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 101 piracies, in 1722 engaged in a joint expedition, with the Portu- guese, against the strongly fortified island of Colabah, situated about five miles from Kener}^ from which it bears S.S.E., near the shore, at the entrance of a river. The Portuguese furnished the land forces, and there were three ships ot the Bombay Marine, commanded by Commodore Matthews, but the attempt failed, owing to the cowardice of the Portuguese ; indeed it was said they acted with treachery, having a secrc understanding with Angria, from whose depredations they suffered less than other nationalities. The Bombay ]\larine highly distinguished itself on that occasion, and lost several officers and men. Two years afterwards a powerful Dutch squadron of seven ships, carrying between thirty and fifty guns, and two bomb-vessels, with a body of troops, made an attempt on Angria's stronghold of Viziadroog, but they were repulsed with great loss. Nor was Angria the onl}^ piratical power from whose dei)re- dations the English trade suff"ered, for the Sanganians, whose chief seaport was Beyt, at the entrance of the Gulf of Cutch, also preyed on English commerce. An attempt made by them, in 1717, to capture the Company's ship ' Morning Star,' detailed b}^ Hamilton, led to one of the severest of the naval contests which have been waged on the western coast of India. Ascer- taining through their spies that she was on her passage from Gombroon to JSurat with a valuable cargo, the pirates waylaid her with two squadrons, consisting of one vessel of nearly 500 tons, three others of between 200 and 300 tons, and four smaller craft, carrying in all about two thousand men. Wc- sides her native crew, only seventeen European fighting men were on board the ']\Iorning Star,' but they were resolute and prepared to defend themselves to tlie last. The pirate's largest ship opened the engagement by coming at once to close quarters, and the English commander's thigh was pierced with a lance, but they were then com[)elled to sheer ofi". After taking a day to consider a new plan of attack, they threw their two largest vessels on tiie Englishman's bows, another on his quarter, and closed with the tliive others, so as to board him from five points. A desperate conflict ensued ; seven men of the 'Morning Star' were killed, and as many wounded, she was set on fire in three places, so that her poop and half-deck were burnt through, but, after four hours' close conflict, her crew contrived to disengage her, and, leaving her five enemies so entangled with one another that they could not give chase, she bore away with all speed for Bombay. One of her native seamen and twenty-six native merchants, who had gone from her to the pirates with the hope of dissuading them from their attempt, reuiained in their hands, and the Sanganians revived .£600 for their ransom. So dissatisfied, however, were their chiefs with the result of the attempt to capture the small 102 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. English ship, tliat they ordered the officer who connnunded their Heet to be put to death. Madagascar continued to be, as it had been for a century, a stronghold of pirates. In 1720, two of their vessels boldly attacked three ships as they were lying at anchor ; two. called the 'Greenwich' and ' Cassandra,' " being English, the third belonging to the Ostend Company, who were "interlopers." The ' Greenwich' and the Ostend ship weighed and put to sea, but the ' Cassandra' ran by accident on some rocks. The only piratical vessel which attacked her was of Dutch build, with twenty guns; and she also grounded about twenty yards from the Englishman, so that she lay towards his broadside. In this predicament her decks were swept by the ' Cassandra's' guns, and her crew compelled to seek shelter in the hold, but on her companion coming to her assistance, the English Captain found it necessary to save the lives of himself and crew by taking to the boats. The most remarkable part of this affair was, that he afterwards had the address and courage to visit the pirates, and so gained upon their better feelings by his judicious appeals, that they presented to him their own vessel which he had so severely battered. With this he, and his distressed crew, reached Bombay in September, when their bravery was rewarded by the thanks and liberality of the Governor. Commodore Matthews sailed with his grabs to revenge this and other injuries in 1722, but, says Hamilton, " found they had deserted the island of St. Mary's, leaving behind them some marks of their robberies, for in some places they found pepper a foot thick, lying on the ground in the open air. The Commodore aforesaid went with his squadron over to the main island, but the pirates had carried their ships into rivers and creeks, out of danger of the men-of-war, and to offer to burn them with their boats would be impracticable, since they could have easily distressed the boat's crews out of the woods. The Counnodore had some discourse with some of them, but they stood on their guard, ready to defend themselves if any violence had been offered them."* * Hamilton writes : — " There had been several squadrons of British men-of- war sent to cruise on the pirates, but have had very ill success in finding them out ; but one Scot's ship, commanded hj one Millar, did the publick more service in destroying them, than all the chargeable squadrons that have been sent out in quest of them ; for, with a cargo of strong ale and brandy, which he carried to sell tliem, in anno 1704, he killed about five hundred of tliem by carousing, though they took his ship and cargo as a present from liim, and his men entered, most of them, into the society of the pirates. It was reported in India, that Commodore Littleton had some of that gang on board the ' Anglesey' at Mada- gascar, but, for some valuable reasons, he let them go again ; and because tliey found difficulty in cleaning the bottoms of their large ships, he generously assisted them with large blocks and jack-falls for careening them. Whether those reports were true or false, I will not undertake to determine, but I saw a pirate at Bengal, in the French Company's service, that affirmed it. Madagascar is- envii-oued with islands and dangerous slioles, botli of rocks and sand. St. Mary's, HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 103 Captain Hamilton describes the defence, by a handfid of Company's seamen, of the British fiictory at Gombroon in the year 1721, against the attack of four thousand Beloochee horse. He says : — " We heard of their design about ten days before they came, and so we and the Dutch fortified our factories as well as we possibly could, planting little falconets on tlie top of our walls in swivels, and beating out ports in our walls, to ply great guns, to scour the avenues to our factories. Mean- while the Persian Governor fired guns every night, to let the enemy know he was a brave fellow ; however, they had a mind to see, and on the 15th of December they appeared near the town, on a swift march towards it, which scared the Governor so much, that, though there was a high mud wall between him and them, he got on horseback and fled to a fort on the seashore, leaving a few guns loaded as they were, to the enemy. The Ballovvches came first to the west quarters of the town, where our factory stands, and soon made passages through the mud walls. They hewed down all that came in their wa}', particularly, old people and children, and came in a confused haste to attack our factory, down some lane : but we gave them a warm wolci)me with our great guns and small shot. They soon found their mistake, and retired in as great haste as they came. Some of their musketeers got into ruined houses, and fired on us ; but we being barricaded, they did us little damage, and had our men observed their orders better, we had come off with less. Our firing lasted about three hours, in which time we lost three or four, killed by their own rashness in standing open to the enemy, when they might have done better service under cover of our barricadoes. We had also seven wounded, but none raortall}^ but one who was a factor, who received a shot in his right hand, which threw him into a fever, of which he died in seven or eight days. The agent being gone to Lspaham some weeks before we had any advice of the Ballowches coming, had carried twenty soldiers along with him for a guard, and left but six in the factory, besides cooks, and a few servants. I saw the factory in danger if they should be attacked, so I reinforced it with thirty-six of my best men, and another small English ship from Bombay, assisted with eight or nine of his, so that when the enemy came, we were about fifty strong. The season being very cold, made our duty hard, for we lay in our arms every night, for ten or twelve nights that the enemy lay in the town. They had a consultation next day after their repulse, how they might make another attack, but none would undertake to on the east side, is the place where tlie pirates first chose for tlu'ir iisvhim, haring a good harbour to secure tliem from the weather, tliougli in going in tlicre are some ditliculties, but hearing that squadrons of EngUsh ships were come in quest of them, they removed to the mainland for more security, and there they made themselves free denizens by marriage. And I am of opinion, tliat it will be no easy matter to dispossess them." 104 HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. lead their men on, and so the da}' after consultation, they went to attack the Dutch, who were three times stronger than we, and they met with the same kind reception we gave them ; but they had a warehouse within pistol-shot of their factory, with goods to the amount of =£20,000 sterling, in it, which the Ballowches broke into and plundered. The Dutch lost twelve men, and had eight or ten wounded, so finding our factories were not to be taken without the danger of much bloodshed, they went plundering the town for eight or nine days, and carried away in money and goods, above ^£200,000, besides fourteen thousand captives, and as many beasts of carriage, and so went oft' about five or six miles from the town, which they laid in ashes before they left it. They continued in our neigh- bourhood, with their plunder, about a month, I suppose till they received new orders how to dispose of themselves." The failures to coerce Angria tended generally to increase his power. No trading vessels dared to pass down the coast with- out an escort of ships of war, and the name of this pirate chief was as much dreaded as was ever that of the Algerines in the Mediterranean. Emboldened by his success, Angria now openly attacked English vessels, and, in 1627, captured a richly-laden ship, belonging to the Company, which, together with other prizes, was taken to his fortified harbours. " These," says Grant DulF, "were considered impregnable," and off^ered from their number and position, peculiar facilities for piratical operations. Although Kanhojee Angria had, in 1728, made a proposition for a peaceful settlement of disputes, he captured the Company's galley, ' King William,' in the following year, and took Captain McNeale, prisoner. This unfortunate officer, having made a fruitless attempt to escape, was loaded with irons, and so severely beaten that his life was despaired of. Only after many years he was released with some other European prisoners, on paying a ransom of 500 rupees, Avhich, however, were repaid him by Government, in consideration of his severe sufferings. In 1730 a hope was indulged that, by an alliance with the Bhonslaysof Sawunt Waree, the common enemy, Angria, might be effectually punished ; but this proved visionary, although a treaty was actually made and ratified. Soon after this event, the death of Kanhojee Angria must have occurred.* Kanhojee left two legitimate sons, between whom his territories were divided. Sukhojee^ the elder, obtaining Colaba as his share, and the southern coasT falling to Sambhajee, the * Consultation Book of the Bombaj Government, the 10th of Febniary, 1728, 1729, and April, 1735. The Treaty is dated the 12th of January, 1730. Grant Dull' surmised that Kanhojee Angria died in 1728, but added in a note, " I am not certain of this date, as I have not observed it in the English Records." Kanhojee is mentioned in the treaty with the Bhonslay, as still alive, and there- fore this surmise must be incorrect. Grote also says, in his " Travels in the In- dies," '•' Angria died about 1731, being about sixty." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 105 younger, who resided at/Beverndroog. The former made friendly advances to the Engfeh: Government, and, on the 21st of June, 1733, two of his envoys presented themselves before the President in Council, with proposals for peace ; but death frustrated his good intentions. Mannajee, one of the three illegitimate sons of the late Kaidiojee, having quarrelled with his family, took Colaba by escalade, with the assistance of the Portuguese, and, having put out the eyes of his brother, Yessajee, threw him into prison. JMannajee successfully resisted all Sambhajee's efforts to displace him, and, forming an alliance with Shao, the ]\lahratta Rajah, or rather with Rajee Rao, the Peishwa, whose power was becoming absolute, he endea- voured to gain the fort of Anjenwil, under the guns of which lay the fleet of the sij eedee o^f Jinjeera * To prevent such a consumnu\tion and check the growth of his power, the Govern- ment of Bombay sent Captain ^IcNeale, who had recently gained his liberty, and Lieutenant Inchbird, with the ' Victoria,' ' Bombay,' and 'Princess,' galleys, to the Seedee's assistance; but for some reason, not assigned, they did not sail until the following March ; and even then, although their force consisted of two ensigns, four sergeants, four corporals, forty European soldiers, and sixty topasses, with six 9-pounderguns, they were not empowered to take active measures, but merely to consult with the Seedee, and to deliver to him sixty barrels of gun- powder and a hundred muskets. Such lukewarm aid was, as might have been expected, unavailing, and Mannajee Angria, having gained possession of his galivats, was permitted to retain them, on paying 70,000 rupees to Bajee Rao, who also acquired for himself several of the Seedee's forts. Another of Mannajee's conquests caused more anxiety to the Bombay Government than all the rest. Rewaree, on the River Penii, which flows into the harbour of Bombay, became his, and thus he held in his hand a key to the communication of the island with the continent. A passage boat plied regularly between the places, for the convenience of the Brinjaries, who brought merchandise from the interior, and who. it was feared, migiit. on their return, convey to the pirate chief intelligence ol all that was occurring at Bombay. The growing importance of the English Government was manifested by the flattering letters and proposals which they received in the course of these affairs froHj^ B^ij^'^-' li'^<3; one of the most sagacious and powerful statesmen"" of the Mahratta Empire. ^Vhen besieging Rajapore, he wrote in the name of * See "The First Wars and Treaties of the Western Presidency," in tlie " Bombay Quarterly Review," to Avhieh we are mainly indebted for ^-idmible ma- terial relating to the services of tlie Indian jS'avy between tlic years 172t;-5l. Tlie sources whence this writer drew his materials are, inter alia, the Bombay '' Con- sultation Book," and the Diaries of the Company's factors at Siirat, Anjenj-o, Teilicherry, and other factories on the West Coast. 106 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NxVVY. the Eajali of Sattara to the President and Council of Bombay, begging that they wo\ih:I not permit their fleet to interfere with his operations, and, shortly afterwards, he invited them to medi- ate between himself and the Seedee, sending an envoy of dis- tinction to them, and another to Rajapore, who was rqet there by Messrs. Lowther and Dickenson. However, much as the English were disposed to be on friendly terms with the powerful Peishwa, they could take no part with him then, because he was in alliance with Angria, their unrelenting foe. Against this pirate chief they at once sent three cruisers, under the com- mand of Captains Lewis, Frampton, and Tolson, wdio inter- cepted the enemy as he was sailing from Colaba to Rajapore. As it was never the policy of ]\lahratta sailors to risk a naval engagement, an exciting chase w^as the sole result, when the whole of Angria's fleet escaped, with the exception of one large grab which ran ashore in the Bay of Antigheria. In the mean- while, Messrs. Lowther and Dickenson had arranged with the rival Seedees of Jinjeera a treaty of alliance, afterwards ratified by their Government, according to which both parties bound themselves to act in concert against Angria, and not to treat with him except by mutual consent. They agreed that all prizes taken at sea should be allotted to the English, and to the Seedee all conquests made on land, with the exception of Kenery, which, if taken, should be delivered, with all its guns and stores, to the English, and the fort and district of Colaba, which should be demolished. The contracting parties were to divide equally between themselves the levenues of Colaba, and the English to build a fiictory or fort at i\Ihopal, in that dis- trict, situated between the rivers Peun and Nagotan. • But the Seedees' prosperous days had passed ; their power was on the wane, and of little assistance to the English in combating the more formidable Angrias. So serious were the injuries inflicted by these pirates, and so heavy the expense of fitting out ships to protect trade, that the Company were pre- vented from making their usual investments, and, in their alarm, even began to anticipate an extinction of their commerce in Western India. Emboldened by success, and looking for sup- port from the Mahratta Rajah of Sattara, the Angrias aspired to bring all the Seedee's territories under their subjection, and possess themselves of every port on the coast between Bonibay and Goa. Nor in all probability would their efforts have been (""fruitless if family dissensions, which so often thwart the best ^natured designs of Native powers, had not intervened. Man- najee aiid Sambhajee were still at open feud with each other, and the President and Council resolved to foment their dis- putes. ^Yith that view^ they sent to Colaba Captain Inchbird^ who had becouie better acquainted with the customs and hm- guages of the natives than all his contemporaries, and was, in HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 107 consequence, the favourite diplomatist of the clay. His instruc- tions were simple ; he was directed to assist Mannajee with money and military stores, and " to take all opportunities of spiriting him up to carry on his resentments against his brother." ie-tirae, naval operations were undertaken, and ?6^modore Bagwell, with four cruisers, having cruised for a Ign^ttrofTime "in search of Sambhajee's fleet, of which he oidy caught occas;ional glimpses, was rewarded, on the 22nd of De- cember, ^^738*,"^' by the sight of rnrre ofhis grabs and thirteen galivats issuing from the port of /xheriah and creeping timidly along the shore. Disproportionea-5s"Tiis force was in numbers, he at once bore down upon them ; but, anxious only to avoid a confli(;t, they stood into the river of Kajapore, where the gallant and impetuous Commodore beheld them lying at anchor, and in bravado displaying all their flags and pendants. At a loss to account for what he called such "consummate impudence,*' he conjectured that the}' must be relying for safetj" upon a fort, or some hidden dangers of the navigation with which he was un- acquainted. After a brief consultation, however, with his cap- tains, he resolved to engage them at close quarters, and made all sail to approach them, his crews giving three hearty cheers. But the enemy's deiiance had been only vain show, and, on seeing the English really bearing down upon him, his first aim w^as to run up the river. The eager Commodore used his utmost efforts to prevent him carrying this into efi"ect. " Be- fore some of them could slip or cut," he wrote, "I w^as within musquett shott, and did really think I should have been on board one of them." As it was, luck did not declare in his favour ; they made off under his heavy broadsides, until he found himself with only four fathoms of water and locked in by the rocks. Ignorant of the navigation, he was compelled to give the signal for returning, but had the satisfaction of hearing afterwards that he had inflicted much damage upon the enemy's fleet and killed his Chief xVdmiral. Thus avoiding all encounters with the Company's ships of war, Sambhajee still continued to prey upon their shi})ping. On the 26th of- December, 1735, he inflicted a most severe bljow on their tracle by attacking, with five of his grabs, the ■"'Derby,' a large East Indiaman. After a severe engagement, iu. which all her masts were shot away, he succeeded in making her his prize, and thus procured such a large supply of naval stores that he was enabled to equif) his ships as well as any on the coast. The same day on which his shi))s had fled so dis- gracefully before the little squadron under Commodore 15agwell, he was much elated by capturing thg ''Anne/ one of the Com- pany's grabs, and several smaller vesWk with rich cargoes. As though satisfied with his success, he pretended to wish for 108 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. ""peace, and, in 1789, made overtures to the English Government ; but, as he demanded that they should provide all their trading vessels with his passes, and pay him 2,000,000 rupees annually for the free navigation of the seas, his proposals were at once rejected as absurdly extravagant. The following January Sambhajee flew at higher game than he had ever before ventured to attack. On the 9th of that month, as the 'Harrington,' 'Pulteney,' 'Ceres,' and 'Halifax,' four Indiamen which had just arrived on the coast from Eng- land, were waiting for a convoy, they descried, at sunset, fifteen sail, wdiich they soon made out to be Angria's fleet. Singling out the 'Harrington,' as she was some distance from the rest, the enemy formed their line abreast, according to custom, and firing their bow-guns, bore down upon the India- man, which, at first, only replied with her stern chasers ; then, finding her weight of metal superior, tacked and delivered three broadsides. After a distant contest of five hours, the pirates sailed away ; but, unwilling to lose such a rich prize, appeared again at five the next morning rending the air as they drew near with discordant music. This time the 'Harrington' ac- cepted their invitation at once, and they were proportionately reluctant to engage at close quarters; but at last she came up with three large grabs, including their admiral's, and, shortly after, no fewer than six were within a few yards of her. At noon their admiral's vessel was crippled, and they sheered off", the galivats, which were impelled by oars, taking hiui in tow, and thus getting to windward where the large English ship could not follow them. Their repulse at that time was most fortunate, as the ammunition on board the 'Harrington' w-as expended, and her commander could not have continued the fight longer. Knowing that it was his best policy to look his enemy in the face, he lay to for three hours, but they did not venture to renew the engagement. As for Mannajee Angria, he was a fast and loose friend, or an actual enemy, just as it suited him. Even his friendship was dangerous, and to use a comparison of the Indian moralist, he Avas " like coal, which when hot burns the hand, and when cold blackens it;" while he professed to be a close ally of the English, his covetous nature could not resist the temptation if one of their unarmed ships happened to be sailing near his quarters. At the very time his envoy was njaking protestations of friendly sentiments at Bombay, he seized two vessels laden with grain for the island, and, before remonstrance could reach him, two other vessels belonging to the factory of Surat. All complaints and threats he met with excuses and evasions. When, however, he had gone so far as to make English prisoners labour at his public works, such insolence could no longer be tolerated, and, in March 1739, Captain Inchbird, sailing with HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 109 iiis little fleet to Caranja, which had just fallen into Mannajeo's hands, captured eight of his fighting galivats and thirteen fish- ing boats. In November, Mannajue took the Island of Ele- phanta, hoisting his flag there in defiance of the little English garrison stationed in close proximity at Butcher's Island ; and, although he had begun a friendly correspondence, in April, with the English, and showed a disposition to make restitution for past injuries, he detained, in July, four boats which they had sent across the harbour to open comnnmications with the General of the Mahratta Peishwa. As this last insult was offered at a time when a rupture would have been inconvenient, it was overlooked, and a hollow peace was made between him and the English Government. Some time afterwards mis- fortune changed his disposition, and brought him as a suppliant to Bombay, where he represented that his brother, Sambhajee, v- having taken Choul, Alibagh, Thull, and Sagurgurh, had laid j ^- siege to Colaba, and cut off all the fresh water of the garrison. At his earnest request, Mr. Stephen Law, the Governor, or President, of Bombay, sent a squadron of cruisers, which con- veyed a supply of water, forced Sambhajee's fleet to run down to Severndroog, and opened such a heavy cannonade upon his camp as compelled him to remove it from the seaside and throw up entrenchments for its protection. Sambhajee then requested permission of the Commodore to retire to Severndroog, and, on that being refused, he made a disorderly retreat, thoroughly humbled by the English squadron and a co-operating Mahratta force, under the Peishwa's son, Ballajee Bajee Rao, also known at tlrtrT'time under the name, rendered infamous for all time, of /'^liana^_Salii.b. Mannajee, dismayed at the prospect of the occu- pation of Colaba by the Mahrattas, hastily patched up a truce with Sambhajee, and the two Angrias, having received a whole- some warning, lived for a time in fraternal concord.* As there was no hope that Sambhajee would ever cease to be a robber, or that he would honestly observe any treaties he might make with the English, the hitter conceived it necessary to their interests to form an alliance with his oi)i)Oiients. The power which, of all others, was every day becoming more for- midable, was that of the J\Iahratta Rajah of Sattara, or rather, of his ambitious minister, the Peishwa. The active and maraud- ing " Sevajees," as the Mahrattas were then called, after their first great leader, now nnistered regular armies, wiih well equipped trains of artillery', and, not content with levying black mail in the open country, were pn'pared to batter down walls and capture fortresses. For some years they had been engaged in hostilities with the Portuguese, whose possessions near Bombay they coveted, and the heavy reverses which the latter now sustained at their hands, removed the only ally that might * Grant Duff, vul. i., chap. xvi. 110 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. have been of service to the English in the struggle with Angria. which dail}' became more inevitable. In 1731 Tanna was threatened by the Mahrattas, and the Government of Bombay, disposed at the time to assist the weaker side, sent three hundred men to garrison it, but, soon afterwards, withdrew their aid and rather countenanced the aggressors. How little the English knew on that occasion of a people who were soon to be the terror of the whole peninsuhi, may be inferred from the fact that the factory of Surat, when forwarding a dispatch, under date April 20, 1737, to their friends at Bengal, deemed it necessary to explain who the Mahrattas were. " The Portuguese territories adjacent to Bombay," they wrote, " have been suddenly invaded by the Mahrattas, a people subject to the Sow Rajah, who have pro- secuted their attempts so successfully as to render even our Honourable Master's island in danger." In 1737 the Mahratta army sat down before Tanna, and, although the Portuguese repulsed two assaults with bravery, the third struck them with a panic, and the place was taken. The English anticipated that they would be the next objects of attack ; but, fearing to provoke the invaders by any resolute effort to protect their victims, were satisfied with dispatching fifty men and some ammunition to assist in the defence of Bandora. At tlie same time they declared their intention of remaining neutral in other respects, and were so inconsistent as not only to apprize the Mahrattas when the Portuguese were making great preparations for the recovery of Tanna, but even to supply the garrison with powder and shot ; in consequence of which the expedition failed, and its brave Commander, Don Antonio Frois, was slain. In extenuation of such conduct, the English Governor made the ungenerous excuse that thej'^ were but retaliating on the Portuguese for the information which they had communicated, and the supplies they had furnished, to the Seedee when he in- vaded Bombay. Soon after Tanna had fallen, Tarrapoor shared its fate. The Mahrattas scaled its walls, and entered sword in hand ; but it is recorded that the commandant of the victorious army in- formed his superior that the garrison " fought with the bravery of Europeans," until they were overwhelmed by numbers. Early in 1739, Chimnajee Appa;" the Mahratta general, and brother of the Peishwa, invested Bassein, and having, on the 9th of February, taken possession of Versova, which had been abandoned by the Portuguese, pressed the siege with the greatest eagerness. John Xavier de Pinto, the commandant, endeavoured to appease the enemy by humble messages and an offer of tribute, but nothing short of absolute submission would be accepted. Soon after operations had been commenced in earnest, De Pinto was killed, and was succeeded in his com- HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Ill mand by De Souza Pereira, who repeatedly wrote to the Go- vernment of Bombay stating the condition of the besieged, and joining his entreaties with those of the " General of the North " — as the Governor of Bassein, Din, Damaun, and Chonl, residing at Bassein, was styled — that timely snccour might be afforded them. But the English Governor only sent what he called, a " handsome excuse." In the meantime, the siege was carried on with extraordinar}^ vigour, skill, and perseverance ; and the ]\[ahrattas sprang twelve or thirteen mines, and made a practicable breach in one of the bastions. Here their troops rushed in many times with unwonted fury, and seemed to have securely established themselves; but they were as often driven back with great slaughter, and hundreds were blown into the air by the explosion of one of their own mines. With singular ala- crity the besieged repaired their defences, but, at length, their assailants secured a position on the walls from which they could not be dislodged. Even then the brave Portuguese dis- puted every inch of ground, until, after a contest of two days, the commandant, seeing that there was no prospect of aid, that eight hundred of his best officers and men were slain, his am- munition exhausted, his surviving troops worn out by con- tinued fighting, enfeebled from want of provisions, and dispirited, held out a white flag and offered to capitulate. Chimnajee Appa rejoiced to possess a city which he had ac- quired with a loss of no fewer than five thousand men, accord- ing to his own admission — of twenty-two thousand, according to reports current at Bombay— offered most favourable terms to his vanquished foe, and, on the 5tli of May, the articles of capituhition were signed, and the brave garrison marched out with the honours of war. De Souza Pereira and the reuiains of his force proceeded to Bombay, where they were well treated and maintained by the Governor, and, at length, on the 29th of September, the remnant of the defenders of Bassein, convoyed by a squadron of ships of the Bombay ]\Iarine. sailed and arrived safely at Choul ; but then a fresh series of misfortunes commenced. For some reason unexplained they were led by a toilsome march overland, instead of being landed at Goa. Their fatigues, however, were nearly surmounted, and, on the loth of November, they were within two hours' march of Aguada, where they were sure to find security and repose, when^ a hostile army was seen approaching. Kliem Sawunt, ruler of the state, now known as Sawant Waree, leading three hundred cavalry and five thousand infantry, attacked with fury their enfeebled and disorganised ranks, utterly routed them after a contest of two hours, and slew two hundred men. The English Commodore, being with his fleet at Goa, beheld the broken band of fugitives enter their own territory, and the deep com- miseration "he felt for them fouml expression in his oflicial dis- 112 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. patches. He wrote: — "The Portuguese are really in a miser- able condition ; I can see care and grief in all their faces." As to the brave Pereira, he fell into disgrace at Goa, and took up his residence at the French settlement of Mahe, where, many years afterwards, he was engaged in conducting negotiations between Angria and his new protectors. Ceasing to struggle with their adverse destiny, the Portuguese prepared to yield their northern possessions, with the exception of Damaun and its little territory. Although no enemy was before the forts of Choul and Mhar, they proposed to abandon both, and offered the former to the English ; but the Govern- ment of Bombay, in order to prevent its falling into the hands of Sambhajee, proposed to offer it to the Peishwa. Under these circumstances, a way was already paved for a mediation, which the Portuguese now requested the English to undertake. The Mahrattas, on being invited to propose their terms, at first not only demanded the cession of Choul, but also of Damaun, and insisted upon having assigned to them a portion of the customs at Goa, which they proposed to collect by stationing a guard at the fort. Captain Inchbird, of the Bombay Marine, however, having been deputed by the Portuguese, with the consent of the English Government, to treat for them, obtained more favour- able terms, and induced their scornful enemies to show some forbearance. On the 14th of^ci^ober/' 1740, articles of peace were signed on behalf of -Sajee Rao'^ithe Peishwa, on the one side, and the Viceroy of Goa"bh the other. The Portuguese engaged to deliver up to the Mahrattas the forts of Choul and Mhar, (at the mouth of the river of the same name) which were to be temporarily occupied by the English, until the Mahrattas should have fulfilled their part of the conditions by withdrawing their forces from Salsette. A brief delay occurred inconsequence of the repugnance which the Portuguese priests of Choul felt for any measure by which the possessions of Christians should be delivered to heathens, and they seditiously excited their people to resist the transfer. Their own envoy, perplexed by their obstinacy, admitted that he had discovered in them a malignant spirit, and Inchbird, throwing aside all restraint, exclaimed in disgust, " Sure such unheard of villains and inconsiderate men are hardly to be met with !" However, in Noveuiber, Choul was delivered by the English to the Mahrattas, and all parties expressed themselves satisfied with the honour- able manner in which the conditions of the treaty were ful- filled.^ In order that they might feel their way to the supreme authority of the Mahrattas, says a writer already quoted, the Government of Bombay sent Captain William Gordon in May, 1739, to the Rajah of Sattara, with a complimentary letter, giving him secret instructions to concert measures with the HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 113 enemies of Bajee Rao, the Peishwa, and to use all possible means of undermining that minister's influence. At the same time they agreed it was "expedient to try what effect a cautious and well-managed compliance"' might have upon the Peisliwa, so they sent also a letter and a pnisent to him by Captain Inchbird. The reports of their proceedings are very different, the one keeping a regular journal, the other only noting down such matters as related to his mission. Captain Gordon entered into details. Leaving Bombay on the 12th of May, he arrived, on the following day, at Rajahpore,* where he was courteously received by the Seedee and furnished with a guide, who accom- panied him to Bancoot. On the loth, as lie was sailing up the river ]\Ihar, or Savitri, a Mahratta officer stopped his boat, demanded his passport,, and, finding that his mission was not authorised by Bajee Rao, put him under arrest. After a short detention and ait-examination of his despatches, he was suffered to prosecute his journey, but, on the 19th of May, narrowly escaped being seized by some troops of Sambhajee Angria. The next day he ascended the Ghauts, for the first time in his life. As Gordon proceeded, he found that the English name was held in honour by the officers of Government, and, wherever he went, met with a polite welcome. The Rajah was not at Sattara, being engaged in the siege of a place callc;d Myrah, at a distance of five days' journey. Thither he hastened, and, on the 8th of June, was received by the Rajah. Gordon returned to Bombay by Poonah, and traversed the Mahratta territories. The result of his mission was satisfiictory. He brought a complimentary letter from the Rajah, and had become convinced that Bajee Rao would not molest Bombay, as he knew how much he was indebted to it for the prosi)erity of his own territory. The Rajah, Peishwa, and principal chiefs coincided in the opinion that the English ought to be respected. All this information, which must have had atranquillising effect upon the European population of Bombay, was furnished by Captain Gordon at a cost which, in these days of expensive missions, will raise a smile of contempt on the face of a professional diplomatist; the bill of his expenses amounted to 296 rupees, and lie was permitted to retain tlie presents he had received, which were valued at 240 rupees.f Of more immediate importance was the mission of Captaiii Inchbird, of the Bombay Marine, who may be regarded as the first of those distinguished men who have since conferred celebrity on the diplomacy of the English and iMahrattas, the * Eajahpore, or Rajlipuri, is the capital of the small state of the Seodee, or Hubshee, and is situated on the north side of the river of tlie same nan.e. Jiii- jeera, where the Seedee has a palace and fort, auJ whence he derived his title, is separated from Rajahpore by a shallow and narrow channel. The other island fort is called Kan si. t Manuscript Copy of Captain Gordon's Journal. VOL. I. I 114 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. forernnner of Mostyn, Malet, Malcolm, and Elphinstone. Ilis object was to negotiate a treaty, in the name of President Law, with the victorious Mahratta General, Chimnajee Appa, who acted on behalf of the Peishwa, and, for^his purpose, he pro- ceeded to Rassein. Even before the negotiations were opened, the Mahratta General, following the established precedents of his country, demanded from the English a pecuniary contribu- tion, but must have been not a little surprised by the firm stand which the envoy most wisely made at the commencement. The outspoken sailor promptly told him that the Honourable Company would never permit their servants to give him money, and would rather see the island of Bombay sunk in the sea than comply with any such request. Under the disappointment of this refusal the Mahrattas began to show their teeth, and com- plained bitterly that an envoy had been sent from Bombay to the Shao Rajah, at Sattara, before they had been consulted. Inchbird was conscious that they had means of penetrating English secrets which he could not discover, and were aware of Gordon's instructions to undermine the influence of Bajee Rao. flis position was embarrassing; but, having extricated himself with singular skill, he succeeded in arranging the terms of a treaty,* dated the 12th of July, 1739, which w^as ratified at Bombay. Marked as had been the success of these transactions with the Mahrattas, the feeling of security which they brought to the inhabitants of Bombay, was but transient. Harassing reports were continually current, and, no sooner had the little fleet sailed away from the island with merchant vessels under their convoy, than the Government became painfully sensible how exposed they were to the designs of their unscrupulous allies, particularly if Mannajee Angria shuuld once more prove treacherous and convert his vessels into transports for the Peishwa's plunderers. On the subversion of the Portuguese, only the British remained to cope, single handed, with the Angria; but the Bombay Marine, when the hour for action had struck, proved that it was equal to the task of driving his ships from the sea, and of attacking him in his strongholds on shore. Timid counsels now prevailed at Bombay, and alarming rumours were rife. It was said, upon good authority, that a large force was being mustered at Tanna, and the tone of Mannajee's letters became more insolent. Mischief, it was thought, must * AccordiufT to this treaty, the Peishwa conceded to the Enghsh free trade in his dominions. The contracting parties mutually engaged that debtors endea- vouring to evade their responsibilities, should be either delivered up or compelled to pay all that was due ; that runaway slaves should be seized and restored to their masters, and that if the vessels of one power should be driven by stress of weather into the poi-ts of the other, assistance should be rendered them ; but such vessels as were wrecked on the coast should be sold, one half the pro- ceeds of sale being paid to the owner, the other half to the Government ou whoso coast the wreck might be thrown. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 115 be brewing ; the alarm spread, and, in a short time, became a panic. Numbers of the inhabitants of Bombay fled, carrying away their valuables, or hiding them underground. It now became a question whether the ships of-war of the Company should be used as convoys, or whether necessity did not require the sacrifice of the trade of Bombay in order that the island itself might be preserved. In this dilemma Government received intelligence of a sad disaster. On the 9th of November the southern coast was devastated by a frightful storm, in which three of the linest grabs of the Bombay Marine, completely armed and equipped, and com- manded by three experienced captains, Kigby, Sandilands, and Nunn, foundered, leaving not a fragment to tell of their f\ite. Instantly Sambhajee Angria seized the opportunity, and, sally- ing out, carried away fourteen fishing boats, with eighty-four men, from the mouth of the harbour. Remonstrances were made in vain, and retaliation was for the present out of the question. At this time the coasts of India swarmed with native pirates, aud, in 173o, a Dutch ship turned rover and captured two mer- chant vessels. The native pirates were called by the English ,-^ Sevajees, Kempsaunts, Malwans, and Coolies. ^ Under the "TiaiTje^of S^evajees were included Mahrattas of all descriptions, but chiefly the subjects of the two Angrias. The word Kemp- saunt is a corruption of Khem ISawunt, a name given to several of the Bhonslay family who had l>een rulers of the Waree State. The first Khem Sawunt with whom the Government of Bombay had any correspondence, was succeeded, in 1701), by his nephew, Phond Sawunt, with whom, in 1730, that Govern- ment made a treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive, against Angria ; but it does not appear to have been respected for any length of time.* With the Malwans the Governmc))t had a * Memoir of the Sawunt, Waree State, by Mr. Courtney and Major J. W. Auld. Of the piratical tribes iniiabiting tlie coast to the nortliward of Uouibay, Hamil- ton says : — All the country between \)m and ])and point, wiiicli is about thirty leagues along shore, admits of no tradick, being inhabited by freebooters, called /^WarieTs^and often associate with tlio Sanijanians in exercising piracies and depre- ^-^^atirnrer^They confide mucli in their numbei's, as otliers do, and strive to board their prizes, and, as soon as they get on board, they throw in showers of stones on the prize's decks, in order to sink them that way if they don't yield ; and they have earthen pots, as big as a six-pound Granadoe shell, fidl of unquenched lime, well sifted, which they throw in also, and the pots breaking, there arises so great a dust, that the defendants can m-ither see or breathe well. They also use wick^ of cotton, dipt in a combustible oyl, and firing the wick, and tlirowing it into the opposer's ship, it burns violently, and sets fire to the parts tliat it is thrown on. They have no cities, and f heir villages are small. The best of them stands about sixty miles to the eastward of Diu, and is called Chance. It is built about a league witlnn the moutli of a river, which has a small island lying athwart it, about two miles into the sea. The ishind has good springs of fresli water, but no inhabitants. In anno 1716, the English went to burn that village and their pirating vessels, bvit were unsuccessful in tlieir undertaking. The Warrels occuijy aU the sea coast as high as Goga, which lies about twelve leagues witbiu I 2 116 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. long dispute on account of their having seized the wreck of an English ship called the ' Anglesea/ but, at length, a treaty of peace was concluded between the East India Company and Sevajee Sunknr Punt, styling himself Governor and Com- mander-in-chief of Sindeedroog, or Malwan. The Coolie rovers infested the coast of Guzerat. Their strongho-M-was /Snltanpore on the small river ^Curla, where they lived undeV-atr organized government countenanced by persons high in authority, who, as a return for secret protec- tion, obtained a share in the produce of their depredations. The Government of Bombay having for some time employed paid spies in their country, and ascertained the most favourable time for an expedition, sent against them, in 1734, a small fleet composed of the sloop ' London,' a bombketch and five galivats, under Captain Radford Nunn, who, after a sharp fight, returned in triumph with five of the (Joolies' guns and fourteen of their vessels, three of which had cargoes, whilst his own loss included only two Europeans and two natives. The expedition also burnt five vessels, and the Coolies themselves burnt fifty more, rather than that they should fall into the hands of their enemies. Captain Nunn's success, says the writer to whom we are indebted for material in this portion of our work, was most important on account of the moral weight which the English derived from it at a time when they were particularly anxious to have their maritime power acknowledged at Surat, and respected by the natives generally. Six months afterwards two more vessels were taken, and ten burnt. All the prizes were then sold for the small sum of 3,650 rupees, which the Government of Bombay resolved should be divided amongst the captors, but the Court of Directors meanly reversed this order, and claimed a moiety for themselves. Within six months the pirates took their revenge by em- ploying the same spy system which had been so efficacious against themselves. Acting in collusion with them, the pilot the Gulf of Cambay. And the coast, from Dand point to Goga, is very dan- gerous, being thick set with rocks and sandbanks ; and a rapid tide runs amongst tliem of six or eight miles in an hour, in a channel tliat is twenty fathoms deep in some places, wiiich causes anclioring to be dangerous also. Goga is a pretty large town, and has liad some mud wall fortifications, which still defend them from the insults of their neiglibours, the Coulies, who inhabit the north-east side of Guzerat, and are as gi-eat thieves by land as their brethren the Warrels and Sanganians are by sea. The Eev. G. P. Badger, in his notes to his translation of tlie Arabic " His- tory of the Imaums or Seyyids of Muscat," has hazarded an hypothesis regarding these pirates which is incorrect. Quoting Niebuhr's reference to them in 1764, as " petty people inhabiting the coast," he queries " Malvanes" as Malays, and " Sangerians" as Angrians. — {See Note to jiage 171 of his work.) Regarding the word Kempsaunt, Hamilton says : — " The Portuguese gave the name of Kema Sancto, or ' Saint Burner,' to a Eajah whom he calls Kempason, who, in the year 1696, ravaged tlie country about Vingorla, and entering the district of Goa, plundered and burnt all he could lay hands on, not sparing the churches and images." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 117 of the 'Antelope,' a Bombay Marine 2:alivat, which was convoy- ing some richly freighted vessels toCarabay, steered his charges through a wrong channel, where they ran aground, and then, after giving a pre-concerted signal to the Coolies ashore, made his escape by leaping overboard. The ' Antelope ' was speedily assailed by a strong force of pirates, and, although gaUantly defended for a time, further resistance was rendered hopeless by the explosion of her magazine. Ten Europeans, two Las- cars, and two Sepoys perished ; and the officer in command and one seaman, were the only Europeans that jsurvived. ^•'^ellicherry was at this time the.most important settlement orthe English under the Presidency of Bombay, Surat even ranking after it in point of expenditure. When war broke out between the Malabarese and Canarese, the English at Telli- cherry ranged themselves on the side of the former, and, in- deed, became in a little time the principal combatants. Their troops, under Captain Stirling, and a party of seamen of the Bombay Marine, under Captain Nunn, attacked a pagoda, called Cheria Coonay, on Christmas-da}^ 1738, and, having carried it after a short struggle, succeeded in intercepting the communi- cations of the Canarese arnjy with their fort of ]\Iadday. Alarmed lest he should be hemmed in, Ragonath, the Canarese general, after bursting some of his guns, throwing others into wells, and setting fire to his camp, abandoned with precipita- tion a strong position, and sought refuge under the guns of the fort. Here he entrenched himself, but his troops suffered con- siderably from the English skirmishers and the fire of tlieir guns, whilst the Malabarese remained inactive spectators of a contest which had originally been undertaken on their behalf. However, as it was thought good policy to conciliate him rather than drive him to despair, he was permitted to enter the fort without being assailed, and Captain Stirling, beating a retreat, closed the campaign. The Chief of Tellicherry afterwards wrote to Ragonath, declaring that if the English forces had not shown singular moderation and forbearance, his whole army would have been destroyed; and, the following April, the Ca- narese, sensible of their inferiority, made proposals of peace. Thus the first war in which the English of Western India showed any military skill, or contended with field-artillery and what was called a regular army, was brought to a favourable termination, and the officers and seamen of the Bombay Marine added to the laurels they had gained ashore at Surat, Gom- broon, Carwar, and other places. As 1742 was a year of peace, reductions, of which the (lO- vernraent had almost immediate cause to repent, were made both in the marine and military establishments. Officers who had been many years in the Company's service, wen^ harshly dismissed ; and, although the local government, leeling the great 118 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. injustice and impolicy of" thus turning adrift faithful servants, deferred the execution of the (Jourt's orders initil their victims' remonstrances could be referred home, the delay was only tem- porary, and the obduracy of their masters left them no alterna- tive. The marine establishment, as reduced, consisted of a superintendent, eight commanders, one of whom was styled connnodore, the rank of admiral being abolished, three first- lieutenants, four second-lieutenants, four third officers, and six masters of galivats, besides midshipmen whose number does not appear. The superintendent's salary was =£220 per annum, a commander's, from sixty to eighty rupees per mensem ; a first-lieutenant's, from thirty-two to forty ; a second-lieutenant's, twenty-four ; a midshipman's, twelve ; a surgeon's, from thirty- one to forty : a gunner's, or boatswain's, twenty-two ; a car- penter's, twenty-six; an able seaman's, nine ; a native officer's, ten ; a marine topass's, six, and a Lascar's, five. According to the Bombay Diary of 1742-43, the principal -ships were the ' Restoration' and the 'Neptune's Prize,' the former being manned by eighty Europeans of all ranks and fifty-one Lascars : the latter b}^ fifty Europeans and thirty- one Lascars. On each of the "prahims" there had usually been thirty Europeans and twenty Lascars ; but these numbers were now slightly diminished. According to another ]\1S. authority of respectability, the strength of the Bombay Marine, at this time (1742) was as follows : — One ship of forty-four guns, four of twenty-eight guns, four of eighteen guns, six bomb-ketches, and twenty large galivats, employing nearly one hundred officers and from seventeen hundred to two thousand men. Probably this was just before the reduction. As fre- quent complaints of favouritism were made by the officers, it was resolved that promotion should be regulated according to dates of commissions, and thus the seniority system was intro- duced into the Service. An immediate consequence of these reductions was, that the mercantile marine, now larger than ever, suffered serious losses from pirates, and the Company quickly found the error of this policy of misplaced economy. The ' Tiger,' a galivat, when disabled by a waterspout on her passage from Gombroon, was boarded by subjects of the Seedee at Mufdafarbad. Her crew, after a severe conflict in which seven fell, were over- powered, and she was carried away as a prize; but, on a proper representation being made to the Seedee of Jinjeera, whom the Seedee of Mufdafarbad acknowledged as lord paramount, she was restored. Near the port of Surat, Coolie rovers swarmed, and waited for ^ their prey as the ships lying at the bar at- tempted to discharge their cargoes. The treaty which. had been made with Khem Sawunt was, as soon as the Govern- HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Hi) ment of Bombay was supposed to be powerless, treated as waste paper; for, notwitlistandino; its provisions, that chief made prizes of seven vessels valued at eighteen or nineteen thousand rupees. The Mahvans seized others valued at ten or eleven thousand rupees. The subjects of the Peishwa showed them- selves equally rapacious, and, although their government, when appealed to, promised that the offenders should be punished, it was only on the improbable supposition that they could be discovered and convicted. Even Mannajee Angria, while pro- fessing to be a close ally of the British, countenanced his sub- jects in attacking their vessels, and never hesitated to pick up a stray boat if he could hope to escape detection ; yet, on one occasion, he rendered a valuable service in rescuing the ' Sala- mander,' an English ketch, which had been captured off Colaba by the fleet of Sambhajee Angria. Seven grabs and eight galivats, in the service of the last-mentioned ])irate, after light- ing for a night and day with the ' Montague ' and ' Warwick,' two East indianien, carried off five vessels and a Portuguese ketch sailing under their convoy. The merchants of Bombay, driven to despair by the losses they had sustained, held meet- ings, and unanimously represented to Government that, since the reduction of the Marine, Khem Sawunt and the Mahvans, having fitted out small vessels with the express purpose of preying upon their trade, were bringing them to ruin ; that, in consequence of the risks they ran, bankers would not advance money on the security of their goods, so that, although the stormy season was over, not a ship had been equipped for the transport of merchandize; and that, unless more cruisers were provided, the trade of the port would be entirely suppressed. These representations led to a small but permanent increase of the Company's Marine. On the olst of March, 1744. war was declared between Great Britain and France,* and two French privateers, the 'Apollo,' * The Frencli now aspired to territorial agtrrandisenieiit. As tlio Eiiglii-h had three Presidencies, so also the Isle of France and Pondicherry were each the seat of a French Governor, who liad a council under liiin. The former island was called by the Portufjuese Ceme, by the Dutch, who occupied it, Mauritius, after Maurice, Prince of Orange, but the French, when they took possession of it in 1720, styled it the Isle of France. Subordinate to it was the smaller island of Mas- carhenas, thenceforth called Bourbon. To tlicGovernnieut of tiiese islands, La Bourdonnais, a brilliant naval ofliccr in the service of the French East India Company, was appointed in 1733, and so indd'atigably did he labour for tiieir improvement, that the inhabitants testified their warm gratitude, and the author of" Panl and Virginia" affirms in the ]irciace to his work, that, whatever he has seen in the Isle of F' ranee most usefully devised or most ably executed, was the work of La Bourdonnais. The other Government was that of Poiidi- cherry, which the French had obtained and fortified about thirty years before. The city, containing seventy thousand inhabitants, was regularly and beautifully built, and was strongly fortified. Dumas, the Governor, was declared a Nawab of the Empire, and three fine districts were ceded to him. Thus French inlhiencc was progressing rapidly even before the advent in 1711 of tlie ambiiuus Ihiplcix, who is ordinarily supposed to have given it the tirsl impulse. Under the Go- 120 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. of fifty gnns, and the 'Anglcsea,' of forty, after cruising, during February and March, 1747, off the Cape of Good Hope, made their ai)])earancc near Bombay in August, and having captured the 'Princess Mary,' a ship from Madras, hovered about the coast with a view of intercepting the East Indiameii of the season as they arrived from England. The only protective measure which the Government of Bombay could adopt was to equip for sea three of their ships-of-war, of greatly inferior force, and the}^ also dispatched six fishing boats, to give the alarm to any English vessels approaching the shores of India. In 1748 a mutiny took place on board the 'Borabfcy,' one of the ITnest of the Company's ships, of which we will give an account. It appears that the crew of the 'Anson,' an India- man captured by the French off Bombay in August of the pre- ceding year, were drafted into the ships of the Bonjbay Marine, with their own consent, according to the official account, although they maintained that they were impressed into the service. A large number were placed on board the ' Bombay,' and sent in her on a cruise. As the ship lay at anchor at Rajapore, on the 1st of March, 1748, Samuel Hough, the com- mander, who was sitting at supper with his chief and second officers, and the surgeon, had his attention suddenly arrested by a disturbance on deck. Immediately the cabin-door was thrown open, and some of the crew rushing in with muskets in their hands, swore that they would blow out their officers' brains if they did not instantly surrender themselves as prisoners. Instead of yielding, Captain Hough made a dash at his assailants, and endeavoured to seize the ringleaders. They retreated, were followed by him and his officers, and one man standing close to him fired a musket at his head. Had he not with his arm struck the barrel upwards, the ball must have passed through his brain ; as it was it carried away part of his cap. All the officers then proposed to bar themselves in the steerage, but attempted in vain to close the doors until Hough procured a sword from his own cabin, and with it again rushed upon deck. The mutineers, having now broken open the arm-chest, summoned their officers to lay down their anus, protesting that all they required was their liberty, that oppo- sition to them was useless, as the whole crew were acting in combination, and expressing a hope that they might not be compelled to put their officers to death. Captain Hough, seeing no hope of repressing the mutiny by violence, flung his sword away, and, standing unarmed before the whole body of seanjen, asked them, in God's name, why they behaved thus. They vernment of Pondiclierry were the factories, or comptoirs, of Chandernagore in Eenpal, Karical on the coast of Coroniaudel, and Mahe about thi'ee or four niileij iiom Tellicherry on tlie Malab.ir coast. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 121 told liim in reply that they had no complaints to make of their officers ; but having been trepanned into the Company's service, they were resolved to have their liberty or die. He warned them that the consequences would be fatal to them if they persevered in their mutiny ; but promised that if they wouki lay down their arms, tliey should be sent to England as soon as possible. His address had oidy the effect of n)aking them more furious. They placed the surgeon and other officers in irons, and ordered their commander to retire abaft the tiller ropes, where he was guarded by ten or twelve men armed with pistols, swords, and blunderbusses. One of their number, named William Brown, was then appointed captain, but soon found how much more difficult it is to organise rebellion at sea than on land. So defective were their arrangements that, unable to weigh anchor, they were obliged to cut the cable ; then they found that tide and wind were both against them, and the}' were drifting on a lee- shore. In haste they let go another anchor, and, for a time, all remained quiet. Hough, seeing their incompetency to work the ship, supposed that tliey would now uiore readily listen to reason, and, with the permission of his guard, walked forward to hold a conference with the principal men. One of them, rushing up to him, presented a blunderbuss at his head, swearing with a fierce oath to shoot him if he uttered another word. Others declared that he and his officers were good men, and should not be hurt if they would only remain silent. Taking advantage of this little current setting in his favoin*, he desired that the irons should be removed from his officers. With one voice they said, "By God, it was the Captain's desire, and should be complied with." The officers were liberated. All hands came on deck, and the con- ference was renewed ; but some of the older seamen, suspecting a design of returning to port, shouted, "No Bombay! No Bombay!" adding, with horrible oaths, that if they listened to their captain and laid down their arms, they would all be hanged. Fortunately, the mutineers felt their helplessness, and, finding that they could not get the ship to sea, proposed to place the Captain again in command, on condition that the arms and magazine should be left in their possession. At last he contrived to talk with the leaders in private, when, after long hesitation, from fear of their more obstinate and des})erate comrades, they were induced to set an example of submission on receiving a guarantee from Hough that they should be paid 2,000 rui)ees and sent to England in the first ship. All then gathered round their Captain, acknowledged that they had been engaged in a rash undertaking, and expressed their willingness to rely on his promises. In a quarter of an hour, after all the officers had signed an agreement not to take any further notice of the 122 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. nuitin}^ the men bad laid down their arms and returned to their duty. Thus, after a duration of seven hours, ended a revolt which threatened to check the naval improvements then in progress, and this happy termination was due to the courage and promp- titude of Captain Hough. All the crew of the 'Bonihay' were participators, with the exception of some petty officers, but it was remarkable that during the whole time not a man touched a drop of liquor. The Government, without determining whether the promises made by their officers under restraint were binding, felt that it would be inconvenient to punish a whole crew, and, as some captains of men-of-war were anxious to ship men for England, they fulfilled Captain Hough's engagements and permitted the mutineers to escape unhurt. Not so, however, some others. A surgeon named William Wills, having been tried by a court-martial and found guilty of exciting discontent, was taken in a boat alongside each of the four Company's ships then in harbour, and exhibited with a halter round his neck, whilst the particulars of his crime and sentence were read aloud. Four seamen, likewise found guilty, suffered the same punish- ment, and were also flogged.* One of the consequences of the war with France, and the representations of the Bombay merchants as to the defenceless state of the trade, was a small increase of the ]\Tarine. Tiie enlarged Service, however, only consisted of three ships carrying twenty-eight guns, a grab of twenty guns (from six to twelve- pounders) five ketches, carrying from eight to fourteen guns (from four to six-pounders), eight galivats, and one prahim. Two other ships were alternatel}' employed as guard ships to protect the factory at Gombroon. Each ship or grab had a crew of seventy or fifty Europeans, the ketches thirty or a lesser number, and the galis'ats a few to work the guns only. To the list of officers were added two commanders, one first-lieutenant, six second-lieutenants, and three third-lieutenants. At the sauje time, the first attempts were made to improve the religious and moral character of both officers and men, orders being sent from the Court of Directors for the regular performance of Divine service on board all the vessels and a strict prohibition of all gambling, profane swearing, and indecent conversation.f As, * " Bombay Diary." Letter to the Court, the 23rd of November, 1748. t Order Book of the Government, August, 1751 : — " General instructions to the commanders of the Honourable Company's " In the first place you are to take care to keep up the service of God on board the vessel you command, according to the Liturgy of the Church of England, that the same may be devoutly and decently performed every Lord's day, and on all other appointed seasons as often as can he done with convenience : and be very strict in observing a good decorum and discipline among your ship's com- pany, severely punishing all profaneness or blasphemies of God's holy name, and HISTORY OF THE INDIAN XAYY. 123 however, it was thought tint these reforms would be incomplete until the Bombay Marine should have an official uniform, like a regular naval service, in answer to a petition presented, in 17(il, by the officers to the Governor in Council, they were ordered to wear blue frock-coats turned up with yellow, dress-coats and waistcoats of the same colour, and according to a regulated pattern. Large boot-sleeves and facings of gold lace were the fashion for the superior grades, whilst midshipmen and mastersof galivats were to rest content with small round cuHs and no lac- ings. With increased numbers, improved discipline, andaregular uniform, the Bombay Marine became a little Navy, although it did not assume that name. The English fleets, with their line-of- battle ships and frigates, tloating in the harbour, on various occa- sions during the next quarter of a century, under the command of Admirals Watson, Cornish, Pocock, and Stevens, threw the Marine into the shade, but, at the same time, taught it emulation and efficiency. On the 25th of March, 1754, the Mutiny Act, as applied to the Company's military* and naval furces in India, received the royal assent after a division in the Lords. Orme describes the mode of warfare assumed by the pirate- ckie-f,-Angria, and the success he had achieved even against P]uro- pean ships of war. He says : — " Eight or ten grabs, and forty or fifty galivats, crowded with men, generally composed Angria"s principal fleet destined to attack ships of war, or large merchant- men. The vessel no sooner came in sight of the port or bay, wherever the fleet was lying, than they slipped their cables and put out to sea ; if the wind blew, their construction enabled them to sail almost as fast as the wind, and, if it was calm, the galivats, rowing, towed the grabs ; when within cannon-shot of the chase, they generally assembled round her stern, and the grabs attacked her at a distance with their bow-guns, firing lirst only at their masts. As soon as the chase was disn.asted, they on no account permit gaming of any sort." Also " Bombay Diary," the ISth of May, 1756, the 21st of August, 1759, and the 9th and 3uth of June, 17(31. * In 1741, according to a writer on the " Kisc of tlie Kavy and Army in Bom- bay," the military establishment was considered as one regiment, consisting of a captain, nine lieutenants, fifteen ensigns, a surgeon, two sergeants-majors, eighty- two sergeants, eigbty-two corporals, twenty-six drummers, and three hundred and nineteen European privates, also thirty-one masters — by which term wo conceive Indo-Europuans are meant — and nine hundred topasses. They were distributed into seven companies, and their montiily pay amounted to 10,;il-l rupees. " There was also a sort of Native Militia composed of seven huiulred Sepoys, including Native otlicers. They were not armetl or dressed in any unilonn man- ner, but when enlisted brought the weapons they happened to have, whether swords and targets, bows and arrows, pikes, lances, or matehloeks. They were maintained at a cost of 3,123 rupees ])er mensem, and were diseliarged at tlie pleasure of Government, witliout pensions, or even donations. 'J hese ibrces were considerably increased alter the declaration of war with France, when an artillery company Mas raised, and the establishment of gunners, gunners' mates, anil gun- room crews was abolished. Thus in 1753, the artdUry numbered one hundred and seventeen officers and men, and the inlantry eight hundred and forty-one. 124 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. came nearer and battered her on all sides until she struck ; and if the defence was obstinate, they sent a ninnber of galivats with two or three hundred men in each, who boarded, sword in hand, from all quarters at the same instant. It was now fifty years that this piratical state had rendered itself formidable to the trading ships of all the European nations in India, and the English East India Company had kept up a marine force at the annual expense of de50,0()0 to protect their own ships, as well as those belonging to the merchants established in their colonies ; for as no vessel could, with prudence, venture to singly pass by Angria's dominions, the trade was convoyed at particular times up and down the sea coasts by the Company's armed vessels. Angria's ships sailed much better than the Bombay fleet, and never fought them longer than they thought proper ; in the meantime, Angria's seldom failed to take such ships as ventured to sail without company along the coast." Besides the ' Derby,' (Indiaman) and ' Ann' (grab), they took a forty-gun ship belong- ing to the French Company, and, in February, 1754, captured, after a severe action, three Dutch ships of fifty, thirty-six, and eighteen guns, w-hich were sailing together, burning the two largest, and taking the third.* We have now arrived at a period in the history of the Bombay Marine, when the Service entered upon an extended career of usefulness, and, by the discipline, valour, and skill evinced by its officers and men, vindicated its claim to be regarded as the Navy of India, an honourable title conceded to it many years later by the Sailor King, who felt a sympathy for the small Service whose officers had fairly earned the distinctive appellation by more than two centuries of arduous service. * Orme's " History of the Military Transactions of the British Nation in Hin- dostan for the year 1745," vol. i., p. 409, et seq. ^^ CHAPTER IV. 1754—59. Early Career of Commodore James — His Defeat of Angria'3 Fleet — Expedition against Severudroog — Capture of the Castle— Surrender of Bancoot — Opera- tions against Glicria, and Destruction of the Power of Angria — Subsequent Services of Commodore James ; his Retirement and Deatli — Operations during the War with France — Actions with the French Fleet — Affairs at Surat — Cap- ture of the Town and Castle of Surat — Assumption by the Marine of the Tunkha and Duties as Mogul's Admiral. rrHE histoi\y of the operations which resulted in the destruction -L of the power of Angria, " whose forts," says Orme, " were deemed impregnable, as his fleet was, with reason, deemed formidable," is so intimately associated with the name of Com- modore (afterwards Sir William) James, that it is necessary we should preface our narrative by a brief sketch of the career of this distinguished officer, who, by his achievements, enhanced, at the same time, his own reputation and that of the Service of which he has ever been regarded as one of the shining lights. Commodore James was born in the year 1721, near the town of ]\Iilford Haven, in Wales. During his earlier years he followed the humble occupation of a ploughboy, which he soon discarded, but we know not whether, in taking this step, he was inspired by a noble ambition to enter some profession in which he might win renown, or that the sight of the sea filled him with a craving for its dangers and excitements, as Dibdin says— "To leave his poor plough to go ploughing the deep." Certain it is that young James soon sickened of his work on shore, and, at the age of twelve, took to the sea. lie entered himself in the merchant service, but little is known of the early years of his apprenticeship. In the year 17o8 he served under Admiral Lord Hawke in the capacity of ship's boy or servant. A few years after this, Mr. James obtained the"^ command of a ship in the Virginia trade, and set sail from England. At the time we were at war with the Spaniards, and lie had the misfortune to be taken prisoner, together with his whole crew, by a man-of-war 126 HISTORY OB^ THE INDIAN NAVY. belonging to that nation. They were carried to Havannah and imprisoned there for a considerable time. At length he and his comrades were released from captivity, and embarked on board a brig which was bound to the colony of South Carolina. But evil fortune still followed in their footsteps. A few days after leaving Cuba it commenced to blow very heavily. The brig was a crazy old craft, ill adapted to contend against the storms of these latitudes. She began to leak, and as the gale increased in strength, so did the water gain upon her, notwithstanding the efforts of the commander and his men to keep it under. Besides pumping, recourse was had to bailing, but this also was ineffectual. At length Mr. James became convinced that she would not float much longer, and expressed his determination to leave her and take his chance in one of the boats. Seven of the seamen offered to join him in his perilous venture, the remainder preferring to remain on board the brig. Accordingly a small boat was prepared, and stored with a keg of water and a bag of biscuits, and hardly had they got clear of the brig than she suddenly disappeared. The gale continued to blow for some days, though scarcely so heavily as at first; at length it subsided, but, being unprovided with a compass, Mr. James knew not whither to steer, and so for twenty days the boat was driven by the wind where it listed. The supply of fresh water was doled out with the utmost nicety from Mr. James's snuff-box, and the biscuits, which had been rendered almost unfit for food by the salt-water making a clean breach over the boat, were also served out in equal portions. On the twentieth day land was sighted, and, though it proved to be the island of Cuba, any terra firmawas joyfully welcome to the tempest-tossed mariners. With great difliculty the party succeeded in affecting a landing on the coast, and, on making inquiries, learned that they were no more than ten miles distant from their old prison ; but the starvation and hardships they had undergone had wrought a great change in their estimate of a Spanish dungeon, and, in comparison with the cramped up thwarts of an open boat in a raging sea, they welcomed its squalid wretchedness. Only one out of the party of eight died from the effects of the severe sufferings they had endured : the others indeed lost the use of their limbs for a considerable time, but, ultimately, they all recovered. After a captivity of a few months, the Spaniards released their prisoners, and they returned to England in a British vessel. Soon after his arrival Mr. James married, and, as an honorable testimony that the obscurity of his origin did not stand in the way of his achieving distinction, any more than it did in the case of Sir Cloudesley Shovel and many other famous English admirals, it may be mentioned that his wife kept a public-house in the now classic region of Wapping, known as the "Red Cow." It HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 127 is also related of him, as showing his amiable disposition, that as soon as his worldly prospects improved, he journeyed to his native town in Wales and inquired after a young woman with whom he had been brought up as a child, and had interchanged vows of constancy. On learning tliat she had proved as fickle as himself, he made her some presents he had brought with him and befriended her husband. In the year 1747 Mr. James entered the Bombay Marine, and he was found to be so enterprising and zealous an officer, that, in 1749, he was promoted to the rank of commander and appointed captain of the ' Guardian' of twenty-eight guns. Having been sent with the ' Bombay' of the same force, and the 'Drake,' bomb-ketch, to convoy a valuable fleetof seventy coasters from Bombay to a point a little to the northward of Goa, he fell in with Angria's fleet of sixteen grabs and galivats, mounting from four to twenty-two guns each, and crowded with men. The enemy iujmediately bore up to attack the convoy, of which they expected to make an easy prey ; but Captain James quickly formed a line with his three vessels between Angria's fleet and his convoy, to whom he made signal to run southward, and the whol(? reached Tellicherry in safety. An action now commenced and was vigorously contested for more than two hours, when one of Angria's largest galivats was sunk, and several others much shattered, with heavy loss in killed and wounded. The whole fleet now bore up for Gheria, closely pursued by Captain James's squadron, and suffered much in the retreat; while the loss in the Marine vessels was small. The squadron returned to Bombay, and the joy caused by this signal defeat of Angria's fleet was very great. Captain James received the thanks of Governuient and of the merchants, and a short time after, was promoted to the raidv of counnodore and commander-in-chief of tlie l>ombay ^Marine, It a])j)ears from the records, that he hoisted his broad pennant as such, on board the ' Protector,' of forty-four guns, in the year 1751. A squadron was also employed at this time at Surat, where, the Mogul Emperor's officers were striving one against the other, one party aided by the Dutch, and another by the P]nglish. Here the vessels were of nmch service, as their force gave a great pre[)onderance to the British party. Other ships of the Bombay Marine were employed against the pirates in the Gulf of Cambay and coast of Kattywar, and tliey captured and destroyed several vessels of these freeboters, afl^ordingatthe same time ample protection to the trade to the northward of Bondiay, A strong squadron, under Commodore James, was kept cruising on the coast of the southern Concan and Canara, and kept in check the piratical craft of Angria, who did not dare again to attack the ships of the Marine. Matters remained in this state until the year 1755. 128 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. When Bajee Rao died on tlie 28th of April, 1740, his son, Balhijee, became Peishwa of the Mahrattas, This prince first saw service in conjunction with the Bombay squadron in 1740, and, says Grant Duff, " he was impressed with a high sense of the English, from their conduct when they relieved Mannajee Angria at Kolabah;" which estimate was, naturally, greatly increased by the military reputation they had achieved in the (^arnatic. Ballajee and Mr. Richard Bourchier, the Bombay President, who succeeded to office on the 17th of November, 1750, were mutually desirous of suppressing the depredations of Angria, and settling affairs at Surat, which still contiinied the chief emporium of Western India, but, owing to the weakness of the Mogul Government, continued to remaia in a._^te of chronic misrule. In the meantime Sambhajee had diect;- and Mannajee remained in nominal obedience'tO'BHilTtjee, while his half-brother, Toolajee, who had succeeded to all the territories situated between Bancoot and Sawunt Waree, openly disavowed the authority of the Peishwa, and seized and plundered all ships on the high seas. The Rajah of Kolapoor and the rulers of Sawunt Waree followed a like system, and, says Grant Duff "were indiscriminately termed by the English, Malwans," a name given to them from the Fort of Malwan, or Sindeedroog, which belonged to the Kolapoor Rajah. Though Mr. Bourchier, soon after assuming the reins of office at Bombay, concluded an arrangement with the Mahrattas for the settlement of Surat, the war which broke out between the Peishwa and the Mogul Emperor, subsequent to the murder of Nasir Jung, prevented its being carried into effect. But in 1755 there was a short cessation of hostilities, upon which the Peishwa deputed Ramajee Punt, the Soubehdar of the Concan, to proceed to Bombay and settle a plan of operations for attacking Toolajee Angria. The Governor and Council resolved to make an attempt, in conjunction with the Mahrattas, to dispossess Toolajee Angria of his strongholds, Severndroog and Viziadroog; and, accord- ingly, as none of the King's ships were in port, an expedition was organised, consisting solely of vessels belonging to the Bombay Marine. Looking about for a commander, the choice of the Council unanimously fell on Commodore James, Avho had proved himself to be an officer of energy, capacity, and resource. On the 22nd of March, of the same year. Commodore James sailed from Bombay with a small squadron, consisting of his flag-ship, the ' Protector,' the ' Bombay,' twenty-eight guns, the ' Swallow,' sixteen guns, and the ' Triumph' and ' Viper,' bomb vessels ; and, three days later, was joined by the Mahratta fleet of seven grabs and six galivats, having on board ten thousand soldiers, which had sailed from Choul. So great HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 129 was the opinion of the strength of Angria's strongholds, that the Commodore received instructions from the Government to the effect that he was not to hazard the loss of an^-- of his ships by attacking the enemy's forts ; but he was to blockade their harbours, while the Mahrattaarmy carried on operations by land. The treaty between the contracting parties consisted of six or seven separate articles. By these the British were to have command of the Marine forces, but mutual approbation was necessary before undertaking any naval operations. The vessels that might be captured from Toolajee Angria, were to be handed over to the Peishwa ; Bancoot, with the fort of Him- mutgurh, and the sovereignty of the river on which it stands, with five villages, were to be ceded to the English in perpetuity. It appears that the President and (Jouncil considered that these stipulations might pletlge them more than was prudent, and, therefore, one of the articles stipulated that the British only engaged to guard the sea and prevent Angria's fleet from throwing succours into the northern fort of Severndroog, Anjemv44r ami Jyegurh.* Emiiajee Punt, the Mahratta commander-in-chief, landed with his"%TJn]7S about fifteen miles north of Severndroog, in order to march the rest of the way, and the fleet continued its course under the orders of the British commander, who, having learnt on the 28th of March, that 'i oolajee Angria's fleet was at anchor in the port of Severndroog, made sail thither the same evening, and timed his arrival so as to appear before the phice at daylight on the 29th. This he did, as he was apprehensive, from his knowledge of their character, that the enemy, instead of showing fight, would endeavour to make their escape. And so it proved ; in sight of the ' Protector,' the whole of Angria's fleet slippecl their cables and stood out to sea. As there was but little wind they employed their galivats to tow them out of danger ; by this means tliey managed at first to get ahead of the 'Protector,' but a Seabreeze springing up, the frigate, being the fastest of the squadron, gained upon them. On seeing this the enemy stood in-shore, and, as Commodore James had left the rest of his ships a long way astern, he was forced, though very relunctantly, tti give up the chase, having inflicted by his fire much loss in men, and damage to their ships. During the day the Mahratta fleet behaved with great pusillanimity. Although their vessels Jiad hitherto sailed better than the Phiglish, such was their ihvad of the power of Angria's seamen, that they all kept in the rear and suff'ered the British squadron to give chase alone. The Commodore now stood back towards Severndroog, and, on the 2nd of April, commenced offensive operations against that stronghold, which he decided to reduce first, on account uf the approaching monsoon, which would render it inexpedient to * Graut Duli"s "History of the Malu-attas," vol. li. p. !S3. VOL. I. K 130 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. attack Gheria, or any of the forts south of the three specified in the stipulations. On his arrival off Severndroog he found that the Mahratta troops had invested three of the forts, but in so pusillanimous a manner were they carrying on the siege, that their batteries were thrown up at a distance of two miles from the works, and even at that range they had taken sedulous care to entrench themselves. This style of conducting operations did not suit Commodore James, who determined to exceed bis instructions rather than expose the English arms to the disgrace of certain failure. He, accordingly, at once detached boats from the squadron to reconnoitre and sound the harbour, and, finding plenty of water for the ketches to run in and bombard the forts, and for the ' Protector' to cannonade, he stood in to within 100 yards of the western face of the great fort, mounting fifty pieces of ordnance, and called " Severndroog," after the island. The attack was forthwith commenced, and, in the course of the day, he expended eight hundred shot and shell, with con- siderable effect. At night a deserter arrived with the information that the Governor and many people were killed in the Castle, and that a large number had been wounded. This man further informed Connnodore James that it would be impossible to make a breach on the side of the fort he had been bombarding, as the walls, being cut out of the solid rock, w^ere, in that spot, nearly eighteen feet thick, and at least fifty feet high. Accordingly he decided on shifting his station, and, finding that the water to the eastward between the island and the mainland was deep enough to allow the flag-ship and the other vessels to stand in and open fire upon all the remaining forts, three in number, determined upon renewing the attack on the other side. Early on the morning of the 3rd, the 'Protector' was warped into within half-musket shot of these formidable batteries, one mounting forty-two guns, and the two others twenty-four each, and the action w-as recommenced with only one foot of water nnder his ship's bottom at low tide. During the time he was occupied, by means of a spring, in getting the broadside of the ' Protector' to bear npon the enemy, a hot fire was opened upon him by the batteries ; but, when in position, he returned the compliment with spirit, bringing one broadside to bear on the north-east bastion of the great fort, and the other on Fort Goa, the largest of those on the mainland. The bastions of Severndroog were, however, so high that the ' Protector' could only point her upper tier of guns at them ; but being anchored within 100 yards, the musketry fire from the tops drove the enemy from their guns. His efforts were ably seconded by the ' Swallow' and ' Bombay,' and the bomb vessels ; but his cowardly allies, the squadron of Mahratta grabs and galivats, declined to advance within gun- HISTORY OF THE INDIAX NAVY. 131 shot. The Commodore of the Peishwa's ships was one Naroo Punt, a man who had gained military distinction on land, but who behaved in the most dastardly manner on this occasion. In about four hours the enemy's fire was silenced, and, at noon, a great part of the parapet of the north-east bastion, near to which the 'Protector' lay, and the work itself, were in ruins. About this time a shell exploded and set fire to one of the store- houses, which the Commodore perceiving, he prevented the enemy from interfering with the progress of the flames by pouring in a hot fire of musketry ; one of the magazines soon blew up, and thereby the fire was communicated thrt)Ug'nout the entire fort. At eleven at night the grand magazine blew up with a tremendous shock. When it was seen that the fort could no longer be held, the garrison abandoned the place and attempted to escape to Fort Goa, but were all intercepted and made prisoners by the English ships. This fort, also, soon after surrendered, and, immediately on the fact being known, the two remaining forts, which were besieged by the Mahratta troops, hung out flags of truce. Whilst the Mahrattas were marching to take possession of Fort Goa, the Governor, perceiving that the Commodore had not yet occupied Severndroog, got into a boat with some of his most trusty men, and crossed over to the island, hoping to be able to maintain the fort until he should receive assistance from Uabul, which is not far distant. Upon this the 'Protector' renewed her fire upon Severndroog, and the Commodore, finding that the Governor wanted to protract the dclence until night, when it was not to be doubted that some boats from Dabul would endeavour to throw reinforcements into ttie place, landed, under cover of the fire of the ships, half his seamen, who, with great intrepidity, ran up to the gate, and cutting down the sallyport with their axes, forced their way into it; upon this the garrison surrende'red. " This," says Orme, " was all the work of one day, in which the spirited resolution of Commodore James destroyed the timorous prejudices which had for twenty years been entertained of the impracticability of reducing any of Angria's fortified harbours." In the fort were found a quantity of stores belonging to the ' Derby' and three Dutch ships captured in the previous year. On the 8tli of April, the fleet and army proceeded to Pancoot, a fort commanding a river ten miles to the north of Severn- droog. This place, terrified by the fate of the latter, surren- dered on the first summons, and the Commodore took [>ossession of it in accordance with the terms of the treaty.* Raraajee Punt was so elated by these successes, that he olTercd * The country about Bancoot, being subject to tlie Seedce, was inliabilod by Mabommedans, who suppHed Bombay with cattle, which were very dillieuh to procure in other parts of" the coast, as the Iliiuloo Kajahs worship the cow, and regard the killing of that aniuial as the greatest of crimes. K 2 132 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Commodore James 200,000 rupees if he would immediately proceed a^-aiiist Dabul and some others of the enemy's forts, a little to the southward of that place. But the south-west monsoon, which, on this coast, sometimes sets in at the end of April, was approaching, and the Commodore, having already exceeded his orders, declined to comply with the request without permission from Bombay ; however, in order to obtain it as expeditiously as possible, he sailed thither in the ' Protector,' but found the Governor and Council, notwithstanding the unex- pected successes of their arms, still animated by timid counsels, and so solicitous for the fate of one of their bomb-ketches, a heavy flat-bottomed boat, incapable of keeping the sea in tempestuous weather, that they ordered him to bring back the fleet into harbour without delay. On the 11th, according to the terms of the treaty, Commodore James punctually delivered the forts of Severndroog to the Mahrattas, striking the English flag, which he had hitherto caused to be hoisted in them ; and, on the loth, set sail for Bombay, the Mahratta fleet at the same time returning to Choul. A Royal squadron, under the command of Admiral Watson, arrived in Bombay in the November following, and, the fair season having now returned, the Governor and the Peishwa renewed their intention of attacking Angria, the Admiral readily consenting to assist with the force under his command. It was deter- mined, if practicable^ to strike at once at the root of Angria's power by attackip-g Gheria,* the capital of his dominions, and the principal harbour and arsenal of his Marine force ; " but," says Orme, " it was long since any Englishman had seen this place, that, trusting to the report of the Natives, they believed it to be as strong as Gibraltar, and, like that, situated on a mountain inaccessible from the sea."' Commodore James was taken into consultation as to the best means to be adopted to reduce Gheria, and the Governor appointed a Council, consisting of Captain Hough, Superin- tendent of the Marine, Admiral Watsorr, and Lieuteiiant-Colonel Clive, who had just opportunely arrived from England with a strung detachment of troops, to conclude all necessary arrange- ments and agreements. * The famous fortress of Glieria is situated on a promontory of rocky land about a mile long and a quarter of a mile broad, lying about a mile from the entrance of a large harbour, which forms the mouth of a river descending from the Balegat mountains. The promontory, on the sides contiguous to the water, is of rock, about fifty feet high, on which are built the fortifications. These are a double widl with round towers, the inward wall rising several feet above the out- ward. The neck of land by whicli the promontory joins the continent, is a narrow sand, beyond which, where the ground begins to expand itself, is built a large open town or pettah. The river washes the north side of the town, and of the neck of land, where are tlie docks in which the grabs were built and repaired, and fi'om which they were launched into the river ; ten of them, amongst which was that taken from the Company, were now lying in the river, all moored together, almost opposite to the docks. — Orme's " History of India." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 133 Commodore James, though now acting in subordination to Admiral Watson, with that devotion to duty and abnegation of self, which distinguished him through life, offered to make soundings in the harbour of Gheria, and take bearings tliat might prove of service in the contemplated operations. This he accomplished with complete success. He set sail for Crheria with three of the Compan^^'s ships, and, arriving about dusk in the oiiing, stood in close under the walls ; and, in the course of the night, proceeded in a small boat, and carried out his self- imposed mission. He then returned to Bombay. The following is a copy of the Report addressed by Commodore James to Admiral Watson, dated " December 22, 1755, on board the ' Protector,' off Bombay," describing his reconnaissance of Gheria :— " Sir, " I have the honour to inform you that I arrived off Gheria, with the ' Protector,' ' Revenge,' and ' Guardian ' under my command, on the morning of the 14tli inst., where I saw the enemy's fleet, consisting of three three-mast grabs, eight ketches, and twelve or fourteen galivats in the harbour, rigged and their sails bent, with one three-mast grab having only her lower masts rigged. I stood into seven fathoms water, when I think I was within point-blank shot of the fort, but they did not fire at us. I was exceedingly surprised at finding the place so widely different from what I had heard it represented. I assure you, Sir, it is not to be called high, nor, in my opinion, strong ; it is, indeed, a large mass of buildings, and I believe the walls may be thick, but that part of the works which fell under my obser- vation, and which was three-quarters of their circumference, is quite irregular, with round towers and long curtains in the Eastern manner, and which discovers only thirty-two embrasures below, and fifteen above. On the west side of the harbour is a fine flat table-land opposite the fort, and I think within gunshot, but I am sure within distance for bombarding, and from whence a very good diversion might be made, while the princijKil attack is carried on by the ships, and from a hill to the southward of the fort. The hill is very near to and full as high as the fort, for when we were a considerable distance it hid all the fort except the top of one house and the flagstaff; it is also very plain from our depth of water, that the ships can go near enough for battering, and consequently for throwing shells. There are also three sandy bays under the hill, without any surf to render the landing difficult ; the first two are rather too near the fort, but the third is out of their line of fire. The water is deep enough for the ships to cover the descent, and the hill accessible as to make the getting up of cannon. &c., quite easy afterwards. There is a very large town betwixt tiie fort and this liill, the houses of whicli are covered with cajans,and which the inhabitants 134 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Avill undoubtedly abandon and destroy upon our landing, and then fly to the fort, as at my attack at Severndroog ; in which case, great numbers must be killed by the shells, the place being so crowded and populous that they cannot fall amiss, and many upper buildings must, of course, be knocked down, which will occasion great disorder and confusion. The}" sent out no boats while I was off the place, and to deceive them, I caused all the sails to be furled a little before dark, and made the signal to anchor, after which I ran out of sight in the night, so that they are ignorant whether I proceeded to the northward or to the southward. Several of the galivats had blue, or green, and white pendants like Portuguese at their mast-heads, and one of them had a white flag with a red cross in the middle, which they hauled down when I drew near. Nothing remarkable has happened during this cruise ; the Mahratta fleet was at Severn- droog on my going down and coming up. I shall be happy to wait on you to relate farther particulars." Acting upon Commodore James' representations, the Governor and Council of Bombay resolved to prosecute the enterprise with vigour. /'" ^^ On the 7th of February/. 1756, the combined military and naval expedition sailed fr6m""I^ombay. It consisted of eight hundred European soldiers, three hundred topasses, (or Portu- guese soldiers), and three hundred sepoys, under the command of the hero known to posterity as Lord Clive ; also of the following men-of-war: — His Majesty's ships 'Kent,' seventy guns,flag-ship of Vice-Admiral Watson ; ' Cumberland,' sixty-six guns, flag- ship of Rear-Admiral Pocock ; ' Tiger,' sixty guns ; ' Salisbury, fifty guns; * Bridgewater,' twenty guns; and 'Kingfisher,' six- teen guns. The contingent of Company's vessels-of-war consisted of the ' Protector,' forty-four guns, Commodore James ; 'Revenge,' twenty-eight guns; 'Bombay,' twenty-eight guns; ' Guardian,' twenty-eight guns ; ' Swallow,' sixteen guns ; and the ' Drake,' ' Triunjph,' ' Warren,' ' Viper,' and ' Despatch,' bomb-vessels, on board of which a company of artillery, under command of Captain Tovey, was embarked. The whole formed a considerable fleet, which was still further reinforced by four grabs and forty galivats of the Mahrattas. Since the month of November, a body of the Peishwa's troops, under Eamajce Pun^ , and Kliundoojee Mankur, had been successfully operating against ToolajeeAngria^s territories, and the whole of his forts along the coast, to the northward of Gheria, had been reduced. When the British fleet appeared ofi" his capital, Toolajee was so terrified that he left the town to be defended by his brother, and surrendered himself to Ramajee Pnnt, to whom he oft'ered a large bribe for his freedom. But the Mahratta General kept him a prisoner, and extorted from him an order, directing his HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 13') brother to deliver the fortress to him, intending by this step to exclude the English from all participation in the plunder. In order to prevent the accomplishment of this design, Admiral Watson sent a summons to the fort, and, receiving no answer, at once prepared to attack the sea face of the batteries. Accordingly, on the 12th of February, the British fleet stood in in two divisions, one consisting of the ships of the line and the ' Protector,' to attack the forts, the other, consisting of the smaller vessels, to attack Angria's fleet and dockyards. As they took up their stations along the north side of the works within fifty yards' range, they were exposed to a heavy fire from the batteries, and from the grabs moored in the harbour, to which the guns of the ships and the mortars from the bomb-ketches replied with tremendous effect. The action soon became general. Between four and five o'clock a shell from one of the ketches fell on board the ' Restor- ation,' an English ship captured b}^ Angria, when she caught fire, and the flames, speedily communicating to the rest of the ships that lay moored close together, the whole of the piratical fleet was speedily involved in the conflagration. A little later a shell was thrown into the fort setting that on fire also. It now came to iVdmiral Watson's ears that Toolajee was again scheming to surrender the place to the Mahrattas. with whom he had opened negotiations to that end, and also that the Peishwa's General, notwithstanding that the stipulations of the treaty expressly provided that the occupation was to be a joint one, was not disinclined to entertain the proposals. To avoid the possibility of such a breach of good faith, the Admiral requested Colonel Clive to land the troops, and that officer dh\ so accordingly, and invested Gheria on the land side, so that the Mahrattas could hold no communication with the garrison.* Ramajee Pmit, when he found Colonel Clive had occupied a position between him and the fort, perceived what was intended, and endeavoured to get a few of his men in by any means. With this object he made secret overtures to Captain Buchanan, the officer on picket, offering him a bribe of 80,000 rupees if he would permit him and a party of his men to pass into the fort. * The point as to the ill-faith of the Peishwa's General has not been clearly establisliod. Captain Grant Duff states that Ramajee Punt intimated on the arrival of Admiral Watson, that he was in treaty for the surrender of Gheria, and promised to come on board his flagsliip for the purpose of obtaining the sanction of the Commissioners. Ho did not come at the time specified, but sent a substi- tute, who was instructed to otfer a bribe to Captain Hough, if he would under- take to cause the Admiral to suspend o]ierations. Tlio Admiral was tlterefore certainly justified in ordering the attack ; b\it on tlie otlier luuul it aitjiears from the Bombay Eecords, t.liat a Prize Committee of ten olllcers, of which Admirals Watson and Pocock, Captain Hough and Colonel Clive were members, had been appointed before they left Bombay harbour, and tliey had agreed to share the whole prize property in Gheria, without allowing tlie allies to participate. If the Mahrattas had intelligence of this proceednig, they had an equal right to forestall the English. 13G HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. This offer was indignantly, and most honourably, in those days of corruption, rejected by the British officer. To mark their sense of his conduct, the Bombay Government presented Captain Buchanan with a gold medal. On the evening of the 12th of February, the Admiral sent in a summons under a flag of truce, which was repelled by Toola- jee; and, accordingly, on the following day the fleet recommenced the bombardment with increased spirit. About four o'clock the enemy hoisted a white flag in token of submission. Admiral Watson insisted, as a sine guanon, that the British troops should be allowed to march in, and the ensign hoisted on the citadel ; but, as the piratical chief would not accede to these demands, the bombardment was renewed. At a quarter past five the white flag was once more hoisted and this time Angria, thoroughly humbled, surrendered on the terms dictated by his conquerors. A small detachment of our troops took possession of the chief work that night, and, on the following morning, the entire force inarched in. In this manner was obtained possession of a stronghold hitherto considered impregnable, and the result w-as achieved with a loss to the squadron of only nineteen men killed and wounded. Upwards of two hundred cannon, six brass mortars, and a large quantity of ammunition, together with eight of our countrymen, and three Dutchmen, were found in the place, and the specie, amounting to .£125,000, was divided among the English captors, who declared that the Mahrattas were not entitled to any part of it. The enemy's fleet, which was destroyed, consisted of one ship of seventy-four guns, two sixty-gun ships on the stocks, eight grabs mounting from twenty to thirty guns each, and about sixty galivats. There were thirteen hundred troops in the fort, and these, together Avith Angria's family, were made prisoners. Toolajee, who was captured by the Mahrattas, was put in irons, and thrown into one of the Peishwa's forts, where he lingered in a long captivity, and, subsequently, died at Sholapoor, to which place he had been removed. Six hundred European and Native troops were left to garrison the fort, and four of the Company's vessels were stationed in the harbour as an additional protection. In the beginning of April the fleet repaired to Bombay, when Admiral Watson, after refitting his squadron, sailed for Madras. It is not a very creditable fact, that the Bombay Government declined for some months to give np Gheria to the Mahrattas, notwithstanding that it was expressly agreed in the stipulations. They wished to exchange Bancoot for it. and put forth frivolous pretexts to excuse their breach of faith. Subsequently the place was yielded to the Peishwa, in accordance with the terms of the treaty concluded at Poena on the 2nd of October.* * The Mahrattas made hut an ill use of their newlj-acquired stronghold, for we find a writer, who Tibited Eonilay in 1775, sajs of them, " Before this period," HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 137 Soon after the fall of Angria, Commodore James, while cruising in the ' Revenge,' twenty-eight guns, fell in with the French ship ' rindienne,' bound from the Mauritius. Though she had six more guns, and carried a crew of one-third more men, he engaged her, and, after a short action, captured and carried her into Bombay. A few months later we find Conmio- dore James engaged in an adventure in which his scientific attainments and originality of mind were displayed. He had long supposed that by sailing out of the influence of the south- west monsoon, it was possible for a vessel to reach a latitude where variable gales prevailed, and that by such means a communication might be kept up between the different parts of the Company's settlements on both sides of the Indian Peninsula. He, accordingly, sailed from Bombay in the middle of the speaking of the capture of Gheria in 1756, " they were not possessed of any mari- time force, but at present, having a safe and convenient seaport, with a strong castle to defend it, they pay gi-eat attention to their Marine, which has made them as powerful by sea as they have hitherto been considered by land. Tliey are so jealous of this power, that they will not suffer ships of any nation to enter the port of Gheria, excepting such as may be forced in by stress of weather. They make prize of every European ship which they can overcome, and have always continued this practice since they have had this port, excepting with regard to the English, with whom, until the late rupture, they have been at peace many years. The Dutch, French, and Portuguese cannot sail by or near tlieir coast in safety, without being strongly convoyed. A very few months since, five or six merchant ships sailed from Goa, bound for Suratand the isle of Diu, under the convoy of a man-of-war of sixty-four guns, which they attacked with their frigates, and after putting it to tliglit made prizes of his wliole convoy (which were Portuguese), and carried them safely into Gheria." But notwithstanding this success, their strength created no fear in the hearts of the officers of the Bombay Marine, for we find the following reference to them by the same gentle- man, who cruised along the Malabar coast on board the ' Eevenge,' Commodore Moore, a redoubtable officer of tlie service, in company with the ' Bombay.' " We were told at Goa that the whole Mahratta fleet were manned, and had sailed from Glieria, and were resolved to attack the ' Revenge' and ' Bombay' grab, with the ships and vessels uuder their convoy, notwithstanding the limited time of the cessation of arms was not yet expired ; this did not affright the cap- tains, officers, or crews of these 8hi])s, who rather wished to have another trial of skill with them, on which account tliey proposed to sail on the 9th of February. We sailed from the Aquada, and ke])t sailing up to tlic northward ; nn tlie 11th we approached near to Gheria. We could not perceive their fleet in that port, or in little Gheria, where we arrived on the 13th. We concluded they were either at sea, or in some harbour to the northward, waitinij for us ; our conjectures proved true, for early in the morning of the l(?th, we discovered their whole fleet at anchor at the entrance of a port called Cole Arbor (Kolabah), about three leagues to the north of us ; there wore so many, so near each other, tliat wo could not count them. We kept on our way, and, as they were to windward, we were in continual expectation of their coming out, and were much surprised tlu'y did not. At noon we were so near them ns to be able to count tlunr number, which was that of their whole JMarine force, consisting of three frigales, five ketches, and ten galivats. We made a tack in shore, which brouglit us within gunshot. Our Commodore and tiic fleet then hoisted Knglisli colours, and the Mahratta Admiral lioisted his, and a red flag on his nniin-toinnast, when the whole fleet hoisted their ensigns, but none offered to move; we then tacked offto sea, and kept working to windward till eight in the evening, when we saw the light in Old Woman's Island, and at eight next morning we anchored in the har- bour of Bombay, where Commodore Sir Edward Hughes, of the sfpiadron of His Majesty's ships under his command, lay at anchor, the 17th of February, 1770. 138 HISTORY OF THE INDTAX NAVY. monsoon, got into favonrable weather to the southward, and arrived on tlie Coromandel coast, to the surprise of the whole settlement, after a voyage nearly as short, in point of fact, .as was ordinarily made during the fine weather of the north-east monsoon. It was at that time a feat unexampled in the naviga- tion of those seas. Pennant, in the first volume of his " History of Hindostan," says that, in effecting the passage, the Commodore crossed the Equator in the meridian of Bombay, and continued his course to the southward as far as the tenth degree of latitude, and then was enabled to go as far to the eastward as the meridian of Atcheen Head, the north-west extremity of Sumatra, whence, with the wind which then prevailed in the Bay of Bengal, he could with ease gain the entrance to the Hooghly, or any part of the Coromandel coast. This track is laid down in Arrowsmith's old map of the world. The voyage thus completed, w^as of great benefit to the Englisli community on that coast, for Commodore James not only carried the first intelligence of the outbreak of hostilities with France, but at the same time brought five hundred soldiers to the assist- ance of the Presidency of Fort William. By this timely accession to their strength, Admiral Watson and Colonel Clive were enabled, in March, 1757, to capture Chandernagore from the French, and thus not only struck a heavy blow at their power in the East, but also ruined their trade. In the succeeding September, Commodore James, when in command of the 'Revenge,' was stationed otf Pondicherry, in company with H.M.S. ' Triton.' While cruising off here they were chased b^' a superior squadron of French ships. In the year 1759, the Commodore returned to England, and having purchased a property at Eltham, called Park Farm, with the proceeds of his share of the booty captured at Gheria, Severndroog, and other places, married a Miss Goddard. Soon after his arrival in England, the Court of Directors presented him with a magnificent gold-hilted sword, on the blade of which was a record of his achievements, but it was not until the 25th of July, 1778, that His Majesty the King graciously rewarded his eminent services with a baronetcy. Commodore James was at once elected to a seat at the Board of Directors, and successively rose to the honourable posts of Deputy-Chairman and Chairman, the latter of which he filled for twenty years. He was also returned to Parliament as Member for West Looe, a Cornish borough, and was conspicuous in the House up to his death, as an advo- cate of the Company he had served so long in a less peaceful arena. Honours were bestowed freely on Sir William James during the closing years of his life, and he was nominated a Governor of Greenwich Hospital, and elder brother and Deput}' Master of the Trinity House. His energies were ever actively employed in extending the greatness and influence of the HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. ];"!9 Company, and when the Kiug of France assisted the Americans in their struggle for independence, he pkinned the hinuiliation of the enemy's power in India, by the capture of Pondicherry, which was indeed carried into efifect, though the town was subsequently restored at the peace. The Company were so sensible of his services on this occasion, that they presented him with a handsome service of plate. Owing to the hardships he had endured in early life, and the eft'ects of the unhealthy climates in which he had served, his health began to decline, and, on the very day his daughter was married, the 16th of December, 1783, the year before the passing of Mr. Pitt's India Bill, he was seized with a fit of apoplexy and expired.* Thus, at the age of sixty-two, passed away this distinguished officer, who not only possessed professional qualities of a high order, but was ever a faithful guardian of the affairs of the Company, whose territorial possessions he had extended. To return to the records of the Bombay ]\Iarine. It would appear that it was usual during the war with France, for some ships of the Bombay Marine to be attached to His ]\Iajesty's fleet in the Indian Seas. In the year 1747, Commodore Griftin had arrived from England with a squadron to reinforce the British fleet, which then consisted of eleven ships, the French * His widow, Lady James, erected a monument to tlie memory of her late liusbaud 0!\ the northern brow of Shooter's Hill. It has been thus described : — " Lady James being a woman of considerable taste, resolved to effect her purpose in a manner that could not fail to attract the notice of eyery traveller who passed into Kent. By way of perpetuating the memory of the capture of Severndroog, the year after the death of its victorious assailaut she caused a castellated build- ing to be erected after a design by Mr. Jup]), the summit of which is upwards of 140 feet higher than the cross on the dome of St. Paul's. It consists of three stories, and is surrounded by battlements. The inside is fitted up in an appro- priate manner with arms, partisans, shields, javelins, &c., proper to the various nations of the East; and the whole is so contrived as to impress the niiud with the belief that it is the identical armoui-y a])pertaining to Angria. In the room above this, the naval actions and enterprises of the Commodore are beautifully painted on the ceiling, and from the windows there is a most admirable view of London, the Thames, the shipping, and the adjacent country. This monument of Lady James's affection may be seen on a clear day from many parts of this metropolis, and from the tops of most public buildnigs. On a tablet over the entrance of the buildins, which is generally known by the appellation of Lady James's Tower, is tlu> following inscription : — ' This building was erected, 17>S4, by the representative of the late Sir William James, Hart. To commemorate that gallant officer's achievements in the East Indies, during the command of the Company's Marine forces in those seas, and in a particular manner to record tlio conquest of tlie Castle of Severndroog, on tiie coast of Malabar, which fell to his superior valour and able conduct on the 3rd day of Ajiril, 1755.' " Sir William James was succeeded in his title and estate by his eldest son, who then became Sir Kichard James, and, on his decease, by his remaining son, who also died on the 16th of November, 1792, at the early age of eighteen years, when the Baro- netcy became extinct. Lady Eancliffe, the only daugliter of Sir William James, died on the IStli of January, 1797, and his widow, Lady James, died soon after- wards. The lineal represent;itive of this gallant sailor is now Sir Richard Le- vinge, Bart., who has still in his possession the sword of honour voted by the Comj^any to his ancestor, and a magnificent portrait painted by Sir Joshua Eeynolds. 140 HISTORY OF THE INDLVN NAAT. having only eight sail at the time on the India Station. Some losses were occasioned by English ships sailing into Madras, not knowing it had been taken by the French, and Commodore Griffin did not consider himself strong enough either to recover that place or to reduce Pondicherry, in which the French had mounted one hundred and eighty pieces of cannon, and had still further strengthened with six additional forts, the whole being held by a garrison of five thousand men. On the 29th of July, 1748, Admiral Boscawen arrived from England at Fort St. David, with six sail of the line and other ships, when steps were immediately taken for a combined mili- tary and naval expedition against Pondicherry. Admiral Boscawen, says Grose, had under his command the largest fleet *' ever seen together in the East Indies ; for it consisted of nine ships of the line, two frigates, a sloop, and two tenders, besides fourteen of the Company's ships, having three thousand five hundred and eighty sailors on board." The Eoyal troops con- sisted of twelve hundred men, eight hundred marines, and eighty artillerymen, and those of the Company, under Major Lawrence, of seven hundred and fiftymen, including two hundred "topasses," with seventy artillerymen ; the Admiral also landed eleven hundred seamen from the fleet. But the French Governor, M. Dupleix, w^as able to make a successful defence, and, as the ships could not approach near enough to the works to inflict any damage, the siege was raised, the sailors and heavy guns were re-embarked, and the troops marched for Fort St. David on the 6th of October, Thus terminated this expedition with the loss of seven hundred and fifty-seven soldiers, forty-three artil- lery, and two hundred and sixty-five seanien. The peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, signed on the 7th of October, put an end to hostilities for a brief space. In the following April occurred a great hurricane, in which Admiral Boscawen's flag-ship, the ' Namur,' seventy-four guns, with seven hundred men foundered, the ' Pembroke,' sixty guns, and ' Apollo,' w-ere both wrecked, with the loss of all hands, and two of the Company's ships were stranded near Cuddalore. Peace was not long maintained between the two countries, and, on the resumption of hostilities, Admiral Pocock. com- manding the Royal fleet on the return to England of Admiral Watson,* the victor of Gheria, was joined on the 24th of March, 1758, by Commodore Stevens with reinforcements fronj England. He accordingly weighed from Madras on the 17th of April with a squadron of nine sail, including the Company's ship ' Protector,' * Admiral Watson, who so ably seconded Clive at Calcutta, died soon after at that city of fever, and a monument was erected to his memory by the East India Company in the Cathedral. George II. created his son, a child aged eight years of age, a Baronet, on account of his fatlier's services, and it may be mentioned as a curious case of longevity, that this gentleman lived to the age of ninety -three, and only died so lately as the 26th of August, 1844. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 141 of fort.y-fonr guns, and arrived off Fort St. David on the 29th of April, when he engaged M. d'Ache's fleet, consisting of eleven ships, carrying one hundred and sixty-two more guns, and seven- teen hundred more men. An action ensued in which the French were defeated and bore up for Pondicherry. In this battle our casualties were twenty-nine killed and eighty-nine woinided, while the French were said to have lost six hundred killed alone. Admiral Pocock was not altogether satisfied with the conduct of some of his officers during this action, and he broke the captains of the ' Weymouth' and 'Newcastle.' Having repaired damages at Madras, which once again belonged to the English, and re- inforced his fleet with one hundred and twenty convalescent men from hospital, and eighty-four Lascars, Adujiral Pocock sailed on the 10th of May, but returned without encountering the enemy. He again sailed with the same ships on the 25th of July, and, on the 3rd of August, encountered M. d'Ache. After a hot action, which lasted two hours, the French Admiral made sail and was pursued until after dark, when he succeeded in escaping into Pondicherry. The British loss was thirty-one killed and one hundred and sixteen wounded, including Commodore Stevens and Captain Martin of the ' Cumberland,' and that of the French, two hundred and fifty-one killed and six hundred and two w^ounded, including among the latter, the Admiral and his flag- captain. The French fleet proceeded to Mauritius, where they were joined by two sevent3'-four's, and one sixty-four gun ship. During this year, the French, under the famous M. Lally, reduced Cuddalore and Fort St. David, and destroyed the fortifications, as they had done at Madras in 1746, but thehonour of our arms was retrieved before the close of the year, by a victory achieved by Colonel Forde on the 7tli of December, and still more by the successful defence of ]\Iadras by Colonels Lawrence and Dra])er, between the 12th of December, 1758, and tlie Nth of February, 1759, when the ' Queensborough' frigate, commanded by Captain Kerapenfeldt— the same gallant officer who met so tragic an end on board the ' Royal George ' at Spithead — and the Company's frigate 'Bombay,' disembarked a timely reinforcement of six hundred men of the 79th Regiment. Thus ended this famous siege, which had been extended over sixty-seven days, tlie batteries having been open forty-six. On the 17th of August, 1759, Admiral Pocock sailed from Bombay for the Coromandel coast, to which ^L Ache soon after proceeded with a greatly su})erior fleet. The British Admiral stationed his ships in such a manner as to protect the tradi' and intercept the enemy. He kept his station ott" Ceylon until the 3rd of August, when he proceeded ofl' Pondicherry, and thenee to Trincomalee for water. Admiral Pocock detached the small 142 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. frigate 'Revenge,' of the Boinbciy Marine, which formed one of his fleet, to look out for the enemy off Ceylon, and, on the 2nd of (September, she descried fifteen sail standing to the nortli- east. The 'Revenge' was chased by a French ship-of-the-line, which fired into her, when the British Admiral, notwithstanding the great disparity of force, made the signal for a general chase, but, the wind falling light, he was unable to bring them to a general action. At seven in the evening. Admiral Pocock ordered the 'Revenge ' to make sail to the south-east and keep sight of the enemyif possible, and, according to Grose (Vol. IL, p. 335), she performed this duty well. At daylight the following morning, the French fleet were about six leagues distant, and Admiral Pocock threw out the signal for a general chase, but, the wind again falling light, was unable to bring the enemy to action, though they formed a line of battle as if desirous of engaging. It being hazy, the English lost sight of the French fleet, when Admiral Pocock again had recourse to the services of the ' Revenge.' She was first sent astern, but, not meeting the enemy, steered ahead, the fleet following in line of battle, with their heads to the northward. On the following morning, the ' Revenge ' signalled four sail to the north-east, on which Admiral Pocock made the signal for a general chase. At half-past eleven, the ' Revenge ' bore away more to the eastward, and was followed by the stpiadron ; but after continuing the chase until nearly two in the afternoon, and discovering only two ships, with whom he could not come up, the Admiral made the signal for the ' Revenge ' to rejoin the squadron. Thence he proceeded to Pondicherry, off" which he descried, on the 8th of September, the French fleet to the number of sixteen sail. At four in the afternoon, we are told, " the French squadron appeared to be formed in a line of battle abreast, and steered right down upon the English Admiral, who ordered the 'Revenge' to keep between the two squadrons, and observe their motions during the night." On the 10th of September the long-expected battle took place between the rival fleets. The French were greatly superior in the number of ships and men, and in weight of metal. Their fleet consisted of eleven sail of the line, carrying seven hundred and twenty-eight guns, and six thousand four hundred men, with two frigates and a storeship, while the English had only nine ships of the line, carrying five hundred and thirty-six guns and four thousand and thirty-five men, besides four frigates, including the Company's ships ' Revenge' and 'Protector.' A severe action commenced about two o'clock and lasted for two hours, seven ships bearing the brunt of the attack of the French fleet, when the latter retired, the English ships, owing to the damage they had received in their spars and rigging, being in no condition to pursue. AVhen night set in, the services of the HISTORY OF THE IXDIAN NAVY. 143 ' Revenge ' were called into requisition to keep between the Admiral and the enemy, and observe the hitter's motions, while the British fleet lay-toon the larboard tack, that the disabled shijjs might repair damages. Some further manoeuvring took phice on the following day, when the enemy declined a second encounter. Admiral Pocock anchored about three leagues to the southward of Negapatam Roads on the 12th, and, in the evening, sent the ' Revenge' to Madras with letters to the Governor and Council. She returned in a few days, bringing a reply from the Governor, dated "Fort St. George, Septeuiber 16, 1759," thanking the Admiral and all his officers lor their devotion. In this engage- ment both sides suffered considerably. The French were said to have lost fifteen hundred men killed and wounded ; and the English had one hundred and eighty-four in the former category, including those who died of their wounds, and three hundred and eight3'-five in the latter. One ship, the ' Newcastle,' lost her captain and had one hundred and twelve men placed Itors de combat, and the ' Tiger ' suffered still more severely, her casual- ties being one hundred and sixty- eight men. Admiral Pocock, having repaired damages at Madras, proceeded to sea again on the 26th of September, in questof the enemy, whom lie found lying at Pondicherry. The French, however, avoided an action, and the Admiral returned to Madras, On the 17th of October he again sailed, and, on the following day, was joined by lour ships- of-the-line from England, under Admiral Cornish, and three Indiamen, with troops on board, under Colonel EyreCoote. On the 7th of April, 1760, the gallant Admiral sailed from Bombay, for Portsmouth, and, soon after, placed his country under still further obligations to him by the reduction of Havanna. A succession of heavy blows was given to the French power in India by the capture of Carical and other places, including their great stronghold of Pondicherry, which was besieged by a combined naval and military force under Colonel Coote and Admiral Cornish, and, at length, capitulated on the 15th of January, 1761, when General Lally and his garrison were made ])risoners of war. The Navy, including some of the Company's ships, largely partici{)ated in this famous siege, and not oidy blockaded the fort, but landed seamen frouj the fleet. During the siege a terrible hurricane visited the coast and scattered the blockading squadron under Admiral Stevens, vying, in the losses it occasioned, with the destructive storm of the 2nd of October, 174(), in which the French fleet, then lying at Madras, lost three ships-of-the-line, with twelve hundred men, and also the 'Advice ' and ' Merujaid ' Company's ships, two of the enemy's prizes, while twenty other vessels of different nationalities foundered at sea; or as that equally terrible tempest of the 13th of April, 1741), already mentioned, when the 'Naniur,' seventy-four guns, and other vessels were lost, with all hands. In this storm of January, 144 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 1761, His Majesty's ships 'Dtike of Aqnitain,' ' Snnderland,' 'Newcastle,' and ' Qiieensborough,' and the Company's ship 'Pro- tector,' which had done such good service as Commodore James's flagship, were driven ashore and lost, and other ships suffered severely, though the arrival of Admiral Cornish with his Division, enabled the Navy to renew the blockade of Pondicherry, which capitulated a few days later. Peace was concluded between the two countries in 1702, and the 1st of September was observed at Bombay as a day of thanksgiving, when the Governor and Council, accompanied by the principal European and Native inhabitants, repaired to the Green, where the King's proclamation of peace with France and Spain was read and a salute fired. During these years, so critical for the welfare of the nascent British power in India, the Bombay Marine, besides affording valuable co-operation to the Navy, continued to execute with credit and success their duties as the police of the Eastern seas, for, though Angria's power was most effectually crushed, they had ample employment in keeping in check the piratical vessels hailing from numerous ports in the Concan and Canara coasts, and affording protection and convoy to the trade of the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and Malabar littoral. We will now treat briefly of events at Surat, the cradle of the Service, so far as they bear upon its history. The Bombay Presidency, says a writer, had long fixed covetous eyes upon that portion of the revenues of Surat wdiich were allotted to the Seedee for the maintenance of his fleet, in order that he might protect the native trade, and which had received the name of tiinkha, from the small silver coin originally used for pay- ment during the reign of Ackbar ; this tunkha was derived from the assignment of the revenues of certain districts, with a portion of the Customs, amounting in all to a yearly sum of about c£36,000. Plans for the appropriation of this tribute were now proposed by the Government of Bombay, and, after the details had been fully discussed, an attempt was made to put them into execution. Though still considered hereditary Admirals of the Mogul empire, successive Seedees had been gradually losing their reputation, and when Angria had, in conjunction with the Peishwa, seized their fleet at Rajapore, their flag was no longer respected by the Native powers, or dreaded by the numerous rovers of the coast ; indeed they could no longer afford the protection, in consideration of which a portion of the revenues had been assigned to them. Of the sum annually set apart for this duty, only about two lacs reached their treasury, the remainder being intercepted by the Nawab, or Native Governor, of the city, as his perquisite ; but so far were they from fulfilling the conditions on which the grant had been originally made to them, that they were themselves at HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 145 the very time supplicating aid from the Government of Bombay. At that date Angria alone dared to resist the British on the high seas, and even he fled before them unless his force happened on any occasion to be vastly superior. The Company's naval power was acknowledged by all, and the}'' had already established one proof of suzerainty in requiring native vessels from Surat to carry their passes,* and declaring all to be lawful prizes who were without them or those of friendly nations. " Indeed," con- tinues the writer from whom we ai-e quoting, " if superiority, not as regards number of men or ships, or weight of n:ietal, but skill, courage, and other requisites for successful warfare, were alone considered, their claim was irresistible. Negotiations for the transfer of the tunkha and concomitant responsibilities to English hands, were opened in .June, 1733, and, at first, were highly encouraging, but it soon appeared that the interests of too many parties were concerned. Besides the Company, the Governor of Surat, and the Seedee, there were the Dutch, who felt that the question was of great importance to them. Forty years before they had endeavoured to obtain the tunkha for themselves, and although they could not apply for it now in their reduced condition, they had regained some of their lost credit by the part which they had taken in the late revolution, and would do their utmost to prevent the most successful of their European rivals from increasing their wealth and influence. Then the Seedee was at the time in close alliance with the English, and it would be dangerous to proceed openly, so as to malce him an enemy at a time when the attitude, both of the Mahratta Rajah and Angria, was most threatening. Lastly, there were the interests of Teg Beg Khan, the Mogul Nawab. An attempt was made towards inducing him to forego the lac of rupees which annually found its way into the Treasury, and to pay the whole three lacs fairly to the British." Mr. Lowther, the chief at Surat, conducted the aff"air on the part of the President and Council with tact and secrecy. Reports of progress were regularly sent to Bombay, and, for some time, were favourable, but, after lengthy negotiations, the attempt ended in failure, in consequence of the demand made by the Nawab. A series of disputes, into which the Native Government and factors now were drawn, seems to have had its origin with various classes of luitive merchants, such as were independent of the English, endeavouring to ruin those wIkuu the English patronised ; and the Governor, who, as the factors remarked, was indebted to the English for all he possessed, listened too readily to the malicious stories of informers against them. At length Teg Beg Khan ordered one of the merchants to be arrested, set a guard over tlie house of another, and e.xtorted a * A Form of Pass was agreed upon by the President in Council in .Vpril, 1734. VOL. I. L 146 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. sum of 4,000 rupees from the English broker. When waited upon by Mr. Hope and other factors, he released his prisoners ; but, instead of refunding the mone.y he had extorted, directed his officers to levy a new tax, called "convoy money," on all English vessels passing up and down the river ; and, lastly, he refused all redress when a Parsee servant of the chief had been wantonly and ferociously assaulted by a public servant of the riovernment. Mr. Lowther, arriving at this juncture with the Company's ship ' Heathcote,' the ' Salamander' bomb-ketch, and tlie ' Tiger' and ' Shark galivats, resolved not to land until reparation should be made for the insults he had received, ordered all the English merchants to join him, except two, who Avere left in charge of the factory, and vigorously prepared to punish the Governor's insolence by laying an embargo upon the trade. Negotiations now ensued, during which the English chief and his friends remained on board their ships at the bar of the river, and refused several invitations to land, peremptorily insisting upon satisfaction for the injuries their dependents had received, and threatening reprisals in case of refusal. Drawing up a formal document, they stated their demands npon the Government in nine articles ; of which one was that vessels with English colours, passing up and down the river, should not be molested or required to pay convoy mone.y. The Native Govermnent had, meanwhile, equipped a fleet which, in their estimation, was more powerful than that of the English, whilst the whole British land force that could be mus- tered for the defence of a factory situated in the midst of a dense and alien population, and within gunshot of an embattled castle and hostile troops, consisted of twenty-six European soldiers, eight topasses, eighty- four peons, and a few domestic servants It was natural, under such circumstances, that, relying upon the great superiority of his military strength, and spurred on by his friends. Teg Beg's presumption should know no bounds. In return for Mr. Lowther's nine articles, the Go- vernor submitted to him, on the 8th of February, 1735, an equal number, containing the most unreasonable demands. Immediately after this, however, a little incident must have satisfied him that conciliation would be wiser than vain attempts to overcome his powerful enemies. At the mouth of the river there was cruising with the pro- fessed object of protecting native vessels, what was called " the King's fleet," commanded by a Seedee, and comprising one grab, one smaller ship of war, and four galivats. This naval force soon approached, and, in bravado, sailed round the British blockading squadron, which would have been well pleased to accept this foolish challenge, and settle the difficulties with the Natives there and then. At the request of Mr. Lowther, the officer in command despatched his bomb ketch, with an order HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 147 that the Seedee should bring his ships to an anchor, and send an officer to wait upon the English representativ^e. As no answer was returned and the defiant attitude continued, the ' Heathcote' saluted her challengers with a broadside, when a short action ensued, which ended in the King's fleet sheering off, and it never again made its appearance during these trans- actions. Teg Beg and his party now manifested symptoms of concession. The blockade had raised the prices of provisions forty per cent., and the inhabitants attributed their sufferings to the crimes and obstinacy of their rulers, rather than to the measures of the English, whose firmness was at last rewarded as it deserved, by Teg Beg signing all the articles dictated to him. Disputes now arose between the Nawab and the Seedee, who had been deprived of his tunkha, and the latter visited Bombay to solicit the intercession of the President, who, how- ever, asked him to resign at least a portion of the tribute to the English. This led to reprisals on the Surat commerce by the Seedee, until, in August, 1735, the Nawab agreed to pay c£24,000 arrears of tunkha, and .£15,000 yearly. The Nawab now treated the English fiictory with insolence, as they had declined to interfere in his dispute with the Seedee, but once more a naval force, consisting of the ' Victoria' frigate, with two smaller vessels, called the ' Princess Caroline' and ' Defi- ance,' was sent to the bar of the Surat river, and the Govern- ment of Bombay showed that they could obtain by compulsion what they still condescended to ask with politeness. But they had no wish to ruin either the Governor or Seedee, and, having overawed them both, were satisfied with an apology for the aftVonts which had been offered, and a promise that their debt should be discharged by more regular instalments.* Still this settlement was only temporary, and could hardly be otherwise in the unsettled state of affairs consequent on the decay of the central power at Delhi. The duty of affording protection and convoy to the trade, became very harrassing at Surat, owing to the constant feuds between the Nawab and the ]\logul Adnjiral, and, at times, it became necessary for armed boats to escort the trailing vessels up the Taptee, to prevent their being plundered by the villagers on the banks of the river. These people could have been coerced into quietude by the ships of the Marine, but, at this period, such a course would have been detrimental to the trade, which was still very consiilerable; careful watch and ward was all that could be effected, and this was most effec- tually performed by the officers and men of the Service, in 1759, however, they had an opportunity of distinguishing themselves, and of performing a service of lasting importance to their masters. * Surat Diary, 1737-39. L 2 148 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 'J'he Bombay Presidency, as we have already mentioned, had long been urgent with the Peishwa to assist them in establishing their trade and privileges at Surat, on a secure footing, and in maintaining peace and order in the city itself. For many years, owing to the constant squabbles and jealousies of the Mogul officers, the city had been in a state of confusion. At one time the Governor and the Mogul Admiral were at open feud, and then at other times there were rivals for the Nawab- ship, when the Dutch and English factories espoused opposite sides, and fought against each other, though their respective countries were in a state of profound peace. On such occasions, the Northern, or Surat, squadron of the Marine did good ser- vice, and maintained the ascendancy of their nationality. At length, disgusted with this state of affairs, so subversive of trade, and finding that he was not likely to obtain the Peishwa's aid, Mr. Ellis, the agent, arranged a plan with the senior naval officer, the execution of which, however, was deferred, owing to orders from the Bombay Government. In 1758, the quarrel between the Nawab, Novas Ali Khan, and the Seedee, came to a climax. In consequence of the decline of the central power, there was no authority to check the pretensions of the latter officer, who had always been accustomed to obey orders ema- nating from the Emperor and his deputy, receiving the tunkha for his services in protecting the trade. For many years, how- ever, the protector of the trade had become its chief oppressor, and, on some occasions, the Nawab had to make great conces- sions to appease his powerful subject. Thus matters went on from bad to worse, the Dutch and English agents being unable to keep the peace, if they did not foment the quarrels. AVhen the final rupture took place between these high Mogul officers, the fleet remained faithful to the Admiral, who seized the castle of Surat, thus gaining command of the entire city, and appointed Meer Atchund to the office of Nawab. Fighting and negotiation were tried to oust the recalcitrant Admiral, but in vain, and the Nawab, in his extremity, at length applied to the English agent for assistance. This appeal afforded the long wished for opportunity. Mr. Ellis, who was succeeded, in 1759, by Mr. Spencer, had agreed to afford all the aid at his disposal on certain terms, which were readily acceded to. A treaty, by which the Company gained lasting benefits, was therefore signed, sealed, and delivered, and was afterwards confirmed b}'' the Emperor ; and the Bombay Government, to whom the mer- chants had repeatedly applied for protection from the rapacity and insults of the Seedee and his officers, apprehensive that he might open the gate to the Mahrattas, at length agreed to intervene with an armed force. An expedition was accordingly fitted out at Bombay, con- sisting of five of the Company's ships and a body of eight HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 140 hundred and fifty European troops and fifteen hundred Sepoys. The whole was placed under the command of Commodore \Vat- son, of the Bombay Marine, an officer of remarkable skill and tried ability, under whose orders the officers and men of ho Service had upheld the reputation they had earned under Sir AVilliara James. The armament sailed on the 9th of February, 1750, and tlu; troops were landed at Dentilowr,y, about nine miles from Surat, where they encamped for three days. The first operation was against the " French garden," where theSeedee had phiced some of his troops, which were dislodged. A battery was then erected, on which were mounted two 24-pounders and a 13-inch mortar; and, for three days, a heavy fire was maintained against the walls, but without effect. A council of war, composed of mili- tary and naval officers, was then convened, at which it was decided that the following plan of operations should be put into execution. " The plan was," says Grose, a contemporary writer and traveller, '• that the Company's grab of twenty guns and four bomb-ketches, should warp up the river in the niglit, and anchor in a line of battle opposite the Seedee's bundar, one of the strongest fortified places they had got. This they did, and a general attack began from the vessels and battery at the appointed time on the 1st of March. The Captain's intentions in this, were to drive the enemy from their batteries, and to facilitate the landing of the infantry at the bundar, whom he had embarked in boats for their transportation. The bomb- ketches made a continual fire until half-past eight, when a signal was made for the boats to put off and land under cover of the vessels. This proved very successful by the prudent conduct and gallant behaviour of Captain Watson, who landed the troops with the loss of only one man. They attacked the Seedee's bundar and soon put his troops to flight, with the loss of Captain Robert Inglish, mortally wounded, Lieutenant Pep- perell wounded in the shoulder, and some privates killed and wounded. Having gained this point and getting possession of the town with its fortifications, thii next thing to be done was to attack the inner town and castle, for which purpose the i;} and 12-incli mortars were planted on the Seedee's bundar, and began firing as soon as possible at the distance of seven hun- dred yards from the castle and five hundred from the inner town. About six in the evening the mortars began to play very briskly, and continued their fire until half-past two the next morning, which unusual attack put the castle and town into such a consternation that they never returned a gnn." Negotiations were now ojjcned by the enemy ; but the friends of Pharres Khan, the " naib." or deputy of the Nawab. who was very popular with the inhabitants on account of his justice and integrity, now seemed inclined to continue Meer Atchund 150 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. as governor of the town, on condition that the former slioiild be continued as Naib, which carried the office of chief magis- trate. Mr. Spencer, the Company's agent, communicated this resolution to Atchinid, who readily agreed to, and executed, a treaty of four points, by the third article of which it was con- ceded that the Mecca gate of the inner town should be opened, and an attack by the combined forces made against the Seedoe, who still continued to hold the castle. The counterpart of this treaty was delivered on the 4th of March to Atchund, who, thereupon, admitted the British force, which marched in with drums beating and colours flying. The Seedee at first appeared determined to defend the castle to the last extremity ; but, upon learning that Atchund had joined his troops with the British, he opened negotiations, and, at length, agreed to sur- render the fortress, which was of considerable strength, and amply supplied with guns and stores,* on condition of being allowed to march out with his arms and effects. The fighting during these operations must have been rather brisk, as we find that the losses of the British in killed alone, amounted to one hundred and fifty officers and men. A gratuity of 200,000 rupees (i^20,000) was divided among the captors. (Some troops and a squadron for the protection of the newly-acquired settlement were left at Surat, and the remainder of the expedition returned to Bombay on the 15th of April. Certain districts were allotted for the subsistence of the See- dee, though he was for ever deprived of the dignity and emolu- ments of his high office, which were conferred on the East India Company, together with the revenues and districts allotted for * The Castle is described by Abraliam Parsons, vrho visited Surat in 1776, as " a large and noble quadrangular building, witli a circular and capacious bastion at each angle, mounted with three tiers of guns pointing three ditJerent ways ; the lowest are 36-pounders, the second 24, and the upper tiers 18 and 12-pounders. There are near two hundred cannon mounted on the Castle, besides twenty-four at the saluting battery ; the lowest tier are not above six feet from the level of the glacis, or the river at high water, when it washes the Castle walls. There are many guns mounted on the ramparts between each bastion. On one of the bas- tions is lioisted the British Union flag, and on its opposite, the Mogul's ; the English having condescended to accept of being the Mogul's Admiral of Indos- tan, to please the Natives, hoist his flag on the Castle." Of the town, the same intelligent writer says, " There is a wall and ditch enclosing the city, and another surrounding the suburbs ; the distance round the outer wall is computed to be near twelve English miles. In the outer wall are thirteen gates, including three on the banks of the river ; in the inner are four gates, so tiiat even the suburbs cannot receive provisions without paying the duty, which is in kind. The w hole of the duties are supposed to amount to about forty lacs of rupees ; theMahrattas enjoyed one-third of these duties, and the English think it prudent to continue it to tliem to keep them quiet, lest they should assist the Nabob in regaining his independence. Here are two principal gates which lead to the Castle, the keys of wliich are carried to the English chief every night at sunset, when they are locked. They are opened at daybreak in the morning. These gates are guarded by English, the others by the Nabob's officers and soldiers, who send the keys to the English officers. The French, Portuguese, and Dutch have factories here, and the Dutch and Portuguese hoist their respective flags at their factories." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. l')l its support. An officer of the Bombay Marine was to hold the official dignit}' as the Deputy of the Company, and, from 1759 to 1829, a period of seventy years, a captain of the Service was annually appointed to this situation by the Bombay Govern- ment. This officer wore the Company's colours at the peak of his flagship, but carried the Mogul's flag at the main. The revenues of the districts and Customs which had been assigned, went to the support of the Surat squadron, which, we find from various records, averaged, between 1759 and 1803, the following vessels: — The Commodore's flagship, a brig or large ketch, eight galivats, mounting from four to eight guns, commanded by lieutenants, and each having about twenty European seamen, the rest of the crew being Natives, and from four to six ketches and brigs employed with convoys during the north- east monsoon. The Commodore's pay as a captain we find, from a record of 1787-88, was, with an allowance for two servants, 87 rupees per month ; while the estimate of his fees for convoy and other per- quisites, as assigned the Company by the treat}', amounted to 85,500 rupees for the year ! From other papers, we find that the actual receipts in the same j^ear were not less than 97,000 rupees. Besides these money fees, the Commodore had also a tithe on certain articles entering the river, such as grain, poultry, fire- wood, and many other items which were at times commuted for nioney, and may be the cause of the difference between the estimated and actual receipts. Thus the post of Mogul's Admi- ral, which was only tenable for one year, was worth to the incumbent no less than .£10,000, a vast sum in those days, when the salary of the Governor of Bombay did not exceed de500, and that of the chief military officer, £250. With trifling modifications, these rules remained in force until 1809 or 1810, when convoy money was reduced, as had been the privilege of private trading in 1798. However indefensible such rules may appear to us now, they were in harmony with the feelings of the age, and at least the gallant officer who, for one year, enjoyed the dignity and emolu- ments of the post of Admiral of the Mogul, performed the duties W'ith a thoroughness we are accustomed to expect from British officers, and which earned the commendation of successive Nawabs, who contrasted their energy and skill with the indo- lence and inefficiency of their predecessors. That this good opinion was borne out by facts, we may readily believe, when we find that, between the years 1759 and 1768, nearly one hundred vessels, belonging to the Cutch, Okamundel, and Katty- war pirates, were captured and destroyed by the Surat squadron. CHAPTER V. 1759—1790. Loss of Gombroon — Operations against Hyder Ally's Seaports — Capture of Tannah and Death of Commodore Watson — Commodore Moore's Action with the Shumslier Jung — Desperate Action between the ' Ranger' and Mahratta Fleet — Affairs in the Eed Sea and Persian Gulf — Operations against Kharrack — The Bombay Marine at the Siege of Bussorah by the Persians — A Retrospect of the Bombay Marine — Construction of the Dry and Wet Docks at Bombay — Services of the Bombay Marine during the War with France and Hyder Ally. THE year 1759, rendered memorable as that in which the Company acquired by conquest, in no small measure due to the prowess of their Marine, the oldest of their settlements in India, where they had hitherto only been tolerated as strangers, was also signalized by their ejectment from one of the first factories they had formed in the East, though it had long been of so unprofitable a character as a trading entrepot, owing to the anarchy and confusion of Persian affairs, that the loss scarcely lessened the exultation of the Directors at the intelligence of the acquisition of Surat. This was the capture of Gombroon, or Bunder Abbas, in the Persian Gulf, opposite Ormuz, at which the Company had continued to maintain a factory since the cap- ture of the island in the year 1(322. M. Lally equipped four ships, under Dutch colours, one of which, the ' Conde,' carried sixty-four guns, and another twenty- two, and employed a force of one hundred and fifty European, and two hundred Native, troops, two mortars, and four battering guns, to besiege the small and unfortified English factory. The expedition was entrusted to the command of the Count d'Estaing* ^an officer who, later, attained some notoriety as the opponent of Vice-Admiral Byron, in his victory off the island of Grenada, on the 6th of July, 1779 — and arrived oft" Gombroon on the 15th of October, when the ships began to batter the English factory which was gallantly defended by sixteen of the Company's seamen and some Sepoys, under Mr. Douglas, the chief agent. * Count d'Estaing was on parole at this time, having been made prisoner by Colonel Draper in his sally at the siege of Madras, on the 14th of March ; but to hide this open breach of the rules of war, M. des Essars and M. Charjioy were appointed nominal commanders. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY. 153 The French burnt the ' Speedwell ' sloop, and at high water hauled in their twenty-two gun ship within four hundred yards of the factory; they also landed their troops and heavy guns, and battered the west face of the building for two hours. About three in the afternoon the French sunnnoned the place to sur- render, and Mr. Douglas capitulated, his men being regarded as prisoners of war, with liberty to carry away their personal effects ; by one of the articles it was agreed that the twenty-six civilians, found in the place, should be exchanged for Count d'Estaing, who, being on parole, was ostensibly proceeding to Europe by way of Bussorah, though, in reality, he conducted the operations. The French, having burnt the factory, and left a quantity of articles as a present to MooUah Ali Khan, the Persian Governor, set sail on the 30th of October, but they certainly derived more profit than honour from this feat of arms, for we are told the account of how they laid regular siege to an almost defenceless factory, was received with surprise and derision by "all military gentlemen in India." In December, 1700, took place the death, without issue, of Sumbhajee, Rajah of Kolapoor, the last lineal descendant of Sevajee, whom the English also called the Sow Rajah, a name by which the dynasty is generally denominated by Grose and other travellers and writers of that time. After Sumbhajee's death piracy again prevailed to a great extent on this coast. We find it recorded that, in 17G5, the Bombay Government sent an expedition, including some ships of the Bombay Marine, which reduced both Malwan* and Rairee, the former belonging to Kola- poor, and the latter to Sawunt Waree. Early in 1768, the Bombay Government fitted out an expe- dition, consisting of a squadron of their ships, with four hundred European troops and a large body of Sepoys, to attack llyder Ally's seaports on the Malabar coast. The enterprise was completely successful. The expedition firstmade its appearanceoff Onore, or Honawur, where Ilyder Ally, the great ruler of Mysore, familiarly known at this time as Hyder Naick, had begun to prepare a fleet. He had, however, alienated from his interests the captains of his ships by appointing as his admiral Ali Bey, an officer of cavalry, who, of course, was totally ignorant of nautical matters. The consequence was that, when the expedition appeared off Onore, Hyder's llei-t, consisting of two ships, two grabs, and ten galivats, sailed and joined the English. Onore, and Fortified Island, at the mouth of the Onore river, were captured, and thence the expedition sailed for Mangalore. The forts were captured with but small loss, and the squadron brought off nine *Malwan is a strong fort on the mainland near Mehimly Island or Sindecdroog ; the port of Malwan allordcd shelter to the pirates who derived their name from the place. About twenty miles to the southward is Karee Point and Fort, the latter situated on a commandiii'' eminence. 154 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY, vessels of considerable size, besides several of lesser tonnage. The ships of the expedition then returned to Bombay, leaving a small garrison* in the forts. In 1771 the Bombay Government, in order to exact certain claims on the Nawab of Baroach, or Broach, where they still maintained an agency, sent some troops to enforce their demands, but the expedition failed ; in the latter part of the following }ear, after entering upon some abortive negotiations, a second combined expedition, of which the Bombay Marine supplied the naval portion, was despatched from Bombay, and the city was taken by storm on the 18th of November, 1772, when among those who fell was the gallant and accom})lished General David Wedderburn. In the same year the Bombay Government took steps to obtain possession of the islands of Salsette, Kenery, Elephanta, Caranja, and Hog Island, and of the port of Bassein, on which they had long cast an envious eye ; indeed, the acquisi- tion of those places had now become almost a necessity for them, in order to prevent any rival maritime power from having access to the spacious and unrivalled harbour of Bombay, already celebrated for its dockyard and other advantages, which conduced to make it the emporium of the trade of the East. Moreover, the expenses of the Bombay establishment far exceeded the receipts, and it was hoped that, by the possession of these places, and the Mahratta share of the revenue of Surat, the balance sheet would show a profit.f In order to further these wishes, the Company appointed Mr. Henry Mostyn, Resident at the Court of the Peishwa.if At this time the Peishwa was at war with the Nizam, and was on\j too glad to come to terms with the English, and, while near Surat, renewed his overtures to Mr. Gambler, the Company's acting agent, for the assistance of a force to enable him to establish his government at Poona. Accordingly, the President and Council came to a resolution, the original of which is signed by Mr. Hornby and three councillors, one of whom was Commodore Watson, of the Bombay Marine, to assist the Peishwa, Rugonath or Rugoba, with a force of two thousand five hundred men, on condition that he would advance fifteen or twenty lacs of rupees, and, on his being established at Poona, * In May, Hjder Ally, with his whole army, appeared off Mangalore, and, after a poor defence, the garrison, consisting of forty-one artillerymen, two hundred European infantry, and one thousand two hundred Sepoys, made a hurried embarkation, abandoning their sick and wounded, numbering eighty Europeans and one hundred and eighty Sepoys, and all tlieir guns and stores. Onore and Fortified Island yielded almost without resistance, and Hyder, after recovering all that had been wrested from him in Canara, was able to reascend the Ghauts before the monsoon set in. t Grant Duff's " History of the Mahrattas," vol. ii., p. 271. J Malidoo Kao, the Peishwa, died a few days after Mr. Mostyn's an-ival, on the very day that Broach was stormed, and was succeeded by Narrain Riio, who again was murdered on the 30th of August, 1773, and gave place to Rugonath Rao, familiarly known in Mahratta history as Rugoba and Dada Sahib. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 155 should cede to the Company, in perpetuity, vSalsette, the ishinds of Kenery, Caranja, Elephanta, and Hog Ishmd, and also Bassein and its dependencies. There were also articles in the treat}^ regarding the Mahratta share of the revenues of Surat and Broach, and protection from Mahratta inroads. These terms were not agreeable to Rugonath, and it was not until the (ith of March, 1775, that a treaty, consisting of sixteen articles, was concluded between the contracting parties, by which the English agreed to lend the above military force on condition of the pay- ment of one and a half lacs of rupees monthly, with the other cessions and assignments, including the Guicowar's share of the revenue, amounting to ^81 92,500. Meanwhile, in the previous December, a combined expedition for the reduction of Tannah had been despatched from Bombaj', consisting of six hundred and twenty European troops, including artillery, one thousand Sepoys, and two hundred gun lascars, under command of Brigadier-General Robert Gordon, and several vessels and gunboats of the Bombay Marine, under Commodore Watson, the same officer who had couuuanded the expedition which captured the castle of Surat fitteeu years before, and had since added to his reputation by his services on the Malabar coast. So high was the estimate of the ability and professional knowledge of Commodore Watson, entertained by his superiors that, although the situation of Tannah was such as to preclude the employment of the largest vessels of the Company's Marine, "the Governor," says Grant Duff, "expressed a wish that Com- modore Watson should superintend the naval part of the enter- prise, and have joint authority with General Gordon ; and the Commodore, on the General's acquiescence in the arrangement, cheerfully complied." Tannah was, at this time, held by a Mahratta force belonging to the party in possession at Poona, opposed to the Pcishwa, and the strong garrison had been recently reinforced by five hundred men. It was sought, at first, to purchase the fort by the offer of a large bribe to the Mahratta officer in charge, who proposed to accept =£12.000 for his trust, but the negotiations failed. Meanwhile a powerful Portuguese armament was on its way to India for the avowed purpose of recovering Salsette and Bassein, and, a day after the despatch of the combined military and naval expedition, which was hurried away in order to anticipate them, a portion of the Portuguese fleet anchored at the nu)uth of Bombay Harbour, and the commander entered a formal protest against the objects of the expedition. The President and Council employed many arguments in justification of their measure, which was, however, an exercise of the law of the strongest, and was only excusable on the scdus 2>opuli suprema lea: princi{)le. A body of seamen from the fleet was lauded at Tannah, under Commodore Watson, to co-operate with the soldiers, batteries 15G HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. were opened on the 20tli of December, and, on the eighth day, the breach was considered practicable. As it was necessary to fill up the ditch before an advance to storm could be made, an attempt to effect this operation was undertaken on the night of the 27th of December, which, however, was unsuccessful, the column being forced to retire with the loss of one hundred Europeans. On the following evening the assault was delivered, and with complete success ; but the troops, exasperated by their losses, put the greater part of the garrison to the sword. " Among those who fell at Tannah," says Grant Duflf, " was Commodore John Watson, a brave and experienced officer, who was mortally wounded* on the third day of the siege." To this gallant and lamented officer, to whose memory the Company erected a monu- ment in St. Thomas's Cathedral at Bombay, might be applied the epigram from Tacitus' " Life of Agricola : "— " Tu verofelix non tantum vitce claritate, sed etiam opportunitate mortis^'' which may be translated " Thou hast been happy, indeed, not only in the brilliancy of thy life, but even in the occasion of thy death." Before New Year's Day the whole of the Island of Salsette was reduced, and the Island of Caranja occupied. While Colonel Keating was engaged in Guzerat in prosecuting the war with the contingent of two thousand five hundred Bombay troops, supplied to enable Rugonath Rao to establish himself at Poona, the Bombay Marine well performed its part, and of njany acts of gallantry we will mention one that reujains on record. The Mahratta Navy, which was in the interests of the ministers at Poonah, consisted, at the commencement of the war, of six ships — one of forty-six guns, one of thirty-eight, one of thirty-two, and three of twenty-six guns, with five ketches of from twelve to fourteen guns, and twelve galivats having from six to ten guns each. This fleet was met at sea off Gheria, which had been handed over, after its capture, to the Mahrattas, by Commodore John Moore, in the ' Revenge ' frigate and ' Bom- bay' grab, Captain Sheriff, when, notwithstanding the great disparity of force, the Commodore bore down upon the hostile line. The Mahratta fleet, however, avoided an action, and made sail to escape. Having singled out the largest ship, the ' Shum- sher Jung,' of forty-six guns, the English vessels gave chase, and, at length, the little grab, being an excellent sailor, brought her to action. The Commodore came up to the assistance of the ' Bombay,' and, after an engagement of three hours, the 'Shum- sher Jung' blew up, when the commander and the greater portion of her crew perished, and the ship was totally destroyed.! A writer who was in Bombay the year following this event, and * His wounds were most painful, but of a rather singular diaracter. A canuon- sLot struck tiie sand near him and drove the particles into his body. t Grant Duff's " History of tlie Mahrattas," vol. ii., p. 305. Also " Historical Account of Bombay ," and Ives' Voyage. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 157 is likely to be well-informed, says of this action: "The four largest bore down on the two English ships, who waited for thein, when a warm engagement commenced; the 'Revenge' engaged their Admiral so closely that their men ran from their quarters. Soon after, by some accident, she took tire and blew up, on which the rest of the fleet betook themselves to flight, and the action being in sight of their principal port, called Gheria, they soon got in under shelter of the castle. Our two ships got their boats out, and saved thirty-four men out of four hundred and twenty, which their Admiral had on board before the engagement began ; as many of those that were saved were either burnt or maimed, they were not only humanely treated, but carried to Gheria in boats belonging to our two ships, and there delivered without ransom." On the 31st May, 1775, the Mahratta war was discontinued, not- withstanding the opposition of the Bombay Government, owing to the dissent of ^Ir. Warren Hastings, who, as the first Governor- General of all the Company's possessions in India, had assumed the supreme control of affairs on the previous 30th October, and a treaty was signed at Poorundhur, Rugonath being repudiated and offered an asylum at Surat. From hence he proceeded to Tarrapoor, where he requested the Commander of one of the Company's cruisers to give him a passage to Bombay ; the com- manding officer did not consider himself authorized to refuse the request, and the ex-Peishwa arrived at the Presidency on the 11th of November, where he was received with distinction, and an allowance of 1(),()()0 rupees a month settled upon him.* Passing over intermediate operations, in which the Bombay Marine had no part, we come to the siege of Bassein, which fell to the British arms on the 11th of December, 1779, after a siege of thirteen days ; to effect the reduction of this very strong place the north face of which can only be attacked by regidar approaches, a large force, with a powerful battering train, had been employed, the European portion embarking in ships of the Bombay j\larine, and the Sepoys proceeding by land. Hostilities with the Mahrattas were Anally terminated by the treaty of Salbye. which was ratified by the Peishwa, Nana Furnuwees, on the 20th of December, 1782, and formally exchanged on the 24th of February, 1783, the terra for restoring the territory conquered since the treaty of Poorundhur, being limited to the 24th of April. Before that date, however, an event occurred which shed lustre on the Pjombay I\Iarine, and showed the stern stuff" of which its officers and men were made. The 'Ranger,' a small brig of twelve guns, commanded by * In January, 1779, a British army started from Bombay to place Rugonath at Poonah as Regent, but it was overtaken by disaster, owing to tlio ineompetcneo of its commanders, Colonels Egerton and Cockburu, and, in retreating from Tullygauni, lost several hundred men. 158 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Lieutenant-Cotnmander Pnien, was proceeding from Bombay to Calicut, for the purpose of conveying some njilitary officers of high rank to the British Army then operating in the Bednore country, among the number being Brigadier-General Norman McLeod,* appointed commander in-chief in place of General Matthews, Colonel Humberstone, and Major Shaw, when she fell in with the Mahratta fleet, commanded by the Peishwa's Admiral, Aninid RaoDhoolnp, who, it appears, was unaware of the conclusion of peace. Though this fleet consisted of two ships, one ketch, all of superior force, and eight galivats, Lieu- tenant Pruen did not hesitate a moment in engaging them ; he might. Indeed, have soon satisfied the Mahrattas of their being no longer enemies, but allies, or, at the worst, if compelled to accompany them into the neighbouring port of Gheria, the detention would have been brief, but, sailor-like, his predilection for fighting, and his repugnance to strike his flag without having first vindicated the honour of his country, overcame all scruples and prudential considerations. There were also other reasons for his deciding to fight. He had on board the newly-appointed Commauder-in Chief of the British Army, and other officers of distinction belonging to the King's service, and his heart's desire was gratified at this opportunity of showing that a Company's cruiser could fight as stoutly as a King's ship. The little 'Ranger,' accordingly, awaited her antagonists, and the military officers armed for the impending conflict, into which they entered with a spirit not less than that which animated the ship's officers and crew. A desperate action now ensued. First the large ships plied the little brig with their guns, to which she replied with spirit, and then the galivats were laid alongside, and it was sought to overwhelm the handful of gallant Britons by throwing on her decks as many boarders as could find foot room. But, though the enemy mustered fifteen to one, and the Mahrattas were renowned throughout India as swordsmen, the repeated attempts were met and repulsed with a desperate tenacity of purpose that has never been surpassed in the annals of war. Numbers, however, told in the end, and, at length, the gallant little craft was carried by a united rush of hundreds of men infuriated at the prolonged resistance. On the decks lay Major Shaw dead, and General McLeod, " who," says Grant Duff", " being disabled in one arm, continued to fight until shot through the body, when * Colonels McLeod and Humberstone, and Major Shaw had previously quitted the army serving in the Beduore country and came up to Bombay in February, iu order to prefer charges against General Matthews, who retaliated by a letter, dated the 4th of March, "taxing the w^hole army, iu terms the most severe and unqualified, but altogether general and indiscriminate, with offences of the highest criminality." (See extract of a letter from tlie President and Select Committee at Bombay, to the Secret Committee of tlie Court of Directors, dated the 27th of Juue, 1783, and received overland on the 21st of November.) HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 159 he fell, as was supposed, mortally wounded, also Colonel Hum- berstone* mortally, and three of the other military passengers, desperately wounded." The gallant Pruen was also dangerously wounded, " and," says Mill, "almost every man in the ship was either killed or wounded." The prize was carried into Glieria, but it was a dear-bought one to the enem3^ Their loss in killed and wounded was described as immense ; one vessel was sunk, and several were seriously damaged. Upon learning of this violation of the treaty, a strong remonstrance was made by the Bonjbay Government, and the surrender of the Peishwa's districts was suspended ; but, upon an apology being made for the out- rage, together with the surrender of the vessel, the terms of the pacification were carried out. The Court of Directors presented Lieutenant Pruen with a valuable sword in token of their appreciation of the devoted gallantry he had displayed, and the Bombay Government gave pecuniary rewards to the survivors of the crew.f * "He died," says Mill, "in a few days at Gheria, in the twenty-eighth year of his age, and was lamented as an officer of the most exalted )Dromise, a man who nourished his spirit with the contemplation of ancient heroes, and devoted his hours to the study of the most abstruse sciences connected with his profession. t The President and Select Committee at Bombay, in their letter to the Secret Committee of the Court of Directors, give the fullowuig account of this action. After stating that they had ordered General McLeod to succeed General Matthews in the command of the amiy in the Bednore country, and had directed him, Colonel Humberstone, and Major Shaw, to rejoin the troops, they refer to their having received advices from Mr. Anderson, in a letter dated the 20th of February, of the Mahratta Treaty having arrived from Poonah. They then continue : — " The peace had been duly proclaimed at Bombay, and every necessary step taken on our part, for the performance of the treaty. The ' Ranger' had sailed on the 5tli of April with Colonels McLeod and Humberstone, Major Shaw, and other otEcers, to join tlie army. Lieutenant Pruen, commander of the vessel, having been previously apprized of the peace, and furnished with the same orders as had been circulated to all the Marine, not to commit hostilities against the Mahrattas : when, on the 18th of April, we were alarmed by an account that the ' Ranger' had been attacked by the Mahratta tleet on tlie 8th, three days after leaving Bombay, and after a most desperate resistance of near five hours waa obliged to submit to superior force and, with the whole convoy of boats, had been carried into Gheria. We were under great anxiety and luiccrtanity for a cousidei-able time, regarding the fate of Colonel McLeod, and the other officers, ■which was not entirely removed till the 23rd of May, when the President received a letter from him dated at Gheria the 5th of that month. In this letter tlie colonel mentions he had made several unsuccessful attempts to convey advice of his misfortune, and then relates some circumstances of the engagement, referring for a more particular account to Lieutenant Pruen. The account Colonel McLeod gives is, tliat on the morning of the 8th of April, they found themselves near tiio Mahratta deet, belonging to Gheria, which, without speaking or ceremony, attacked the ' Ranger' with great fury. Lieutenant Priun fought Ills vessel with the greatest courage. Tlieir defence was desperate, and ceased not till they were almost all killed or wounded. Major Shaw was shot dead, Colonel Humberstone was shot through the lungs. Lieutenant Stuart of the lUUtli Regiment, was almost cut to pieces on boarding. Lieutenant John Taylor of the Bombay troops was shot through the body, Lieutenant Seton, of the Bombay Artillery, and Lieutenant Pruen, commanderof the vessel, were wounded with swords on boarding. In the beginning of the action Colonel McLeod received two wounds in his left baud aud shouiUer, and a little before it was over a musket-sliot passed through 160 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. In connection with this action an anecdote is told that is worth relating. It would appear that Lieutenant Pruen was a seaman of what is generally known as "the old school," which, by the way, must be a very old school now, as the term has been applied to the naval service, certainly since the days of Bunbow, who, probably, was himself contemptuously twitted with new-fangled notions; however this may be, Lieutenant Pruen was a rough and ready seaman, very irritable, and full of prejudices, common enough with a certain class of sailors. Among these he regarded the military, especially when on board ship, as so much " state lumber;" as to his little brig, he considered her the smartest craft that sailed the seas, and he regarded the crew, as indeed they proved themselves, in every way worthy of her. The mili- tary officers quickly detected these weak points in the character of the commander, and, having nothing to do, were in the habit his body, which pierced his lungs and spleen. Lieutenant Pruen's account like- wise proves that the Mahrattas began the attack, and that he receiyed a number of shot before he returned a gun. Their force consisted of two large ships, a ketch, and eight gaUvats, with which the ' Hanger,' carrymg only twelve 12- pounders, sustained a close engagement of four liours and a-half, the two ships and the ketch being lashed alongside of the ' Ranger,' in which situation the engagement was continued with musketry only ; and the brave defence of the officers and crew prevented the enemy from entering the vessel, till, from the number of killed and wounded, and most of the muskets being rendered unservice- able, the fire of the ' Ranger' was so much reduced, that the commander was under the necessity of striking ; and the instant the colours were down the enemy rushed on board and cruelly cut and wounded several of the officers and men, while others jumped overboard to avoid certain death. The same night the ' Hanger' was carried into Gheria, where the Subadar and officers disowning all knowledge of the peace, had refused to release the vessel and officers without orders from Poonah. We are concerned to add that Colonel Humberstone died at Gheria, on the 30th of April, of the wound he received in the action. Colonel McLeod's recovery was long thought impossible, but he is now perfectly restored to health. Lieutenants Stuart, Taylor, Seton, and Pruen are also recovered. The ' Ranger,' with Colonel McLeod and the surviving officers, arrived here on the 29th of May, having been released from Gheria on the 27th in too disabled and despoiled condition to make her way to the southward. Our last letter from Mr. Anderson is dated the ISth of May, upon receipt of the intelligence of the capture of the ' Ranger,' which he immediately communicated to the Mhadajee Scindia, and required him in strong terms to give some explanation with regard to this outrage and the measures he intended to pursue in vindication of his own honour, which was thus brought into question. Scindia declared that none of his late letters from the Minister gave him the least reason to apprehend any sinister intentions of the Mahratta Government, and he assured Mr. Anderson, that he had written in strong terms to the Minister to punish with death the person who committed this act of hostdity and to make full restitution of the stores and effects taken, that if they complied with these requisitions he would undertake to reconcile the English Government ; but if they refused, they must take the consequences ; that for his part, since so enormous an outrage had been committed after the conclusion of the treaty, he must consult and adopt the inclinations of the English. So far from punishing the officer who committed tiie act of hostility, we are assured by Colonel McLeud that he received from the Minister public marks of approbation and honorary rewards for his conduct, ('olouel McLeod was invited to the ceremony held upon this occasion, and some of the officers were actually present when the Subadar exhibited in public durbar, according to the custom of the country, the honorary ornaments which had been sent to him from Poonah." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 161 of playing them off. Thus they frequently asserted that the brig could not fight, or, if she did, that any vessel of e(iual size would capture her. These sarcastic observations, though made only in joke, sometimes exasperated Pruen to such a pitch that he was only prevented hy his position as commander, from taking revenge upon the detractors of his ship and crew; however, the altercations generally ended by his expressing a hope that he might have an opportunity, while they were on board, of showing these " soldier officers " that a Couipany's cruiser could fight, and that as well as the lordly line-of-battle ships, to which he was referred as " real men-of-war." His wish was gratified, and the military officers, forming the elite of the British Army, had the much-desired opportunity; audit is related that, when the desperate action was at its height, and half his men lay weltering in their blood. Captain Pruen coolly turned round to the gentle- men wlu) so bravely bore their part in the fray, and some of whom were already desperately wounded, with the inquiry as to whether the ' Ranger ' and her crew could fight ? In 1770 a squadron of ships of the Marine was despatched from Bonibay to Mocha, to redress a grievance under which a British subject was labouring, but happily matters were arranged without any bloodshed. In that year the captain of a trading- vessel from India was on shore at the British factory at ]\locha, when a slave boy, whom he had corrected, ran away and took refuge in au Arab's house, where he was prevailed upon to become a Mahomraedan. His master, meeting the boy one day, flogged him, whereupon the mob attacked the factory, and would have sacrificed the English captain but that he managed to effect his escape to his ship. The Governor, having refused to make good the losses he had suffered at the hands of the populace, who had destroyed his effects in the factory, the captain sailed for Bombay, and requested redress from the Government. Two ships of the Bombay Marine were immediately fitted out with every requisite for bombarding the city, and, on their arrival at Mocha, a message was sent to the Governor, apprising him of their mission. The inhabitants were greatly alarmed, and abandoned the forts, which they had been accustomed to consider iitipregnable, and would have deserted the city had not the Governor prevented it. He thought proper to comply with the demands which were made on behalf of the sufferers, and sent off 4,000 dollars, extorted from the Banian merchants, to the Connnodore, wlio was " ha[)py," says a writer, " to preserve the city from destruction, and to appease the wrath of the British at so cheap a rate."* AVe will now give someaccount of events up the Persian Gulf, where the Company's Marine were engaged on ground that has * " Series of adventures in the course of a voyage up tlie Red Sea, on the coasts of Nubia and Egypt, in the year 1777 ;" by Eyles Irwin, Esq. VOL. I. M 102 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. been familiar to all officers of the Service since the capture of Ormuz in 1622, and which witnessed almost the last of their services, the Persian war of 1856. After the death of Nadir Shah, and until the year 1779, when Atj^ha Mahomed Khan, founder of the present Kujjir d3^nasty, raised himself to the throne, Persia was ruled well and wisely by Kurreem Khan, of the tribe of Zend ; throughout his struggle for power he had been supported by the Arab tribes inhabiting the Persian shores of the Gulf, but, later on, some of the petty chiefs became refractory, the most troublesome of these being Meer Mohunna, of Bunder Reeg, a small seaport to the north- west of Bushire — this chief, at once remarkable for his valour and his atrocious wickedness, had, during the course of his career, in order to gratify his cupidity, murdered his parents, brothers, and most of his family. Meer Mohunna now offended the Persian Government, by interrupting the communications between Shiraz and Bushire, which was at this time the prin- cipal port in the kingdom, the Company having, in 1762, removed their factory thither from Gombroon, when that place declined and was almost deserted. Being attacked by a Persian force the chief of Bunder Reeg defended his possessions on the con- tinent with the utmost resolution, but, at length, was forced to retire to the island of Corgo,* (Khargu) near Kharrack,t (Khareg). On this small, sandy island he not only supported a numerous body of followers, and defeated all the efforts of Sheikh Nasseer of Bushire to reduce him to obedience, but added to his means by plundering a number of vessels, and, in 1766, succeeded in surprising the Dutch garrison at Kharrack, distant twenty-seven miU^s from Bushire, from which it is visible on a clear day. Some notice is here necessary regarding the establishment of the Dutch in Kharrack. Baron Kniphausen, the Dutch agent at Bussorah, having been fined and imprisoned by the Turkish Governor, proceeded to Batavia and induced his superiors to authorize a plan for aggrandizing the Dutch East India Company. Having received their sanction, he sailed with two ships for the Persian Gulf, and, on securing a grant of the island, took possession of Khar- rack, where he erected a small fortification. The Baron then blockaded the Shatt-ul-Arab until the Governor of Bussorah had restored the sums of money he had extorted from him. Under his auspices Kharrack rose rapidly in importance, and became a safe emporium, and, as there is an abundant supply of water, the settlement flourished, and the population rapidly increased from one hundred poor fishermen, as it was when * Corgo is about three miles long by a half a mUe broad, and is situated about a mile and a half to the northwards of Kharrack. t Kharrack is about four miles in length, and may be seen from Bushire Koads in clear weather, the tomb on the highest point being 284 feet high. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 163 Baron Kiiipbaasen took possession of it, until it numbered four thousand souls.* "The Dutch," says a writer in the "Asiatic Journal," (Vol. xxvii.. New Series,) "built a regular square fort of four bastions, each of which mounted ten guns. In 1762, Meer Meana, of Bunderick, took two armed gali vats, and landing with two hundred men, plundered the island. The Dutch having afforded assistance to the Persians in attacking Meer i\Ieana at Bunderick in which they failed, he retaliated, and in 1766 attacked the Dutch at Kharrack, and compelled them to surrender the island, though they had a garrison of eighty Europeans on the island, who proceeded to Bushire. This island became, under the Dutch, a flourishing settlement, with a population exceeding twelve hundred souls.'' Abraham Parsons, in his " Travels in Asia and Africa,'' gives a different version of the capture of the island by the Meer, and says that he first induced the Dutch Governor to visit him at Bunder Reeg, and then forced him, on pain of death, to sign an order directing the commanding officer to surrender. By this acquisition, Meer Mohunna's power was greatly increased, and he became the dread of all neighbouring chiefs. "From this time," says Parsons, " he commenced pirate, fitting out his gali- vats and other smaller armed vessels as cruisers ; they took and plundered vessels of every nation, and he became as great a terror to those who navigated in the Persian Gulf, as the famous Angria had heretofore been in the East Indies." At length, in 1768, Kurreem Khan determined to expel Meer Mohunna. The island of Kharrack was claimed by the Persian Govern- ment, and Sheikh Nasseer, of Bushire, was directed to take steps to recover it. * The above is the account given by Malcolm in his " History of Persia," (vol. ii. p. 82). Ives, in his " Voyage to India," speaks of his visit to Kharrack in 1758, while it was in the possession of Baron Kniphausen, and gives a detailed account of tlie settlement of the Dutch on the island. Mr. Ives proceeded up the G-ulf from Bombay in the Company's cruiser ' Swallow,' Captain Price. Justamond gives the following account of this event : — " Baron Knipliausen managed the Dutch factory with extraordinary success. The English found themselves in imminent danger of losing the superiority they had acquired at this place, as wed as in most of the seaports in India. They excited the Turkish Government to suppress a branch of trade that was useful to it, and procured an order for the confiscation of the merchandize and possessions of their rivals. The Dutch factor, who, under the character of a merchant, concealed the statesman, instantly took a resolution worthy of a man of genius. He retired witii his dependents, and the broken remains of his fortune, to Kharrack. a small islaml at the distance of fifteen leagues from the mouth of the river, wlierc he fortified himself in such a manner that, by intercepting tlie Arabian and Indian vessels bound for the city, he compelled the Grovernmeiit to grant him an indemnification for the losses he had sustained by their behaviour. The fame of his integrity and abilities drew to his island the privateers of the neighbouring ports ; the very merchants of Bussorah and the Europeans who traded thither. This new colony found^ its prosperity increase every day, when it was abandoned by its founder. Tlie successor of this able man did not display the same talents ; towards the end of the year 1765, he suffered himself to be dispossessed of his island by the Arabian corsair, Mirmahana," M 2 164 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. A larg'e fleet was, accoi\lin<^ly, fitted cnit and sent against the pirate chief, but so great was the dread in which he was held that they feared to attack him. In this state of affairs, the Sheikh applied to the Company's agent at Bushire, and, as there were two vessels of the Bombay Marine at that port, Captain Price, commanding the 'Swallow,' the senior officer, at once offered to undertake the duty ; but his force was utterly inade- quate for the object of reducing the island, even if he could have counted upon a loyal co-operation on thepartof his faint-hearted allies. On the approach of the combined force to Kharrack, Meer Mohunna's fleet came out to meet them, when an action ensued, from which, however, the Persian fleet took care to keep out of harm's way, and then ran back whence they came, without firing a shot. After some heavy cannonading, the enemy withdrew their fleet under the protection of the fort, and the British vessels remained off the island, where they were joined 'by the Persian squadron. Captain Price now proposed a joint attack on the fort, which was a well-built work of considerable strength ; to this the Persians consented, but, as before, when the firing began, the Bushire fleet were nowhere to be seen. It was useless for two small vessels to contend against the powerful artillery of a strong fort, and, after vainly attempting to make an impression on the walls. Captain Price was forced to retire. It is said that on this occasion, Meer Mohunna fired red-hot- shot, which set fire to one of the cruisers, a noteworthy circum- stance, as these terrible missiles are generally supposed to have been first employed at the siege of Gibraltar twent}^ years later. Shortly after this, a party of nearly forty officers and men from the Company's cruisers landed on the island of Corgo, and, during the night, were attacked by an overpowering force, from Kharrack, under Meer Mohunna, when they were nearly all cut to pieces. As the vessels were now too shorthanded to con- tinue operations, and the Persians, for whose sole benefit they were undertaken, declined to assist. Captain Price quitted his station off the islands and returned to Bombay.* According to the account of the attack on Kharrack given b}'' Parsons, who says he learned the particulars from some of the ( -ompany's officers who were actually engaged, six of the Com- pany's ships and smaller vessel s-of-war co-operated wnth the Persians. He says : — "Although the attack was made b}' sea, * The author of the article on Kliarrack, in the Asiatic Journal, before quoted, writing of these events, eajs : — " In 1768 the Peisians offered to transfer the island to the Company, if they would co-operate in effecting its conquest from Meer Meana. They declined tlie offer, but engaged to assist the Persians in recovering it in the promise of a f'-ee and open trade throughout Persia. An attack was made on the island on the 20th of May, but failed from one of the Company's eliips taking fire. A renewal of the attack was subsequently abandoned, in consequence of a party from the ships, whilst watering at Corgo, having been surprised by an ambuscade of Meer Meaua's, who killed tweuty-four and wounded seven of the crew." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. ] ") with the largest of the Eiio'lish ships against the castle, with that skill and bravery which did them great honour, and by the smaller vessels, which, in conjunction with the Persians, landed at the town, notwithstanding the fire from the eight galivats and the musketry from the town, the attempt was fruitless; the ships suffering so much from the guns of the castle that they were obliged to sheer off to repair the damage ; and, although they returned to the attack the next day, it was ineflVctual, the castle guns being so much larger than those of the ships, whos(! heaviest shots were nine and six-pounders." As it is certain that only two of the Company's ships-of-war were engaged in the attack on the castle, it is probable that four of the vessels referred to by this writer were improvised gunboats, or galivats, a class of fighting ships utterly unable to cope with strong fortifications. From information received from an officer of the Marine captured at Corgo by MeerMohunna, it appears that there were fifteen hundred fighting men in Kharrack, and about four thousand inhabitants; and thatthere werealso ten Dutchmen who superintended the management of his artillery, and several Armenians. This officer stated "that a force of fifteen hundred Sepoys, and three hundred Europeans, exclusive of a company of artillery, would be required to reduce the island. These must land and mal^e regular approaches. The Meer's forces were fine active men, and in the best order. He had nine galivats ; their dimensions were about seventy feet long, twenty- four feet broad, and five feet hold ; they sail like the wind, and were kejjt in the most perfect order." In the following year, however, according to Malcolm and other reliable authorities, a rebellion of his followers broke out, and Meer Mohunna fled to Bussorah, where he was seized and executed, and his body cast into a field to be devoured by dogs. "The death of this monster," says Malcolm, " difTusi'd universal joy, from the coast of Shiraz to the shores of India, and the inhabitants still pronounce his name with mixetl horror and apprehension." Parsons says that Kurreem Khan, recognizing the inutility of attempting the reduction of the castle by bombardment, owing to the heavy guns mounted on the walls and bastions, resolved to efi'ect its surrender by blockading the island, and starving the garrison out. He, accordingly, sent a large body of troops, with artillery, which were landed on the island in April, 17G9, and the place was completely invested. At length .Meer Mohunna, seeing that the game was up, embarked on a dark night with a portion of Ins treasure, and proceeded to Cirane, whence he made his way to Bussorah, wdiere he was put to death by order of the Pasha of Bagdad. Mr. Morley, the Company's llesident at Bushire, endeavoured 1*50 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. to obtain a portion of the Meer's property, as an indemnification for the expenses the Company had incurred in co-operating against him, but the Sheii^h refused his demands, when Mr. ]\Iorley proceeded to Bussorah, and left the Company's ship ' Revenge ' to cruise off the ishmd. Kharrack now re-devolved to the Sovereign of Persia, and Hussein Sultan was appointed Governor, and Admiral of the Gulf, with the title of Hussein Khan. In 1775 took place the siege of Bussorah,* by the Persian army of fifty thousand men, under the command of Sadoc Khan, brother to Kurreem Khan, Shah of Persia, the Turkish garrison scarcely exceeding fifteen hundred men. At this time a squadron of ships of the Bombay Marine was lying in the river Shatt-ul-Arab, near the creek off the city, consisting of the ' Revenge,' a frigate of twenty-eight guns, ' Eagle,' of sixteen guns, and ' Success,' ketch, of fourteen guns ; beside two other ketches of fourteen guns each, built at Bombay for the Pasha of Bagdad. " These ketches are commanded." says Parsons, who had arrived at Bussorah overland from Bagdad, " by an English midshipman in the Company's service, and have on board a few English sailors ; the remainder of the crew are Turks. They carry British colours." On the 6th of March, three officers, belonging to the Company's cruisers, engaged on a shooting excursion, were attacked by a large body of armed men, and left for dead ; the boat's crew were also stripped and beaten, and their boat taken away. In alliance with the Persians was a piratical prince, whose dominions lay between Bussorah and the Gulf, called by Parsons the " Shaub," who, having pushed up the river during the night with fourteen of his galivats, began, on the 21st of March, to transport across the river, under the protection of the Persian batteries, the heavy guns and equipage of the besieging army. On the following day, the Company's agents quitted their factory in Bussorah, and went on board the ' Eagle' with the treasure and valuables; and, during the afternoon, the ' Success,' accompanied by one of the Pasha's ketches, succeeded in cap- turing one of the Shaub's galivats, which was burnt, and in damaging others before they reached the Persian camp near a creek some distance from Bussorah. The other ketch belonging to the Pasha, also returned the same evening, the * Parsons gives a full description of Bussorah at this time. " The mud walls," he says, " are about twelve miles in circuit, and, although not half the enclosed space is built on, jet it is a large city, and before the plague in 1773, was very populous ; the population were computed to be upwards of three hundred thousand, and, in September following, only amounted to fifty thousand, the remainder, excepting twenty thousand who tied away, having fallen victims to its fury. At this time they compute the inhabitants to be from eighty thousand to ninety thousand souls. There are four gates and a sallyport, also a deep and broad ditch which is wanting on each side the two principal gates, called Zobeir and Bagdad. There are eiglit bastions, on each of which are mounted eight brass guns, besides upwards of fifty brass cannon on ships' carriages, mounted round the walls. There is also a battery of twelve brass guns at the Capitau Pasha's quarters, little more than 100 yards below the creek's mouth." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. ICT midshipman commanding her having run the gauntlet of the Persian batteries. This young officer had been requested by the Persian General to come on shore, but, apprehending treachery, he sent one of his crew, named Ryley, to personate him, and after this man had landed, the Persian batteries and the galivats* opened fire upon the ketch, which he promptly returned, and in the conflict sutfered some loss. Negotiations were now opened by the enemy with the Turkish Governor and the British Agent for the surrender of the city on the payment of twenty lacs of rupees, but the demand was refused. As fears were entertained that the Persian fleet, which was very considerable, might make an eff"ort to push up the river, the commanding officers of the Company's cruisers made every eff'ort to prevent this junction. The Turkish Pasha placed at •their disposal two of his galivats, which were speedily armetl with eight guns, and manned with crews of between eighty to a hundred men and officers, drawn from the cruisers. In order to prevent the enemy breaking through, the British naval force set to work to construct a bridge from the large boats employed in the passenger and goods traffic in the creek; no light task considering the great breadth of the river at this point, and the lack of materials. Parsons writes : — " March 24th and 25th. Our Marine officers and men have been very active in placing the anchors, chains, and cables, and bringing the boats to their proper moorings, so as to form the bridge, or rather barricade, as a sufficient number of boats could not be procured, so as to be close enough together to admit planks to be laid from boat to boat, nor, indeed, was it necessary, as every boat's bow was hauled under the chain and there fastened, and at the distance of about sixty feet, another boat, and so on, quite across the river, either under the chain or cables. At the same time one of the boats' anchors and cables was carried out from the bow of each boat, and another from the stern, so as to enable it to resist the tide, whether flood or ebb, without bearing too hard upon the anchors, to which the chain and cables were fastened. Every assistance was given to forwarding the plan, by the Capitan Pasha's men under his connnand, and our Marine oflict'rs never desisted from the work until it was com])leted that evening, to the satisfaction of every one interested in the preservation of Bussorah. We now flatter ourselves that the Persian army, without further supply of cannon, ammunition, and provisions must now decamp." On the Gth of April the Persian army took up a position * Mr. Parsons thus describes one of these gaHvnts, wliieli tlie ' Eagle' subse- quently captured : — "Slie is eightj-four feet long, twenty-four feet broad, mounts ten carriage guns, 6-pounders, and is built I'orward hke a London wlierry and hag only one tall mast, which rakes forward, to which is attached a lug sail ; she carries twenty-four oars." I(i8 HISTORY OF THE INDIAX NAVY. extending from about three miles up the river, where the agent had his country house, and at which, since the Englisli factory was closed, the Vice-Consul has resided. On the morning of the 8th of April, sixteen Persian galivats appeared in sight, coming up the river in full sail, to attack the English ships, which, however, did not wait for them. The ' Success ' and ' Eagle ' slipped their cables, and, with the Pasha's two ketches, set sail to meet them ; upon which the Persians " up helm " and made oft' with the assistance of their sweeps. Their fleet con- sisted of a small brig of eight guns, called the ' Tiger,'* five galivats of ten guns, and ten others, carrying from six to eight guns each. Mr. Parsons speaks of the good effect produced by the activity of the Marine ofiScers, and says that the Governor, who was going his rounds, accompanied by several of his officers, "seemed well pleased with the behaviour of our little Marine force, and told the Agent that if he would keep the enemy from approaching by water, we had nothing to fear, for that he and his brave fellows would prevent them by land, which the Agent promised to do." Meantime reinforcements of Arabs and Turkish troops from Bagdad arrived, so that " the men on the walls seemed quite cheerful." Before daylight on the 9th of April, the Persians made an attempt to escalade the walls, but were driven back with great slaughter; on the same night they succeeded in setting fire to two of the boats on the Persian side of the bridge of boats, but they only burnt to the water's edge without sinking, so that their object was not attained. The • Success,' and the two Pasha's galivats moored near that side, opened fire and dispersed the people, also firing into the village, which burned for many hours. On tile following day the English squadron weighed anchor, and worked down the river with the tide and a contrary wind, the Company's Agent being desirous of proceeding to Bushire, and the Commodore of attacking, en route, a fleet of twelve * The ' Tiger' formerly belonged to the Company. In April, 1773, when the plague desolated Bussorah, the Agent and his men quitted the city, and embarked on board the ' Drake' and ' Tiger,' two of the Company's cruisers, with the intention of proceeding to Bombay. Kurreem Khan, Shah of Persia, was on bad terms with them because Mr. Morley, the Agent at Bushire, fearing ill-treatment, had, about five years before, fled on board a Company's cruiser and proceeded to Bombay, which drew all the English trade to the Turkish port of Bussorah. In order to be revenged, the Shah directed some of his galivats to waylay the two cruisers. The ' Tiger' was captured by a surprise, but they teared to attack the ' Drake,' a vessel carrying fourteen guns, on board which was the Agent and several members of the factory. The ' Tiger,' with Messrs. Beaumont and Green on board, was carried to Bunder Eeeg, and, by order of the Shah, these two gentlemen were sent to him to Shiraz. They remained here a year, when they were conducted to Bushire. Mr. Green had been permitted to proceed to Bussorah, to which the English Agent had returned to settle his affairs, and was here wlien the siege broke out. Soon alter this the Bombay Government made proposals for the release of the prisoners and the re-establishment of the English factory at Bushire. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 169 galivats and tliirteeii armed traiikies,* of which he had received information on the previous day. " At four," says Mr. Parsons, * Trankies, though formerly much in use, are not now to be seen in the Persian Grulf; they are impelled by both oars and sails. Tlie following are the species of native craft that navigate the waters of the Gulf. The Baiil, a vessel with a long fiddle-headed bow and two masts, which may be distinguished from other craft by the inner part of the stern-post being ornamented with devices cut in the wood. The Batil of the southern part of tiie Malabar coast is about 50 to GO feet in lengtli, 16 to 18 feet in breadth, and 8 to 10 feet in depth, and has more of the European form than any of the Indian-built vessels tliat are met with. The after-part shows the origin to be of Portuguese construction, as it is very similar to that of many of the boats still in use by the people of that country ; indeed they are said to be of the same shape as the vessel in which Vasco da Gama sailed to India, They have a deck ibre and aft, and are built in a very rough manner, and fastened with nails and bolts. They are equipped with one mast which inclines forward, and a square lug-sail, with one pair of shrouds and a backstay ; also a small bowsprit at an angle of about forty-five degrees, with a sort of jib-foresail. The Bagarah of the Persian Gulf is similar to the Batil, with one mast and a small deck-house abaft. The Baghalah, or Buggalow, is a species of native vessel which it is the fashion *o call a '' dhow," though dhows are, at the present day, never seen in the Gulf, or indeed, rarely anywhere, only a few being found at Jiddali and some other ports. The bagha'ah is of great size, sometimes of 200 or 300 tons burden, and carrying several guns — one called the " Duniyah," belonging to the Sultan (if Bahrein, had ten. The Persian Gulf baghalahs have two masts raking forward, like those of the batil and bagarah, and a higli poop with stern ports, antl a long pointed bow. The baghalah is steered with an ordinary tiller, unlike the batil and bagarah which are steered by "yoke lines" leading from a point a little above the ^ rt-aw- on the outside edge of the rudder,. The baghalah of the Gulf of Cutch is one of the most ancient vessels to be met with. Mr. Edye, formerly Master Ship- wright of the Royal Dockyard at Trincomali, describes these vessels minutely in a paper communicated to the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. Their extreme length, from stern to tailrail, is about 74 feet, the breadth 25 feet, and the depth in hold 11 feet 6 inches, and they are about 150 tons burthen. 'J'he peculiavity of form and extraordinary equipment of these vessels is said to have been the same from the period of Alexander the Great. They are armed with two guns on the after-part, and have their poop-decks with a round stern. Their extreme section is abaft the waist or middle of the vessel : they are very broad in proportion to their length, with a sharp rising floor ; the stern is straight, and rakes very little more than the stern-post. These vessels are constructed with timbers and planks, which are nail and trenail fastened in the most rude and unsafe manner possible. The topside above the deck is barricaded with mats on the outside of the timbers, which run up to about eight feet from the deck, and when they have no cargo on board, this barricade is removed. They have only one mast; and a lateen sail, the tack of which goes to the stem head as in all other vessels. The extraordinary longevity of these native vessels may be gathered from the fact that in 1837, a baghalah, the " Deria Dowlut," or "Wealth of the Seas," which was built at Bownuggur, in the year 175t), was still trading in the Red Sea. The Arab dhow is a vessel generally of about 150 to 250 tons burthen by measurement, and sometimes larger. It is grab-lniilt, with ten or twelve porta, about 85 feet long from stem to stern, 20 feet 9 inches broad, ami 11 feet 6 inches deep. These vessels have a great rise of floor, are calculated for sailing with small cargoes, and are fully prepared, by internal equipment, for defence, with decks, hatchways, ports, poop-deck, &c., like a vessel of war. Maiiyoftlicm are sheathed, on two and a-lialf inch plank bottoms, with one inch board ; and the preparation of chunam, cocoa-nut oil, and damar (country resin), which is called "galgal," put between the planks and sheathing-boiird, causes tiic vessel to be very dry and durable, and prevents the worm from attacking the bottom. Tins worm is as great an enemy to timber in the water as the white ant is to it on laud. On the outside of the shcathing-board there is a coat of chuuam or 170 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY, "the Persian Admiral fired a sliot at the ' Eagle ' and ' Success.' At halt'-j)ast four the ' Eaj^le,' being advanced near to them, returned their fire with a broadside, which was followed by the 'Success.' As soon as we arrived within gunshot — one of our lieutenants having been burnt on the 26th of March, and remaining dangerously ill, I acted in his place — the Persians kept driving through the narrow reach (it was now strong ebb tide with the wind contrary) continuing to fire at us, which the ' Eagle ' and ' Success ' returned whenever the guns could be bronght to bear on them, on the different tacks. Presently after we received a shot through our jib, another through our ensign, and another through a spare topmast in the booms. The Pasha's tw^o ketches and galivats could not keep up with us, and the two former got twice aground. The cannonading on both sides continued brisk, but we never could get near enough to do any execution with our musketry. At half-past five we had our main top-gallant yard arm shot awaj^ much of our rigging cut, and two of our gun ports in the steerage beat in, at which hour two balls struck and lodged in the ship's starboard side, between the two after-guns, and were buried in more than half their diameter. Soon after this the Persians fled, the dull sailers rowed, being towed by those that sailed best. At six they all got in close to the Persian shore and anchored in shoal water ; we anchored abreast of them as near as our draft of water would permit, when a furious cannonading commenced at the distance ■whitewash, made the same as that between the sheathing and planks, and this coat is renewed everj season they put to sea. These vessels, though often brig-rigged, when formerly used for war purposes by the Joasmi and other pn-atical tribes, had, generally, only one mast and a lateen sail. The yard is the length of the vessel, and we have seen a dhow having a spar 100 feet in length : the mast rakes forward, for the purpose of keeping the ponderous weight clear, in raising and lowering. The tack of the sail is brought to the stem head, and the sheets ait in the usual -way ; the haulyards lead to the tail'rail, having a pendant and treble- purchase block, which becomes the backstay, to support the mast when the sail is set ; this, with two or three pairs of shrouds, completes the rigging, which is very simple, the whole being of coir rope. Dhows may be distinguished from baghalahs by a long gallery projecting from the stern, which is their peculiar cliaracteribtic. The Pattamars are a class of vessel which may be considered the best sailers in India, and the most useful as stowing a good cargo. They belong principally to Bombay merchants, and carry on the whole of the coasting trade to that port. They are grab-built, and the dimensions of the large class are 7fi feet 6 inches in length, 21 feet 6 inches in breadth, 11 feet 9 inches in depth, and about 200 tons burthen. They are planked, says Mr. Edye.with teak, upon jungle-wood frames, and are really very handsome vessels, being put togetlicr in the European manner, with nails, bolts, &c., and their bottoms are sheathed with inch board, and have the preparation before described. Some of the smaller class of these vessels of about 60 tons burthen, are sewed together with coir, like other native boats. Tiie small class have one, and the large class two masts, with the lateen sail ; the foremast raking forward for the purpose of keeping the ponderous yard clear. The yard is slung at one-third of its length ; the tack of tlie sail is brought to the stem head through a fixed block, and the sheet hauled aft at the side as usual. The haulyard is a pendant and treble block from the mast- head aft to midships ; thus acting as a backstay for the mast's security, together with about two pairs of shrouds. HISTORY OF THE IXDTAX XAVY. 171 of pistol shot, assisted by our musketry. This was continued until dark, when we both desisted at the same time as if by mutual consent." At daybreak the following morning (the 12th of April), the Persian fleet was discovered in Harfah Creek, about thirty miles below Bussorah Creek, on the Persian shore ; they were quite out of reach and appeared to be aground. At six. the ' Eagle ' and 'Success,' followed by the Pasha's galivats and ketches, weighed anchor, and worked down the river, driving before them souie Persian galivats coming up the stream. On arriving at the mouth of the Shatt-ul-Arab, the Pasha's two galivats proceeded to Al Koweit — by the P]nglish called Grane — a port then dependent on the Turkish Governor of Bussorah. Previous to parting company, all the Turkish and Arab seamen on board the Pasha's two ketches, numbering two hundred and thirty men, were transferred to the galivats, and the former being manned by Eiu'opean seamen from the 'Success' and 'Eagle,' accompanied those ships to Bushire. During the voyage across the head of the Gulf, two trankies were captured by the boats of the two cruisers, and, in the afternoon of the 15th of April, the ships arrived in Bushire Poads, where they found some merchantmen, with the ' Drake,' Company's ship of fourteen guns, flying the Commodore's pennant, and having on board Mr. Robert Garden, a member of the Bombay Council, who had come with despatches from the Governor regarding the establishment of the fiictory at Bushire, which had been closed for five years, and to demand the release of ^lessrs. Beaumont and Green, two gentlemen of the Bussorah factory, taken on board the ' Tiger,' a small brig of eight guns, when she was captured by surprise by a fleet of the Shah's galivats. At this time, Ahmed, the Imaum of ]\Iuscat, was fitting out, for the relief of Bussorah,* an army of ten thousand men, and his fleet, " which," says Parsons, who passed through ^Muscat on his way to l^ombay, "consisted of thirty-four shi{)s of war, four of forty-four guns each (which were built at Bombay), five frigates, from eighteen to twenty- four guns each ; the remainder are ketches and galivats from fourteen to eight guns." Tliis relief came too late, and, after a resistance of eight months, Bussorah fell to the arms of Sadoc Khan, but in the f(.)llowing * Mr. Francis Warden, Member of Council at Eonibay, in a memoraniliim on the " Rise and Progress of the Arab tribes in tlie Persian Gulf," jirejiared in August, 1819, states tliat one of tlie pretexts set forth by Kurreeni Khan, Shah of Persia, for attacking Eussorah, was the granting of aid by the Paslia of Bagdad to the luiauin of Muscat, which prevented hnn from subduing tlie Province of Oman. On the death of Kurreeni Khan in 1779. Bussor;ih was reoccupied by the Turks, and from tliat time may be dated the decline of Persian influence in the Grulf, the contests lor superiority between the dill'erent jietty chiefs involving a condition of anarchy, which, subsequently, required ihe strong hand of the Indian Government to allay. 172 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. year Iinaurn vVlniied recaptured it, for which the Sultan of Turkey paid him a kharaj, or annual subsidy, which was con- tinued up to the time of his grandson, Seyyid Said. Before commencing the narrative of the part taken by the Bombay Marine in the wars waged with Hyder Ally and his son, Tippoo Sultan, and in the struggle with France, when that fine seanian Sir P]dward Hughes met with his match in the Bailly de SutlVein, perhaps the greatest Admiral France has produced, we will briefly recapitulate the condition of the materiel of the Service, from the time of its formation up to the year 1776. When the Company's relations with the Portuguese became more amicable, Mr. Methwold, the President at Surat, in the year 1636, entered into a commercial convention with the Vice- roy of Goa, whereby the English were permitted to build four " pinnaces," two at Damaun, and two at Bassein, for the protec- tion of their local trade. Upon the acquisition of Bombay by the Company, the Commissioners appointed b}' Sir George Oxenden to report upon the island and port, reconjmended that a dry dock should be built for the purpose of constructing ships of war; and the Court of Directors, in furtherance of this pro- posal, despatched, in 1670, Mr. Warwick Pett, a naval architect of repute, to construct two vessels for the defence of the island, and to instruct the natives in the art of shipbuilding. Orders were likewise given for two brigantines to be armed for the protection of the Malabar coasting trade. In 1671 Mr. Aungier, President of the factory at Surat, fore- seeing the probability of an attempt by the Dutch, with whom we were at war, to capture the island of Bombay, which, indeed, they made in the following year, and alarmed at the strength of the fleets of the Seedee and other Powers, as compared with his own almost defenceless state, urged the Court of Directors to permit him to build and maintain a respectable naval force. The Court consented to this proposal, so far as to sanction the construction and equipment of two frigates, and three sloops. In 1673, Captain Shaxton had trained one hundred men of his military force, to serve as marines on board the Company's vessels intended for the defence of the island, and Fryer,* who arrived here at this time, speaking of the ships of war then in the harbour, remarks : — " Under the castle, besides innumerable little vessels, as hoys, ketches, and the like, lay three men-of-war, with tlieir top armour out, waste cloths and pennants at every yard-arm ; to wit, the ' Revenge,' twenty-two guns; the 'Mayboon,' taken from the Dutch, 220 tons; and * See Mr. John Frjer's "work styled •' A new account of East India and Persia, in eigiit letters, being unie jeurs' travels, began in 167-, ami liuished 1G81." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 173 the ' Hnnter,' fourteen guns." Only five years Inter succeeded the first of the Company's cold fits of economy, for, in 1678, the Court ordered the sale of all their armed ships, excepting the ' Revenge,' and a few small craft to defend the fisheries of the island. But Mr. Henry Oxenden declined to execute this order, the impolicy of which received, in the following year, a striking illustration, when the Mahrattas occupied Kenery, and the Seedee seized the neighbouring island of Henery, thereby placing Bombay almost in a state of blockade. Indeed, the Bombay Marine, owing to the injudicious reduction, was inade- quate for the duties it was called upon to fulfil, which now included the protection of the trade of the Company and of the Mogul in the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf. Powerful hostile fleets swept these seas, having on board thousands of desperadoes, who sailed under the flag of Smnbhajee, of the Seedee of .Jinjeera, and other native semi-independent Powers ; while pirates, Native and European, under leaders like Kidd and Avory, became the dread of the Mercantile Marine and of the seaboard of India and the P]asterii Islands. We have seen that these latter defied the attempts to extirpate them not only of the Company's Marine, and of the ships of war of Holland and Portugal, but of a powerful Royal Navy squadron* employed in those seas. The larger vessels for the Company's service continued to be constructed at Surat, and we find that, in 1735, when a ship called the ' Queen,' was built, Mr. Dudley, the master-attendant, was so pleased with the exertions of the Parsee foreman, Lowjee Nusserwanjee by name, that he induced him and a few ship- wrights to proceed to Bombay, where a small portion of the site of the present dockyard, then occupied by the princii)al oflicers of the Marine, the huts of the Lascars, and the common gaol, was set apart for a building yard. Constant references are made by old writers to the want of timber for shipbuilding purposes, and so late as 1810, after the first expedition against the Joasnii pirates at Ras-ul-Khymah, iSir John .MaU;olm suggested that a prohibition should be issued against the exportation of teak, though this proposal had for its object rather the prevention of the construction of a new piratical fleet by that maritime Arab community. On the arrival at Bombay of Lowjee Nusserwanjee, this want of timber led to some delay, but when arrangements were made for secu- * The captains of these ships were not above engaging in business of a remune- rative nature, for we find tliat three of them returned to, E nghmd witli full cargoes of goods shipped by Sir Nieliolas Waite during his popularity witli the Nawab of Surat, while the fourth, the ' Harwich,' was wrecked olf tlie coast of China. In 1769, a squadron, under the command of Sir Jolin Lindsay, consistnig of the ' Sta;;,' thirty-two guns, ' Hawk,' slooji, and' Aurora,' frigate. Captain Lee, having on board as'purser. Falconer, the fomous sea-poet, sailed from Sjjiihead, but the ' Aurora' foundered with all hands. Sir John Lindsay cruised olf the Malabar coast until the arrival of Sir Eobert Harland's squadron in 177L 174 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. riii,<; a sufficient supply, he commenced building cruisers for the Company's war Marine, and vessels for the trade of the port. In consequence of his success, the Superintendent of Marine proposed, in 1754, and the local government sanctioned, a dry dock, which was constructed for the small sum of 12,000 rupees. A few years later, wet docks, sufficiently large for a seventy-gun ship, were commenced, for which Bombay affords exceptional advantages, owing to the rise and fall of the tide being consi- derable and periodical, the rise at ordinary spring tide being about fourteen feet, and not unfrequently as high as eighteen feet. Mr. Lvii^, surgeon to Admiral Watson's flag-ship, the ' Kent,' writing of this dock in 1758, on his return from Cal- cutta in the ' Revenge,' then commanded by Commodore James, says : — ' We expected to have found the dock at Bombay capable of receiving a ship of sevent}'' guns, agreeable to the repeated assurances given to Mr. Watson, but we were disap- pointed in this particular, the hands to carry it on being very scarce. However, Mr. Hough, superintendent of the Company's Marine here, was indefatigable in his endeavours to finish this work of immense labour and the dock is now completed. Commodore (afterwards Admiral) Stevens was here obliged to heave down the 'Elizabeth,' one of the ships of his squadron, to stop a considerable leak, but in the first attempt she had the misfortune to spring her mainmast, by which accident he was detained a longer time than he wished." Bombay, at this time, possessed every facility for careening and refitting shattered ships, and was largely used by the fleets in effecting repairs after their encounters with the French, or the elements. Speaking of the Bombay Marine in 1754, on the occasion of his first visit to Bombay, at the time of the expedition against Gheria, Mr. Edward Ives* says: "Our East India Company had here one ship of forty guns, one of twenty, one grab of eighteen guns, and several other vessels ; n)ore also were building." During Niebuhr's visit to Bombay in 1763, the third basin of the dock was built, and he says that the Boiiibay Government " maintain eight or ten small ships of war with a number of armed barks," and states that they were much employed in convoying the Company's ships and country vessels from port to port for which service the " natives were obliged to pay very clear." Writing in 1775 of the capabilities of Bombay dockyard, Mr. Abraham Parsons says: ''Bombay * Mr. Ives also gives a description of the fleets of vessels belonging to the Mahrattas and Mannajee Angria, brother to Toolajee, the Chief of Gheria, lying in the harbour. He says : — " Each fleet consisted of about thirty sail, but among Mannajee Angria's there were two ketches which they called grabs." He describes the vessels of these fleets as " not being unhke the tartans of the Mediterranean, only a great deal lower ; they carrieii two guns in their bow, and a vast number of men." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 175 was first so-called b}'' the Dutch, literally in English, Goodbay, which it is in all respects, being so very capacious as to be capable of receiving any number of ships of any size or draft of water, with room sufficient to moor clear of each other in safety. Here is a dockyard, large and well contrived, with all kinds of naval stores deposited in proper warehouses, together with great quantities of timber and planks for repairing and building ships, and forges for making of anchors as well as every kind of smaller smith's work. It boasts such a dry dock as,perhaps, is notto be seen in an}' part of Europe, either for size or convenient situation. It has three divisions, and three pairs of strong gates, as to be capable of receiving and repairing three ships of the line at the same or at separate times ; as the outermost ship can warp out, and another be admitted in her place every spring tide without any interruption of the work doing to the second or innermost ships; or both the outermost and the second ship can go out, and two others be received in their places without hindrance to the workmen employed on the third, or innermost ship. Near the dock is a convenient place to grave several ships at once, which is done as well, and with as great expedition, as in any dock in England. Near the dock- yard is a rope walk, which for length, situation, and convenience equals any in England, that in the King's Yard, at Portsmouth, only excepted, and, like that, it has a covering to shelter the workmen from the inclemency of the weather in all seasons. Here are made cables and all sorts of lesser cordage, both for the Royal Navy, the Company's Marine, and the njerchant ships, Avhich trade to these ports of India. Besides cordage made of hemp, cables, hawsers, and all kinds of smaller ropes, are made of the external fibres of the cocoa-nut, which they have in such abundance in India, as to make a great article of trade among the natives of this place, and those along the coast between Bombay and Cape Comorin. The yarn made of these fibres is mostly manufactured in the towns and vilhiges on, or near, the sea- coast of Malabar; many vessels belonging to the natives are laden entirely with this yarn, which they always find a quick sale for at Bombay and Surat, let the quantity be ever so great, as it is the only cordage made use of amongst the small trading vessels of the country ; large ships use much of it made into cables, hawsers, and smaller ropes ; it is called kyah.* Ships built at Bombay are not only as strong, but as handsome, and are as well finished as siiips built in any part of Europe; the timber and plank of which they are built, so lar exceeds any in Europe for durability, that it is usual for ships to last fifty or sixty years; as a proof of which I am informed * This kyah, or coir, is still the only description of yarn in use among the C'lastiiig-craft on the Malabar coast, being elieaper and equally as strong as hemp or Manilla yarn, thougli it is more wiry anJ is not so handy when wet. 176 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. that the sliip called the ' Bombay,' grab, of twenty-four guns, (the secoiul in size belonging to the Company's Marine) has been built more than sixty years, and is now a good and strong ship. This timber and plank are pecidiar to India only ; what grows to the south, on the coast of Malabar, is, however, very good, and great quantities of it are brought to Bombay ; it is called tick, and will last in a hot climate longer than any wood Avhatever." Mr. Parsons speaks as follows of the strength of the Bombay Marine, at the time of his visit: — " The Company's Marine, on the Bombay establishment, are more than twenty in number, the largest of which is the ' Revenge,' mounting twenty-eight guns, twenty of which are 12-poimders ; the second is the ' Bombay ' grab, the remainder are from sixteen to eight guns ; and as there are several little piratical States, both on the north as well as on the south coast of Bombay, the coasting trade could not be carried on in safety without being convoyed by such vessels belonging to the Company. It is usual to see sixty or eighty coasting vessels sailing between Surat and Bombay, convoyed by one or two of these vessels." Mr. Parsons cruised down the Malabar coast with Commodore Moore in the 'Revenge,' in company with the 'Bombay 'and the ' Drake,' which lost her Commander, Captain Field, who was drowned while going on board his ship off Onore. His loss," he adds, " is greatly regretted by all who knew him, as he was a young man of excellent character." In the year 1775, the head builder of Bombay dockyard was ]\Ir. Manackjee Lowjee, one of the famous Parsee firm of ship- builders, of whom, perhaps, the most remarkable was his nephew, Mr. Jamsetjee Bomanjee, who built for the British nav3''some line-of-battle ships and several frigates which were remarkable for their strength and seaworthy qualities. Some estinjate of the durability of the work of these eminent Parsee builders, who were, for more than a century, associated with the Bombay Marine and the Indian Navy, may be gathered from the history of the ' Swallow,' (called after a cruiser of the same name) built by Manackjee Lowjee, and launched at Bombay on the 2nd of April, 1777. After serving in many seas, and in the Indian, Royal and Danish Navies, for a period of more than half-a-century, the ' Swallow ' ended her career, not in a ship-breaker's yard, but on a shoal in thellooghly; s'he was one of those craft of which the old ' Bombay ' grab was, perhaps, as regards longevity, the most remarkable specimen. Briefly, the ' Swallow's ' career, from the cradle to the grave, was as follows : — She was first employed as a Company's packet, and made several trips between India and England ; was then taken into the Bombay Marine, and, after a short time, returned to the Packet Service, in which she continued for many years. HISTORr OF THE INDL^N NAVY. 177 She was commanded by the following officers : — Captains Bendy, Hail, Penny (while in the Marine), Anderson, Curtis, Clifton, and Luard ; and, during the period she was employed as a packet, the following public characters were passengers on board her: — Lord Macartney, when returning to England from his Government of Madras ; Lord Cornwallis, on his appointment to India as Governor-General, and on his return from Calcutta; Sir John Shore, on retiring from the office of Governor-General ; Mr. Petrie, from the Council at Madras ; and various other functionaries of rank. About the year 1800, the ' Swallow," not being required as a packet, was sold to the Danes, fitted in London, and went to Copenhagen, whence she is supposed to have proceeded to the West Indies ; but while there, was seized by a British man-of-war for a breach of treaty, and condemned as a prize. She was cut out from her anchorage by a sloop-of- war after a severe action, in which the British ship lost a number of her crew. She was then purchased into the King's service, became the ' Silly ' sloop of war, and was latterly com- manded by Captain Sheriff; after serving some time in the West Indies, she was, on her passage home, dismasted, and received other damage, in a violent gale of wind. On her return to England, she was sold out of the King's service, and bought by some merchants in London ; made three voyages to Bombay, her parent port, as a free-trader, and was lost on the James and Mary shoal in the Hooghly, on the 16th June, 1823. During the course of the war between France and England, the two countries, not content with carrying on hostilities in Europe and America, also strove for the mastery on the con- tinent of Asia, and very severe, but generally indecisive, engagements were fought at sea, in which we find occasional mention of the Company's ships as participating, though, from their size, they were, necessarily, unable to fight in line of battle. Early in 1799* the Bombay Government resolved to nnder- take an expedition against Malie, the only settlement now remaining to the French on the Malabar coast. Accordingly, a combined military and naval force, the latter drawn from the Bombay iMarine, was despatched from Bombay, and, though the place was of considerable strengh, it surrendered on the 19th * In July of the preceding year, a Britisli squadron, wliich included a Com- pany's ship, sailed ibr Madras, under commancl of Sir Edward Vernon, for the object of blockading Pondicherry, and, on tlie lUth of August, encountered a superior French squadron, under M. Troujolly, wlien a hardly-contested action ensued, which was concludid by the retreat to I'ondiclierry of the French squadi-on. On the Britisli pi'oceeding thilher, M. Troujolly withdrew with his ships, when the siege was prosecuted with great rigour, all the ilarines and two hundred seamen being lauded from the tleet. The French Groveruor defended the town with resolution, but capitulated the day before the intended assault. VOL. I. N 178 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. of March without firing a shot. On the 29th of November the fort was blown up and evacuated. During this year, also, a Boraba}^ Marine squadron, consisting of the ' Bombay,' ' Dur- ruck,' ' Eagle,' and ' Manchester,' with some armed pattamars, were actively employed on the coast, the seamen and marines assisting in the operations on shore conducted against Surdan Khan, an officer in the service of Hyder Ally. In the latter part of 1780, Sir Edward Hughes, while on the AVest Coast of India, dealt a fatal blow to the rising maritime power of Hyder Ally, against whom we were engaged in a life and death struggle. On the 8tli of December, being with his squadron oflF ]\Iangalore, the principal dockyard and naval arsenal of Hyder Ally, the Admiral saw two ships, a large grab, three ketches, and many small vessels, at anchor in the roads with the Nawab's flag flying on board them. He imme- diately stood in, and, finding them to be vessels of force, and all armed, anchored as close to them as the depth of water would allow, and ordered the boats of the squadron to destroy them, under cover of the fire of two ships of the Bombay ]\Iarine. This service was conducted with the usual spirit and activity of British seamen, and, in two hours, they took and burnt two ships, one of twenty-eight, and the other of twenty- six guns ; one ketch of twelve guns was blown up by the enemy at the instant the boats were boarding her; another ketch of ten guns, which cut her cable, and endeavoured to put to sea, was taken, and the third, with the smaller vessels, were forced on shore, the grab only escaping into the harbour, after having thrown everything overboard to lighten her.* For their conduct in this affair the officers and crews of the Company's «hips gained the commendation of the Admiral.f * Vol. I. of E-alfe's " Naval Biography of Great Britain." t The Indian Government not satisfied with engaging in hostilities again^ the French and Hyder Ally, undertook operations against Negapatam, Ihe principal Dutch settlement on the Coromandel coast. On the 21st of October, the seamen and marines of the fleet were landed, and, after some hard lighting, dm-ing which the Governor made two desperate sallies, he sui-rendered the fort, the garrison of wliich numbered over six tliousand five hundred men, being considerably more than the besieging army. With Negapatam the whole of the Dutch settlements near the Tanjore coast, feU into the hands of the English, and the fleet, with five hundred troops on board, proceeded to Trinco- malee, which was captured on the 11th of January, 1782. Early in 1781 large naval reinforcements wei-e prepared by the British and French Governments for tlie prosecution of the war in India. M. de SuSrein, one of the best and bravest Admirals France has produced, left Brest with a powerful squadron, and Commodore Johnstone also sailed for the East, with a convoy of ships, having on board some troops under General Meadows. Tlie two fleets fought a sanguinary action at Praya Bay, in St. Jago, one of the Cape de Verd Islands, in which the Enghsh gained the advantage, and after escorting tlie convoy to the Cape, the Commodore returned to Europe with the greater portion of the sliips of war. Some of the transports, with troops, inider the command of Colonel Mackenzie, proceeded to Bombay, and thence to Cahcut, and General Meadows and Colonel Fullarton, with the chief part of the troops in the men-of-war, sailed in quest of Sir Edward Hughes, and reached Madras on HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 170 In the year 1782 the Bombay Marhie sustained a great loss iu the foiHulering at sea of one of its finest ships, having on board a picked crew, and commanded by one of the best and most experienced officers in the Service. In a quaint old work, called " The Oriental Navigator " (2nd Edition, 1801) there appears a notice of the loss, off Boral)ay, of the frigate ' Revenge,' in one of the gales that are occasion- ally experienced just before the first break of the south-west monsoon. On the 19th of April, 1782, the ' Revenge,' in company with the 'Royal Adelaide,' sailed for Anjengo, but, experiencing the full fury of the gale, the latter returned to Bombay harbour. The ' Revenge,' commanded by Captain Hardy, described as "an able seaman, and his ship the first in the Bombay Marine," was not seen after the 20th of April, and is supposed to have foundered in the terrific gale then blowing, the 12th of February, the clay following the arrival of the Admiral. Within twenty-four hours De Sulfrein arrived off tliat port, and, after various mancBuvres, an indecisive action was fought on tlie 17th, after which Sir Edward Hughes steered for Trincomalee, and the French Admiral proceeded to Porto Novo, on the coast, where he landed two thousand men to co-operate witli an army under command of Tippoo, son of Hyder Ally, wliich soon after effected the reduction of Cuddalore. Tlie rival fleets soon proceeded to sea again, and, on the 12th of April, a severe action was fought off Trincomalee, in whicli both fleets suffered severely, but witli no decisive result. Of the total casualties, one hundred and thu'ty-seven killed and four hundred and thirty wounded in the British fleet, the ' Superb,' Su* Edward Huglies' flag-ship, lost no less than fifty-nine of the former and ninety-six of the latter. The loss of the ' Victory' at Trafalgar was only slightly in excess of this, being fifty-seven killed and one hundred and two wounded. A third engagement took place off Negapatara on the (irh of July, and, when victory appeared within the grasp of the British fleet, which sustained a loss of seventy-seven killed and two hundi-ed and thirty-three wounded, a sudden shift of wind enabled De Suffrein to eflect his retreat. Undismayed by his losses, the French Admiral refitted his shattered ships, two of which had actually struck their colours in the last action, but hoisted them agani upon De Sutfrein firing into them, and, by tlie 1st of August, had to put to sea again, and, being joined by reinforcements from Europe, arrived before Trincomalee on the 25th of August. His great rival did not display equal celerity in refitting his fleet, and, when he sighted that port on the 2nd of September, having left Madras on the 20th of August, it was only to find tliat the forts had capitulated two days before. The French fleet sailed on the following morning, when the British Admiral, anxious to redeem his laurels, attacked them with resolution, and darkness alone put an end to a desperate conflict of three hours' duration, in which the English gained a decided advantage, though with the loss of fifty -one killed, including two captains, and two hundred and eighty-three wounded. Sir Edward Hughes now returned to JIadras, and expressed his determination to proceed to Bombay, notwithstanding the earnest solicitations of the Council, who appealed to him not to leave the coast defenceless. Captain Ritchie, Superin- tendent of Indian ^larine Surveys, oflered to conduct tlie fleet to a safe anchorage at the mouth of the Hooglily during the north-easterly monsoon, the effects of which on his shattered ships, the Admiral greatly dreaded, but Sir Edward was deaf to all expostulations, and sailed for Bombay on the 15th of October. That night a tempest burst over Madras roadstead, and, on the following morning, the whole neighbouring coast was strewed witli wrecks of several large ships, and over one hundred small craft. Famine now raged, to which were addeil the horrors of a pestilence, but the fears of the Madrasees, who daily expected the appearance of the dreaded Bailly de Suffrein, were allayed by the opportune arrival, on tlie 19th of October, of Sir Richard Bickcrtou with five sail of the line, and four thousand three hundred European troops. N 2 180 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. in which the Rojcal sloop of wur, ' Cudclalore,' and 'Fletcher,' transport, also went down, and the ' Nancy,' transport, and Essex, Indianian, were dismasted. The same writer says : — • " A part of the mainmast of the ' Revenge,' which had been carried away a little above the deck, was found and brought to Bombay, and, by some particular mark, known by the builder." The Bombay cruisers were employed at the siege of Telli- cherry, and remained there till about the middle of May. The ' Neptune ' and ' Royal Admiral,' two of the blockading squadron, then sailed to the northward of the Equator, into the limits of the south-east monsoon, and, after making their westing, steered for Bombay with the south-west moonsoon. In December, 1782, death removed from this scene of strife, Hyder Ally,* the most formidable enemy the Company had yet encountered in India, though he was not unworthily succeeded b}' his son, Tippoo Sahib, who had already acquired laurels at the expense of the English by the capture of Cuddalore. Tippoo immediately marched from Paniani, where he was engaged in operations against a small force under Colonel Humberstone, the same brilliant officer who was mortally wounded on board the 'Ranger,' on the 8th of April, 1783, to assume command of the main army, Avhich he joined near Velore about the end of December : here he received a large reinforcement of French troops, with twenty-two guns, and was preparing to offer battle to General Stuart's small army of three thousand Europeans, and eleven thousand five hundred Natives, when he learned of a formidable invasion on the western coast. In the latter part of December, 1782, Colonel Humberstone, after Tippoo's retreat from Paniani, despatched his Sepoys by land to Tellicherry, and his Europeans by sea to Merjee, on the Malabar coast. In the succeeding operations the ships of the Bombay Marine par- ticipated, and here a young officer, Mr. (afterwards Sir) John Hayes, destined to add lustre to the annals of the Service, underwent his hapUme de feu. General Matthews proceeded from Bombay with a strong military and naval force, the latter consisting of ships of the Bombay Marine, under Commodore Emptage, who flew his broad pennant on board the ' Bombay,' twenty-eight guns, and, after capturing the hill fort of Rajamun- * In the " History of Hydiir Naik," (as Hyder Ally was called) an original Persian MS. written hj Meer Hussein Ally Khan Kinnani, translated by Colonel W. Miles, of the Hon. East Indian Company's service, and published in 1842, in describing the battle of Muhammed Bunder, soon after Sir Eyre Coote's arrival at Madras from Bengal, in 1780, the writer sjjeaks of the great efl'ect of the fire of two ships-of-war. He says : — " Meer Ali Kuza Klian was galloping at the head of his cavalry along the beach, intending by an attack on the troops and followers of tlie English army to tlirow them into confusion, when, of a sudden, ■A shot from a cannon of one of the ships struck him and broke the arm of his valour, and threw him off his horse." The native historian then describes his death, and the defeat and dispersion of Hyder Ally's army. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN XA\"i'. 181 di'oog, at the mouth of the river of Merjee, (also called Merjan and Tudree) proceeded against the fort of that name, which soon fell to his arms. Thence the combined expedition sailed for Onore, a ver}' strong fort situated near the entrance of a salt water river, between Merjee and Hog Island, x4.ll the troops that could be spared from the defence of other ports on this extensive coast, w^ere ordered to meet the General at that point, to assist in his intended operations, but, before their arrival, the place was cap- tured. On the 1st of January, 1788, the British batteries, and the guns from the ships, opened on Onore, and, on the 6th, the breach being reported practicable, the fort was stormed. Several of the enemy fell in the first fury of the assault, and the rest, to the number of two thousand, laid down their arms and were set at liberty. Leaving Captain Torriano, the commanding officer of Artillery, in charge of the fort, the Commander-in- Chief embarked on the 15th of January, to join the arm}^ which, in conjunction with the squadron, on the following day captm-ed Cundapoor, a place of considerable importance on the Canara coast. Thence proceeding inland, the General, in obedience to orders received from the Bombay Government, ascended the Ilussain Ghurry Ghaut, and captured Bednore, the rich capital of this part of the Mysore dependencies, which surrendered through the treachery of the Governor. Most of the minor forts now capitulated, but Ananpore, Mangolore, and some others, still remained in possession of the enemy. The former was taken by storm on the 14th of February, when, it is said, the garrison were put to the sword, but Mangalore held out until the 9th of ]\Iarch, when it also capitulated. During the siege the Boujbay squadron did good service, and it is recorded of ^Ir. Hayes, then only fifteen years of age, that he commanded the launch of the ' Bombay,' and in the most gallant manner cut out from under the batteries two of the enemy's armed vessels. After this the tide of success ebbed, and the British Army met with considerable reverses. Bednore was recaptured, Merjee and other forts were retaken, and, on the 28rd of ^lay, Mangolore* was invested by a powerful army under Ti})])oo * Ou the 23rd of January, the important city of Mangalore, to wliich Tippoo had laid siege since the prcceduig May, with an army estimated at nearly ninety thousand men, was surrendered to liim by Colonel Cam|)bell, who, having nobly defended the place with only seven hundred Europeans, and two tliousand eight hundred and fifty natives, marched to Tellicherry with the honours of war. Before the conclusion of peace between the French and English, which, by the withdrawal of the troops of tlie former, was one of the chief reasons that induced Tippoo to accede to a cessation of hostilities, ilieir respective ileets, untlertlie two great i-ivals, De Suiircin and iluglies, fought an action on the 2Uth of June, oil' Cuddalore, in which the French Admiral escaped delcat only by his able tactics. Hughes retired to Madras, leaving to its fate the British army besieging Cudda- lore, which must have encountered defeat owing to the superiority of the combined forces of Bussy and De Suii'rein, had not intelligence been received ot the conclu- siou of peace. When we regard the cunslancy ths))la_)cd by Sir Edward Hughes 182 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Sahib, who had marched across from the Carnatic. In conse- quence of complaints against General Matthews for alleged rapacity, and Ibr having violated the rules of civilized warfare, in ordering his troops to give no quarter to the enemy taken in arras at the storm of Onore and Ananpore, he was recalled before these events took place, and it was while General McLeod, accompanied by Colonel Humberstone, Major Shaw, and other officers, was proceeding in the ' Ranger ' to the Bednore coast to take up the command-in-chief, that the action with the Mah- ratta fleet, already detailed, took place. One of the finest episodes of the war was the defence of Onore,'^ against an army often thousand men, by Captain Tor- riano, Avhose force consisted of seven hundred and forty-three officers and men, of whom only forty-two were European soldiers ; of the remainder, two hundred and seventy-one were regular Sepoys, and sixty-one were European and Native seamen from the Company's galivat ' Wolfe,' of six guns. With this garrison, assisted by the guns of the ' Wolfe,'which maintained a heavy flank- ing fire on the enemy, and assisted materially in the defence, Captain Torriano held the place for several months, occasionally receiving some supplies from a Company's cruiser. On the 12th of August, when the ' Wolfe ' fired a salute in honour of what is known in the Western Presidency as " cocoa-nut day,"t the enemy were so exasperated at what they regarded as an act of during these protracted operations, in whicli he encountered in five general actions, a siq)erior fleet, commanded by perhaps the best admiral France has ever produced, we must award him a high rank among the naval heroes of this country. * Hyder Ally had always been desirous of rivalling the maritime power, if not of the English, which he recognized to be a hopeless task, at least of the Mahrattas, upon whose strong castle of Gheria with its ports, he must have cast an envious eye. He did his best with Onore and Mangalore, his chief ports, though neither of them were of any extent or value, and at both places he constructed ships. A writer who visited Onore in December, 1775, says of the ships he was constructing at that port : — " Here are two frigates buildino near the castle ; one of thirty-two guns, the other of twenty-four guns. Being desirous to examine their construction, I went in company with two other English gentlemen near to them, without otlering to go on board, lest it should give oll'ence. The Governor, being there, overlooking the men at work, observing us walking away, very civilly invited us to go on board and examine them, adding that it would give him great pleasure if we would candidly give our opinions on them. We went on board both of them, and were surprised to find the work so well performed, particularly as they are the first ships of so great a burthen that have been built in Hyder Ally's country. When finished they will be two complete frigates, being very strong and of a fine mould ; they have a prow and are what they call " grabs," and one of them is larger than the 'Bombay' gi-ab. Instead of the head or stern fronting the river, their broadsides do ; they are built with their sides parallel to the banks. On my asking how they launched tliem, I was told that when ready, they laid long, straiglit timbers squared, which reached from the shijo's bottom to the water. Then they take away the supports from the side next the river, and the ship resting on those timbers, which are greased, by the force of elephants, first at one end, and then at the other, alternately, is pushed into the river." t " Cocoa-nut-day" is so called by the English, from the natives of the coast throwing that fruit into the sea, previous to trusting vessels on it after the south- west monsoon which ends towards the latter part of September. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 183 defiance that tliey opened fire upon her and shot away her main- mast. On the 20th, Captain Torriano, desirous of conveying news of his critical situation, sent off two boats from the ' Wolfe,' one to Mangalore and another to Sedashighur, but both were dashed to pieces on the bar, and the greater part of the crews were drowned.* On the 27th of October, one of the Company's cruisers arrived off the port from Mangalore, having General McLeod on board, who promised to relieve Captain Torriano as soon as he received sufficient reinforcements from Bombay to enable him to force Tippoo to raise the siege. On the 3rd of December, the 'Drake' cruiser, commanded by Captain Penny, and a large galivat, anchored off the port, bearing a letter from the Commander-in-Chief, informing Captain Torriano that he had entered into an agreement with the Nawab for the supply of provisions to the garrison, which were, accord- ingly, landed from the ' Drake.' Notwithstanding this agreement, the investment of Onore was continued, but, on the conclusion of peace in March, 1784, the fort was surrendered according to the terms, and the garrison embarked in the ' Wolfe,' and other vessels, which took them to Bombay. On landing here on the 18th of April, they nnistered two hundred and thirty-eight, being the survivors of seven hundred and forty-three, the re- mainder having fallen by the sword, but chiefly by disease, aggravated by insufficient food.f On the 4th of July, 1790, Lord Cornwallis, tlie Governor- General, signed a treaty with the Nizam, and another with the Mahrattas on the 1st of Jane, having for its object the punish- ment of Tippoo, who had captured Travancore by storm, and of whose power all parties to the triple league were in dread. The ships of the Bombay Marine participated in the ensuing- operations, while the officers and men were landed to assist in the reduction of some of the forts that fell to the British arms. It was phanned that General Meadows, who had been api)ointed to succeed Mr. Holland as Governor of Madras, with the prin- cipal part of the Carnatic army, should occupy the Coimbatore country, and endeavour to penetrate into the heart of Mysore ; that General Abercromby, with the Bombay Army, should reduce the territory of Tippoo on the JMalabar coast, and, if desirable, effect a junction with Meadows, while Colonel Kelly should guard the passes leading from Mysore into the Carnatic. * A military writer on the defence of Onore, says : — " It should be recorded as a remarkable instance of attachment to the Service, that some of the lascurs cast ashore on tlie point, were taken prisoners bj the enemy and sent to Cundapore in irons ; they effected theii* escape, and four months afterwards, when the garrison was in extreme distress, made their way through the enemy's camp at the imminent hazard of tlieir lives, and returned to the fort." t l*"or a detailed account of the defence of Onore, see the " Naval and Military Magazine" for 1828. The Commander of the Porccs, the Bombay Government and the Court of Directors, acknowledged in handsome terms the constancy and courage of Captain Torriano and his garrison. 184 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Among the Bombay Marine officers who accompanied General Meadows, was Mr. Hayes, who was present with the division under Colonel Stuart at the capture of Palacatcherry, about thirty miles in the rear of the General's head-quarters at Coimbatore. General Abcrcromby, Governor of Bombay, had not been able to take the field until late in the season, but when he arrived at Tellicherry, he quickly made amends by the rapidity and success of his movements. He appeared off' Cannanore with a combined military and naval force, and, after a brief resistance, the place surrendered ; thence he proceeded to overrun the country, and, in the space of a few weeks, every place belonging to Tippoo in Malabar was wrested from him, and the whole province placed in possession of the English.* The Bombay Marine participated in the capture of Cannanore, and among the officers present here and at the fall of Carlie, Billeapatam, and other places, was Mr. Hayes. The last event in this war was the siege of Seringapatam, by Lord Cornwallis, who took the field in person, and it was prosecuted with such energy and success that, in March, 1792, Tippoo was glad to purchase peace by the cession of "one-half of the dominion of which he was possessed before the war," including the State of Coorg. England was at this time on the eve of that great struggle with her old enemy, which is known in history as the Bevolutionary War, and though the Bomba}^ Marine, from its numerical strength and the size of the ships, did not play an important part in the momentous conflict, yet on the occasions when the Service had opportunities for earning distinction, its officers and men worthily upheld the honour of the British name, and, in no instance, did the Bombay Marine lower its flag except to an enemy of greatly superior force. * Mill's History, vol. v., p. 356. Also for details of the campaign, see Colouel Wilks' " Historical Sketches," vol. iii. CHAPTER VI. 1772—1795. Surveys of Officers of the Bombay Marine — The First Surveying Expedition — Lieutenant Blair's Survey and Admiuistration of the Andaman Islands — Lieutenant McCluei-'s Surveys in the Persian Gulf and West Coast of India — The Loss of tlie ' Antelope' on the Pelew Islands and Escape of tlie Crew — Captain McCluer's Mission to tlie Pelew Islanders — His Surveys on the New Guinea Coast — Adventures and Death of Captain McCluer — Estimate of his Career and Character — Lieutenant Hayes' Surveys in the Eastern Archipelago. WE will now turn to another, and more peaceful, arena of service in which the Bombay Marine, or Indian Navy, have earned lasting renown. We speak of the labours of the officers as surveyors, in which capacity they have achieved a reputation that is, perhaps, unrivalled, having regard to the numerical strength of the Service as compared with other navies or scientific services. The Indian Navy may, indeed, be proud of having been the Abiia Mater of such men as ]\IcCluer, Blair, Court, Ross, Lloyd, Maughan, Crawford, Houghton, and, in more recent times, Carless, Haines, Moresby, Elwon, Felix Jones, Grieve, Constable, Taylor (now head of the new Indian Marine Surveying Department), Ward, and a host of other names too numerous to particularize. Among those whose scientific attainments impelled thent in favour of research by land, may be mentioned the names of Wood, Ormsby, (whose familiarity with the Arabs has, probably been unsurpassed), Wellsted, Whitelock, Barker, and Wyburd, whose fate ren^ains enshrouded in mystery ; also Bowater and Stroyan, who fell victims to the savagery of the tribes among whom they journeyed. In 1772 was fitted out the first surveying expedition under- taken by officers of the Bombay j\larine. It consisted of the ' Fox,' schooner, of about 100 tons, and carrying six guns ; the 'Dolphin,' ketch, of a similar armament, but rather smaller, and a pattamar, or native craft. The officers employed in this expe- dition, destined to be the precursor of many others of a like character, were Lieutenants Robinson (in connnand) and Porter, and Messrs. Blair and IMascall, midshipmen. These officers explored the coasts of JMekran, Scinde, Kattywar, and a part of 18G HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. that of Persia ; aLso some portion of the coast of Arabia between Muscat and Kas-iil-hadd. The labours of these pioneers were of great benefit to navigation ; the surve}^ was minute in some parts, and, when we consider the ver}^ i]iferior instruments witli which it was conducted, its correctness is remarkable, and reflects great credit on those officers.* Between 1777 and 1795, Lieutenant Archibald Blair was activel}^ engaged in making surveys of the Kattywar coast, Salsette, and the Andaman Islands. The official report of the survey of the Andaman s, was laid before Lord Cornwallis, Governor-General, in June, 1789, and Dr. Mouatt, head of a mission sent in l(S58,t to report upon these islands, says of this report that "not only did it contain a minute and accurate account of the survey conducted under the superintendence of that able officer (Blair), but it was illustrated by a chart, in which the situation of the most remarkable localities was dis- tinctly marked, accompanied wnth a plan of three harbours, which he had found to be sure places of refuge for the shipping that stress of weather or other causes might drive on the Anda- man coasts. The report merited and obtained much praise for the clearness with which it was written, and the intelligible manner in which various operations of the surveying party were described. The chief geographical features of the island were delineated with a fidelity that has secured the approbation of subsequent explorers." So favourable were the reports of Lieutenant Blair and Colonel Colebrooke, who accompanied him, that the Supreme Govern- ment was induced to establish a penal settlement on the Andamans, and, accordingly, a colony, inider the charge of Lieutenant Blair, was organized on a site then named Port Cornwallis, near the southern extremity of the great Andamtin. This name was subsequently changed to " Old Harbour," and again to Port Blair, in honour of its surveyor, by which it is still known. The spot chosen for the first colony in Port Cornwallis, or Port Blair, was Mark Island, now called Chatham Island, which was likewise proposed by the expedition of 1858 as the best site for the penal settlement. Captain Blair had taken with him a large staff of artificers from Bengal, as also provisions for six months. His first act was to raise a redoubt, on which he mounted the guns of his ship, the ' Ranger ;' and then the * A MS. of this survey was in existence about forty years ago, and is described by one who saw it, as wonderfully accurate, with the exception of the longitudes, as they had uo chronometers. t The combined Report of Dr. Mouatt, Lieutenant (the late commander) Heathcote, I.N., and Dr. Playfair, forming the mission of 1858, was submitted to Government, and was published in 1859, as the twenty-fifth number of the " Selections from the Records of the Govei-nment of India." For an account of Blair's Survey of the Andamans, see " Selections from the Records of the Government of India" (Home. No. XXIV.) HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 18? colonists, under the superintendence of tlieir able chief, were engaged in clearing away the rank vegetation. While doing so, they were frequently brought into conflict with the natives, who came over from the niainhind in considerable numbers, and greatly harassed the working parties by the insidious method of attack they adopted. A convenient watering place for ships was, however, at length cleared, and a reservoir constructed. Sheds were also erected within the redoubt, and the settlers were fully employed in the cultivation of land, which soon began to recompense their labour. On the 19th of December of the same year, Connnodore Cornwallis, brother of the Governor- General, with H.M.'s ships ' Ariel ' and ' Perseverance,' arrived at the settlement, and the Commodore, in his report to the Government, stated that he found it " fully equal to what it had been represented." During the three years the penal settlement was established here, Captain Bhiir occupied his time in completing his surveys, and sailed round the island, when he discovered another larger and more commodious harbour, about two degrees to the north- ward, and on the eastern shore of the same island, in 43° 28' North lat., and 93° 12' East long. To this place, also called Port Cornwallis, the colony was removed, nnder orders from India, in 1792, and, in March of the following year. Captain ]>lair was succeeded in command of the settlement by Major Kyd of the Engineers.* One of the earliest of the famous race of Indian Marine Sur- vey orsf was Lieutenant John McCluer. The general accuracy * In consequence of the war -witli France, the colony was put into a state of defence ; large reinforcements were sent, and more guns mounted on the redoubt, to guard against an apprehended attack from the enemy. On the 14th of May, 179 (•, tlie Council of the Governor-General reported tliat the situation of Port Cornwallis was unfivourable to the health of the settlers, and, in the follow- ing year, fifty deaths occurred among tlio native convicts during the rainy season. In February, 1796, accordingly, we find tliat orders were issued by the Indian Government for the abandonment of this settlement, and tlio removal of the penal colony, numbering, with guards, seven hundred soids, to the newly- acquired colony of Prince of Wales' Island, as being a more hcaltliy locality. In the year 1795, Colonel Syme, while on his way to Ava, visited Port Corn- wallis, and devoted a chapter to it in liis work on tlie results of tlie Mission to Ava. After its abandonment in 1796 we hear nothing furtlier from Cornwidlis until the year 1824, when the fleet that conveyed Sir Archibald Campbell and liis army to Burmah rendezvoused here. During the course of the researches of the expedition sent to the Andamans in 1858, tlie Committee examined the site of the settlement formed at Port Corn- wallis in 1792, and abandoned in 1796, owing to its nnhealthiuess, wliich the Committee ascribed to an extensive bank of mud skirted by belts of mangrove on the south-western extremity of Cliatham Island. The remains of the first settle- ment, now known as Port Plair, witc di.~ent angled from the dense brushwood, and the fragments of brickwork were found in good preservation ; in accordance with the recommendations of Dr. Mouatt, the convict colony, consisting of Bengal Mutineers, was established at Port Blair m 1S58. t During the latter pait of the eighteenth century, between 1770 and 1785, Captain John Ritchie was head of the Marine Survey Department in Calcutta, and, iu 1782, he ofl'ered to pilot the fleet of Sir Edward Hughes into safe 188 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. with which he siirvcyed a considerable part of tlie coast of India, entitled his charts, until the snrvej'S of a more recent date, made by officers of the Indian Navy, to a place among the standard works of this descrij)tion ; and this will be considered the more creditable to his zeal and abilities, when it is known that he was self-taught in this useful branch of science. His first essay in surveying was in the Persian Gulf, in the year 1785. The inaccuracies of the existing charts of this sea, and the deficiency of all authentic information relating to it, attracted his attention whilst employed there in the Company's Service, and he determined, with the limited means he possessed, to make up the defects, and to rescue from darkness the navigation of coasts frequented from the remotest ages of antiquity. It was enough for those ships, which visited the Persian Gulf for the purposes of trade, to guard themselves from the attacks of pirates, who were formidable impediments to the peaceful operations of surveying, and this necessity considered in con- junction with the infant state of the art, sufficiently accounts for this sea being so little known. The length of time which a minute examination of the coast would have required, was too great, and the obstacles to be over- come too formidable, to admit of its being adopted ; but, as anchorage at the mouth of the Hooghlj during the north-east monsoon, whicli, however, was dechricd by the Admiral, who sailed from Madras for the Malabar coast. Captain Eitchie surveyed the coasts of Bengal and the mouths of the Ganges ; his work formed part of the material for Major Eennel's map of Ilindostan, and many of his charts were engraved by Dalrymple, tlie eminent hydrographer of the Company, while a MS. volume of his remarks is preserved in the India Office. Tliis volume is entitled Remarks upon the Coast and Bay of Bengal, the outlets of the Ganges and interjacent rivers, according to the surveys of John Ritchie, hydrographer to the United India Company. Contents. — 1. Entrance to the Hooghly and remarks on its pilotage ; 2. Rivers eastward to the Megna, Coast Islands ; 3. Chittagong and Islands ; 4. Tempests to which the head of the bay is subject ; 5. Coast of Arracan ; 6. Coast of Ava to Cape Negrais ; 7. Andaman Islands ; 8. Nicobnr Islands. Dalrymple engraved Ritchie's Chart of the Coro- mandel and Orissa coasts (1771) and others (See Mr. Clement Markham's " Memoir on tlie Indian Sui-veys.") Captain Jervis says, in his " Report on Surveys," speaking of the work done by Captains Ritchie, Blair, and Michael Topping — the latter on the coasts of Arracan, the delta of the Ganges, audon the entire eastern coast thence to Cape Comorin : — "Captain Topping's observations on the currents on the Bay of Bengal, of the 1st of March, 1788, of tlie 16th of January, and 26th of June, 1792, may probably be found of essential service in future investigations respecting the retreat or advance of the sea on the coast of India, and the exact registration of the tides. His survey of the mouths of the Godavery river and Coringa roads, 18th of September, 1790, and 21st of January, 1791, and his proceedings and report on the Masulipatam Circar, drawn up with a view to ascertain the practicability of applying the waters of the rivers Krishna and Godavery, to the fertilisation of tlie land, and charts, observations, and levels, communicated 20th of February, 1794, and 2nd of October, 1795, may probably yet induce the Madras Government and autlioriiies at home to reconsider that valuable jaroject." These services led to Captain Topping's appointment as chief surveyor of Madras in 1794, when he drew up a scheme " for the improve- ment of the geography and navigation of India." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 189 correct positions of the principal projecting points, as well as of the islands lying in the track of vessels, were most essential to the security of navigation, Lien tenant McCliier confined himself to doing this thoroughly. He corrected the best charts he could get, by means of careful observations, and made rough surveys of those harbours of which we were ill-informed. His survey of the Persian coast is contained in two sheets, that including the south-eastern part of the coast, from the entrance of the Gulf, for a distance of three hundred miles, being on a smaller scale than the other; such as it is, the comparative accuracy of the principal points, rendered it superior to any other then extant, though it has long since been superseded. The other sheet contains the remainder of the coast, with the prin- cipal channel of the Shatt-ul-Arab as far up as Bussorah, distant about thirty leagues from the sea ; this place, being at that time the chief seat of commerce and communication between India and the Turkish dominions, besides possessing an establishment of the East India Company, was much frequented by their ships. Lieutenant McCluer completed his survey of the north coast, an extent of about five hundred miles, within the space of three years. In the course of his progress he made drawings of various parts of the coast to facilitate the navigation, and wrote useful directions for the same pur])ose, which latter were used by Captain Horsburgh,* hydrographer to the East India Com- pany, in the early editions of his East Indian Directory. Lieutenant McCluer made a ])lan of the Cove of Muscat, whence considerable trade was carried on to China and India, as well as to Bussorah and the various ports in the Gulf. From his surveys, together with those of Captain AVainwrigiit, ll.X., in the ' Chififonne,' the Hon. Captain J. Maude, K.N., in the ' Favourite,' Lieutenant T. Tanner, and other officers of the Marine, a chart of the Persian Gulf was compiled and published hy the Admiralty in 1820, though it was superseded by the surveys undertaken in that year. In consequence of the dan- gerous character of the Arabian coast, owing to tlie pirates and the prevailing winds, this portion of tlie Gulf littoral was avoided as much as possible by trading vessels, and nothing was known concerning the navigation of this coast, until man}^ years after this pioneer in the cause of hydrographical research had * The first hjdrographer to the Company was Mr. Alexander Dalrymple, wlio was appointed on tho8th of April, 1779, and in the same capacity to tho AihniraUy in 1795. He died on the 19tli of June, 1808, a{j;ed 70, of cliagrin caused by his dismissal from the latter post on the 2Sth of May preceding. Jlr. l)alryuii)le's successor to the post of h_ydrogra])her to the Company was Captain Horshurgh, who had seryed in their shi])s in tlie East, and was admirably well fitted for tlio post. In 1808, Captain Ilorsburgli published the first edition of his Directory, for which he received a grant of lUO guineas from the Court, and on the loth of November, 1810, he was ai)pointed Indrographer, and all charts were examiuod by him up to the date of his death iu 183(3. 190 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. ceased from his labours, when a younger generation of officers of the l)Onibay Marine took up the arduous task, and completed a more accurate and detailed survey. The next important survey undertaken by Lieutenant McCluer was that of the Western coast of India. In 178(i, says Dalrymple, in his valuable Memoirs, the East India Company ordered the Bomba}' Government to survey the bank of soundings off Bombay and the entrance to the Gulf of Cambay. There is one paragraph in their instructions which is worth copying ; it is as follows: — "Let what is done be done completely, and nothing left undetermined in this space ; if any doubt arises, let them repeat their observations in such part, that an implicit con- fidence may be placed in their work when finished.*' Lieutenant McCluer had only one assistant (Lieutenant John Proctor) when he began this survey on the 12th of October, 1787, and his vessel, called the 'Experiment,' was too small for sounding in deep water, so that they did not carry the soundings out very far. Ragogee Angria then held possession of Kenery Island and Colaba, Henery Island belonging to thePeishwa. Ragogee had several ships, and, even as late as 1787, plundered every vessel he could lay hands on except those of the English. Besides the ' Experiment,' McCluer had a small pattamar. He says he left the ' Experiment ' at Bancoot and went in the patta- mar to Zyghur, but the natives would not let him sound and ordered him off. On one occasion he met off Bombay some of the pirates of Severndroog, who, on the same cruise, captured boats and passed Bancoot in triunjph whilst he was there. The next day they sent their respects to the British Resident at Bancoot, acquainting him with what had been done, and told him that there were no English letters on board, but that had they found any they would have been happy to have forwarded them. Such was the state of affairs on the western coast of India so late as the last decade of the eighteenth century. Lieutenant McCluer, assisted by Lieutenant Proctor, and, at a later date, by Lieutenants Ringrove, Skinner, and Wedge- borough, of the Marine, was employed, for some years, on a systematic survey of the West coast of India. He com- menced at Bombay, from which point, as a central position, he extended his operations to the southward as far as Cape Comorin, and to the northward, including the Gulf of Cambay, occupying an extent of a thousand miles. The coast was well examined by soundings, and the principal points were determined chronouietrically east and west from Bombay. The whole is contained in three sheets. The northern sheet includes the Gulf of Cambay and the coast of India as far south as the parallel of 19° North latitude; the middle sheet extends from thence to Carwar Head ; and the southern sheet includes the remaining part of the coast as far as Cape Comorin. The HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA"\T. 191 resulting charts* were drawn by Lieutenant Wedgeborough, and many of McCluer's smaller plans were engraved by Dalrymple. McClaer also made one of the earliest plans of Bombay Harbour, assisted by Lieutenant Court, which was afterwards corrected by Dominicetti ; and Lieutenant Wedge- borough made a chart of the Laccadive Islands, which were re-surveyed, in 1828, by Captain Moresby, The charts are accompanied by views of coasts, which seems to have been a favourite method of Mr. Dalrymple's and to which Lieutenant McCluer paid great attention ; and we may observe, there can be no doubt of the utility of such information to the navigator, when given with judgment. An extensive table of latitudes and longitudes was drawn up and published, with the notes which Lieutenant McCluer had made in the course of his survey of the coast. These latter appeared in their original state, and were made use of by Captain Horsburgh in his Directory. McCluer was now called away to another service, which may account for the appearance of hastiness and incompleteness in his work. Captain Jervis, of the Bengal Engineers, who held the post of Surveyor-General of India, speaking of the accuracy of McCluer's work, says in his "Report on Surveys": — " I should not omit to notice the valuable maritime surveys of Captains Huddart and McCluer, aad Lieutenants Bingrove, Wedge- borough and Skinner, on the western coast of India, from 1790 to 1793, which still continue to be good authority to navigators of that coast, and were actually incor})orated by Colonel Charles Reynolds,! in his map. At the time they were delivered to the Government, an outcry was raised against their accuracy, which subsequent inquiry has shown to be without a shadow of justice ; and I may mention it as a corroborative proof of the attention and skill which must have been bestowed on the subject by Captain McCluer, that in carrying on a trigonometrical and topographical survey of the coast upwards, with all the helps and improved methods for which our recent acquisition of the country afforded also greater facilities, I found the actual outlines of the coast and exact distances differ very innuaterially from those in McCluer's charts, and I had the more favourable oppor- tunity for verifying the fact, as the Superintendent of Marine furnished me with (Japtain McCluer's original drafts, on a large scale, for the express purpose.^ * These surveys, with tlie exception of some roadsteads and detaclicd bits of roast laid down by the late Captain Charles Montriou, and the portion from Beypoor to Comoriu, by Cai)tain Selby, remained as laid down by Lieutenant McCluer, until the year 1853, when Lieutenant A. Dundas Taylor, I.N., com- menced the work, which he completed in six years. t This ma]) of Colonel Reynolds was, liowover, never published. X A writer, reviewing, in 1829, the hydrograpliical services of Lieutenant McCluer, says of him : — " When the works of an individual are carefully preserved and consulted as a 192 HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. It is probable that the world has long since forgotten the circumstances attending the wreck of the Honorable Company's ship 'Antelope,' of fotn-tecn guns, Captain Henry AVilson, off Coorora, one of the Pclevv Islands, on the 9th of August, 1783, and the description of the natives given by Mr. (r. Keate,* together with the fate of Prince Lee Boo, son of the King, Abba Thnlle, who, accompanying the crew of the vessel to England, fell a victim to small-pox on the 27th of December, 1784, at the age of 20, and was interred in Rotherhithe Church- yard, where the Company erected a tomb, with a suitable inscription, to his memory. In Mr. Keate's interesting account of the loss of tlie 'Antelope,' justice is done to the excellent discipline maintained by Captain Wilson and his officers in the terrible hour when, at midnight, and amid a raging storm, the ship went ashore on an unknown coast, and not less on the following morning, when Captain Wilson proposed that the spirit casks should be staved. Keate says : — " All the sailors, with the utmost unanimity, and with one voice, declared, that however they might suffer from the accustomed recruit of strong liquor, yet, being sensible that having access to it, they might not at all times use it with discretion, they, to their lasting honour as men, gave their full assent to the Captain's proposal, and said, they were ready to go immediately to the ship and stave every vessel of liquor on board : which, on this day, they conscientiously performed ; every cask was staved ; and so scrupulously did they execute their trust, that there was not a single man amongst them who would take or taste a fare- well glass of any liquor. Circumstanced as these poor fellows were, nothing but a long and well-trained discipline, and the real affection they bore their Commander, could have produced the fortitude and steady firmness which they testified on this occasion." On landing, the officers and crew at once set to work and extemporized a dockyard, and commenced the con- struction of a schooner from the materials of the wreck. Our author says : — " Each determined (unskilled however he might be) to exert his abilities and personal strength to promote and standard authority by those wlio survive liim, it is a sufficient proof of their excellence, and as much as he himself could desire. Those of Lieutenant McCluer have stood the test of nearly forty years ; the considerable addition they formed to the stock of hydrographical information justly entitled their author to the acknowledgments of the maritime world ; and at this distance of time we readily bestow oiu- tribute to the memory of a man who has perpetuated his name by his vahiable works. His first essay in tlie Persian Gulf, which alone proceeded from a desire of benefiting navigation, was a fair promise of tliat zeal which he after- wards displayed in the survey of the coast of Hindostan." * See " An Account of the Pelew Islands, composed from the joiu-nals and communications of Captain Henry Wilson, and some of his officers, who, in August, 1783, were there shipwrecked, in the 'Antelope,' a packet belonging to the Hon. East India Company, by George Keate, Esq., F.R.S," London, 1788. In this work is a plan, with soundings, of the harbour called " Englishman's Harbour," in which tliey were wrecked, by Captain Wilson. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 193 aid the general plan. Those who were appointed of the carpenter's crew were desired by Captain Wilson to regard Mr. Barker (one of the officers) as their director, and to receive from him such appointments and directions in that department as he should judge most convenient, after he had experienced their separate abilities. Mr. Sharp, the surgeon, and Mr. M. Wilson, were appointed to saw down trees, in which employ- ment the Captain often worked himself. The boatswain, wiio had formerly served part of an apprenticeship to a blacksmith, now resumed his old avocation, assisted by a mate. The gunner was to see all the arms kept in good order, and occasionally to assist the carpenter's crew. On the 18th of August, it was judged expedient to form a barricade in front of the tents towards the sea ; which was done by driving a double row of strong posts, interlaced with branches of trees, to form a thick fence, the space between the two rows of stakes being filled with logs of wood, stones, and sand, to render it as solid as possible. On the inside was raised a foot bank, on which they could stand and fire, in case of being attacked, with an opening left for one of the (3-pounders, which it was intended should be got from the ship the first opportunity, and placed there. The}'' also mounted two swnvels (which were large ones) on the stumps of two trees that had been sawed down, in a manner so that they might be pointed in every necessary direction." On the 4th of November, they set to work felling trees to construct the launching ways, and, on the 9th, that is, in exactly three months time, the officers and crew of the 'Antelope ' had completed the schooner, which they christened the ' Oroolang,' after one of the islands ; and, when we consider the want of necessary implements and materials, this must be regarded as one of the most extraordinary instances on record of the ingenuity and perseverance for which British sailors are noted. Keate writes: — "The night of the 9th of November proving fine, every hand had sufficient employment in preparing tilings for launching the vessel ; they swept her with a lower-shroutl hawser, and carried out an anchor and hawser ahead, and got a runner and tackle purchase upon it; they likewise got a post with wedges set against the stern-post, and everything ready before daylight. The tide ebbed extraordinarily low this night, insomuch tliat some of them walked dry to the fiowerput island, which had never been done at other time before since their coming to this place; it was low water rather before two o'clock this morning. At daylight they began to try their work, to see if their preparations would answer their wishes, and got the "vessel down about six feet; they then stopped till high water, and sent to the King, who, with all his attendants, came to be present at the launch. About seven o'clock our people VOL. I. . o 194 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. happily got their vessel afloat, to the general joy of every spectator, all appearing deeply interested in the success of this event. The English gave three loud huzzas at her going off, in which the Natives joined, and shook hands with each other with a cordiality but seldom experienced. The vessel was immediately hauled into a dock that had been dug for her, and safely moored, when all went to breakfast — the King and the rupacks (chiefs) with the Captain, the attendants with the people ; this was, indeed, the happiest and most comfortable meal they had eaten since the loss of the ' Antelope.' When breakfiist was over, they got out shears, and took in the masts, water-casks, and the two 6-pounders. They now made the King a present of all the other tools they could spare ; and took up the ways, on account of the nails, of which they were in want. When the flood tide came in in the afternoon they hauled the vessel into the basin, which was a deep place of four or five fathom water, in the middle of the level sandy flat of the harbour, large enough to hold three vessels of the same magnitude where they could lie afloat at low water. In the night they got on board all their provisions, stores, ammunition, and arms, except such as were intended to be given to Abba Thulle; and renewed their labour in the morning, taking on board their anchors, cables, and other accessories, making bitts, and fitting a rail across the stem of the vessel." On the same day, the King invested Captain W^ilson with " the order of the Bone," constituting him a rupack, or chief, of the first rank. The schooner sailed on the 12th of November, to the regret of all the islanders, having on board Prince Lee Boo, the King's second son, and arrived in Macao in safety on the /30th of November, when they took passage to England in one of the Company's trading ships. During their stay on the island, a portion of the crew, with their arms and some swivel guns, accompanied the King, at his urgent request, on three expeditions against his rebellious subjects in other islands of the group ; when their services were decisive in compelling submission. Among the officers of the ' Antelope,' of whom a list is given in Mr. Keate's work, appear the names of two midshipmen, Messrs. John Wedgeborough and Robert White, described as " from Christ's Hospital," who, subsequently, earned distinction as surveyors. The Court of Directors acknowledged the kind hospitality displayed by the islanders to the crew of the 'Antelope,' between the 9th of August and the 12th of November, by directing the Bombay Government to tit out two ships of the Marine, to proceed to the Pelew Islands for the purpose of carrying presents to the King, and to inform him of the death of his son. Another object of the mission was to make a survey of the Pelew group, with the view of ascertaining HISTORY OF THE INDIAX NAVY. 1S);3 whether there was a harbour capable of affording safety and pro- vision to any of the Company's ships which might be disabled through stress of weather in their voyages to or from China. That such might be the case Avas very desirable, on account of the friendly disposition of the Natives towards the English, and the convenient situation of the islands, though the extensive coral reefs which surround the group, render their approach so dangerous and difficult as to prevent their being much frequented. In obedience to the orders of the Court, the Bombay Marine cruisers 'Panther' and 'Endeavour,' were fitted for the service, and the following officers ware appointed to them: — 'Panther,' Captain McCluer (also in charge of the expedition), Lieu- tenants Wedgeborough and White, who, from their scientific attainments and familiarity with the natives of Oroolang, were admirable selections ; and Mr. Midshipman Delano. ' Endeavour,' Captain Proctor, Lieutenants Thos. Haswell, Samuel Snook, and Jonathan Mickie. The ships sailed from Bombay on the 24th of August. 1790, and, soon after parting company, the 'Panther' touched at Anjengo and Madras, and, on the 10th of October, rejoined her consort at Bencoolen, in Sumatra, whence they sailed on the 31st. During the months of November and December they were employed working up the south coast of Java, and visiting many islands and places to the eastward of that island, antl experienced much very severe weather, on one occasion the 'Panther' narrowly escaping destruction by lightning. On the 22nd of January, 1791, the ship anchored off one of the Pelew Islands, and the joy of the natives was extreme on recognising Lieutenants Wedgeborough and White. We learn from a journal of the cruise of the ship that a rupack, who came on board, " calling out White, cauglit him in his arms, and, giving him a most affectionate and ardent squeeze, seemed almost distracted with joy, calling for all his people to come and embrace their friend." Lieutenant Wedgeborough, who landed, received an equally warm reception, and was joined by the King, who came from Oroolang, when, he says, '* I had the un- speakable pleasure of once more being embraced by the bene- volent Abba ThuUe." On their proceeding together to the ' Panther ' in the King's canoe, the officer acquainted him of his son's death, upon which, " his countenance, which before bore the most evident marks of joy, became composed and thought- ful ; and, after remaining some time silent, he exclaimed ' W'etl, weel, weel a tvecoij ' (good, good, very good)." Such confidence in the good faith of his white friends, and touching resignation to the decree of Providence, certainly displayed great magnani- mity of character in this " noble savage." On reaching the ' Panther,' Captain McCluer received the King, who embraced him, and was astonished on seeing the cattle and great 2 V^G HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. variety of gifts sent by the Company to liim and his people. On the 21st, Captain McCliier landed in state, accompanied by Captain Proctor, Lieutenants Wedgeborough, White, and Haswell, Mr. Nicholson, the surgeon, and escorted by- the marines and a party of seamen, " wearing caps with yellow plates, upon which was engraved the Hon. East India Com- pany's crest." They were met by the King and a large concourse of people, and marched with " English colours flying, and a fife and drum playing the Grenadier's March," to a house where the gifts were presented, " the multitude being struck with amazement, and could not utter a word, but frequent has! of astonishment," while the King "was perfectly at a loss for utterance, or how far to express his gratitude to the English rupacks, as he styled the Hon. Company." On the 1st of February, the King gave over to Captain McCluer, for the English Government, the island of Amallikala, w^here the ships were anchored, " saying it should be English- men's land," and the same day the British flag was hoisted upon it Avith all ceremony, and the foundation stone of a fort was laid, to which the name of Fort Abercrombie was given in honour of the Governor of Bombay ; the island is described as about " four or five miles in cir- cumference, and has good springs and streams of water, with some excellent small bays." On the following day. Captain McCluer resolved to proceed to Macao in the ' Panther ' to forward an account of his proceedings to the Court of Directors by one of the homeward bound China fleet, and directed Captain Proctor, of the ' Endeavour,' during his absence to commence the survey of the island, and to instruct the Natives in the use of the tools of husbandry, and in the cultivation of rice grounds and gardens, for which seeds had been bought in abundance. To effect this systematically, Captain McCluer directed Lieutenant Snook to take charge of the plantations and gardens, Lieutenant Michie to superintend the instruction of the works, and in all fifty men were detailed to assist in the execution of his plans. On the 10th of February, after the King had invested Captain McCluer, and his favourite. Lieute- nant White, with the " bone," constituting them "rupacks," the 'Panther' sailed, the ships saluting each other with nine guns, to the amazement of the Natives, who had an especial dread of the cannon. During the absence of the ' Panther,' a detachment of seamen and marines took part in an expedition against Abba Thulle's enemies, and, writes Captain Proctor, in a marginal note on a copy of Mr. Keate's work on the Pelew Lslands, their musketry fire was so effective "that the friends of the English were victorious." The ' Panther ' arrived at Macao on the 2nd of March, and, HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 107 on the 20th, the China fleet sailed for England under convoy of H.M.'s ships ' Leopard ' and ' Thames,' Captain McCluer taking the opportunity to send his journals to the Court of Directors ; on the 2Hth, he sailed for the Pelew Islands, where he cast anchor on the 10th of June. The King again solicited the assistance of the English against his enemies, in the island of Artingali, which Captain McCluer granted, and Lieutenant Wedgeborough was directed to proceed in command of the party. Accordingly, on the 16th of June, " the long boat left the ship, being completely armed, with one brass G-pounder, two swivel guns, and a musquetoon, having also ten men with small arms, under the command of Mr. Delano. Lieutenant Wedgeborough w^ent with the King in his canoe, and twenty Sepoys in different canoes, together with Mr. Nicholson, the surgeon." At Ivry, they were joined by two hundred canoes, and proceeded against the enemy, but the sight of the English and the discharge of their fire-arms and rockets created so much terror among the x\rtingali people that they sued for peace, which w'as granted, and Abba Thulle, " after this expedition, was acknowledged the superior rupack of all the Pelew Islands." On the 27th of June, Captain McCluer sailed with his ships "to carry into execution his orders for a surve}' of the coast of New Guinea, but as he proposed to return, two boys were left behind with the King, and three of the Natives embarked on board the ' Panther.' On the 16th of July, they " sighted land and commenced their survey, on the northern coast of New Guinea, which they continued for the space of two months ; during that time their intercourse with the Natives was friendly and kind." Being in want of provisions, they proceeded to Amboyna, where they arrived on the 28th of September, and received great hospitality and kindness from the Dutch people and the Governor, Mr. Van Schilling, who informed them "that they were the only English ships that had visited that island for a century." The 'Panther' and ' Endeavour ' sailed from Amboyna on the 10th of October, and resumed the survey of New Guinea on the 24th. On the 2»ith, nine canoes, full of Natives, came off to the ' Panther,' and Mr. Nicholson, having unadvisedly entered the canoe of a chief from the long-boat, which was towing astern, the savages killed him, and discharged a flight of arrows into the ship, which wounded four of the crew. The guns and small arms now opened fire, and the savages were dispersed with some loss, but Captain McCluer decided with great humanity not to land and btUMi the town whence the canoes came, as the punishment would involve the innocent with the guilty. "On this unfriendly and savage coast," proceeds the writer of the journal. '• they continued until the 21st of Decu'inber, when, having coniiileted the survey, they stood away for the coast of New Holland, and 198 HISTORY OF tup: INDIAN NAVY. from thence to the island of Timor, where they were most hospitably received." At Timor, it is recorded "they buried an officer and one of the Pelew passengers." The ship sailed on the24tli of March, 1792, for Bencoolen where they arrived on the 27th of Ajjril, another of the Pelew islanders dying on the passage. On the 17th of August they sailed for the Pelew group, stopping en route at the Sooloo islands, where they embarked cattle, seed, and grain ; on the 2()th of January, 1793, they arrived at Pelew, and learned of the death of Abba Thulle. A few days after their arrival, Captain McCluer despatched the 'Endeavour' to China, where she joined H.MS. 'Lion,' and the H.C.S. 'Hindostan,' which were in attendance on Earl Macartney, then on an embassy to the court of Pekin, and all connection between the ' Panther ' and ' Endeavour ' ceased. On the 2nd of February, Captain McCluer, considering that he had fulfilled the objecrs of his mission, addressed a letter to Lieutenant Wedgeborough, resigning to him the command of the ' Panther,' and expressing his intention of remaining in the islands. Regarding his reasons for this singular step, he says :— "It is nothing but my zeal for ray country that prompts me to follow this resolution ; and I hope to succeed in the plan I have formed, which may benefit my country and the world in general, by enlightening the minds of the noble islanders. IShould I fail in the attempt, it is only the loss of an individual, who assisted to do good to his fellow-creatures." On the follow- ing day Captain McCluer, " in the presence of the ship's crew," formally and deliberately resigned his command to Lieutenant Wedgeborough, as their future commander. On the 14th of February, the ' Panther' finally quitted the Pelew Islands, and arrived at Macao on the 7th of March, and, after refitting, sailed on the 22nd of April for Bombay, where she cast anchor on the 17th of August, 1793, after an absence of exactly three years, short of seven days. Captain McCluer, after a residence of fifteen months, during which he devoted himself to civilising the islanders and amelio- rating their condition, embarked in a snjall six-oared boat of the ' Panther,' which had been left behind at his request, with five Natives, intending to go to Ternate, but when they got to the southward of the islands, meeting with bad weather, he determined to proceed to Macao. This resolution — displaying wonderful hardihood, as the distance is about 1,600 miles, over a stormy sea — he actually carried into, execution, and without instruments or charts, and in a small open boat, he reached Macao in safety, after encountering very heavy weather. On the passage, he and his companions subsisted on cocoa-nuts and w-ater, and the hardships were so great that Captain McCluer was confined for a month with fever and ague in the house of his friend, Mr. Van Braam, the chief of the Dutch factory. On HISTORY OF THE IXDIAX NAYY. 191) recovering his health, he purchased a vessel at Macao, and returned to the Pelew Islands, v\^hence he proceeded with several Natives of both sexes to Bombay. On his way he touched at Bencoolen, wliere he met the Hon. Company's ship ' Europa,' Captain Applegath, bound for England, and the frigate ' Bombay,' belonging to the Marine, bound to Bombay. By this latter ship he sent some of the Natives to that port, and sailed, in his own little vessel, with the remainder, for Calcutta. But nothing more was ever heard of this gallant seaman, nor of his ill-fated crew, and it is supposed that the craft in which they embarked foundered in the Bay of Bengal. The women sent to Bombay, being without friends, were for many years charitably maintained by Lieutenant Snook, of the ' Endeavour,' out of his slender resources, the Government being unable to send them back to their friends, as owing to war, they could not spare a ship of the Marine for the purpose. At length, in 17'J7, Captain Wedgeborough, being on the eve of sailing to England, in command of the 'Princess Royal,' made a representation of these matters, and Captain Wilson, the commander of the 'Antelope' when she was lost, took them in his ship, the ' Warley,' undercharge of Lieutenant Snook, from Bombay to Macao ; here that officer, whose conduct throughout seems to be characterised by singular charity and forgetfulness of self, purchased a small vessel, at Government expense, and, having fitted her out and provisioned her, sailed on the 4th of March, and, after being forced to return through stress of weather, at length reached the islands in safety. The women were landed with the gifts supplied by Government, and Lieu- tenant Snook, having embarked some Chinese left on the island by Captain McCluer, returned to Macao, and thence to Bombay. The only other occasion on which a ship of the Bombay Marine visited the Pelew Islands was in March, 1802, when Captain Nathaniel Tucker, commanding the Hon. Company's brig ' Antelope,' of fourteen guns, wliile on his way from Bombay to China with despatches, touched at the group, when four canoes came off to the ship, in one of which was an English seaman who had escaped from a vessel. We trust tliat this episode of Captain McCluer, a forgotten worthy of the Service, may not be deemed one of the least inte- resting in the History of the Indian Navy. The following were the results of the labours of Captain McCluer between the years 17i)0-93. He completed a survey of the Pelew Islands, though on too small a scale to be of much practical benefit to navigators. The survey of the New Guinea coast was attended with what was then regarded as a considerable accession to our knowledge of the hydrography of that almost nnknown part of the world. A chart, embracing a space from the Equator to 7° South lat., between the meri- 200 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. dians of 130° and 189° East long., contains the tracks of the ' Panther ' and ' Endeavour.' The north-west part of New Guinea, with some trifling omissions, contained within these limits and the adjacent islands, are laid down in this cliart, but we have no detail of the coast on a larger scale. The name of " McCluer's Inlet," is an abiding reminiscence of the visit of the great hydrographer, and "Assassination Creek," of the unhappy murder of Mr. Nicholson, surgeon of the 'Panther.' Although, as we have already observed, (Japtain McCluer's hydrographical labours in the Persian Gulf, and on the West coast of India, have long since been superseded by those of his brother officers of a later generation, they were verified, so far as they went, as surprisingly accurate by so competent an authority as Captain Jervis, Surveyor-General of India; and, although his survey of the New Guinea coast may have been superseded, for aught we know, by those of other officers, yet it is not just that his achievements in the then virgin field of marine surveying should be ignored, as has been the fashion by recent writers. We trust, therefore, that this imperfect record of them, gleaned after much research, will place Captain McCluer in his true light before the world, as a Marine Surveyor second only in eminence, and in the extent and value of his labours, to Captain Cook, to whose self-sacrificing character, indeed, his bears a remarkable resemblance. In 1793 Lieutenant John Hayes was appointed to the com- mand of a surveying expedition, consisting of the vessels 'Duke of Clarence' and ' Duchess,' which were dispatched to explore the coast of Van Dieman's Land. He surveyed this island, now known as Tasmania, the Derwent river, on which Hobart Town now stands, the south-west side of New Caledonia, a terra incognita, which, though it was discovered by Captain Cook, who took possession of it in the name of his Sovereign, w'e have unwisely permitted the French to colonise; also the south- east and north coasts of New Guinea, Gillolo, Batchian, and others of the Molucca islands, Timor, the whole north and south- east face of Java, from Cape Sandano westward, and, having passed through the Straits of Madura, presented the first instance of the progress of a British ship through that intricate channel. During this expedition he adopted such humane and judicious measures in his intercourse with the savage inhabitants of some of the places explored, that not a single life was lost in either side in a quarrel. Unhappily, the results of these complete and protracted surveys, extending over a period of between two and three years, was nil, for the ship taking home Lieutenant Hayes' manuscript charts and memoirs, was captured by a French man-of-war, and they were taken to Paris, where we are informed by a relative of his, they were seen by a British officer, soon after the peace, in a public institution. The loss HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 201 of the results of so ranch and such lengthened labour and priva- tions was always a source of poignant regret to Lieutenant Hayes. A pleasant instance of true and disinterested friendship is told in connection with this survey of Lieutenant Hayes. His absence from Bombay was so protracted that, in default of all reports from, or concerning him, the Government came to the conclusion that he and his ships had perished, and, at length, ceased to pay to his wife, the late Lady Hayes, the remittances authorized by her husband, thereby reducing her to great distress. But there was a true friend in Bombay, who, confident that the gallant officer would some day turn up, personally took to the sorrowing lady the monthly remittances as they became due. IMr. F lived to see liis conviction verified, for the gallant Hayes sailed into Bombay one day, and the Government and his friends — how many were there besides the good Bombay merchant? — regarded him almost as one who had risen from the dead. We need scarcely say that his first act was to repay the good Samaritan who had supported and befriended his wife during the long period of supposed widowhood. This closes the record of the hydrographical labours of tlie officers of the Service in the last century, for the outbreak of the Revolutionary War necessitated the employment of all the ships and officers in the life-and-death struggle in which this country was involved with the gigantic power of the Directorate and of Napoleon, and with the Dutch and other allied nations who had possessions in the East. CHAPTER VII. 1793—1810. Gallant Action of the ' Vigilant,' Lieutenant Hayes, with Sanganian Pirates — Lieutenant Hayes' Services Ashore and Afloat — Services of the Company's Ships during tlie Eevolutionary War — The Eeduction of Ceylon and the Eastern Islands — The ' Bombay' frigate at Coupang — Brilliant Defence of the ' Intrepid' — Eeduction of Teruate by Captain Hayes, and Action with Magandanao Pirates — Eeorganization of the Bombay Marine — Strength of the Sei'vice in 1802 — Occupation of Perim — The Expedition to Egypt — Services of the Marine in Sumatra and in the Persian Gulf — Loyalty of the ' Aurora's' Marines — The Eeduction of Mauritius — The Services of Lieutenant D. Macdonald. LIEUTENANT HAYES, after his return to Bombay from the prosecution of his surveys, which ended so disastrously in the capture of all his charts and memoirs, was appointed first lieutenant of the ' Jehangire,' which, in conjunction with the Hon. Company's ships ' Exeter' and ' Brunswick,' sailed from Bombay with the object of intercepting a French Republican squadron, nnder Commodore Renaud, consisting of the frigates *Cybele,' 'Prudente,' and 'Moineau,' which had appeared off Diu and threatened the destruction of that settlement. In 1796, he was actively employed as Commander of the cruiser ' Princess Augusta,' and was soon after selected to carry out a diplomatic mission requiring no less tact than courage. A potentate known as the Hakim of Sonmeanee* had seized a British trading ship, and carried her off to a port in his dominions, and it was to eft'ect her release from that Prince that Lieutenant Hayes set sail from Bombay in the first week of 1797. To enable him to carry out this service, he was furnished with only one small vessel of six guns, called the ' Vigilant.' On the 13th of January, while crossing the entrance of the Gulf of Cutch, Lieutenant Hayes was attacked by four sail of Sanganian pirates, each more than double the size of the 'Vigilant,' and carrying twice her number of men. A desperate * Sonmeanee, a name derived from two words signifying "neat" and "fishing station," is a small town in Beloochistan, situated on the sea-coast on a bay formed by the projection of Cape Monze on the east. In 328 B.C., Nearchus anchored here with his fleet after leaving the mouth of the Indus, aud as the harbour was safe and commodious, he ordered it, says Dr. Vincent in his " Voyage of Nearchus," to be called " the port of Alexander." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 203 action now ensued. The piratical craft boavLled one on eacli quarter and on each bow, and, for some hours, the g'aUaut crew of the ' Vigilant,' animated by the bearing and example of their leader, resisted the overwhelming odds brought against them. In a document I have before me regarding this brilliant feat of arms, one is impressed with the belief that the dauntless and obstinate valour of the British sailor never received a more striking illustration. For three entire hours, the enemy's vessels were lashed alongside the ' Vigilant,' wliile the pirates made the most desperate efforts to carry the little craft. But the long protracted resistance was at length rewarded with complete success, and the enemy, casting oft" their lashings, made sail and left the victorious handful of British seamen in the enjoyment of their hardly earned triumph. At the close of the action Lieutenant Hayes received a ball from a jingall which was pressed against the face, and lost a part of the jawbone and the lower lobe of the right ear. lie escaped death by a miracle, for his own musket having flashed in the pan at the critical moment, he was quite at the merc}^ of his antagonist. The wound was of so serious a nature that his life was despaired of, and his ultimate recovery was a work of time —indeed, he suffered from the effects of the wound fo his death, for the u|)per jaw was com}iletely shattered, and for years pieces of bone were discharged from it, while through life he suffered excessive pain in that part of his face. This, however, was not his last brush witli pirates, for, in the following year, Lieutenant Hayes, in an armed boat, boarded and captured two [)irate vessels, each carrying one 9-pounder forward and two LS- pounders aft. A\'hile a young officer, he had served under General Matthews in 1782, and under Generals Meadows and Abercrombie in 17i)0, and he was now again employed, in 1799, on active service ashore against Tippoo Sultan, and was with Colonel Little's detachment till the reduction of Seringapatam by General Harris. On his return to Bombay he was immediately appointed to the conunand of the 'Alert,' schooner, of fourteen guns, and ordered to proceed to Kenery — which, at that time, was strongly fortified round its circumference, and mounted two hundred ])ieces of cannon— for the purpose of demanding restitution of some merchant vessels and property carried on shore. Accordingly Lieutenant Hayes, having brought the 'Alert' close up to the enemy's gateway on the north-east side of the island, which presented the only access to it, landed with ])art of his crew, and brought off the vessels and property, at the same time causing Angria, a descendant of the (celebrated pirate chief of that name, to pay 500 per cent. ui)un the cargo deficient through plunder. In 1800 he was in command of the brig 'Fly," carrying ten 204 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. guns and seventy-five men, and was emploj'ed in harassing the l'()nnidal)le stronghold of Oheria, which had been surrendered to the ]\hihrattas, after its captin'e in 175(), and, with other forts on the coast, had again become a retreat for pirates. Among other phices whence they preyed on Indian commerce, was Melundy Ishind, or Sindeedroog, near Malwan, and Karee,* also known as Yestwnntgnrh. Lieutenant Hayes performed one of those daring feats for which he was distinguished in the Service, at Vingorla, also one of the chief pirate haunts. On appearing before it in the brig 'Fly,' he immediately landed his men, and, capturing the principal battery, dismantled it at noonday, and threw the guns into the sea in the face of the enemy, forcing the chief of the freebooters to restore what British property was in hands, and, for what was deficient to pay the exorbitant interest, the gallant officer had always enforced, 500 per cent, on the value of the articles. On the outbreak of the Revolutionary War in 1793, measures were immediately taken by the Governments of the three Presidencies for the capture of the French possessions in the East Indies. Chandernagore, Karical, and Mahe were surren- dered without resistance, but the strong fort of Pondicherry stood a siege, and only capitulated on the 23rd of August, after heav}^ losses had been sustained on both sides. During the siege the ' Minerva,' thirty-eight gun frigate, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral the Hon. W. Cornwallis, assisted by three of the Company's ships, effectually blockaded Pondicherry by sea, and chased away from the coast the French frigate ' Cybele' and three smaller vessels, supposed to be bringing suj)plies and reinforce- ments for the garrison. The colours captured at Pondicherry were sent to England in the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Scorpion,' but she was captured by a French fleet in January of the following year, when nearing her destination, and the officers and crew were taken to America, whence, after a captivity of six months, they were released and permitted to find their way to England. Soon after the surrender of Pondicherry, Admiral Cornwallis having quitted the East India station with the whole of his squadron except a twenty-gun ship, the valuable interests of the Company became exposed to the ravages of the enemy, who, besides the 'Cybele' and the thirt^'-six gun frigate ' Prudente,' Captain Renaud, and two or three corvettes, possessed some very formidable privateers, which had recently been fitted out in the Isle of France. On the 27th of September, 1793, the Company's outward-bound China ship ' Princess Royal' was captured off * Raree is a fort on a rocky eminence, abont seven miles from the Vingorla river, and situated on the coast near Goa ; being a stronghold of the pirates, it was taken by a British force in 1765, but restored in the following year, though it passed into our hands permanently in the year 1818, as did also Gheria, Malwan, and Severndroog. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 205 Anjier Point, in the island of Java, by three French privateers, after a long and gaUant resistance* The Governor-General now despatched a squadron, composed of four or five of the heaviest and best-appointed Company's ships to the Cliina seas, and on the 2nd of January, J 794, a portion of this squadron, consisting of the 'William Pitt,' Captain Mitchell, 'Britannia,' Captain Cheap, and the Bombay Marine cruiser ' Nautilus,' Captain Roper, of fourteen guns, arrived off the eastern entrance of the Straits of Singapore. On the loth of January the squadron anchored in Anjier Bay, and, on the 21st, was joined by the Company's ships 'Houghton,' Captain Hudson, and 'Nonsuch,' Captain Canning, when they got under way. Early the next morning, while the ' William Pitt' was examining a detained ship, two strangers were descried in the south-west and chased by a portion of the squadron. The strange ships were two French privateers, the ' Vengeur,' Captain Corosin, mounting thirty-f )ur guns, with a crew of two hundred and fifty men, and the ' Rcsolu,' Captain Jallineaux, mounting twenty-six guns, with a crew of two hundred and thirty men, both from the Isle of France. The action commenced at eleven, a.m., and in about three-quarters of an hour, both privateers, the ' AVilliam Pitt' and ' Houghton' then fast coming up, struck their colours; the 'Vengeur' with the loss of eleven killed and twenty-six wounded, including amongst the latter Captain Corosin, who died after the ampu- tation of his leg. On the morning of the 2.5th of January, the British squadron, consisting of the 'Nautilus,' 'Houghton,' 'Nonsuch,' and ' William Pitt,' was lying at anchor tothe northward of theZuften Isles, near Bantam Bay, when the_y sighted the French frigates ' Prudente' and Cybele, the late Indiauuin 'Princessl\oyal,"(now named the ' Duguay Trouin') and the fourteen-gun brig ' Vulcan,' the whole under the command of Captain Renaud, of the ' Prudente,' getting under way from off St. Nicholas Point, Java, and also a ship, which proved to be the prize ' Resolu,' trying her utmost to escape from them. At about half-past eight, a.m., the ' Nautilus,' ' William Pitt,' and ' Britannia,' on the near approach of the French squadron, cut their cables and prepared to engage. By this time the shot of the 'Prudente' and ' Cybcle' were passing over the ' Resolu ;' the latter, how- ever, continued her course, and ran for protection between the British ships, which now opened their fire upon the enemy. A partial action now ensued, and, after the firing had lasted about eighteen minutes, the French squadron stood away out of gunshot. As the ships of the British squadron had distributed among * This ship re-nameil the ' Duguay Trouin,' wasreca])turod on tlie 5th of May, 179i, by the British thirty-six guu frigate ' Orpheus,' Captain Newcome. 206 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAV7. them a greater numLer of French prisoners than the amount of their united crews, and as each ship, from assisting to man the prizes, had scarcely hands enough to work her guns, the squadron bore up for Batavia, to procure a supply of guns and men ; Commodore Renaud also made no attempt to renew the action. On the union of Holhmd with the French Republic in 1795, England declared war against that country, and the Indian Government prepared an expedition to reduce the island of Ceylon, which did not prove a very arduous task, owing to the disorganised and mutinous state of the Dutch* troops. General Stewart was sent from Madras with a military force, the naval por- tion of the armament, including the Company's frigate ' Bom- bay,' thirty-eight guns, Comnjodore Picket, built at Bombay in 17"93,and some smaller vessels of theMarine.beingunder the com- mand of Rear-Admiral Rainier, who hoisted his broad pennant on board the ' Suffolk,' seventy-four guns. The expedition first at- tacked Trincomalee, which capitulated on the 26th of August, after a siege of three weeks, just as the British troops were about to storm. After the surrender of some minor places, on the 25th of September General Stewart embarked some troops on board H.M.S. ' Centurion,' fifty guns, and the ' Bombay,' and proceeded to the north side of the island to Jaffnapatam, a strong fort, which was pusillanimously surrendered at the first summons. As the Indian Government now determined to acquire the whole island, considerable reinforcements were sent from the three Presidencies, and, on the 5th of Februar3% 1796, an expedition, consisting of four of the King's ships, and five belonging to the Company, having on board a large body of troops connnanded by General Stewart, anchored off Negombo, a fort about twenty- two miles to the northward of Colombo, which capitulated to the squadron, the stores and merchandise, to the value of twenty-five lacs of rupees, falling into the hands of the captors. Meanwhile, the General proceeded to the Dutch capital, Colombo, which was also surrendered without a struggle, although the garrison equalled in numbers the atta(;king force,t and soon the other Dutch forts in the island followed the example of the capital. In the latter part of 1797, His Majesty's ship ' Resistance,'^ * " History of Ceylon," by William Knighton, p. 305. t The British troops consisted of tlie 52nd, 73i-d, and 77tli Regiments, three battalions of Sepoys, and a detachment of Artillery ; and the Dutch garrison, of two battalions of Hollanders, the French Regiment of Wurtemburg, with some Native troops. (Knighton, p. 307 ; Percival, p. 92.) X On the 24th of July, 1798, this fine frigate, by some inexplicable means, blew up in the Straits of Banca, when, with the exception of thirteen seamen, Captain Pakenham, his officers and crew, consisting of two hundred and fifty seamen and thirty marines, together with fourteen Spanish prisoners and some passengers, all perished ; of the survivors, only four reached land in safety, after suflering great privations. The ' Resistance,' with a Spanish prize, had put into Balambangan whence they proceeded to Celebes, and arrived in about eighteen days at Limby, near Manado, on that island. The same evening the captain des- patched the brig to Amboyna for supplies, when the 'Bombay,' frigate, proceeded to HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY, 207 forty-four guns, Captain Pakenbam, and the Company's frigate ' Bombay,' commanded by Lieutenant Henry Frost, anchored off the fort of Coupang, in Timor, the principal settle- ment of the Dutch who had conquered the island from the Por- tuguese in 1613. In answer to a summons to surrender Fort Con- cordia, a strong place having a large garrison, the Dutch Governor* at once gave up the fort, which was occupied by the marines from the ships. Lieutenant Frost, and the surgeon and purser of the ' Resistance,' were appointed Commissioners to receive over the island, and it was settled that they should meet the Dutch delegates at the Council House near the fort. In the meantime, a conspiracy had been formed by some native chiefs, the object of which was to murder the English Commissioners and seize the fort. It was never proved that the Governor was privy to this plot ; ho denied all knowledge of it, and attributed it to one of his sons, who was married to the daughter of a Malay chief and tacitly acknowledged his participation by abscond- ing when the scheme was providentially frustrated. However this may be, on the day appointed, the British Commissioners, anticipating no treachery', quitted the fort and proceeded to the place of assembly, where they awaited the advent of their Dutch colleagues. There was no suspicion of foul play until, in place of the Commissioners, they only saw the scowling faces of armed Malays ; but, at length, Lieutenant Frost apprehending the treachery that was brewing, suddenly quitted the Council House, and the signal for the massacre not having been given, passed through the crowd in safety. He had nearly reached the fort when the attack commenced ; the surgeon was killed, and the purser only escaped with his life through the kindness of an old woman who concealed him. Lieutenant Frost owed his escape to his having taken the precaution to station at the bridge of the fort, a havildar (or native sergeant) and six marines, who behaved with great gallantry. As he neared the bridge the signal was given, and a rush took place, but he just managed to enter the fort. ]\Ieantimc the pressure at the bridge was tremendous, but the havildar and marines nobly defended it, and kept the crowd at bay until succour arrived, and the fort guns opened fire upon the dense mob, who were relieve her ; meantime Captain Pakenliam had sailed for Aniboyna, snul fell in with the ' Bombay' on the voyage. After relltting at Amboyna, the ' Kesistance' sailed to Booroo and Banda, and her last service alloat was the dispersion of several pirate craft in the Straits of Banea, where she met with the terrible catastrophe already mentioned. James places the total loss at three hundred and thirty -two souls. * This was the governor who had displayed great hospitality towards Captains Bligh and Edwards, and the people that remained of the ' Bounty' and ' Pandora,' for which he received a splendid testimonial from the British Government, lie had also been equally hospitable towards Captain MeClucr, and the ollicers and crews of the ' Panther' and 'Endeavour' during their stay tliere in the early part of 1792. 208 HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. quickly dispersed with severe loss. In this affair the havildar and two men were killed and the rest wounded ; several men of the ships' crews, who were ashore at the bazaar, were also murdered by the infuriated natives. On the 18th of October, 1798, the Company's cruiser ' Drake,' Captain Bond, sailed from Bombay with presents from the Government to the Kin^ of Baba,for his hospitality and humane attention to the crew of the 'Neptune,' which had been cast away on the coast of Madagascar. The ' Drake' arrived at that island towards the end of the month ; but as the King of Baba was a few days' journey in the interior, a messenger was despatched with the information, and an officer sent up the river, in a cutter, to meet him. On the 7th of November the King came down and received the presents in the midst of his nobles, Avith all the pageantry of his court. Like the unsophis- ticated King of the Pelew Islands, who considered hospitality a solemn duty incumbent on every one, it was a long time before he could be made to understand the object of the expedition, nor could he then conceal his surprise that the Company should have thought it necessary to send him remuneration for succouring those in distress. More than once he inquired of Captain Bond " whether among the number of those who had shared his protection he had a relation or friend." Upon receiving an answ^er in the negative, he unaffectedly replied, " Then wherefore have you come so far, and taken so much trouble." At length he was made sensible that the English owned them- selves indebted to his hospitality, and, in the presents which had been delivered, had acknowledged the obligation. The officers of the ' Drake' remarked as two singular customs, that his sable Majesty used as his throne the knees of his wives, who bent one knee upon the earth to support themselves, and that Avhen he mounted and descended the sides of the ship, on proceeding to inspect the ' Drake,' he always made use of the back of one of his chiefs. In the year 1800, the Hon. Company's frigate ' Cornwallis,' of fifty-six guns, commanded by (^aptain Isaac Gonsalez Richard- son, having convoyed some of the Company's trading ships to England, sailed from the Downs with a return fleet bound to India. The services performed by the ships and officers of the Bombay Marine duringthe momentous period of the history of this country, embraced between the years 1800 and 1814, were most praiseworthy, and the small cruisers did not shun a conflict with the heavily-armed privateers which quitted the ports of France and the Mauritius in great numbers in order to prey upon British commerce in Indian waters. While the trade was protected against pirates, who received severe chastisement when they attempted to resist, the French privateers were severely handled when they encountered the Company's cruisers, HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 209 though they generally managed to escape, owing to the inferior sailing qualities of the Bombay ships. Conspicuous among these actions was that fought hy the Company's snow,* ' Intrepid,' Captain Hall. On the 22nd of November, 1800, the ' Intrepid,' carrying ten guns (6-pounders), fell in off Muscat with a French privateer of twelve guns (9 and 12-pounder carronades), when a desperate action took place at less than pistol-shot range. Between 9.30, when the first shot was fired, and 11.45 a.m., the enemy, well aware of his vast superiority in men — the ' Intrepid,' being, as was usual with the Company's cruisers, underhanded — made two attempts to run her on board and throw an overpowering force on tlie brig's decks. With consunmmte skill and coolness Captain Hall manoeuvred his ship so as to bafHo his adversary, while he maintained a well-directed fire from his guns. Shortly before eleven the gallant officer received a mortal wound, but the action was continued by his First-Lieutenant, I\Ir. Thomas Smee, who was inspired by the indomitable resolution of his commander. The men stood to their guns with equal spirit, though latterly the action was fought within half pistol-shot, and on each occasion that the privateersmen tried to board over the stern, they repelled them with great slaughter. At length the enemy found that they had met their match, and a little before twelve, the Frenchman made all sail away. The ' Intrepid' was too much cut up aloft to give chase, but in half an hour her officers and crew having, with commendable smartness, refitted her rigging, bent new sails, and rove new braces which had been shot away, she was under a press of canvas in pursuit. The enemy, however, owing to her superior sailing qualities, escaped. The ' Intrepid ' lost her captain, who died on the 30th Noveujber, and five men killed, and both her lieutenants, Messrs. Smee and l^est, ]\Ir. Harriott, midship- man, the boatswain, and nineteen men wounded. The crew with which this action was fought consisted of only forty Europeans, two-thirds of whom were ]\Iariue Society's boys from the 'Warspite,' and about the same number of Sepoys and Lascars. When we consider the loss among the officers and the numerical weakness of the crew, we maintain that few actions more honourable to those concerned, are recorded even in the annals of the British Navy, whose every page is illumined with deeds of gallantry such as the world has not seen equalled since the days of Greece and Rome. That the 'Intrepid' was so manoeuvred as to prevent the enemy from carrying their intention of boarding into eff'ect, and that the * A snow only differs from a brig in having the boom-maiiisail hooped to a trysail mast, a spar which is unknown in a brig, but wliich is carried in a snow close to tliO mainmast. VOL. I. P 210 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. guns were worked witli such effect by raw lads and natives, who are perilous stuff to fight naval actions with, speaks more for the skill, seamanship and courage of the officers of the ship than coukl any words of eulogy on our part. Not less honour and credit are due to the gallant boys of the Marine Society, Avhich, for nearly three-quarters of acentury, supplied the Service with a never-failing supply of smart young lads, possessed of all the pluck and seamanlike qualities characteristic of the Anglo-Saxon race. And yet we hear nothing of any rewards or honours being meted out to the officers, whose devotion was displayed by the cir- cumstance that they were all wounded, while their painstaking care in training into good gunners such unpromising material, was evinced by the successful resistance they made to a vessel of such superior force; so little, indeed, was thought, or, perhaps, known, of this deed of valour on the part of the small and uninfluential Bombay Marine, that James, in his exhaustive and complete record of the services of our sailors during the Great War, makes no mention of this brilliant defence of their ship by the officers and men of the ' Intrepid.' Sad to relate, the sea soon after swallowed up both the cruiser and the survivors of the action of the 22nd of November. Soon after her return to Bombay, the ' Intrepid,' under the command of Captain George Roper, the successor to her late commander, Hall, was despatched, in company with another cruiser, the ' Comet,' Lieutenant William Henry, to the China seas, to learn the fate of the Company's ship ' Talbot,' which was supposed to have been wrecked, but the same darkness that shrouded the fate of the ship in quest of which they were sent, has settled over the fate of these two cruisers. From the day they sailed out of Bombay Harbour they were never heard of again. " And though no stone may teU Their name, theii' work, their glory, Tliey rest in hearts that loved them well, They grace Britannia's story." Among the officers lost in these ships were — ' Intrepid,' (.'aptain G. Roper, Lieutenants Stephen Best, William Nicholson, and William Henry Taylor. ' Comet,' Lieutenant W. Henry and Acting-Lieutenants Charles Baker and Isaac Richardson. In 1801 the Indian Government despatched the ' Swift,' twenty guns, commanded by Captain Hayes, and the ' Star,' brig, under Lieutenant Scott, to co-operate in the attack on the Dutch possessions in the Moluccas, or Spice Islands. Admiral Rainier left these two vessels to blockade the island of Ternate,* * Ternate, the northernmost of a chain of islands adjoining tlie west coast of G illolo, was formerly the seat of sovereignty over all the adjacent Molucca Islands, HISTORY OB^ THE INDIAN NAVY. 211 but this monotonous duty did not suit a man of the ardent teui- perament of Captain Hayes, who found a congenial colleague in Lieutenant Scott. At the head of only forty-five seamen, with escalading ladders, he advanced against Fort Tabooka, Ternate, under the fire of its guns and the cross-fire of two field- pieces and six hundred Natives, (300 yards distance on the rigiit flank. The assaulting column, together with the rest of the advance division, under Colonel Burr, commanding the troops, was forced to retreat, with the loss of one-third of their number. Nothing daunted by this reverse, he engaged Fort Orange and four batteries, on Ternate, on the 11th of May, within pistol-shot range, for two hours and a-half, but after a severe action was obliged to haul off; a second time, on the 16th of May, the 'Swift' and 'Star' were carried within pistol-shot range of the batteries, and sustained the concentrated fire of more than thirty pieces of heavy ordnance. At length Lieutenant Hayes' temerity was rewarded with success ; the forts were silenced and stormed, and, soon after, on the 21st of June, 1801, the whole island surrendered to Colonel Burr, who had invested the town and works on the land side.* The ' Swift ' lost in this service twelve killed and wounded, and the 'Star 'ten; that the casualties were comparatively so few, considering the brilliancy of the Rervice, is owing to the fact that the gunners in the forts were unable to depress their including Tidore, Batchian, Motir, and Machiau ; the King of Ternate extended ]iis rule over seventeen or eighteen islands, and maintained a considerable naval force. The Portuguese iirst visited these islands in 1510, but on their expulsion by the Dutch in 1607, the native princes were interdicted from having any intercourse with them. The Dutch erected in Ternate three forts called Orange, Holland, and Williamstadt. * The following extract from a despatch of the Company's Resident at Amboyna, which was communicated by the Court of Directors to Lord Hobart, Secretary of State, givesabi'ief account of the captui'C of Ternate. " The Dutch Go- vernor made a most resolute resistance, having defended the place wit li uncommon firmness for fifty-two days, though I am sorry to add, at the expense of tlie poor inhabitants, who perished from famine, from ten to twenty a day, from our stronir blockade by sea and land. During this excellent disposition of our military and marine forces, the latter under tlie command of that gallant olficer, Captain Hayes, the armed supplies for the enemy were intercepted through liis vigilance, which certainly contributed in a higli degree to the ultimate success of the entei'- prise. The value of the captured property taken by the squadron amounts to u lac and 50,000 dollars, (equal to £20,0tX)). The cUfficulties the Honom-abie Company's forces by sea and land had to encounter in tliis arduous service, ami the spu'it and intrepidity which they manifested during a siege of nearly two mouths, do them inlinite credit, and have seldom or ever been exceeded in this part of the globe. The accounts we have received of the strength of Fort Oranyi- and its numerous detached batteries, proved exceedingly erroneous, insomueii that Colonel Burr declares the place to be extremely strong by nature, and most exceedingly improved by art, with a powerful garrison, and so well provided witti arms and ammunition, as to tlirow dilllculties in the way of our force, w hich were as distressing as unexpected ; tliey, however, persevered and kept their ground with so much bravery and resohition, as to compel the enemy to surrender their different strongholds one after the other, until the principal fort and town were so completely blockaded by sea antl land, and so reduced by famine as to make them sue for conditions, which, I understand, are very satisfucttn-y," p 2 212 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. fi'uns siifTiciontly to sweep their decks, and thus it liappeDcd that while the iinll escaped with few shot holes, the spars and rig-ging of the two little ships were much cut up. During the rigorous blockade of Ternate, an American ship, with supplies from Batavia, attempting to force an entrance, was captured by the ' Swift,' and amongst the cargo on board were hams, cheese, wines, and spirits, for the Governor, Mr. Cranstone. Captain Hayes, with chivalrous feeling, forwarded these luxuries under a flag of truce, to the Governor, but the equally high-spirited Dutchman returned all the packages with the reply, " that he could do well without them, preferring to share the rations of the garrison to such luxuries.'' A sloop of war of sixteen guns, launched at Bombay during the year, received the name of ' Ternate,' in honour of this achievement of an officer of the Service. Subsequently to this gallant service, the crew of the ' Swift ' was attacked with a malignant fever from which Captain Hayes nearly lost his life; and many officers and men, engaged in this expedition, fell victims to the epidemic. Hearing of the depreda- tions of a fleet of Magindanao pirates. Captain Hayes, notwith- standing the shattered state of his own health, and the short- handedness of his crew, owing to the ravages of disease, on the 1st of August sought out the fleet, consisting of forty sail, and attacked them single-handed, though he might, without dis- honour, have declined to encounter so superior a force, as an act of temerity. After a severe action, in which the 'Swift' was, at times, in great peril, owing to the determined efforts of the pirates to board, he beat them off with immense loss ; nor did the 'Swift' escape unscathed, her casualties being three men killed, and five, including her connnander, wounded. By this action he saved the Company's settlement in the Celebes which had been threatened by these marauders. The following account of this brilliant action, is from the pages of the "Annual Register" of 1803:— "By a letter officially received this day, ford February) from Bombay, it appears that, on the 29th of July last, Captain Hayes, of the Company's ship-of-war ' Swift,' received a requisition from the Resident at Amboyna, to proceed to the relief of an outpost, named Amoorang, then closely infested by the Magindanao pirates ; their fleet consisted of forty large proas, from which one thousand two hundred men had been landed, with twelve pieces of brass ordnance, of 8 and 6-pounders, On the Ist of August, at half-past five p.m., the ' Swift' came up with the piratical fleet, and instantly opened a cannonade upon them, which continued to half-past nine. Besides the annoyance of the enemy, Captain Hayes' attention was imperiously called to the critical situation of his own vessel, which was surrounded by islands, and upon a dangerous reef; to this circumstance HISTORY OP THE IXDIAN NAYY. 213 were the vessels which escaped destruction indebted for their safety. The ' Swift,' however, captured two; one she passed over, and cut in two ; seventeen others were run ashore, and about six hundred of the enemy are supposed to have perished during the conflict. The Company's settlements upon the Celebes, as well as granaries completely stored, have thus been protected from the most serious depredations, by the dispersion of these daring pirates, who had overrini the whole of the Sangir islands, reduced the capital, Tairom, to ashes, and carried thence two hundred female captives, besides males, many of whom perished on the occasion of this attack ; one only of the former was saved by the ' Swift,' and one of the pirates from the wreck of the proa which had been run down. Each of the enemy's vessels carried from sixty to eighty men, one G or 8- pounder brass gun forward, besides many smaller ones, with muskets, lances, &c." The Company's ships ' Bombay,' ' Swift,' and ' Star,' also did good service at the island of Celebes, particularly at the reduction of Manado and Gonong Telia, and Lieutenant Court, first of the ' Bombay,' was appointed to the command of Fort Amsterdam, which he held for nine months " under the most critical circumstances." Subsequently, in reward for his dis- tinguished services, he was appointed Resident at Manado and commandant of all the troops in Celebes, by Mr, Farquhar, the newly-appointed Governor of the Moluccas, a post he held with conspicuous success until, in terms of the peace, our conquests in the Moluccas were restored to the Dutch. Some of the vessels of the Bombay Marine continued to be employed at the Moluccas, until these islands were given up to the Dutch, and, during the interval, they had sevenxl encounters with the pirates, which swarmed in those seas. At this time there were generally two vessels employed at Pulo Penang, or Prince of Wales' Ishind, and two in the Bay of Bengal under the orders of the Supreme Government, protecting the trade from the depredations of French privateers. On the 1st of August, 17'.)8, (the day on which Nelson won his memorable victory of the Nile) the Court of Directors issued an order revising the Marine Regulations, and conferring on the officers relative rank with their military Service, as well as a retiring pension. The pay of the officers was fixed at the rate it continued to remain for the succeeding thirty years, when the Service finally assumed its last phase as the Indian Navy ; they were also prohibited from trading, a privilege which had been allowed up to that time, and, in fact, the Bombay Marine was created a regidar Naval Service for war purposes only. A Superintendent was appointed, but the office was vested, for some inscrutable reason, in a civilian ; and the two senior officers of the Service were appointed Master-Attend- 214 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. ant and Connnodorc at Bombay. These three officers, with the two captains next in seniority, were formed into a Marine Board for conducting the Civil Branch, including the dockyard and financial details of the Service ; and the executive, under the supervision of the Government of Bombay, was vested in the iSuperintendent, who, at a later date, was assisted by a senior captain of the Service selected by himself. The appointment of Superintendent was retained in their own hands by the Court of Directors, and Mr. Philip Dundas, brother, we believe, of the first Lord Melville, was the first incumbent of the post. Relative rank, as follows, was given to the officers of the Service by these Regulations : — The Commodore to rank with a Colonel in the Army. Captains of the larger vessels of twent}^- eight guns and upwards, or senior captains, to rank with Lieutenant-Colonels in the Army. Junior Captains with Majors. First Lieutenants to rank with Captains in the Army. Second Lieutenants with Lieutenants in the Army. The Superintendent of the Marine, in consideration of the importance of his office, to be next to the Members in Council. The Master-Attendant next to the Superintendent, and to sit above the Commodore. The duties of the Service were distinctly defined under the following heads : — 1. The protection of the trade. 2. Suppres- sion of piracy and general duties as vessels of war. 3. Con- voying transports, and carrying troops if necessary. 4. The prosecution of j\Iaritime surveys in the East. There was also another duty performed by the Marine, of considerable import- ance to the shipping of Bombay. Immediately before the south-west monsoon, an experienced officer, with a proper establishment of boats, was stationed at Worli, and another at Mahim,* in whose charge was included Versovah, whose duty it was to render aid to vessels fetching to the northward of the port of Bombay. This duty was performed by the Marine, with signal success, up to about the year LSIG, when it was discon- tinued. At this time, also, various improvements were made in the internal economy of the Marine, and some fine vessels were built. But the Service laboured throughout its career under great disadvantages in securing a suitable supply of seamen, and at the period of which we write it lay in the power of the commanders of King's ships to draft men out of the Company's cruisers, though this power was later taken away from them. Except in war-time, there was great difficulty in procuring suitable hands for the ships, and, in later times, when the * Maliim Bay, at the south extremity of the island of Salsette, is foi'med by Worii, the north-west point of the island of Bombay, on the south, and Bandra, or Bandora, Point on the north, the latter about sis miles from Malabar Point and nine from Bombay light-house. Since the construction of the Mahim and Sion Causeway, Mahim Bay is much filled up, and now only affords a refuge for fisliin''- boats. Versovah is an islaiid about twelve miles north of Malabar Point. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 215 Indian Navy was armed with all the privileges of a Naval Service, the complements of the vessels of war, so far as regarded the able-bodied seamen, were maintained at their necessary strength by drafts from the jails. Often has the writer brought off to his ship from Aden prison a batch of seamen, who had the option of confinement in the •' chowkee," or service on board one of the Honourable Company's ships, and we can aver that oftentimes the best men were these so- called "jail-birds," who, though amenable to discipline nnder the terrors of martial law, were too high-spirited to submit to the brutality of a certain class of merchant skippers, who sub- ject their crews to worse treatment than any costermonger dare inflict on his donkey in England. Notwithstanding all the disadvantages under which the Bombay Marine laboured at the time of which we are writing, and the paucity of the ships, it continued to perform good service to the State ; the pirates were kept in check throughout the Eastern seas, protection was afforded to the Indian coasting trade, which in those days was of considerable value, maritime surveys were prosecuted with vigour and success, and lastly, many officers of the Service, travelling out of the sphere of their regular duties, performed honourable service with the troops engaged in the great struggle which we prosecuted during the eighteenth century with the Mahrattas, and the Mysore Princes, Hyder Ally and Tippoo Sultaun. In the year 1802, the following were tiie ships of the Bombay Marine: — The frigates 'Cornwallis,' of fifty-six guns — built at Bombay, in 1800, and named after the Governor-General — and 'Bombay,' thirty-eight. The sloops-of-war 'Mornington,'twent3'- two, launched at Bombay in 1800, and named after the then Governor-General ; Teignmouth, sixteen, built in 1799, and named after Sir John Shore; and ' Ternate,' sixteen, built in 1801. The fourteen gun brigs ' Antelope ' and ' Fl}^' added to the Service in 1793. The snows ' Drake,' eighteen (1787) ; ' Panther," fourteen (1778J ; 'Viper,' fourteen; 'Princess Augusta,' four- teen (1768); 'Princess Royal,' fourteen (1768); 'Comet,' ten (1798) ; and ' Intrepid,' ten (1780). The ketches ' Queen,' four- teen; and 'Rodney,' fourteen. Besides these vessels,* there were prizes and others purchased into the Service, for special, or temporary, uses, such as the 'Swift,' 'Star,' ' Les Frcres Unis.' ' Alert,' ' Assaye,' and others ; and there were also some small craft and pattamars, armed with guns. The personnel of the Bombay Marine at this time was com- posed of the Superintendent, Mr. Philip Dundas, the i\Iaster- * The armament of some of these ships differs from tliat given in tlic narrative, which may be accounted for b}' the circumstance tliat ships-of-war, though pierced for a certain number of guns, frequently carried more or less. Thus wlien tlie old carronades fell into disuse, fewer, but heavier and more serviceable, guns wera employed. 216 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Attendant, Captain Robert Anderson, the Commodore, Captain James Sutherland, thirteen Captains, thirty-three First-Lieu- tenants, twenty-one Second-Lieutenants, and thirty-seven Volunteers.* The Master-Attendant, who took rank and precedence immediately after the Superintendent, received 25,000 rupees per annum, considerably more than =£2,500 at the current rate * Tlie following is a copy of tlie official printed list of the officers of the Bombay Marine on the 1st of January, 1802, which fell into the liands of an officer of the Service about thirty years ago, in the bazaar at Bussorali, having, doubtless, belonged to the chief of the Company's factory then establislied in that city. It will, probably, be considered of interest not only by the Service, but by those readers who have followed with interest the varied services of many of the officers whose names appear in it. Captains. Names and Stations. Charles John Bond — Member of the Marine Board Walter Borlase — Member of the Marine Board Thomas Hardie — ' Marquis Cornwallis ' . Emanuel Margoty — 'Bombay' Isaac Gonsalves Richardson — On shore . Samuel Speak — On sliore Robert Billamore — Returning to Europe Nathaniel Tncker — ' Antelope ' . Edward Stepheson — Commodore at Surat Thomas Turner — ' Fly ' . Thomas Skinner — ' Teignmouth ' William Maughan — In Europe . Thomas Dobinson — ' Ternate ' First-Lieutenants . George Roper — ' Intrepid ' John Hayes — Eastward . Edward Lowes — ' Panther' Charles Keys — On shore Thomas Hawkswell — ' Princess Royal ' . Levi Philips — Assistant to the Superintendent, Judge Ad\ cate, and Secretary to the Marine Board Thomas Dade Beaty — ' Viper ' . John Wales — In Europe John Proctor — In Europe Henry Frost — ' Mornington ' William Manwaring — At Amboyna Robert Budden — ' Drake ' Joiin Wedgebrough — Absent with leave Samuel Snook — 1st Assistant to the Master-Attendant Thomas Bennett — On shore James Jeakes — 'Alert' .... John Lawrence — Red Sea Jonathan Mickie — Assistant to the Marine Storekeeper George Barnes — Boat-Master at Surat . Charles Gilmour — ' Princess Augusta ' . Philip Bewicke — Proceeding to Europe . Charles Coui-t — At Mannado John Walter Hamilton — ' Mornington ' . Robert Scott^To the Eastward . William Hewitson — ' Bombay' . Thomas Smee — ' Marquis Cornwallis ' John Sexton — 'Mornington' Bates of Commissions. Nov. 15, 1786 Dec. 18, 1787 May 9, 1793 9, „ » 9, „ June 26, „ „ 27, „ ,, 28, „ Aug. 21, „ June 21, 1799 Dec. 1, 1800 Aug. 8, „ 2, 1801 Nov. Jan. May July Aug. Feb. 9, 1792 9, „ 9, „ 19, 1793 9, „ 9, „ 30, „ 31, „ ], » 7, „ V, „ 7, „ 21, „ 12, 1798 >, 12, „ „ 12, „ „ 12, „ „ 12, „ „ 12, „ „ 21, „ „ 21, „ „ 21, „ „ 21, „ » 21, „ „ 21, „ Aug. 8, 1800 » 8, „ HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 217 of exchange, exclusive of some fees of which we have not the particulars ; and the pay of the Commodore was 24,000 rupees First-Lieutenants. — (Continued.) Names and Stations. Jolin Alexander Ramsay — In Europe Edmund Smyth — 'Antelope' .... Richard Bird — On shore .... WiUiam Nesbitt — 2nd Assistant to the Master-Attendant Second- Lieutenants. William Henry — ' Comet ' Charles Saunders — Sick qiiarterp Duncan Davidson Conyers — ' Bombay' . Robert Deane — At Banda Richard Bennett — 'Panther' Charles Scaly — ' Marquis Cornwallis ' John Ackenby — ' Teijrnmouth ' . Joshua Allen — ' Bombaj'' James Watson — ' Viper ' John Pruin — ' Marquis Cornwallis ' John Stanney — In Europe Richard Morgan — ' Mornington ' Stephen Best — ' Intrepid ' Jacob Maughan — ' Ternate ' William Nicholson — ' Intrepid ' . William Eatwell — ' Rodney ' William P. Foley — In Europe . George Walker — 'Panther' William Henry Taylor — ' Intrepid' Charles H. Salter — 'Antelope' . George Rowling — To the Eastward Volunteers. Names and Stations. Henry Davidson — ' Princess Royal ' William Douglas William Blytlie . David D. Murray Francis Salmond . Andrew Brown . Daniel Ross — 'Amboyna' George J. Hepburne — ' Marquis Cornwallis ' William Thomas Graham — ' Bombay' George Henderson — ' Amboyna ' Edward Lowther — In Europe James Watkins — ' Princess Augusta ' William Bruce — On shore Charles Gowan — ' Teignmoutli ' . John Russell — ' Queen ' . Nathaniel Gilmore — ' Fly' Charles Baker — ' Comet ' Thomas Harriott — ' Marquis Cornwallis ' Horace Ange— ' Mornington ' Isaac Richardson — ' Comet ' George II. Hanrey — ' Antelope ' Thomas Blast John Hall — ' Viper ' Wilham Milne— ' Marquis Cornwallis' William Maxfield— ' Alert ' Charles Lord — ' Fly ' Dates of Commissions. Aug. 8, 1800 )> 8, )) )) 2, 1801 2, )> Api'L 27, 1797 Feb. 12, 1798 12, )> 12, j> 12, 12, >> June 21, 1799 21, 21, )} 21, J) 21, >j 21, >) 21, Aug. 8, ISOO 8, „ 8, „ 8, )> 8, » 8, )5 8, )J 8, )) Dates of Appointments. April 20, 1706 May 12, 11, „ April 13, )> Jan, 27, 1795 June 3, „ Mar. 31, 1797 April 21, » „ 2(5, » Dec. 28, „ Jan. 20, 11, 10, 1798 >> 218 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. per annum. Some years later the title of junior captain as a substantive rank, was created, and the numbers of the superior grades stood at eight senior and eight junior captains; the lieutenants' list remained at the same strength, while the number of the rank of midshipmen or volunteers, fluctuated with the will of Government and the exigencies of the Ser- vice. Mr. P. Dundas occupied the office of Superintendent for three or four years with considerable credit to himself and benefit to the Bombay Marine, and, at the end of that time, was removed to another office ; his loss was regretted by the officers of the Service, whose honour and welfare he had ever studied, while mindful of the interests of Government. He was succeeded by Captain William Taylor Money, who proved himself an equally efficient head of the Service entrusted to his care, and united the regards of his employers with the good-will and loyalty of his subordinates. To assist in thwarting Napoleon in his schemes on Egypt, which, however, Nelson and Abercromby did most effectually in their victories of the Nile in 1798 and Alexandria in 1801, the British Government despatched, in 1799, a naval force from England to cruise in the Red Sea. At the same time, orders were sent to the Bombay Government to secure and fortify the island of Perim, which is the first notice we have of the intention, subsequently carried into effect, of Great Britain seeking to command the waters of the Red Sea, by the same means she has so successfully employed in the Mediterranean ; thus, in her hands, in course of time Aden and Perim have become almost as important strategic points as Gibraltar and Malta, and are scarcely less essential to the protection of the highway to her Eastern possessions. Mention has already been made of Perim, in the Straits of Babelmandeb, as the island which the European pirates, under Avory and Kidd, first occupied, but which, owing to the want of water, for which they made extensive borings, they were obliged to evacuate for other ports in Madagascar. Acting under instructions, the Bombay Government, in April, Volunteers. — (Continued.) Dates of Names and Stations. Appointments. George Furghall—' Rocluey' ..... Mar. 15, 1798 Thomas Dyke Ballantyne — ' Marquis Cornwallis ' . . Sept. 5, „ John Macit— Inspector at Surat ..... Feb. 22, 1799 David Ross — ' Bombay' ...... Mar. 6, „ Philip Maughan — ' Ternate '..... — David McDonald — 'Mornington' .... — Henry Hardy ....... Feb. 27, 1801 WUliam Arrow — ' Teignmoiith ' .... — Frederick FaithfuU— ' Bombay' ..... Feb. 3, 1801 John Spier Young — ' Fly '.,... — David Jones — ' Teignmouth '..... — HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY, 219 1799, despatched some of their ships with three hundred European and Native troops, exclusive of followers, under the command of Colonel (afterwards General Sir) John Murray, who was appointed Political Commissioner for the Red Sea; and on the 3rd of May, Perim, not being claimed by any Government, was formally taken possession of by the East India Company. The island only remained in the occupation of the English until the 1st of September following, when it was evacuateil, owing to the want of water, the troops being withdrawn to Aden, whose chief, Ahmed, offered them an asylum. Colonel Murray remained at this stronghold, destined at no distant date to pass inider the sway of his country, until the following March, when lie brought his troops back to Bombay. Acting in co-operation with the military and naval expedition to Egypt of 1801, under Sir Ralph Abercromby and Lord Keith, on the 21st of April in that year, a small squadron of vessels, under Rear-Admiral John Blankett, in the ' Leopard,* fifty guns, landed at Suez a portion of the 8(3th Regiment and other troops which, after taking possession of the town, previously evacuated by the French, marched on the 6th of June to Cairo, under command of Colonel Lloyd of the 86th Regiment. On the loth of June, the ' Leopard' and other vessels anchored at Cosseir, where a squadron, under command of Captain Sir Home Riggs Popham,of the ' Romney,' fifty guns, had been engaged since the 8th of the the month in landing the second division of General Baird's army, which had been despatched from India, the first division, under Colonel Murray, having arrived and disembarked in the preceding month. Several vessels of the Bombay Marine participated in this expedition, and assisted in transporting General Baird's force from Bombay to Cosseir. The total of the force consisted of five thousand two hundred and twenty- six soldiers, and included a division of one thousand two hundred men from the Cape, and two regiments and some artillery from the Bombay Presidency. General Baird marched across the Desert via Kenneh on the Nile, to Cairo, which, however, had been surrendered by General Belliard to General Hutchinson on the 27th of June, several days before his arrival ; the capitulation of General Menou and his entire army of eight thousand men at Alexandria, on the 2nd of September, caused the final ruin of the cause of France in Egypt. The ofiicers and crew of the Bombay Marine engaged in this expedition received the Euypt medal. In 1800, at the request of the Court of Directors, Sir Home Popham, commanding H.M.S. ' Romney,' had been despatched from England on a doul)le mission to the Red Sea, having for its object the revival of the trade in coffee, as well as the conveyance of troops to Egyjjt. Sir Home proceeded in company with the ' Leopard' to Mocha, where Admiral Blankett 220 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN XAVY. died on the 14th of July, and to Calcutta, whence he returned in 1802 to the former city as Envo}'' from the Governor-General, Lord Wellesley, but the mission he despatched to the Imaum of Sanaa to conclude a treaty, ended abortively. The cessation of hostilities, arisini^ from the peace of Amiens, the news of which was brought to India by Mr. P. Maughan, of the Bombay Marine, was only employed by Napoleon to strengthen his hands for continuing the war, and, at length, he threw off tlie mask, and publicly expressed his animosity towards this country in a memorable interview with Lord Whitworth, the British Ambassador. On the 16th of May, 1803, our Ministry declared war, which raged without inter- mission until Napoleon's abdication in 1814. On the reception of the news of the outbreak of hostilities, the Indian Govern- ment despatched the ' Bombay," frigate, thirty-eight guns, bearing the broad pennant of Commodore John Hayes,* the * The following is a copy of the Commission from tlie Grovernor-General and Council, under which Captain Hayes acted, and it is of interest as indicating the very full powers conferred on such ofBcers of tlie Bombay Marine, as commanded the confidence of the supreme authorities in India : — " Commodore's Commission. "To John Hayes, Esq., Captain in the Bombay Marine. " Greeting — " Whereas, open hostilities have taken place between our Sovereign Lord the King, and the French and Batavian Republics, and whereas, we, the said United Company are didy authorized and empowered, by virtue of divers Charters in that behalf, given and granted unto us by the predecessors of our said Sovereign Lord, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, to raise and maintain forces and armies, both by sea and land, and to appoint such and so many Generals, Com- manders, and other officers as we shall think fit for the purpose of encountering and resisting by force of arms all and every, the enemy and enemies of our said Sovereign Lord the King and ourselves, and the said enemies and every of them, their ships' armour, ammunition, and otlier goods, to invade and destroy in such manner as in and by the said Charters is ]5rovided, mentioned, and contained. Now we, the said United Company, in consideration of the premises, and reposing especial trust and confidence in your good conduct, loyalty, and courage, do by these presents, and under and by virtue of the Royal Cliarter aforesaid, and all other powers in us vested, constitute and appoint you, John Hayes, Esq., Captain in the Bombay Marine, to be, during the hostilities aforesaid, and during our pleasure, and the pleasure of our Governor-General in Council, Commodore of all the ships and vessels employed in our Naval and Bengal Marine service, for aud under our Presidency of Fort William in Bengal, and of all our regular, extra, and freighted sliips whatsoever, wlieresoever you shall fall in with tliem, and to taiic the command of the same as Commodore with the same authoriry as belongs to the ofEce of Commodore in the Naval Service of our said Lord the King, and in the same manner as used in the said service, and to be Captain of the Bombay ships of war to be employed in our said Naval and Marine Service, against the said French and Batavian Republics, and all other nations and people, against whom you may and shall be lawfully commanded to act during such hos- tilities, either by proclamation issued by our Governor- General in Council or by orders from our said Governor-General in Council specially to you directed. You are therefore duly to command, exercise, and keep in good order and discipline, all commissioned ofBcers, warrant officers, seamen, and others subordinate to you, accordmg to such authonty, rules, powers, and provisions, as in and by the said Charters, are mentioned and contained, aud as legally may be done, and we do hereby command them to obey you conformably tliereto as their Captain, in which station vou are to observe and follow all such orders aud directions as vou shall HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 221 'Morning-ton,' twenty-two guns, ' Teignmonth,' sixteen guns, and other vessels, to the eastward, to protect the trade in the Bay of Bengal, and in adjacent waters, one vessel being also stationed, under the orders of Mr. R. T. Farquhar, Lieutenant- Governor of Penang, or Prince of Wales' Island, which the Company had acquired by purchase from the King of Queda in 1785. During the period Commodore Hayes held the chief naval command in these seas, he asserted the right of his Honourable masters on the coast of Sumatra, by recapturing the fort of Muckee, and recovering the remaining part of the ordnance and stores taken from the Company's agents by the treachery of the Malay inhabitants. After cannonading, for three days, the three batteries the enemy opposed to him, he landed at the head of two divisions of seamen, selected by him from the crews of the Honourable Company's ships ' Bombay' and ' Castlereagh,' and, after a sharp conflict, took possession of the works, which, together with other batteries in the interior, he caused to be dismantled and destroyed. On these occasions, sixty- seven pieces of ordnance and other valuable stores fell into his hands, and were, together with the property that he recovered, sent to Mr. Ewer, the Government Commissioner at Bencoolen, in Sumatra, then in the possession of the British, but exclianged with the Dutch Government for Malacca, in the year 1824. During the period Commodore Hayes commanded the Bengal squadron, it is a fact that has been recorded as an evidence of his energy and public spirit, that no British merchant ships suffered l)y capture within the limits of his cruise or authority ; and yet his striking qualifications as an able naval commander, greatly militated against his acquiring the pecuniary emoluments which, in those days, were regarded as one of the great incentives to exertion in the East. As we have mentioned, it was the custom for the senior officers of the Bombay J\Iarine to receive the advantages accruing from convoying for a certain number of voyages the merchant shij)s that traded to Mocha and Bussorah, and also to hold in annual rotation the lucrative post of Commodore at Surat, a situation receive from time to time from us, our Governor-General in Council for the time being, in pursuance of tlie trust hereby i-eposed in you ; and we do by these pre- sents authorize and empower you, Jolni Hayes, Esq., by force of arms or other- wise, to apprehend, seize, and take tlie sliips and goods belonging to the said French and Batavian Rcpubhcs, and all and every their subjerls and people, being enemies of our said Lord the King, and of ourselves, purs\iant to the powers and witliin the limits in the said Charter for that purpose mentioned and prescribed, and to bring the same to sucli port as sliall be most convenient, in order to have the same legally adjudged and condemned as prizes. " In witness whereof our Governor-General in Council has hereunto set our Common Seal. (Signed) " "Welleslky, " Bahlow, " Ubnky." 222 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. which usually enabled Marine officers to retire with an ample fortune. To none of these good things of office did the gallant Commodore succeed ; when, therefore, he took his departure ou furlough to E^ngland in 1806, he was a poor man, though, doubtless, it was a poverty honourable to him as a patriot and a seaman, for in times wlien the hands of many public servants in both the I\Iilitary and Civil services were not withheld from the receipt of bribes, it was honourable for an officer who had filled such responsible posts to show his to the world, undefiled from the pollution of aught save his bare pay. In 1807, while in England, he was, as a special reward for his services, appointed Deputy Master Attendant at Bengal, and was designated to succeed as Master-Attendant on the death or resignation of the incumbent, without in any way prejudicing his rank, standing, or pa^^ in the Bombay Marine. Captain Hayes returned to India in November, 1808, and, from that date, acted as Deputy Master-Attendant and Secretary to the Marine Board until the 15th of April following, when he was appointed Master-Attendant and a member of the Marine Board. While holding this double appointment, he proved himself a thorough man of business, and evinced, in the most practical manner, his desire to effect a saving in the hitherto somewhat reckless system of expenditure in the Marine Department. By dint of careful supervision, he saved the Government, during the first six years he held the office of Master- Attendant, seven and a-half lacs of rupees, or .£75,000 ; still further, by his attention to the economical management of the interests con- fided to his charge, it appears from official statements that by employing in various services, foreign to the original purpose of their construction, certain vessels under his control, and thereby avoiding the expense of hiring private ships for those services, he eifected a saving of not less than three lacs of rupees (<£30,000). He also improved the Pilot Establishment. Such were some of the beneficial results accruing to the Government through the exertions of this meritorious officer. In 1803, the Company's fourteen-gun brig ' Fly,'* Lieutenant * Tliis small cruiser had been before employed carrying despatches to and from tlie Indiiin Goyernment, for we find that Lord Nelson, immediately after the battle of the Nile, deputed one of his officers yvith letters to the Governor of Bombay reporting his brilliant victory. The bearer of these despatches pi'oceeded via Aleppo and Bagdad, where the Turkish Pasha received him with great consider- ation, and embarked at Bnssorah on board the ' Fly ' lor Bombay. The Company continued to retain a Resident at Bussorah during the first quai'ter of the present century, long after their trade had ceased to be of any consequence ; but tliis functionary was of service in forwarding despatches, representing British interests, and promoting the trade between the port and merchant vessels carrying the Euglisli pass and colours. The establishment, which was kept up at a cost of £5,000 per annum, was located in the finest house in the city, and vied in the splendour of its surroundings with tlie entourage of the Mutesillim, or Governor, himself. Later on, the post of Resident was suppressed, for there no longer remained any excuse lor its maintenance, the despatches when forwarded overland HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 223 Mainwaring, was captured off the island of Kenn (Kais) in the Persian Gulf, by the French privateer ' La Fortune,' thirty- eight guns, commanded by the famous Captain Surcouff. Before the enemy boarded his ship, the Captain of the little cruiser ran her into shoal wuter near that island, and sunk the Government despatches and some treasure with which he was charged, in about two and a-half fothoms of water, taking marks for the recovery of them, if possible, at some future time. The narrative of the adventures of the crew of the ' Fly,' as given by Buckingham in his " Travels," is of romantic interest, and very characteristic of those times. The passengers and crew were taken to Bushire, where lay some other vessels cap- tured by the French privateer. They, and some other prisoners collected there, were set at liberty, except the connnander. Lieutenant Mainwaring, and his officers. Lieutenants Arthur and Maillard, who were taken to the Mauritius, probably with a view to effect an exchange. A number of those who were left behind, purchased by subscription a country dhow at Bushire, and fitted her out with necessaries for her voyage to Bombay. On their passage down the Gulf, as they thought it would be practicable to recover the Government packet and treasure off Kenn,* they repaired to that island, and were successful, after much exertion, in recovering the former, which, being in their estimation of the first importance, as the despatches were from England to Bombay, they sailed with them on their way thither without loss of time. Near the mouth of the Gulf, between Cape Mussundom and the island called the Great Tomb, they were captured by a fleet of Joasmi pirates, and, after some resistance, in which several were wounded, were taken into their chief port, Ras-ul-Khymah. Here they were detained in the hope of ransom, and, during their stay, were shown to the people of the town as curiosities, no white men having been before seen there. When these unfortunate Englishmen had remained for several months in the possession of the Arabs, and there appeared no hope of their ransom, it was determined to put them to death. Luckily the poor captives bethought themselves of the treasure, and corn- being mostly sent in Company's cruisers via. Cosseir, on the Ked Sea, and Cairo. The Company, however, continued to retain an agent at Marghill, on the banks of the Shatt-ul-Arab, about four miles from Eussorah, and tliis ollicer, who also held tlie post of British Vice-Consul, was placed under the authority of the Political Resident and Consul-Gleneral at Bagdad. * Kenn, called also Kais or Keys, is the Kisi of Marco Polo, and the Kataia of Arrian. " At Kataia," he says, " ends the province of Karmauia, along the coast of -which they had sailed 3,700 stadia." Between two or three miles to the west- ward of Mashi Point are the ruins of tlie ancient Mahommedan town of Hariri (Kis) extending for three-quarters of a mile along the shore, which was the great emporium of the India and China trade in the twelflli century, before Ormuz rose into importance. Its site is now marked by mounds, with tottering masses of masonry. 224 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. municated to the chief the fact of a quantity having been sunk near the island of Kenn, and of their knowing the exact spot, by bearings on shore. 1'hey offered, therefore, to purchase their own liberty by a recovery of this treasure for their captors, and a bargain was solemnly struck to the mutual satisfaction of both parties. They soon sailed for the spot, accompanied hy divers accustomed to that occupation on the pearl banks of Bahrein, who, on anchoring at the precise points of bearings taken, commenced their labotn-s. The first divers who went down were so suc- cessful that all the crew followed in their turn, so that the vessel was at one time almost entirely abandoned as she lay at anchor. As the Arab crew were also busily occupied in their golden harvest, the moment appeared favourable to escape ; and the still captive Englishmen were already at their stations to over- power the few on board, cut the cable, and make sail, when their motions were either seen or suspected, and the scheme was thus frustrated. They were now given their liberty as promised, and were landed on the island of Kenn, where, how- ever, no means oflered for their immediate escape. The pirates having, at the same time, themselves landed on the island, commenced a general massacre of the inhabitants, in which their released prisoners, fearing the_y might be included, fled for shelter to clefts and hiding-places in the rocks. During their refuge here they lived on such food as chance threw in their way, going out under cover of the night to steal a goat and drag it to their haunts. When the pirates had, at length, completed their work of blood, and either murdered or driven off every former inhabitant of the island, they quitted it with the treasure which they had thus collected from the sea and shore. The Englishmen now ventured to come out of their hiding- places, but had no means for effecting their escape, until good for- tune, inamomentof despair, threwintheir way the wreck of a boat which was still capable of repair; in searching about the now deserted village, other materials were found, and also sufficient planks and logs of wood for the construction of a raft. These were both completed in a few days, and the party embarked for the Persian shore. The boat was lost in the attempt to cross the channel and all on board perished, but the raft, with the remainder of the party, reached land in safety. As the packet of Government despatches had been found only to contain papers, which the Arabs neither understood nor valued, it had con- stantly'' remained in the possession of the unfortunate suflerers, who contrived to guard it with almost religious zeal. On gaining the mainland, they set out on foot for Bushire, following the line of coast for the sake of the villages and water ; in this they are said to have suffered incredible hardships and privations of every kind. No one knew the language of the country, which was a terra incognita to them ; they were almost HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 225 destitute of clothes and money, and were constantly subjected to plunder and imposition. The Indian sailors, Sepoys, and servants, of whom a few were still remaining when they set out, had all dropped off, and the Europeans, one after another, were also abandoned on the road. The packet being light, was still, however, carried by turns, and ])reserved through all obstacles and difhculties, and with it they reached, at length, the island of Busheab, to which they crossed over in a boat from the main. Here they were detained, and money was even demanded of them by the sheikh, for his protection, or permission to land on the island. Finding entreaty would not prevail with this inhospitable chief, and rendered desperate by their accumu- lated miseries, they threatened the vengeance of the Ijritish Government, if they were not instantly furnished by him wnth a boat for the conveyance of themselves and the despatches in their charge to Bushire. This had the desired effect, the boat Avas provided and the party embarked. One of the number expired in the act of being conveyed from the shore, several others died on the voyage itself, and one on their arrival at Bushire ; leaving, out of all their numerous party, two survivors, a Mr. Yowl and Fennel, an English seaman. These ultimately reached Bombay with the packet, for the preservation of which they were thought to be adequately rewarded after their almost unexampled sufferings, by a mere letter of thanks from the Goverinuent. The Bombay Government, on hearing of the loss of the ' Fly,' determined to try and effect the capture of the French privateer, 'La Fortune,' and selected Lieutenant Court, an officer distinguished alike for his gallantry, his scientific acquire- ments, which he displayed in the survey of the Red Sea, and his political talents, as evinced by him when Resident in Celebes. Lieutenant Court, then in command of the cruiser ' Princess Augusta,' was actively engaged in blockading Severndroog, now again the haunt of pirates, but returned to Bombay, and, shift- ing his pennant to the ' Ternate,' of sixteen guns, was about to 8ail for the Persian Gulf to seek for an enemy carrying doubU; his armament of guns and men, when intelligence arrived of her capture by H.j\I.'s frigate ' Concorde.' Not long after the loss of the ' Fly,' the ' Viper,' of fourteen guns, was also captured by a French ship of greatly superior force, and about the same time a severe action was fought between the ' Teignmouth,' sixteen guns, commanded by Lieu- tenant Hewitson, and a French privateer of the same force. The fire of the enemy had f^)r some time ceased, and the ' Teignmouth ' was about to take possession, when an explosion of powder took place on board the cruiser, by which several men were killed ; upon this the privateer made sail, and, though Lieutenant Hewitson gave chase, he could not overtake her. VOL. I. Q 22() HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. The ' Teignmouth ' lost eight men killed, and a large number wounded, including Lieutenant Arrow, father of the late Sir Frederick Arrow, Deputy-Master of the Trinity House, and Lieutenant Hewett, of the Madras Army, who lost an arm. In 1805, the Company's frigates, ' Cornwallis,' fifty-six, and ' Bombay,' thirty-eight, were made over to the Koyal Navy, and the following "vessels were built in Bombay for the Service :— 1805, ' Prince of Wales,' sloop-of-war, fourteen guns. 1806, ' Mercury,' sloop-of-war, fourteen guns ; ' Nautilus,' brig, fourteen guns, and 'Sylph,' schooner, eight guns. 1807, ' Benares,' sloop-of-war, fourteen guns. 1809, ' Aurora,' sloop- of-war, fourteen guns, and ten-gun brig ' Vestal.' 1810, ten- gun brigs, ' Ariel,' ' Psyche ' and ' Thetis.' The harbour or bay of St. Paul's, in the Isle of Bourbon, having long been the rendezvous of French cruisers on the Indian station, and afforded shelter to the valuable prizes made by the enemy. Commodore Josias Rowley, of the sixty-four-gun ship ' Raisonable,' the senior officer of the British squadron cruising off the Isles of France and Bourbon, concerted with Colonel Henry S. Keating, commanding the troops at the adjacent small island of Rodriguez, recently taken possession of by the British, a plan for capturing the l3atteries and shipping at St. Paul. This was carried into eifect on the 21st of September, 1809, by a combined military and naval force, including the Bombay Marine cruiser ' Wasp,' Lieutenant Watkins.'* * On the 16th September, 1809, sajs James, a detachment of three hundred and sixty-eight ofRcers and men embarked at Fort Duncan, in tlie island of Rodriguez, on board tlie thirtv-six-gun frigate, ' Nereide,' Captam Robert Corbet, eighteen-gun sloop ' Otter,' Captain Willoughby, and the Hon. Company's cruiser, ' Wasp,' Lieutenant Watkins ; and on the evening of the 18th joined, off Port Louis, in the Isle of France, the rest of the squadron, consisting of the ' Raisonable,' thu'ty-six- gun frigate ' Su-ius,' Captain Pym, and thirty-eight-gun frigate, ' Boadicea,' Captain Hatley. On the 19th a force of six hunda-ed and four soldiers, sailors, and marines, was put on board the ' Nereide,' when the squadron stood towards I admirals respectively in command of the Indian and Eastern Archipelago stations. Having delivered the despatches— that to Sir T. Troubridge conferring on him the command at the Cape, in proceeding to assume which that noble seaman perislied in the 'Blenheim,' seventy-four guns, with all hands— the ' Teign- mouth' sailed for Calcutta, and thence proceeded to Bombay, convoying two ships, by what is called the Southern Passage. 23(5 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Here Lieutenant MacJonalJ received command of the ' Lively,' a small schooner of" eight guns and forty men, and, in the latter part of 1807, on receipt of inteHigence from Colonel Schuyler, Political Agent at Goa, that a 8urat ship, captured by two French corvettes, had put into Goa to refit, he was removed for the occasion into the ' ]\Iosquito,' pattamar, carrying seven 12-pounders, and a party of artillerymen, in addition to her crew, and sent with H.M's. brig ' Diana,' Commander Kemp- thorne, to lie in the offing and capture her on leaving that port. Here they watched the prize for three months, but she at length escaped, owing to the ' Diana' having hugged the weather-shore too much, and the pattamar not being fleet enough to cut off her retreat in the double-reef topsail breeze she chose for the attempt. Lieutenant Macdonald now resumed command of the 'Lively,' and, in October, 1808, proceeded in company with two armed pattamars, to the northward to watch the piratical ports of Bey t and Poshetra, at the mouth of the Gulf of Cutch. Lieutenant Macdonald instituted so vigorous a blockade of the port of Poshetra and the neighbouring island of Beyt, that the chief gave in his submission, though the hydra head of piracy was raised again as soon as the little squadron was with- drawn to Bombay. While off the Guzerat coast. Lieutenant Macdonald encountered, with his little schooner, four piratical dhows of the Joasmi Arabs, of whom a detailed account will be given in a later chapter, and for his gallantry received the thanks of the Bombay Government. On his return to Bombay he proceeded to take charge of the flotilla co-operating with the army in Travancore, and on the fall of Trivandrum, which terminated this war, carried General Stewart to Colombo. Early in 1810, a new brig, the 'Ariel,' often guns, was launched in Bombay and Lieutenant Macdonald received the command.* He sailed in July for ]\Iadras, whence he was sent by Sir George Barlow, with despatches, to Lord Minto at Calcutta, and, in October, sailed with Mr. (after- wards Sir) Stamford Raffles, to Penang and Malacca. Under that able governor, Lieutenant Macdonald was employed in important missions to the Sultan of Palimbang, and other native chiefs, and so meritorious were his services that Lord JMinto, the Governor-General, conferred on him a captain's commission as a special reward. * Lieutenant Macdonald was fortunate in leavinj; three ships which met with tragic fates after his connection with them had ceased. The ' Lively ' was blown up and his successor killed ; the ' Sylph ' was captured by a strong piraticnl force, and nearly every soul was murdered ; and the ' Ariel ' foundered, and eighty-two out of eighty-five souls were drowned. CHAPTER VIII. 1811—1816. Services of tlie Marine at the deduction of the Island of Java and its Depen- dencies — Tlio Expeditions to Pahmbang and Samarang — Gallantry of Lieu- tenant Deane in the Sambas River — Expedition against the Rajahs of Sambas and Boni — Services of Lieutenant Deane — Gallant conduct of the Marine at Macassar — Rescue of the crew of H.M.S. ' Alceste,' by the ' Teruate.' SCARCELY had the ships of the Hon. Company's Marine, employed at the reduction of Mauritius in 1810, returned to Bombay, than they were engaged in another, and still more important enterprise. In 1811, Lord Minto, Governor-General of India, decided upon undertaking the conquest of the Island of Java, then in possession of the Dutch, who, however, owing to Napoleon's successes, had become his allies rather by compulsion than from choice, and, accordingly, a powerful combined military and naval expedition was fitted out, to which all three Presidencies provided a contingent. His lordship proceeded to Madras, whence the major part of the troops was drawn, in the Hon. Company's ship ' Mornhigton,' Captain Robert Deane, to super- intend the arrangements of the naval andmilitar}^ chiefs, whilst Sir George Hewitt and Commodore Hayes conducted the fitting out and embarkation of the Bengal Division. The Royal Navy, when all the ships were assembled, was represented by a powerful fleet,* consisting of three ships of the line, one forty- ibur-gun frigate, the ' Akbar,' (formerly the Bombay Marine frigate 'Corn- * The following were the ships of the Royal fleet on the 9th of August, when all were assembled under command of Rear-Admiral the Hon. Robert Sto]iford : — 'Scipion.' seventy-four, Rear-Admiral lion. Robert Stopford, Captain liobin- son ; 'Illustrious,' seventy-four, Conmiodore Rrougliton, Ca|it;un Fe.-liug ; ' Minden,' seventy-four. Captain Iloare ; ' Lion,' sixty-four, Caiitaiu lleatlicote ; ' Akbar,' forty-four, Captain Drury. Tliirty-cight-gun frigates, ' Nisus,' Caj)taiu Beaver; ' Presidente,' Captain Warren ; 'Hussar,' Captain Crawford ; ' Phaeton,' Captain Fleetwood Pellew. Thirty-six-gun frigates, ' Leda,' Captain Sayer ; 'Caroline,' Captain Cole; ' Modeste,' Captain Hon. George Elliot; 'Phoebe,' Captain Ilillyar ; ' Bucephalus,' Captain Pelley ; ' Doris,' Captain Lye. Thirty- two-gun frigates, ' Psyche,' Captain Edgcombe ; 'Sir Francis ]Jrake,' Captain Harris. Sloops of war, ' Procris,' Captain I\raunsell ; ' Barnicouta,' Captain Owen ; ' Ilesper,' Caj^tain Reynolds ; ' Harpy,' Captain Bain ; ' Hecate,' Captain Peachey ; ' Dasher,' Captain Kelly ; ' Samaraug,' Captain Drury, 238 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. wallis,") four frigates of tliirty-eight guns, six of thirty-six gnus, two of tliirty-two guns, mid seven sloops of war. The ]5ombay Marine likewise supplied a division of eight ships, under the command of that veteran seaman, Commodore John Hayes, who resigned his post as Master-Attendant at Calcutta in order to place his services at the disposal of the Governor General, under whose immediate auspices the expedition was fitted out. Com- modore Hayes hoisted his broad pennant on board the 'j\Iala- bar,' twenty guns, Commander Maxfield, as a first-class Com- modore, and he had under his command, the ' Mornington,' twenty-two, Captain Robert Deaiie ; the 'Aurora,' fourteen, Commander Watkins ; ' Nautilus,' fourteen, Commander Walker; ' Vestal,' ten, Commander Hall ; ' Ariel,' ten. Commander ]\Iacdonald ;' Thetis,' ten. Lieutenant Phillips ; and 'Psyche,' ten. Lieutenant Tanner. There were also fifty-seven transports and several gunboats, making a total of nearly one hundred sail. On the 18th of April, 1811, the first division of the troops, commanded by Colonel Robert Rollo Gillespie,* sailed from Madras Roads, and, on the 18th May, anchored in the harbour of Penang, or Prince of Wales' Island, the first ren- dezvous. Three days later the second division of the Army, imder command of Major-General Frederick Wetherali, also arrived, having quitted Madras six days later. On the 24th the entire expedition sailed from Penang, and, on the 1st of June, arrived at Malacca, the second rendezvous, where the Bengal troops had preceded them five or six weeks. Lord Minto, who Ijad taken great personal interest in the preparation of this expedition, had also arrived in the ' Modeste ' frigate, Lieutenant- General Sir Samuel Achmuty, the Commander-in-chief of Madras, in command of the expeditionary army, in the 'Akbar,' and Commodore Broughton, senior naval officer, in the 'Illus- trious,' seventy-four guns. On the 11th of June, the fleet, leaving behind twelve hundred sick, sailed with the army, numbering ten thousand seven hundred effective men, of whom five thousand were Europeans ; and, passing through the Straits of Malacca, arrived on the 3rd of July at the High Islands, wdiich was the third rendezvous. On the 10th the fleet quitted the High Islands, and, in ten days, reached Point Sambur,t at the ex- tremity of the south-west coast of Borneo, forming the fourth and last rendezvous. Sir Samuel Achmuty, having assembled the whole expedition here on the 26th of July, sailed on the following day for Java. On the 30th the fleet reached * Tliis gallant soldier fell on tlie 31st of October, 1814, wliile leading a storming party in a second abortive attempt to carry the fortress of Kalunga, in Nepaul. t According to James, the naval historian, the fleet arrived at, and sailed from Port Sambur on tlie 20th and 21st of July respectively ; but we have preferred to rely for our dates in the " Memoir of the" Conquest of Java " by that careful and able military historian, Major William Thorn, who was Deputy Quartermaster- General to the Expeditionary army. HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. 239 Bumpkin Island near Indramay river on the Java coast, and here they remained until the 2nd of August, in expectation of being joined by some frigates with intelligence. The expedi- tion then set sail, and, the same day, were joined by the ship having on board Colonel Mackenzie, who had reconnoitred the whole coast and reported that the most eligible spot for the disembarkation of the army was the village of Chilliugching, distant about ten miles from Batavia. The fleet, therefore, which had brought to in the afternoon, again got under weigh, and every preparation was completed for effecting tlie disem- barkation witliout delay. On the evening of the 3rd, the fleet made Cape Carawang, and, early on the following morning, ran in for the moutii of the Marandi river. Here the ships anchored during the interval between the land and sea breezes, and, on the latter setting in, again got under weigh, and having reached Chilliugching about two p.m. on Sunday the 4th of August, the signal was immediately made for the troops to land. On the 31st of July, while Commodore Hayes, with the 'Malabar' and 'Mornington,' was proceeding through the Straits of Gaspar, he fell in with two large Chinese junks bound from Batavia to Amoy. By the orders of Council, Batavia being in a state of blockade, they were good prizes, and were, in fact, laden with Dutch property valued at =£600,000 sterling. The junks were captured by the cruisers, and Captains Deane and Maxfield proposed to send them to Prince of Wales' Island for condemnation, but Commodore Hayes declined to adopt this course for reasons set forth in the following letter, which he addressed to the commanders of the ' Mahibar 'and '^lor- nington ' : — " Hon. Company's Sbip-of-war ' Malabar,' at sea, July 31, 1811, "Lat. 50" 41'S. Long., 106" -46' E. " Gentlemen,— As the Government of China seeks every pre- text to embarrass the lion. Company's commercial transactions at Canton, I am induced to believe the cai)tured junks taken possession of by your respected ships under your innnediate command, may be made a plea to interrupt the important trade in that quarter, which is now not only considered of vital interest to them, but to the State generally. I feel myself imperiously called upon to prevent any occurrence which may 1)e productive of such destructive eifects ; I am, therefore, impelled to direct you to withdraw the prize nuisters and crews from the junks in question, and to commaiul you to permit them to proceed towards their original destination. In thus exercising my authority, perhaps exceeding its legal bounds, I am not insensible of the great sacrifice which must be made by enforcing the foregoing connnands; but I trust we alike feel we liave the honour to serve the most liberal masters in the world, and I congratulate myself upon the conviction that the oflicers 210 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. to whom these commaiifls are uddressed, know how to appreciate the acquisition of wealth when phiced in competition with the interests of their employers and of their country. " I am, gentlemen, your faithful servant, " (Signed) John Hayes, Commodore of all the Hon. Company's ships and vessels, Java Expedition. " To Captains R. Deane and W. Maxfield, Commanding the Hon. Company's Ships-of-war ' Mornington' and ' Malabar.' " Such disinterestedness is as rare as it is noble, but it was of a piece with the conduct of Commodore Hayes throughout his long and brilliant career ; and it is with feelings of pride we place on record this act of a man whose name has shed undying lustre on the Service of which he was so distinguished an ornament. The army had been divided, while at Malacca, into four brigades, and so complete had been the arrangements that the whole force was landed that evening without accident or loss. The ' Leda' frigate. Captain Sayer, an able and intelligent officer, protected the disembarkation to the left, whilst on the right vrere stationed the squadron of Company's cruisers under Com- modore Hayes, and several small gunboats. The advance, under Colonel Gillespie, pushed inland, to a small village in order to gain possession of the road to Cornells, and to protect the landing of the remainder of the army, which took place Avithout opposition from the enemy, who had left this part of the coast unguarded, as General Jansens, the newly-appointed Governor-General of Java, regarded the natural obstacles as sufficient to deter its being selected for the descent. During the night a skirmish took place between the outposts and a patrol of the enemy's cavalry, but no serious obstacle was offered to the advance of the British army upon Batavia, the capital. On the 6th the ' Leda,' the sloops, and the Company's cruisers, proceeded off the entrance of the river Anjole, while the advance occupied a new position about six miles from the capital. Encouraged by the inactivity of the enemy. Sir Samuel Achmuty pushed forward the infantry of the advance, and, during the night of the 7th, crossed the Anjole on a bridge of boats, constructed by the squadron under the orders of Captain Sayer. On the following morning the Commander-in-chief sent in his aides-de-camp to sunnnon the town, and they returned with the head-magistrate, who was deputed on the part of the burghers to crave the protection of the British. The town having surrendered at discretion, the ships of war fired a B,oyal salute, and, in the evening. Colonel Gillespie entered with the greater part of the advance and took formal possession of the place. On the 9th Rear-Admiral the Hon. Robert Stopford joined the expedition in his flag-ship, the ' Scipion,' and assumed command of the fleet. HISTORY OF THE INDIAX NAVY. 241 The night of the occupation of Batavia was not suffered to pass without an effort to retrieve his fortune on the part of General Jansens, who had taken post at ^yeltervreeden, not more than three miles distant. The attack was, however, repulsed, and, on the morning of the 10th of August, the army advanced on the enemy. An action now took place between the advance, under Colonel Gillespie, and the French advanced division, under General Jumel, which resulted in the defeat of the latter, and the occupation of Weltervreeden with its arsenal containing three hundred guns ; in this affair the British loss was seventeen killed and seventy-five wounded General Jansens, who had served with distinction in the French Army, now removed to Cornelis, described by Thorn as " an entrenched camp, defended by two rivers with a number of redoubts and batteries ; the circumference of these fortified lines comprised nearly five miles, defended by two hundred and eighty pieces of cannon." A battering train was landed from the ships, the reserve joined the army from Chillingching, and the bridge was removed from the Anjole river, the communications beyond that point being abandoned. The materials for a siege having been collected,* the British Army broke ground on the night of the 20th of August, within 600 yards of the enemy's works. The batteries being nearly completed on the night of the 21st, twenty 18- pounders and nine howitzers and mortars were brought up from the ships, and mounted early on the following morning. To assist in working these batteries a body of five hundred seamen was landed from the fleet, under the command of Captain Sayer, and also a strong detachment of marines. The Dutch made a sortie at daybreak on the 22nd, but, being driven back, opened a heavy fire from forty guns, which caused considerable loss to the working parties of soldiers and seamen. During this day the casualties were ninety-six of all ranks, including six officers killed and mortally wounded. There was a lull on the following day, and, on the 24th, the British batteries opened with a salute, which was returned in the most spirited manner, and a severe cannonade continued during the greater part of the day. Before evening, the superiority of our fire was made manifest ; the nearest redoubts of the enemy were silenced, and many of their guns dismounted. The British batteries had hitherto been worked by a company of the Royal Artillery, two companies of the Bengal Artillery, and five hundred seamen from the fleet ; but, owing to the casualties and the fatigue incidental to the duty in very sultry weather, it * Speaking of the work performed at this time, Commander Macdouald, who was present, says in his '' Narrative :" — " Both tlie ollioers and crews of the Hon. Company's ships of war were ahiiost hicessantly employed, day and uight, under Commodore Hayes, in tliis arduous and most hiborious duty, and iu con- veying the guns to the landing-place, whence they were conducted to the batteries." VOL. I. R 242 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. was found necessary, during the night of the 24th, to send to the batteries* every uvaihxble man from the regiments. The Commander-in-chief having resolved to storm the enemy's works, Colonel Gillespie was selected to lead the principal attack. The troops moved off soon after midnight on the 2(ith of August, and, guided by a deserter, made a long detour of many miles, coming upon the enemy unexpectedly. A desperate struggle ensued, but the redoubts were stormed at the point of the bayonet, under a tremendous fire of grape and musketry. Meantime the remainder of the army, under the Commander-in-chief and General Wetherall, joined by a strong detachment of seamen under Captain Sayer, threatened the enemy's lines in front at the point where our batteries were placed, and the diversion had the required effect in drawing off the fire of a large body of troops from the main attack. The enemy now fled at all points, and were hotly pursued by the Dragoons, led by that brilliant soldier, Colonel Gillespie, and all the available troops joined in the pursuit, including the Naval Brigade ; the whole road for ten miles was lined with the debris of a beaten arm 3% and upwards of six thousand prisoners were captured, including two generals and nearly all the superior officers and heads of Departments. Thus fell the fortified works of Cornells, with its two hundred and eighty pieces of cannon, and, before night, an army of thirteen thousand regular troops, including a regiment of Voltigeurs, newly arrived from France, was either dispersed, taken, or destroyed. In achieving this great success our loss was heavy, and fell principally on the columns engaged in the principal attack, of whom five hundred and twenty-six, including forty-eight officers, were killed or wounded. It is recorded of Commodore Hayes, that on learning the intention of the Commander-in-chief to storm Cornells, with characteristic zeal and gallantry, he offered his services to lead in person the assault with one hundred picked seamen. Sir Samuel Achmuty, in reply, stated that there were too many military competitors for that honour to permit his granting the request, but, otherwise, he would have been very happy to avail himself of his services. General Jansens, accompanied by General Jumel, com- manding the forces, fled to Buitenzorg, which he intended to fortify and hold against the British ; but he was driven thence * The following was the distribution of the Artillerymen and seamen at the batteries: — No. 1 Battery, twelve iron 18-pounders. Royal Artillery, thirty-six; Bengal Artillery, thirty-six ; seamen, ninety-six ; Madras Lascars, eighteen ; Bengal Lascars, eighteen. No. 2 Battery, eiglit iron 18-pounders. Royal Artillery, eighteen ; Bengal Artillery, thirty ; seamen, sixty-four ; Lascars, twenty-four. No. 3 Battery, 8-inch howitzers. Bengal Artillery, eighteen ; seamen, eighteen ; Lascars, twelve. No. 4 Battery, 8-inch mortars. Royal Artillery, nineteen ; seamen, twenty-four ; Lascars, sixteen. No. 5 Battery, two howitzers. Bengal Native Artillerymen, twelve ; seamen, twenty. Total men to work the guns, four hundred and seventy-nine. HISTORY OF THE IXDIAN NAVY. 243 by the British cavah-y, who found in the batteries forty-three pieces of cannon. " The total loss sustained by the army between the 10th and the 26th of August, amounted," says Thorn, '• to fifteen officers and one hundred and twenty-eight European and Native soldiers killed ; and six hundred and eighty-four were wounded." According to the same authority, between the 4th and 26th of August, the loss of the seamen and marines employed on shore, was fifteen killed, and six officers and forty-nine men wounded. General Jansens, having fled to the eastward, the Commander- in-chief, on the 31st of August, despatched some frigates to Cheribon, a place of considerable importance from its command- ing situation ; and the fort, through which General Jansens had passed only two days before, was surrendered at the first summons. The enemy's force, now inimbering fifty officers, two hundred Europeans, and five hundred Native troops, who had followed General Jansens by the eastern route, finding themselves cut off by the capitulation of Cheribon, surrendered at discretion, and were sent back to Buitenzorg as prisoners of war. Carang Sambong, a place about thirty-five miles in the interior, was garrisoned by a detachment of seamen and marines on the 6th of September; the forts of Taggal, between Cheribon and Samarang, and of iSamanap on the island of Madura, were captured by the Navy, and Captain Harris, of the frigate ' Sir Francis Drake,' defeated a desperate attempt which was made to recapture the latter place. As Sir Samuel Achmuty found from intercepted letters that General Jansens intended to make a stand at Samarang, 350 miles from Batavia, he hastily proceeded thither on the 9th of September, and was joined the same evening, by Admiral Stopford with a portion of the fleet. On his arrival before that place, where the French General had taken up a position, the British Commander-in-chief made fresh proposals to him to surrender the island, and put an end to a further useless ett'usion of blood, but the Governor-General refused to treat. While waiting the arrival of a sufficient number of troops to attack Samarang, tlie Admiral despatched the armed boats of the squadron to cut out some vessels which flanked the approaches of the town, which was successfully accomplished. General Jansens evacuated the town on the 12th, and took up a fortified position, mounted with thirty pieces of cannon, ■within a few miles of the place, which the Commander-in-chief resolved to attack. This operation was undertaken by Colonel Gibbs with a small force, the main portion of the British Army, owing to a mistake, having sailed to Zedayo, but nothing could withstand the headlong valour of the troops, who carried the position with a rush. This was the last effort of General Jansens, who fled to the fort of Salatiga, and, finding himself R 2 244 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. wholly deserted by his men, the same night sent a messenger offering to treat for a capitulation with Lord Minto, the Governor-General, who was then at Batavia. This was refused by Sir Samuel Achmutj^, and, ultimately, after some difficulty as to terms, General Jansens, on the 18th of September, signed a treaty surrendering Java and all its dependencies, together with all his troops. On the same day that this capitulation of Onarang was concluded, the Admiral arrived at Zedayo, and, on the 22nd, news having arrived of the treaty, Sourabaya was surrendered without opposition. Subsequently Macasssar, Timor, and all other dependencies of the Dutch Government at Batavia, were occupied by the British forces, and thus success- fully terminated a brief but glorious campaign. On the conclusion of hostilities, medals were awarded to the senior officers of the force and those commanding regiments and ships, but eventually every soldier and seaman engaged in the Expedition, including the Bombay Marine, was awarded a medal. During the course of these operations, the officers and men of the Marine performed their duty to the satisfaction of their superiors, including Lord Minto, who himself witnessed their zeal and good conduct. Li a letter to Commodore Hayes, dated the 2nd of May, 1812, the Governor-General in Council conveyed to the " captains, officers, and men composing the squadron of the Marine employed under your orders, the expression of his Lordship's high approbation and applause." Also in a despatch to the Court of Directors, Lord Minto, while in Java, wrote on the 5th of October, 1811, as follows: — "I cannot conclude this despatch without indulging myself in the satisfaction of bearing testimony to the zeal and good conduct displayed by Commodore Hayes, and the captains, officers, petty officers, and men of the Marine employed in this important expedition." Unhappily Commodore Broughton was actuated by petty feelings of jealousy, and sought to degrade the officers of the Marine, who held regular commissions and ranked with their brethren of the sister Service. Commodore Hayes was not the sort of a man to sit still under a sense of injury, and hence an ill feeling was engendered between the Royal Navy and Company's Marine. Lord Minto, to whom Commodore Hayes appealed, supported him, and it was hoped that, on the arrival of Rear-Admiral Stopford from the Cape of Good Hope, matters would work more smoothly, but it was not so. It is a thankless task to revive such disputes, but justice to the Service should induce us to place on record that while Admiral Stopford thanked the officers and men of the Bombay Marine serving under his orders, he copied Admiral Bertie in studiously omitting in his despatches all mention of the Hon. Company's vessels, so that from this source it is impossible to gather where and HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA^'li\ 245 when the cruisers were engaged; and yet thej^ were fairly entitled to a share of such credit as was gained by the naval portion of the Expedition, though, indeed, the chief honours were reaped by the Army, the Navy having afforded to thein but small opportunities for achieving distinction. On another point, also, the Service was treated with injustice, for which no ex- planation or reparation was offered. By order of the Court of Directors, captains in the Bombay Marine were entitled to share in the distribution of prize money as majors in the army, but by order of the Prince Regent in the distribution of prize money gained at Mauritius and in the Java Expedition, the captains of the Marine shared with lieutenants of the Royal Navy, and thus Captain Deane was robbed of several thousand pounds of hard- earned money, as appears in his Memorial presented to the Court of Directors. In marked contrast to the treatment received by the Service at the hands of the Naval Commanders-in-chief at the reduction of Mauritius and Java, was the approbation expressed by Com- modore Sir Josias Eowley, second in command on the former occasion, and by Commodore Sayev at Java during the period some of the cruisers were under his command. Both these fine seamen, like others before and since, recognized the zeal and enterprise exhibited by the officers and crews of the Hon. Company's ships, and gave generous expression to their approval. Java, of which Mr. (afterward Sir) Stamford Raffles was the first lieutenant-governor, continued in a very unsettled state after its reduction by the British, necessitating the retention of a considerable garrison, which was placed under the command of Colonel Gillespie, and of a portion of the fleet, including some of the Hon. Company's cruisers, whose services were, soon afterwards, called into requisition, to punish Sultan Bedr-oo- deen, of Palimbang,* in the island of Sumatra, who had massacred the peaceful European and Native residents belonging to the Dutch factory at that place, which, being dependent on Java, had passed under British protection. Accordingly, to punish this act of perfidy, an Expedition was fitted out at Batavia, and sailed on the 20tli of i\larcli, 1812, under the command of Colonel Gillespie. The Expedition consisted of three companies of H.M. 59th Regiment, five companies of H.M. 81)th Regiment; detachments of Madras Horse Artillery, dismounted Hussars, Bengal Artillery, Sepoys of the 5th and Gth ]>attalions, and some Am- boynese. The squadron consisted of H.M. ships ' Phoenix,' Captain Bowen, senior officer; 'Cornelia,' Captain Owen; and * Palimbang, styled in the Malay Historical Records, " the City of Safety." is situated about sixty miles from the mouth of a river of the same name, and liad at this time a population of from twenty to thirty thousand Malays and thi'ee hundred Arabs. 246 HISTORY OF THE IXDfAN NAVY. 'Procvis,' Captain Freeman. The Hon. Company's cruisers ' Teignmonth,' Captain liewitson, and ' Merciny,' Captain Conyers. The gunboats 'Wellington,' and 'Young Barracouta,' and four transports, which also embarked some guns and a considerable quantity of military stores for the new settlement on the island of Banca, opposite the mouth of the Palimbang river. On the 3rd of April the fleet reached Nanka Island, where they remained a week at anchor. Tents were pitched on shore, and all the artificers were employed in the completion of the boats intended for the passage of the Palimbang river, by con- structing platforms for the field-pieces and coverings to shelter the troops from the heat of the sun and the ill effects of the night air. A severe gale on the night of the 9th of April, occasioned the loss of several of these boats, and damaged many others, but, nevertheless, as further delay was impossible, the fleet got under weigh on the following day, and, at noon on the 15th, came to an anchor opposite the west channel of Palimbang river. The two succeeding days were employed in getting the ' Procris,' ' Teignmonth,' ' Mercury,' and the gunboats ' Young Barracouta' and ' Wellington,' over the bar ; and, on the evening of the 17th, the greater part of the troops were removed from the frigates and transports and placed on board these smaller vessels, whose lighter draught enabled them to proceed up the river. A violent storm, which came on during the night, considerably damaged the boats and destroyed the coverings for the men, made with so much labour and difficulty ; the four serviceable flat-bottomed boats which alone were capable of affording any kind of shelter to the men, were appropriated to the field artillery and such troops as could be accommodated in them. A number of armed proas having been seen at the mouth of the river, a party of seamen and thirty soldiers was sent up in boats, but, on their approach, the enemy fled, and the village of Soosang was found to be deserted. The remaining troops proceeded on board their respective ships, on the evening of the 18th, after which the squadron got under weigh, and were carried ten miles up the stream by the flood tide, and, towards midnight, came to an anchor. The utmost care was necessary in proceeding up the river to coerce the Sultan of Palimbang, as not only was resistance expected at the batteries established at Borang, but the employment of fire-rafts on the stream as it narrowed higher up, formed an element of danger. The most careful watch was kept by a division of look-out boats, astern of which were three divisions, consisting of light boats, gun launches, and flat boats with field pieces ; then came the squadron, consisting of the 'Procris,' 'Teignmonth,' and ' Mercury,' with the two gunboats escorting the flats and other HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY, 247 boats with the troops.* Little progress was made on the 19th of April, owing to the continuance of the ebb tide until four in the afternoon, and some of the vessels, while under weigh, got entangled among the branches of the trees and shrubs, which it was necessary to cut awa3\ On the following day an envoy arrived from the Sultan, requesting to be informed what were the intentions of the British Commander in advancing towards his master's capital with so large a force, to whom Colonel Gillespie replied that he would, in person, acquaint the Sultan with the nature of the propositions of the British Government, of which he was the bearer. Little progress was made on the 20th and 21st of April, owing to the flood tide being slacker the further they went up the ri\'er, and, on the latter day, two messengers arrived in quick succession with letters from the Sultan, professing friendship for the English, to which Colonel Gillespie replied, expressing his intention to be in Palimbang in two days. At sunrise on the 22nd, the batteries at Borang appeared in sight, but, owing to the grounding of the ' Procris,' the flotilla came to an anchor about five miles i'rom them. During the course of the day the defences were reconnoitred, when it was found that the passage of the river was further disputed by a large Arab ship with guns, and a number of armed proas and floating batteries, which were moored across the stream eji echellon so as to rake the line of advance, whilst * The following were the directions and orders of sailing, issued by the com- manders of the Expedition: — "When tlie signal is made to anclior it will be accompanied with a red pendant over. If the squadron are to anchor in a line with the same pendant under. If a line abreast, or athwart the river, the division of light boats under Lieutenant Monday, will always anchor in line abreast, about half a mile ahead of the leader of the line of battle. Tlic other boats will anchor in their stations. Tlie gunboats, Hats, and launches rather ahead of the leader of the line, and on each bow. " The line of battle abreast will be formed by the division of light boats in advance, anchored in a line abreast. Tlie gunboats, flats, and launclies in the next line. ' Mercury,' ' Wellington,' ' Procris,' ' Young Barracouta,' and ' Teign- mouth.' In this order, if it should become necessary to bring the broadsides of the sliips to bear up the river, the signal will be made for the boats first and second line, to retire through the intervals of the third line, and form in tlic roar, in two hues as before. The light boats arc to keep a strict look out and liave the fire graplings and dogs constantly ready. The look out boats of the light division are never to be more than one mile from the liyadmost ships or vessel of the squadron, unless otherwise directed by signal ; and no boat whatever, except the Commander of the Forces be in her, to pass ahead of the headmost look-out boat without permission. The boats of the liglit divisioi\ are never to lose siglit of the squadron, even though the winding of the river should enable tliem to do so without exceeding their prescribed distance. On the approach of armed boats of the uatives, the look-out boats are to retreat in silence and good order to tlie body of their division, whicii is also to fall back to the ' Procris,' wlicre they will receive further orders, and no boats are, ou any account, to fire a shot, or altcmi^t a dash, tliough the circumstances bo ever so favourable ; nor, in short, commit any act of hostility witliout orders. Tlie squadron are to observe and obey the signals of the ' Barracouta,' where the Commander of the Forces is embarked. The 'Barracouta' wears a Union Jack wlule the Commander of tlie Forces remains on board." Here follow various signals for formuig the line of battle according to circumstances. 248 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. the throe batteries, wliich appeared to be fully manned and mounted with a larf2;e mnnber of cannon, swept the channel ; numerous fire-rafts were also placed on the front and Hank of the batteries, which were further protected against the approach of the boats, by piles driven into the river, and by strong palisades in the rear and flanks. At this time another messenger arrived from the Sultan, expressing his readiness to receive the British Commander, and requesting him to visit the capital without his troops ; Colonel Gillespie replied by a demand for an unmolested passage up the river, to which the envoy assented, at the same time offering to give up possession of the batteries and the armed ship. When, however, several boats proceeded to inspect the works, they were met by emissaries from the batteries, requesting them to retire, while the armed proas prepared to resist an advance, and the shouting and excitement exhibited by the enemy in the batteries, denoted no signs of submission. Upon this Colonel Gillespie, the same night, sent an officer to Boraug, to demand a decisive answer as to whether or no the batteries would be surrendered, and he himself followed close after at the head of a strong detachment of troops, supported by the gun launches and field artillery in the flat- bottomed boats. On their arrival at daybreak before the works, the garrison betook themselves to flight, and the place was immediately occupied by the British. One hundred and two guns were captured, which were found to be all ready baded and primed. A portion of the troops was accommodated on board the Arab ship, and the remainder were quartered in huts and those floating batteries wdiich had coverings. Thus, without resistance, was captured this Malay stronghold, situated about forty miles from the coast, which might have caused serious loss had it been properly defended ; it was found to be built on artificial ground, entirely surrounded by water, and fenced, on the flanks and rear, by strong stockades, with many wooden piles in front extending nearly 200 feet into the river. In the evening the troops were re-embarked, and the flotilla proceeded ; fires appeared in all directions, and several fire- rafts, fitted, with combustibles, came blazing dowm the river, but they were towed to the bank by graplings, and Malays employed setting fire to them, were dispersed by the boats' guns. On the following morning. Colonel Gillespie learnt that the Sultan had fled from Palimbang and that rapine and murder were rampant within the city, the Sultan's adherents meditating a wholesale massacre of the wealthy Chinese and otjjer inhabitants. Upon hearing this intelligence. Colonel Gillespie resolved to push on to prevent these excesses, and, accordingly, proceeded towards Palimbang, accompanied by some British naval and military oflicers, a few seamen in a gig HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 249 and barge, and a guard of only seventeen picked grenadiers of the 59th Regiment, in canoes, leaving directions that more soldiers should follow. It was an adventurous undertaking, but the British commander was a man utterly destitute of any feeling of personal fear, and the cool hardihood displayed by the small band of Britons in threading the streets of a large city, amid crowds of murderous Malays armed with the deadly creese, appeared to disarm the multitude, who were seen to clutch their weapons, but offered no opposition as the party pushed through the mob to the palace. The town was burning in several places, and the streets and buildings, particularly the palace, bore the appearance of a place that had just been carried by assault. Colonel Gillespie, whose life was attempted by an assassin as he passed through the streets by torchlight, closed the palace gates, and placed all his available men on guard until the arrival of a strong party of the advance relieved the garrison from all danger. By this almost unexampled act of daring, a formidable position, mounting in the forts and batteries no less than two hundred and forty-two pieces of cannon,* was seized, the author of a cruel massacre of British subjects was driven from his throne and deposed, and the majesty of the British name vindicated. At noon of the 28th of April, the Union Jack was hoisted under a Royal salute, and, on the following day, Colonel Gillespie received a brother of the Sultan, whom he determined to place on the throne. Visits were exchanged between the British Commander and this prince, who was saluted by nineteen guns from the ' Mercury,' and, on his entering the public hall of audience, with a similar number from the shore batteries. On the 5th of May a treaty was ratified with the new Sultan, and he was installed on the musnnd on the 14th, with the title, Sultan Ratu Ahmed Nazir-oo-deen, under circumstances of great pomp, Colonel Gillespie himself taking him by the hand and seating him on the throne, in front of which passed all the European officers and principal Natives, the former saluting the new sovereign and the latter kissing his hands, knees, or feet, according to their rank ; salutes were fired by the ships-of-war in the river, which were also gaily dressed in flags, to the delight and astonishment of the Natives. On the IGth ('olonel Gillespie and a large party of oificers supped with the Sultan, whom, as chief among the Malay princes, he treated with especial consideration, and, on the * Of the iron and brass guns found in !liese works, tho latter were chiefly Dutch, though some of them appear, by the inscriptions on them, to have been of native manufacture. One of the hirgcst of these, a 42-pouiidor, sent to H.E.H. the Prince Kegent in the name of the captors, bore the following inscription in Arabic: — "Made by Sultan Katoo Ahmed NajMuddin, in the city of Palimbang, the abode of Safety, in the year llbS." This date corre- sponds to A.D. 1769. 250 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. following- day, the troops having embarked, the latter took possession of the palace. Sultan Nazir-oo-deeii ceded to tlie British Government the island of Banca, which was formally taken possession of by Colonel Gillespie on the 20th of May, and named Duke of York's Island, though it is now agam known by its old native name.* Colonel Gillespie reported in most favourable terms of the conduct of the officers and men of the 'Teignmouth' and ' ]\Iercnry,' and Mr. Raffles spoke of them as follows in General Orders, \lated the 27th of May, 1812 :—" Colonel Gillespie is also requested to inform the Honourable Company's cruisers, that the Lieutenant-Governor will have ratich pleasure in com- municating to the Supreme Government, the favourable senti- ments which are entertained of the conduct of this branch of the Naval Service."! * Banca soon ceased to be held by a British force, owing to the great mortality that prevailed among the garrison. The ruins of Fort Nugent, so called in honoiu' of the Commander-in-chief in India, a few miles from Miuto, the capital, are, however, still discernible amid the brushwood ; and at this point the transport ' Transit,' having on board seven hundred troops for China, including tln-ee hundred men of the 90th Regiment, with Captain (now Sir Garnet) Wolseley, was wrecked in the summer of 1857. Banca was surrendered to the Dutch by the terms of the treaty, making over to them Java and its dependencies, and, in December, 1816, the island was delivered over to a Commissioner appointed by the Nether- lands Grovei'nment, t The subsequent expeditious of the Dutch against Palimbang, and the defeats they sustained, showed that the success attained by the small British force under Colonel Gillespie, was due entirely to the skill of the Commander and the disci- pline and gallantry of the men. On the departm-e of Colonel Gillespie a military force was left to secure the tranquillity of Palimbang. The old Sultan Bedr-oo- deen remained in the interior until 1814, when, by an unibrtamate and extraordi- nary act of the British officer in charge, he was again brought down to Palim- bang, and temporarily placed on the throne, on paying the sum of 200,000 dollars as a fine. The arrangement was disavowed and annulled by Mr. Raffles, who, in August, 1814, sent a commission to Palimbang to inquire into the afi'air, including among its members. Captain Macdouald, of the 'Aurora,' and Nazir-oo-deen was again placed on the throne, and the money returned to the old Sultan. The treaty which stipulated the restoration of Java to Holland, included also the transfer of the island of Banca, which had never been in pos- session of the Dutch, but had been ceded by the old Sultan to Great Britain, in consideration of the expenses incuri-ed in the expedition. The Dutch claimed to stand on their former footing at Palimbang, by virtue of their ancient treaties with that State, but both Sultans protested against their return on any terms ; and Nazir- oo-deen, who had been raised by us, and whose authority had long been undis- puted, urged in the strongest manner that we should not desert him. For the sake of peace, our Government contented themselves witli a protest, which it is said the First Commissioner, Elhout, put in his pocket with a contemptuous smile ; and Palimbang being thus left to its fate, the Dutch soon turned their attention to make the most of it. The treasures of the old Sultan were very inviting to the Dutch, who have ever been sordid in their Colonial relations, and their Commissioner at Banca opened a negotiation with the deposed Sultan, giving hopes that in consideration of certain payments of cash and other sacrifices, he might again expect to be reinstated. These negotiations were not so secretly conducted as to escape the knowledge of the reigning Sultan, who, becoming aware of the danger, and being perfectly unprepared for resistance, dispatched an embassy across the country to our Government at Bencooleu, declaring the HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 251 From Palimbang the troops of the Expedition, with the exception of the necessary garrison for Fort Nugent, in Banca, predicament in which he stood, and earnestly praying for protection and snpport on the grounds that to the British authority lie was indebted for his elevation, which had been for years acquiesced in by the people of Palimbang, that he con- sidered the treaty still binding, and that he was willing to make such further arrangements with us as would secure him a positive right to our exclusive pro- tection under the impending danger. In reply to this appeal. Captain Salmoud, of the Bombay Marine, Master- Attendant at Bencoolen, was sent overland to Palimbang. On his arrival, he went immediately to the Sultan, and, having effected the object of his mission, had retired to rest when, in the darkness of night, a force from the Dutch garrison surrounded the palace, and, having seized him, sent him a prisoner to Batavia. The next act of the Dutch Commissioner was to send Sultan Nazir-oo-deen as a close prisoner to Batavia ; his property was also seized and publicly sold in order that, accoi'ding to the expression of the Dutch Commissioner, •' not a trace sliould be left of his former existence." A treaty was concluded with Sultan Bedr-oo-deen, who found himself once more at the head of affau'S in Palimbang, stripped, however, of his treasure, and burthened with a heavy debt. The conduct of the Dutch authorities was marked with various instances of oppressive violence ; and tlie Commissioner accused the Sultan of participating in the alleged hostility of the people. He was, accordingly, peremptorily ordered to pay tlie residue of his debt to the Dutch Government, and to surrender his sons, as hostages for his good behaviour. In spite of his protestations of innocence, tlie Dutch Commissioner ordered a party of soldiers to proceed into the palace, and secure the person of the Sultan and his family. The attempt roused the opposition of the populace, and after three days' hard fighting, the remnant of the Dutch force, wJiich originally consisted of five hundred well-appointed soldiers, was obliged to fly to their ships leaving behind their followers, wlio were indiscriminately murdered. Tlie Sultan now set seriously about providing for the defence of the place. He caused the guns of H.M.'s ship ' Alceste,' wrecked in 1817, to be weighed from the wreck, and planted in favom'able and commauding situations ; the navigation of the river was intercepted, and the whole resources of the country were put in requisition to meet the impending danger. On the arrival of the Commissioner at Batavia, with the account of the disaster at Palimbang, orders were immediately issued for the equipment of a military force, which consisted of one thousand five hundred men from Batavia, and the same number from tlie Samarang division, under the command of Colonel Bischoff, whose brotiier had fallen in the late conflict. The uufortimate Sultan-Nazir-oo-deen was dragged from his coufhicmcnt for the purpose of proceeding with the Expedition, in the hope tliat his presence might distract the measures or weaken the efforts of tlie Pahmbang people. The Expe- dition, which included a seventy-four-gun ship, and a frigate, cast anclior at the mouth of the Pahmbang river on the 9th of October, 1820, and proceeded up the river on the following day ; but on the 2lBt of October, tlie Dutch were beaten back with severe loss, stated by advices from Batavia to have amounted to two hundred and fifty men and six officers killed and wounded. This loss was ex- perienced at an island, tlie batteries of which i-iddled tlie ' Willielmina' frigate, which received one hundred and eiglity shot. The Expetlition returned to Batavia, and Adniial Wolterbeck, Commanding-in-Chief, compared the defences of tlie island to a second Gibraltar. A second and more powerful expedition, including five thousand Em'opeans, was sent against Palimbang, and, having succeeded in forcing the works on the river, the Sultan Bedr-oo-deen, on the 26th of June, 1821, surrendered himself, and was succeeded by his brother ; the Dutch losses were seventy-three killed and two hundred and thirty-seven wounded. Owing to their want of energy, the Dutch had suffered the pirates in these waters to make so much head tjiat they attacked their ships and settlements, and the Malays landed at Banca, and ch-ove the troops tlicre into the fort. On the 8th of June, 1821, the Dutch armed ship ' Samarang,' mounting six guns, and amply supplied witli swivels and muskets, was attacked by a proa on the north coast of Java, and lost thirteen killed and wounded in defending licrsclf. 252 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY, sailed, on the 22nd of May, for Samarang, in order to coerce the Sultan of Matarani who aimed at subverting the British or Dutch Government in Java. Colonel Gillespie, after quitting Fort Nugent, first proceeded in the schooner ' Wellington ' to Batavia, whence, accompanied by Mr. liafQes, he hurried overland to join his little force. On the 17th of June they arrived before Djoecarta, as the Craton, or residence, of the Sultan was called, but the squadron, which had gone round by the island of Banca, was nearly a month in making the passage. The Craton was about three miles in circumference, surrounded by a broad wet ditch, and defended with a high rampart and bastions, mounting nearly one hundred guns ; the interior was strengthened by other defences, and the whole was held by seventeen thousand men. Some skirmishing occurred before the place, in which several troopers of the 22nd Dragoons were killed and wounded, and, on the 19th, when the King's and Company's ships had arrived with all the troops, a heavy fire was opened on the Craton from an old Dutch fort, about 800 yards distant. Colonel Gillespie, with his usual daring, resolved to attempt the capture of the works by a coup de main, and, accordingly, two hours before dawn on the 20th of June, a strong column — con- sisting of detachments of H.M. 14th, 59th, and 78th Regiments, led by Colonel Watson of the 14th, supported by other columns nnder Colonels McLeod of the 59th Regiment, and Dewar, of the 3rd Bengal Volunteer Battalion — succeeded in effecting an entrance, and this fortified palace was carried by assault after some severe fighting. The British loss in this brilliant feat of arms, numbered twenty-three killed and seventy-six wounded, including Colonel Gillespie and eight officers, but the success was complete, and the large number of dead lying in the works, in which ninety-two guns were captured, attested the severity of the conflict. The Commander-in-chief in India issued a General Order, dated 30th of September, congratulating the troops on the brilliant successes they had achieved in Palim- bang and at the storm of the Craton of the Sultan of Mataram. Major Mears, of the Madras Army, who was left in charge of Fort Nugent with a small garrison, a few months after the departure of Colonel Gillespie, undertook, in concert with the 'Aurora,' Captain Macdonald, an expedition against the ex- Sultan of Palimbang, who, with a large body of his followers, was stockaded in one of the many islands at the confluence of the rivers, a few miles above Palimbang, whence he threatened that city and intercepted supplies. Accordingly, two hundred men were embarked in the ' Aurora,' the boats of which pro- ceeded up the river. In the attack on the stockade, which was carried in the most gallant style by the soldiers and sailors, there were several casualties, including the gallant Major Mears, who died of his wounds. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 253 In 1813, an expedition, in which the Bombay Marine partici- pated, was undertaken against Pangeran Annam, the Sultan of Sambas,* a town situated about forty miles up the river of * Since the Dutch abandoned Sambas, about fifty years before, three Sultans had reigned on the mu.mud. Mr. J. Hunt, ia a Eeport, communicated, in 1812, to Sir Stamford Raffles, gives some interesting accounts of the pirate races of Borneo at that date. When Magellan visited it in 1520, tlie island was called by the natives Pulo Kalamantan, the name Borneo being applied only to the capital at that time a ricli and populous city ; hence the Portuguese navigator, concluding that the whole island belonged to this prince, gave it the name of Borneo, which, the natives pronounce Bruni, meaning eoui'ageous. Like other places, as Ternate, Malacca, Acheen, and Bantam, the population and wealth of Borneo rapidly decreased, and from having, at the time of its discovery, according to Figofetta, the companion of Magellan, twenty-five thousand houses, tlie city only numbered three thousand inhabitants in 1809 ; a I'esult entirely due to the decay of com- merce, caused by the depredations of tlie pirates who swarmed in those waters. To the Portuguese conquerors succeeded the Dutch, and when the English cap- tured the city, they found the Soloo Rajah in prison, and released him on the stipulation that the whole north portion of Borneo, ceded to him by the Rajah of Borneo Proper, should be transfei-red to the Company ; these terms were signed and delivered to the Company's representative, Mr. A. Dalrvmple, in 1763. Among other places occupied by the Portuguese was Sambas, from which they were driven by the Dutch in IG'JO, but the latter evacuated this place and established themselves at Pontiana in 1786 ; they built a fortified wall round the palace and factory, but were compelled to withdraw from it wlien the war broke out with the English in 1796. The Hon. Company's ships had for a lengthened period traded with the ports of Borneo prior to the year 1760 (Vide Hardy's Shipping Register), and established a factory at the city of Borneo; twice also they attempted to establish themselves on the unhealthy island of Balambangan, lying north of Borneo, near Maludu, and, in 1775, tlie Company's sliip ' Bridg- water ' was sent to Pasir for a similar purpose ; but these attempts at settlement were chiefly frustrated by the soi'did jealousy of the Dutch, who instigated the Soloos and other savages to cut off the British settlers at Balambangan and Pulo Condore, and brought disgrace on themselves by their massacres at Amboyna, Banda, and Bantam. In 1804, Mr. Farquhar recommended the reoccupation of Balambangan, to which Lord Wellesley assented. The ' Mornington,' Captain W. J. Hamilton, having Mr. Farquhar on board, accompanied by several store- ships and transports, set sail from tlie Hooghly, but a few weeks served to dispel the illusions by which he had been beguiled, and the settlement was finally abandoned. "In 1774," says Forrest, in his Voyage to New Guinea, " tlio British were expelled from their infsxnt settlement of Balambangan by an insurrection of the Soloos, who murdered the garrison and plundered the factory. Five years before this the Sambas pii-ates massacred Captain Sadler with his boat's crew off Mom- pava, and made off witli a large quantity of gold dust, though they did not succeed in capturing his ship." The pirates of Borneo Proper committed a base act of trcaclieryin 1788. The Sultan invited Captain Dixon to come up to the town with his sliip, the ' May ' of Calcutta; the captain acce]ited the in vital it)n, and wliilo he and his crew were at dinner, the Sultan and his people fell upon them, murdered tlio captain, three officers, and ten Europeans, retained the lascars as slaves, plundered the cargo, and burnt the ship. In 1800, Captain Pavin and a boat's crew were murdered in the palace of tlic Sultan of Soloo whilst the Commander was taking a cup of cliocolate. In 1810, the Soloos plundered the wreck of the sliip ' Harrier,' and carried olf several of the crew, who were at tliis time retained as slaves at Bayagan Soloo. Among other great princes with whom the Company's ships were brouglit into contact, were the Sultan of Matan, an independent Rajah, who was formerly styled Sultan of Sukadana, once the most celebrated city in Borneo, but which was burnt down by the Dutch. In the year 1812, the principal piratical ports iu Borneo were : — Sambas, the 254 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. the same name in the island of Borneo. This prince, who was one of the principal chieftains of Borneo, had, for a long period, been gnilty of various acts of piracy, so that it was very unsafe for trading vessels to venture near any part of the extensive coasts of this great island, particularly of the north-west por- tion ; here armed proas were continually on the watch, both in Sambas and the Borneo river, and the Dyak pirates not only j)lundered the vessels, but put the crews to death under circum- stances of horrible barbarity. In 1804, the brother of the Rajah of Sambas, a desperado as brave as he was cruel, captured the ship ' Calcutta,' and murdered all the crew. On hearing of this catastrophe, the Lieutenant-Governor of Prince of Wales' Island and its depen- dencies, Mr. (afterwards Sir) Thomas Farquhar, who, up to the conclusion of the peace of Amiens, had been British Resident at Amboyna and Chief of the Moluccas, directed Lieutenant Robert Deane, of the Bombay Marine, commanding ' Les Freres Unis,' of sixteen guns, under the orders of the Penang Govern- ment, to proceed through the Straits of Malacca to the west coast of Borneo, where he was to cruise in search of the ' Calcutta,' which he was informed was " strongly manned and armed." The Lieutenant-Governor says in his letter of in- structions, dated the 20th of March, 1805 : — " It is of the utmost importance that this freebooter should be seized ; and you will, therefore, use your utmost endeavours to apprehend him by visiting all the haunts and ports along the coasts of Borneo. If you meet the ' Calcutta ' at sea, there can be no doubt of your being able to make an easy capture of her. Should she be in port, you will endeavour by some well-concerted plan to cut her out, for which purpose, principally, you have been provided with a strong detachment of marines. So soon as this service is performed, you will be pleased to return to this port through the Straits of Banca, where you are to gain every information in your power respecting the enemy, particularly their naval force in Batavia, or in the Eastern seas. In the prosecution of the foregoing orders, you are to make every possible search after, and destroy, all piratical boats that may be infesting the Straits of Malacca, providing this can be done without deviating from the main object of these instructions." Lieutenant Deane did not find the 'Calcutta' at sea, but receiving information that she was in the Sambas River, proceeded thither, accom- panied by the armed ship ' Belisarius,' Mr. Lynch, with the intention of attacking the pirate chief. He soon found the ' Calcutta,' which had taken up a strong position, supported by most important ; Borneo Proper and Tampasuk, where there were four hundred proas, both places being under the Rajah of Borneo Proper ; the Pasir pirates ; the Soloo pirates : the Illano, or pirates in the isle of Magindanao, on whom Captain Hayes had inflicted a severe defeat some years before. There were also the smaller ports of Liugin, Rhio, and Billiton. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 255 six gunboats, with two armed junks, the total force of guns being fifty-eight. Having made his dispositions, Lieutenant Deane, without any hesitation, attacked the ' Calcutta,' and, after a smart action of forty minutes' duration, succeeded in capturing her, the junks and two gunboats, and sinking two others, while among the killed was the pirate chief, who had commanded in person. In consequence of this success, the trade to Malacca and Prince of Wales' island, which had for a long time been stopped, was again opened. The Lieutenant- Governor, in his despatch to the Governor-General, dated 12th of June, enclosing a copy of Lieutenant Deane's despatch, speaks of this gallant officer and his spirited conduct on this occasion, in the following terms : — " I have already had the honour of detailing to his Excellency the mode in which the • Calcutta ' was manned and armed, and the great injury that the Eastern trade had sustained from the piratical freeboter who com- manded her. I happy to inform you that this man, the brother of the Rajah of Sambas, was killed in the action. The difficul- ties of access to the ' Calcutta,' stationed in a strong position, and supported by two large China junks several miles up the river Sambas, contribute greatly to the honour of this achievement, and reflect great credit on Lieutenant Deane's abilities, valour, and perseverance. Lieutenant Deane has served under my orders for nearly five years, during which period of time I have in- variably experienced in him every qualification of a valuable officer, and a series of conduct that has uniformly entitled him to my highest approbation. 1 therefore take the liberty of re- commending Lieutenant Deane to the most favourable notice of his Excellency in Council." Captain Money, the Superintendent of the Bombay Marine, in thanking Lieutenant Deane, under date 1st of September, took the opportunity of expressing his approval of the gallantry of his three officers. Lieutenants Wheatel and J. Philips, and Mr. Midshipman Lord. The lesson these pirates had received from Lieutenant Deane ■was soon forgotten, and, in 180G, we find that the pirates of Borneo Proper murdered the entire crew of the merchantman ' Commerce,' and shared the plunder with the Sambas people. Further outrages were committed in the succeeding years, and, in 1812,Pangeran Annam, of Sambas, captured the Portuguese ship ' Coromandel,' from Calcutta, and also nine seamen of H.M.S. ' Hecate,' who were all either brutally murdered, or retained as slaves after being hamstrung or otherwise maimed. In these depredations the Sambas Rajah was much assisted by the Tampasuk pirates, under the Rajah of Borneo Proper, who could command ten large well-equipped war proas. The naval force that Pangeran Annam could muster in tlic event of hos- tilities, consisted, at this time, says Captain ]\lacdonald, " of from ten to twelve proas, carrying from seventy to eighty men 256 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. all expert rowers, having two long guns in the bow, undercover of a strong, slanting bulwark, and a ship he had taken belong- ing to the Portuguese at Macao, carrying fourteen G-pounders with a motle}^ crew of all nations." There was also a brig, besides the ten proas from his allies of Borneo Proper. The population of Sambas amounted to twelve thousand Malays and Dyaks, and thirty thousand Chinese. So great was the terror created by this prince not only among traders, but in the breasts of the Sultans of neighbouring States, that the Sultan of Pontiana* applied to Java for a British garrison, which was granted. In consequence of these hostile acts, the Lieutenant-Governor of Java, in 1812, despatched up the Sambas H.M. ships ' Pro- cris,' ' Barracouta,' and ' Phoenix,' Captain Bowen, senior officer, with some gunboats, and one hundred men of the 78th High- landers ; but the ' Barracouta ' was unable to force the river defences, and the batteries opened so heavy a fire that she was compelled to retreat, having suffered some loss. This failure so affected the gallant Captain Bowon, who was also borne down by fever, that he died soon after his return to Batavia. After this, the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Aurora ' and some gunboats, maintained a blockade of the river, until a sufficient force could be sent to punish the Sultan of Sambas for his numerous aggressions, and vindicate the honour of the British flag ; while so employed the 'Aurora' recaptured some valuable junks taken by these people, and chased into the river the ship ' Coro- mandel.' The Sultan, apprised of the intentions of the British, made every preparation for defence, and removed all his valuable property and booty into the interior. In June, 1813, a second expedition was ordered to proceed to the Sambas, and consisted of the following ships and troops. H.M. frigates ' Leda,' Captain G. Sayer, (Senior Naval Officer) ; ' Hussar,' Captain Hon. G. Elliot"; 'Malacca,' Captahi D. Mackay ; and'Volage,' Captain Leslie ; the eighteen-gun sloops, ' Hecate,' Commander Drury, and ' Procris,' Commander Norton. The Hon. Company's ships ' Malabar,' twenty, Captain R. Deane ; ' Teignmouth,' sixteen, Captain Sealy ; 'Aurora,' fourteen. Commander Macdonald, and five gunboats. There was also the transport ' Troubridge ' and Indiaman ' Princess Charlotte of Wales,' having on board * The Sultan of Pontiaua was almost the only prince in this part of Borneo ■who lived by commerce. Tlie city is situated at the junction of the Matan and Lauda rivers, some fifteen miles from tlie sea. A point about two-thirds of the way up the river, was strongly fortified ; and the Sultan's palace, surrounded by the stone wall built by the Dutch, was strengthened by a battery of eleven guns. The population of Pontiana was about seven thousand souls, and the King's revenue 40,000 dollars. A few Chinese and Siamese junks traded with the place, and the naval force consisted of two small ships, two brigs, fifty proas, and about one thousand men. The Sultan liad also a second port at Mompava, about sixteen miles to the northward of Pontiana, and of the same extent and population. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 257 the troops, consisting of the 14th Regiment, Colonel Watson, who couimanded the force, a company each from the Bengal Artillery and the Coiiii);iny's European Regiment, and the 3rd Bengal Vo- lunteer Jxittalion. The men-of-war rendezvoused olf the Sambas river, which had been blockaded since January, 1813, by the ' Teignmouth ' and ' Aurora,' assisted by some gunboats, and a small body of European and Native troops under Captain Morris of the Bengal Army, who also acted as chief Political oflicer.* For the effective manner in which they had niain- * Captain Macdonald was at Rcmbaiig, in Java, fitting the ' Aurora' witli anew main-mast when he received tl;e summons to blockade tlie Sambas river, and made the passage in k^ss tlian fifteen days, against strong nortli-westerly gales. He says : — " On the evening of the 4th of February, 1813, very soon alter our arrival off the river Sambas, we discovered a large junk, which, in endeavouring to enter, had taken the ground ; as it appeared possible to cut her out, I determined to make the attempt before high water would enable her to get fairly within the bar, which is upwards of a mile in width. Accordingly, having got the ship as near to her as we could guess, under cover of a dark and rainy right we manned and armed the boats, and as the day began to dawn, pushed otf, keeping the ship as near as possible to support them. Elated with his previous success, the Pau- geran, as I fully expected, had, with a strong party from the shore, joined her duruig the night, intending to preserve her from her impending fate ; but so quiet and noiseless had been our approach, and so unexpected our proximity, tliat we were close at hand ere he had time to do more than arouse from his slumber and spring into the sampang, which, laying ready manned alonside, soon carried him beyond our reach, his people following with the utmost precipitation in the boats that brought them from the shore ; had we been a few moments earlier, or the night less dark and drizzling, so as to have admitted our seeing our true position, nothing could have saved that individual himself from our grasp ; as it was, wc got possession of the vessel, and with the aid of the land wind, dragged her through the mud and down to Pontiana, where she was placed under the care of the Sulttm. The succeeding month was also a propitious one for us, having on the third of Martth intercepted another of his vessels, laden with various kinds of supplies, including a quantity of powder and shot, which his agents had pro- cured from the llajah of Borneo Proper ; suspecting that we had gone to one of the neighbouring islands to replenish our wood and water, they took advantage of that temporary absence to seek admission, but unluckily for their interest, selected the very day W'c so unexpectedly returned; she came skimming down along shore, with a iine breeze and smooth sea, and had nearly accomplished her object as we arrived ; fortunately for us it was near the hour for high water, and being by this time somewhat better acquainted with the cliannel, we ))ushcd on into little more than our own depth, crossed her, thereby compelling her to bear up. and assisted by the evening breeze, brousiht her into blue water, and soon saw her also under custody of the Prince of Pontiana, who expressed much gr.:tification at the confidence reposed in his people. She was of great bulk, and navigated by a renegade Portuguese, who had been mute or steersman in one of tlie sliips wliieli the Pangeran cut off, and with whom he took service, engaging for a stipulated sum, to carry this vessel to and IVom the coast of China, and bringing back the annual supplies for the Chinese pojudation of Montrada and Landack ; exclusive of her crew there were on board upwards of two hundred emigrants of all deno- minations and kinds, seeking employment in these mining districts, and the loss of the various materials with which she was loaded greatly distressed the general, but particidarly the Cliinesc population. Here (at Pontiana) I found (he long expected detachment had just arrived from Patavia. under the command of Cup- tain Morris, of the Bengal Army, who acconijianied me back to Sambas and set about immediately hutting tlie troops under the high promontory which bounds the northern entrance to the river. Two fast samjiangs of light iind easy draft, each capable of containing a dozen or more small-arm men, besides the rowers, were procured and placed at his disposal, and one of the gunboats anchored m VOL. I. S 258 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. tained this blockade under the most disconranjing conditions, the captains of the crnisers received the thanks of" the Lieute- nant-Governor. After toiichinjij at Pontiana to procure boats to ascend the river and other necessaries, the expedition arrived, on the 22nd of June, off the mouth of the Sambas, where there is a considerable mud flat, extending a distance of four or five miles out to sea, but without a regular bar. Vessels drawing 13 feet may get over it at high-water springs, but at ordinary high tides there is only 11 feet, with 9 feet at the ebb. Twelve miles above the bar the river branches into two parts ; the broad, or northern, branch is called the Borneo river, and the other, leading to Sambas, known as the Landa river, is extremely serpentine, deep to the very bushes on both sides, and quite clear of natural obstructions up to the town, except near Siminis Creek, about ten miles below the fort, where a reef of rocks runs out into the stream. About five or six leagues up the Landa branch, and about thirteen from the sea, stands the town and palace of Sambas, on the confluence of that river with the Salako. On the right bank of the former, and about a league below the town, was a strong fort, having two tiers of guns, built of two rows of large piles, the interstices being filled with mud and stone. A boom was constructed across the river, one-eighth of a mile below this fort ; and, on the opposite bank, was a second powerful fort, having a cross fire with the other battery, while in the rear of both were redoubts, the whole commanding a reach of the river one mile and a half in extent. The land makes an elbow at this point, which obliged the 'Barracouta' to haul athwart the river to get her broadside to bear; and it was while thus engaged, after having made an ineffectual attempt to burst through the boom, which was placed originally across the stream, that she drew upon herself the fire of the heavy batteries, and experienced considerable loss. The river also at this point is very narrow and winding, rendering it difiicult to proceed under sail. On arriving at the mouth of the river, the frigates remained outside the mud flat or bar, but the sloops and cruisers tried to run over it. The 'Aurora,' not drawing more than eleven feet, managed to do so, but the ' Hecate,' ' Procris,' ' Malabar,' and ' Teignmouth,' after running in a squall, stuck fast about the middle; the njud being soft, anchors were laid out, and, by in- cessant labour, in four days they were hove through and entered the river. The disembarkation of the troops, consisting of about seven hundred or eight hundred Europeans and six hundred Sepoys, commenced on the 2ord June, the day after the arrival of the ships, and, by the 25th, the whole of them, together with the the fair way, in communication (by signal) with us, the mrire effectually to prevent any egress by the channels farther southward, all the other branches being care- fully watched from without." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 259 ordnance and stores, were trans-shipped into the p:nnhoats and Mahiy craft from Pontiana, which now commenced the ascent. The squadron proceeded up the river, and, to co-operate with the troops, all the available l)oats were hoisted out, fully armed and manned with tive hundred seamen and marines, under command of Captain the Hon. George Elliot. Previous to the advance, Colonel Watson despatched a letter to the Sultan, requiring him to surrender the defences of Sambas, but, as he had already withdrawn into the interior, no answer was received. On the night of the 2(ith, the fleet anchored off the mouth of the Landa river ; and from hence the comniander detached two strong parties, each accompanied by a detachment of seamen and marines, to attack the forts and town in rear, while, with the remainder of the force, he proceeded up the river, and, on the night of the 27th, anchored below and beyond range of the batteries. A third column, under Ca])tain Watson of the 14th, consisting of detachments of the 14th, artillery, and seamen, was landed at three a.m. on the following morning, to attack these works, and, after surmounting many obstacles, carried by assault the two principal batteries and three redoubts in their rear, although resolutely defended. A battery and five redoubts on the opposite side of the river were then evacuated by the enemy. On the commencement of the firing, Colonel Watson pushed up the river with a party kept as a reserve to second whichever column began the attack. He says in his despatch : — " The front battery fired at the boats advancing, although Captain Watson was at that time in its rear, endeavouring to force an entrance. It is difficult to ascer- tain the loss of the enemy, as many were killed endeavouring to escape in boats and across the boom. From the best information I can obtain it amounts to about one hundred and fifty men, including a brother of the Sultan's, the eldest son of J^ingeran Annam, and twelve others. Pangeran Annam made his escape in a small quick sailing boat." In the meantime one of the other columns, under Captain P)rooke of the 3rd Bengal Volun- teer Battalion, had some sharp lighting, while the boats of the squadron, acting in co-operation, pulled for the boom, over which they were dragged by the crews, who then cut adrift the boom under a heavy lire from the batteries. The loss incurred was seven killed and fifty-nine wounded, including four officers,* which, as Colonel Watson said in his despatch, " was less than might have been expected considering the number and diffieulty of access to the batteries." In these works, thirty-one brass, and thirty-six iron, guns, of various calibres, were captured, * Captain Macdonald sajs :— " Here I receiveil a contusion on the left arm, which, not noticed at the time, caused me nmny jears ailorwards much puui, and, ultimately, to retire from the Service. s 2 2 no HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. together with six thousand round shot and twenty-six barrels of gunpowder. The town of Sambas was occupied without further opposition, but little booty was obtained, though the 'Coromandel' and the entire fleet fell into the hands of the victors. Though the loss in action was not considerable, the climate made dreadful havoc. A large number of the 14th Regiment died from fever, and the ships of war also suffered to a similar extent. The 'Malabar' and 'Aurora' lost many men, but the 'Teignmouth,' which re- mained after the others had left for Java, was the greatest sufferer. Out of a crew of seventy-five Europeans she lost two-thirds, the natives on board suffering in an equal proportion, and, at one time, she had only one officer and eight or ten men fit for duty. So fatal were the effects of this Expedition on the officers of the Bombay Marine, owing chiefly to the long-continued exposiu'e on boat duty during the blockade of the coast and in the opera- tions up the Sambas river, that, out of twenty-two officers in the three Company's ships, within a few years of their return to Bombay, only two remained in the Si^rvice, the rest having died or invalided. As in all wars in tropical climates, the exposure to the torrid heat of the noon-day sun, followed by the malaria of the midnight dews, and the pestilential exhalations of the swamps, laid the seeds of disease which, if not immediately fol- lowed by fatal consequences to the sufferer, in many instances embittered the remaining years of liis life. Happily in these days. Sanitary Science and the thoughtful care bestowed on the comfort and health of our soldiers and sailors, have relieved militar}^ operations undertaken even in the most unhealth}'- climates, of a large percentage of loss. Not long after the return of the naval and military forces to Java, another Expedition was directed against Rajah Boni of Macassar, in Celebes, who was constantly guilty of acts of hos- tility towards the British in these islands. In April, 1814, a combined military and naval force was fitted out at Java, under Major-General (afterwards Sir Miles) Nightingall. in which were enjployed the Company's ships 'Malabar,' ' Teignnjouth,' 'Au- rora,' and some gunboats, under the senior officer. Captain Deane of the 'Malabar.' The Expedition, having arrived at Macassar, prepared, on the morning of the 7th of June, to attack the Rajah, as that chieftain declined to make the reparation demanded of him, and refused to surrender the "somdang," or regalia, of Goa,* Avhich he had forcibly seized. The ships having battered the defences of the town, at daybreak all the barriers were carried * The Rajah of Goa was formerly the most powerful chief in Celebes, but the Rajah of Boni, having become the principal all.y of the Dutch, was by them raised to the supremacy of the island. In tlie year 1780, a force of Buggis or Buggese, as the inhabitants of Celebes are called, in the employment of the Rajah of Goa, showed great courage in an attack on the Dutch fort of Rotterdam at Macassar, but they were beaten olf with considerable loss. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 2()l in succession by the troops under Colonel MpLeod, thouirli not without some loss, and, within an hour of the coiumenceujeiit of the attack, the town and palace were in possession of the British. The Rajah had effected his escape durhig the night, but in iiis residence, which was couunitted to the flames, wcn-e found five guns, a large quantity- of gunpowder, and arms of all description. The strength of the enemy was three thousand men, and tlieir loss in killed and wounded was very considerable. The Rajah was deposed from the musnud of Boni, and it was consideri'd that, by the arrangements made by General Nightingall, the tranquillity of this fiue island was assured ; the sequel, however, proved that this expectation was ill-founded. The ' Aurora ' immediately afterwards sailed for Calcutta with one of the chiefs, and the general staff of the army, including Mr. Craw- ford, Resident of Samarang, author of the "History of the Archipelago." Soon after Commander IMacdonald was made Collector-General of Customs and Land Revenues in Java, and Magistrate of the city of Batavia, as a reward for his services, but was obliged, at the end of two years, to return to England, owing to the wound received at Sambas, and, in 1820, he retired from the Service. Among those who also left the Service, owing to the effects of exposure and hard work, was the gallant captain of the ' Malabar,' whose services deserve a brief record. Captain Robert Deane entered the Bombay Marine in Novem- ber, IT'Jl, and was em|)loyed as midshipman ou board the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Morning Star ' until October, 17i>2, when he was placed in command of the armed pattamar ' Deriah Dowlut,' to cruise on the Malabar coast against pirates, and prevent the smuggliug of pepper. In July, 171)3, he was appointed Acting-Lieutenant on board the Hon. Couipauy's cruiser ' Scorpion,' and, on her capture by a French fleet, in the following January, while proceeding to England with the colom's captured at Pondicherry, was taken to America; by this event he lost the whole of his money and property, for which he never received compensation. Ijieutenant Deane was released and returned to England in 175»4; and, in May of the following year, sailed for India. He served as a vobniteerat the capture of the Cape of Good Hope; and, on his arrival at P)i)mbay, on the 1st of January, 17i:h), was employed as Acting-Lieutenant on board the Hon. Company's schooner 'Alert' until October, 1707, when he was appointed Second-Lieutenant of the Hon. Company's ship 'Swift,' in which he also served as First-Lieutenant and Commander. In June 17i)9, while in connnand of the 'Swift,' he was ordered by Mr. R. T. Farquhar, Resident at the Moluccas, to cruise round Cerara, after two country ships, reported to be smuggliug spices on that coast; while thus engaged he fell in with the 'VeuuSj'countryshi}). which hadsailed from Amboynato Banda 202 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVV. with a cargo of Government rice, and had run ashore on a shoal to the north of (Jerain, where she was deserted by her crew. With characteristic energy Lieutenant Deane succeeded, after six days' hard labour, in getting the ship off, and brought her to Aniboyna. In Jtdy, 1800, he proceeded in the 'Swift,' accompanied by the Hon. Company's brig 'Antelope,' and a country ship, to carry live stock to the garrison at Banda, where there was, at that lime, a great mortality for want of fresh pro- visions. On the passage a heavy gale of wind came on, which dismasted the 'Antelope,' and obliged her, and also the country- ship, to bear away for Amboyna, but, although the ' Swift ' was making four feet of water an hour, and it was with difficulty that she could be kept free with two pumps. Lieutenant Deane, knowing the distressed condition of the Island, proceeded at great risk, and landed three months' fresh provisions, which was the n)eans of saving the lives of many of the troops. In August, 1800, Mr. Farquhar appointed him Master-Attend- ant at Banda, but active service was more to his liking, and, in the following year, he resigned the appointment, and joined the ' Swift,' then commanded by that brilliant seaman, (^aptain John Hayes. As First-Lieutenant he served in the 'Swift' when she was engaged against the batteries of Ternate within pistol shot for two hours and a half, on the 11th and l(3th of May, 1801. When the ' Swift ' was off" the Island of Ternate, Colonel Burr, commanding the troops, declared it impossible for him to keep possession of Fort Kaio JMaru, unless some assistance was rendered by the squadron, then under Captain Hayes, upon which Lieutenant Deane volunteered and proceeded on shore with twenty-five seamen, and kept possession of the fort two days and two nights under a heavy fire from a hill battery. He also participated in Captain Hayes' brilliant action with forty sail of Magindanao pirates in August, when seventeen vessels were de- stroyed. Lieutenant Deane commanded the 'Antelope' until April, 1803, when that ship proceeded to Bombay to refit. On leaving Amboyna, Colonel J. Oliver, commanding the troops at the Moluccas, wrote as follows, under date 4th of April, 1803 : — " I beg leave to express to you my thanks for the zeal, alacrity, and judgment which has at all times distinguished your conduct while under my command. I earnestly hope that this public testimony of m}^ approbation may be of use to you in future, and I sincerely wish you health and success through life." At Malacca, where the 'Antelope' touched on her way to Bombay, Lieutenant Deane joined the 'Mornington ' as First-Lieutenant ; and, in May, 1804, was appointed to command the 'Wasp' schooner. In October following, at the particular request of Mr. Farquhar, now Lieutenant-Grovernor of Prince of Wales' Island, he was allowed by the Bombay Government to take command of 'Les Freres Unis,' of sixteen guns, under the HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA^^. 2G3 Penaiig Government, in wliicli vessel he performed the exploit already detailed in treating of the events of that year. In January, 180(3, Captain Deane returned to Bombay, and was appointed to the command of the Hon. Company's ship ' Mercury,' which was employed in the conveyance of despatches and protection of convoys, to the Persian Gulf and Red Sea, where he succeeded in recovering two dhows laden with very valuable merchandize from Surat, which had been seized by the Sheikh of Hodeida, and carried into that port, where every means was adopted, by dismantling them, taking away the rudders, and guarding the craft with a strong force, to prevent their being retaken ; notwithstanding which, Captain Deane succeeded in cutting them out, and delivered them up to the merchant owners of Mocha, free of all expense, for which he received the appro- bation of Captain Money, the Superintendent of Marine, and the tlianks of the Governor of Bombay. In 1801) he was trans- ferred to the command of the ' Benares,' and, in the following year, proceeded in the 'Malabar,' as senior officer of the Bombay Marine, on the Expedition against Mauritius. On tlie reduction of that island, he was ordered with des})atches to Calcutta, where he was specially selected for the command of the Hon. Company's ship ' Mornington,' which conveyed the Governor- General, Lord Minto, to ]\Iadras ; and from thence proceeded, under his lordship's immediate orders, on the Expedition against Java. For his conduct during that expedition he received the thanks, not only of Commodore Hayes, but the special acknow- ledgments of the Governor-General. On the fall of Java, Captain Deane conveyed Mr. Archibald Seton to Prince of Wales' Island, to take charge of the Government,* and ])vo- ceeding thence to Calcutta, he was transferred to the command of the 'Malabar,' and sailed with despatches for Java. When passing Saugor, the ' Malabar' was boarded by an officer from the Indiaman, 'Princess Charlotte of Wales,' conveying troops to Java, who informed him that the crew of the ship were in a state of mutiny, and that the commanding officer had been obliged to send back to Calcutta fifty-one men of the l)engal Artillery; knowing that they were much wanted at Java, Cap- tain Deane immediately made sail after the vessel conveying them to shore, and brought her to after tiring several shots, * On quitting Prince of Wales' Island, Mr. Seton addressed the following letter to C.iptam Deane: — "A period of tvvelveniontlis has just expired since 1 first liad the pleasure of being introduced to jour personal aequaiiifanec, during which time various circumstances have occurred by whieli I have been enabled to estimate its value, and I can truly say I estimate it highly, and that I hardly know, after the experience of two voyages, whicli to admire most, your gentle- manly kindness as a liost, your humane and considerate attention to yoin* ship's company, or your vigilance, professional intelligence, and sj)irit as a navigator, exploring your way tlu'ough a passage extremely intricate, and as yet but imper- fectly known. Acccjit my sinccrest thanks for ycnir kindness, and my wannest wishes for your health, liaj)pincss, and prosperity." 264 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. and, on the following morning, took the Artillerj'men on board the 'Malabar,' and conveyed them to Batavia, for which he received the thanks of Sir Stamford Raffles, the Lieutenant- Governor of Java.* In his letter of the 12th of April, 1813, conve3Mng his thanks, the Lieutenant-Governor instructed Cap- tain Deane " to proceed to the eastern ports of ihis island, for the purpose of receiving under your charge some gunboats, and proceeding to Pontiana therewith, under instructions which will be separately connnunicated to you." This had reference to the Sambas Expedition, already detailed, on the conclusion of which Captain Deane participated in the expedition undertaken against Rajah Boni of Macassar; but, at length, even his iron constitution broke down under the long-continued strain of service in these Eastern Lslands, extending, with only the inter- mission of service in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea, from 1798 to 1814. Li November of the latter year Captain Deane re- turned to Calcutta, and was ordered to proceed imujediately to England by the Medical Board. He now found that his health was irremediably broken, and thus, after twenty-three years as arduous service as any man could well have experienced, he was compelled to retire on the pension of his rank, not having amassed any private means, as with an utter absence of self- seeking, he had ever sacrificed his own interests with the view of promoting those of the Company.f * The following is a copy of the letter of the Secretary to Government, under date the 12th of April, iSlS : — " I am directed to acknowledge tiie receipt of your letter of the 9th instant, reporting your arrival at this port, with a detach- ment of Artillei-y on board your ship. The Hon. the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, entirely approves of your having received this detachment on board the ' Malabar,' and desires rae to convey to you the thanks of this Government for your zealous attention to the public service on this occasion." t While in Enghmd, Captain Deane received from Captain Money, the late Superintendent of the Bomb;iy Marine, and Sir Stamford Kaffles, late Ijieutenant- Goveruor of Java, the two men, perhaps, better qualified than any otliers from long and intimate service relations, to form a correct estimate of his character and services, letters from which we will make the following extracts : — Captain Money writes under date the 14th of June, 1817 : — " When I succeeded to the office of Superintendent of Marine, my predecessor le*t, for my guidance, his opinion of the character of the officers of the corps, and to your name were annexed these words : ' He is the complete officer and gentleman ;' and so per- fectly did I find you answer to this description, that I invariably selected you, when within my command, for the execution of every service that particularly required the exercise of such qualifications. I ever found you prompt to obey ; you never started a difficulty ; and I never was disappointed. In short, I always considered you a valuable servant of the Company, and an honour to the Service to which you belonged." Sir Stamford Raffles says in his letter, dated the 8th of August, 1817 : — " I have known you long, and for the period of five years, in which your services were principally employed in immediate connection with my authority, I have had repeated occasions to return you the thanks of Govern- ment for your zeal, alacrity, and perseverance in the public service. I can testify that the ever to be lamented Karl of Minto, while Governor- General of India, entertained the highest opinion of your character, and was forward to express his warm approbation of j'onr conduct while engaged in the Java Expe- dition ; and for myself, that while you acted under the orders of the Java Government, as Senior Officer of the Marino on that station, not only was your HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 2 (15 In 1815, the Hon. Company's bri.s: 'Psyche,' Lieutenant J. Faithful, was stationed at Prince of Wales' Island, but did not long remain there, being succeeded by the ' Ariel,' Lieutenant D. Jones, which cruised about the Straits. In May, of this year, a party of men from the ' Teignmouth' was actively engaged in an attack on a fortified village dependent on the dethroned Rajah of Boni. Lieutenant T. C. Jackson, Assistant-Resident of Macassar, embarked in the 'Teignmouth' with a party of sixty European soldiers and thirty Natives, and proceeding to Langa, to the north of Macassar, whose inhabitants had been commit- ting acts of piracy, landed with his small force and a party of sailors on the 12th of May. After some smart skirmishing, the detachment drove the enemy back, and attempted to storm the village, which was strongly stockaded. In this they were un- successful, and Lieutenant Jackson fell mortally wounded into the arms of two sailors, who formed part of the advance. At a later period the village of Langa and of Soopa, about eighty miles from Macassar, made their submission. The year 181(3 was an active one for the squadron of the Hon. Company's cruisers engaged in maintaining the peace among the.se Eastern islands. The ' Thetis' and 'Ariel' were stationed at Penang and in the Straits of Malacca, and found active employment protecting the trade against the depredations of the pirates which swarmed in all the waters to the east of the Bay of Bengal. The ' Malabar,' Lieutenant Hepburn, and some vessels employed in the survey, were engaged carrying troops from Java and the other islands in the occupation of tlu; l-Jritish, to Calcutta, on account of the Nepaul War, in which the gallant Gillespie had fallen, and which was not brought to a conclusion until the genius of Sir David Ochterlony triumphed over all difficulties. The fourteen-gun brigs 'Nautilus,' Lieutenant C. l>oyce, and 'Antelope,' Lieutenant J. Hall, were stationed off the British settlements at Java and Banda, and, on oneoc(;asion, the 'Ante- lope' fell in with and destroyed a fleet of pirate proas off the latter island. The ' Benares,' Captain Eatwell, ' Teignmouth,' Captain Sealy, and ' Ternate,' Captain Davidson, with some gun- boats, were stationed at Macassar in the island of Celebes, and were of much assistance to the small British garrison quartered in Fort Rotterdam, an old Dutch fortress of considerable; conduct uniformly approved, but tlio Government often found it dilllcult to express itself in terms sullicicntly strong, of your galhuitry and zeal. For pre- serving harmony with H.M.'a squadron on that station, anil uniting with it whenever necessary ; for making personal sacrifices at all times, when the public service demanded expedition, and for a reachncss and activity to forward tlie public service, and the interests of the Honourable Company, 1 feci that, in my late capacity as Lieutenant-Governor of Java, I was und<'r jrreat obliga- tions to vou ; and I am conlidcnt that you will find from your ITon. i'lniployers, every liberal consideration which your length of service and distinguished conduct entitle you to expect." 2()G HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. strength. These three ships performed some gallant service at Macassar during the year 181 G. On the 5th of April the boats of the ' Ternate,' Captain Davidson, attacked and drove ashore off the Tenette River, two large war proas, each mounting four guns and full of men ; in this affair Lieutenant John Charlton Kinchant, a very promising young officer, was killed. In June the crews of the ' Teign- mouth ' and ' Benares ' had an opportunity of earning distinction of which they did not fail to avail themselves. Our old enemy, the Rajah of Boni, had become aggressive and had taken up a post about eight miles from Macassar, at the entrance of Balian- gan Pass, which led to a hill, where they had entrenched them- selves in fifteen strong redoubts — called " bentengs"* in this part of the world — flanked on both sides by nearly precipitous rocks, containing caverns which were used as magazines or for shelter from artillery fire. As it could not be borne that a native chief should thus, as it were, blockade a British port and the capital of the island of Celebes, Major D. H. Dalton, the Political Resident and Connnandant, resolved to dislodge him. At his request, on the 7th of June, Captain W. Eat well, of the 'Benares,' senior naval officer, landed a body of seventy seamen and forty-five marines from the ' Teignmouth ' and ' Benares,' to co-operate with the military force. The • Benares ' was left as guard ship at Macassar, all the disposable troops having been withdrawn from the fort, the ' Teignmouth ' was stationed off Maros River, and the ' Ternate ' off Tinoritty to deter the chief from reinforcing the enemy near Maros. Major Dalton's force consisted, in addition to the Naval Brigade, of a small detach- ment of Bengal Artillery, three hundred and forty men of the Hon. Company's European Regiment and the 4th Bengal Volunteer Battalion. A portion of the seamen were attached to the guns, which consisted of two 18-pounders, two howitzers, and one H-pounder, and the marines were incor- porated with the troops. The attack commenced at daylight on the 8th of June, and continued, under the heat of a tropical sun, until four in the afternoon. "At that hour," says the writer of a published account in the " Asiatic Journal," " the enemy, after a most desperate resistance, was driven with great loss from the whole of his entrenchments. Our loss on this occasion is very considerable, being seventy-four killed and * Bentengs are breastworks of turf, about fire feet in height, and tunnelled with numerous bamboo pipes, through wliinh the defenders shoot, the bamboos being so arranged tliat the fire shall take effect upon tlie legs and lower part of the body of the enemy, and so efTectually place liim hors de combat. Tlie approaches to the"beuteng" are further strewn with bambu doeri, a thorny species of bamboo, as the name implies, tlie stems of which are so tortuous and thickly interlaced as to defy even large shot and shell. These earthworks are placed in a series, one behind the other, so that if the most advanced one is in danger of capture, the defenders leave it, and take shelter behind the succeeding one, and so on. HISTORY OF THE IXDIAN NAVY. 2G7 wounded. The conduct of every officer and man landed from the cruisers has been most exemphiry. The exertions of Lieu- tenant Guy, Mr. Munday, master's mate, and Mr. Moresby, midshipman, attached to the ginis, are highly spoken of. The detachment of marines from the ' Benares ' particularly distin- guished theujselves. The enemy's force was estimated at two thousand. Tlie Commander-in-chief of Boni's forces, with two other chiefs, was killed, and their loss is computed at hve liun- dred men killed and wounded." From other sources we learn that the fighting was severe throughout the day, and the Commandant, thinking he should be nnable to carry the redoubts, was about to bivouac for the night, when one of theuj was captured by a rush of the seamen ; upon this a general attack took place, and the whole were carried in a very short time. The success was complete, and the royal flag of Boni was found by the side of the dead chieftain. Major Dalton acknowdedged the services of Captain Eatwell and Lieu- tenant Guy, who, he says, showed " their usual zeal and alacrity, and ably assisted on the occasion." In this action eleven men were killed and sixty-three wounded, of whom eight died, the total number of casualties being identical with those in the me- morable battle of Plassey, where Lord Clive founded our Indian Empire. Captain Eatwell had a narrow escape of his life during a hand-to-hand njelee, and was only saved fronj the creese of a Malay by one of his men who ran his pike through hiui.* * The following is Major Dalton's Report to the Lieutenant-Governor of Java, detailing the operations bj which the strong works, or" bentengs," at tiie Balian- gan Pass, were carried by his small force : — " On the 7th of June, in tlie afternoon, we moved to our advanced post, two miles distant from the enemy's position ; this intrenchment was very strong and planned witli great skill, forming a chain of redoubts, which described an area of a circle with salient and entering angles to an extended line of about six hundred paces, flanked on both sides by rocks, which are high, nearly perpendicular, and containing caverns which answered as places of refuge against our lire ; one of tlie caverns in a principal redoubt served as a magazine, and tliere was a fort or casement capable of containing about a thousand men. This redoubt, witli the one on its right, formed the key of the position, being within tlie distance of a few huntlrcd yards of the point, wliere, in going through the pass the delile is very narrow. For attack, the troops were formed into two columns, and a reserve, commanded by Captain Wood and Lieu- tenant Davison, of the Bengal Kuro]iean Regiment ; a detacliment, witli a small howitzer, under the command of Captain Rawlins, 4th Battalion, was sent to the enemy's left to endeavour to turn liis position, and another party, under Lieu- tenant Watson, European Regiment, was sent to his right, to drive tliemfrom the straggling rocks, and at all events, to push him into the range of fire of our battery. The battery ceased a little after six in the morning, and althougli extremely well served the positions appeared to be too extensive and well con- structed to receive from our guns any quick or decided impression ; the enemy was supposed to be about two thousand strong, he had not any large guns, but muskets and swivels in abundance. The attack on the enemy's left, after the most spirited and ))ersevering exertions, was checked by obstacles wiiicli were not to be surmounted. That on his right had obtained some partial success, and which I endeavoured, witli a reinforcement, immediately to improve ; it was led on with promptitude and effect by Lieutenant Ashe, assisted by Lieutenant Uoding. We now completely succeeded in turning the position of the enemj, 2(J8 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. On the 8th of June, 181fi, the 'Teignmonth' lost her entire detachment of marines, numbering one non-commissioned oflficer and seventeen privates. On that day, they had been placed in charge of two proas which iiad been detained, when it is supposed the Malay crews, taking advantage of a dark and stormy night, cut the cables, and, having overpowered the Sepoys, managed to make their escape; whether the Sepoys were murdered or drowned was never known, as nothing was ever heard of them or the proas. The marines of the 'Benares' performed good service during the period of their service in the Eastern islands, and it is only just that we should chronicle their faithful and courageous conduct both on shore and afloat. Originally num- bering twenty-eight non-commissioned officers and privates, they returned to Bombay in 1817, at the end of the commission, reduced to a strength of only eleven, and there was not one of the survivors but could show scars of from one to three or four wounds. The Naick, or native corporal, who returned in com- mand, was promoted to be a native commissioned officer, as also was the drummer, who had discarded his instrument for the bayonet. These men belonged to the old Bombay Marine Battalion, and, like the marines of the 'Aurora,' who distin- giiished themselves at Mauritius by their fidelity, Avere natives of the Concan. Whilst hostilities were in progress against the Rajah of Boni, it became a matter of great importance to prevent his receiving supplies of military stores from his agents at Penang and Malacca. To prevent this. Captain Eatwell placed two smart midshipmen, Messrs. William Denton and Duff, in charge of two gunboats, to cruise in the track of the proas from the Straits of Malacca, while the ships took up the stations most likely to conduce to the attainnjent of the object in view ; the cruisers' boats also, under the command of Lieutenant Guy, an able and zealous officer, were stationed at various islands, and were suc- and obtainins; the command of the pass from whence he withdrew his supplies ; but at tlie moment of this success, the officers of tlie party were unfoi'tunately wounded, the men were drawn off and screened from the fire of the redoubts, but at tlie same time enabled to keep a fire on them. We got a 6-pounder up, which fired occasionally ; the battery continued to play, but the enemy still appeared resolute, nor did he waver till about four in the afternoon. It was instantly perceived, the assault in the most intrepid manner followed, and the two principal redoubts were in a few seconds in our possession. " Tlie enemy's chieftain, Datoo Cheeta, resisted to the last, and is reported to have been killed in the assault ; the royal flag of Boni was found by his side. After carrying the principal redoubts we experienced no further resistance ; the enemy fled in many directions, and in a clo^e intricate country, was innnediately concealed from our view. The loss of the enemy was eousiderable. I liave sincerely to lament that our loss in men is severe ; but when the nature of the attack is considered, and the obstinate defence made by the enemy, our loss in numbers may be deemed perhaps moderate. For the present achievement I am entirely indebted to the cordial assistance of the officers and men in tlie perform- ance of my duty, and the determined bravery with which they completed its intent." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY. 209 cessfnl ill intercepting several of these vessels. Man}' deeds of daring were achieved by tliese ships' boats, which h)st two men killed and several severely wounded, while employed on this duty. Mr. Denton also performed good service in his gunboat. One day, while cruising off the bay of Boloo Comba, in the island of Celebes, he fell in with a large proa, but as, owing to a dead calm, his little craft could not close with the enemy, he pushed off with two small boats. Before the second boat could get alongside Mr. Denton boarded the enemy, but the odds were too great, and he was repulsed with the loss of two men, himself and the remainder of the boats' crew being hurled overboard. He was picked up by the second boat, and, as a light breeze had sprung up, proceeded to the gunboat and made sail towards the proa. A second time he tried to carry the enemy Ly boarding, but failed, owing to their numerical superiority. He now ran the proa close on board at the bow, and himself having lashed her bowsprit to his taffrail, steered for Boloo Comba, engaging her the whole time. At length, when five miles from that place, the proa sunk from the effects of the gunboat's shot, and, out of her crew of seventy desperadoes, only eleven survived. This vessel was proved to be laden with gunpowder, and, had she succeeded in entering the port of the Rajah of Boni, would have enabled him to continue his resist- ance to the British. These operations closed the services of the Bombay Marine in the Eastern islands, for, in pursuance of a convention con- cluded between the Ijritish and Netherlands Governments, the former agreed to deliver up to the Dutch the island of Java and its dependencies.* The ' Nautilus' brought instructions to the Lieutenant-Governor arranging for tlie transfer, which took place, with ap[)ropriate ceremonies and nnder the usual salutes, on the IDth of August, 181 (). Before that date the troops and civil and military authorities at Batavia, were end)arked in eight transports, and the ships of the Bombay i\larinet returned to Bombay after a lengthened, eventful, and distinguished service, during which they had taken part in five important Expeditions ; namely, the conquest of Java, and the minor operations directed against Palimbang, Samarang, Sambas, and Boni, besides much harassing service in keeping the jiolice of the seas. How well they had performed this duty, may be gathered from the great * Of all our conquests from tlie Dutch, tlie Cape of Good Hope was alone retained, and their settlement of Cochin was exchanficd for the island of Banea, which had been acquired by a deed of cession from the Rajah of I'aliinbanj;. By the treaty of 1814 with France, most of the colonies and factories taken from her during the war were restored, except the island of JIauritius. t While cni])loyed under the IJengal Cioverument, the olllcers received a high rate of extra pay, wliicli was also made in sicca rupees, a coin of greater value than the old Eoiiibay rupee. 270 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. increase in piracy that took place directly after the cruisers had quitted the station, and the columns of the Indian papers of that day are filled with accounts of the depredations and atroci- ties committed by the piratical proas which swarmed around the coasts of Borneo, Java, and Celebes, the Dutch ships of war displaying a surprising lack of energy and enterprise in check- ing the growing evil. Perhaps the last services one or two of the cruisers of the Bombay Marine were enabled to render on this station, were calculated to be of a more pleasing character in the retrospect, than any war service could be ; we refer to those connected with the saving of life, which the seaman, in the evening of life, when " fighting his battles o'er again," and recounting to his chiklren the oft told tale of battle, fire, and wreck, will recall with a proud consciousness that not all his energies were expended in depriving as many of his country's enemies of life, as the opportunities at his disposal enabled him to compass. In (September, 1816, when the British troops were being withdrawn from Java, four hundred men of the 78th High- landers embarked for Calcutta on board the ' Princess Charlotte ' transport, but the ship, running upon a sunken rock, the day after her departure, w'as, with great difficulty, navigated back to Batavia Roads. Here the troops were transferred to the ' Francis and Charlotte,' a vessel of 700 tons, which sailed for Calcutta on the 29th of September. On the 5th of November, the ship with the ill-fated Highlanders on board, ran on one of the sunken reefs surrounding the island of Preparis, which lay about twelve miles on the larboard quarter. The boats could only hold one-fifth of the souls, which, including soldiers, women, children, and the crew, numbered upwards of five hundred and forty. A great portion of these were landed on the island, and a ship, the ' Prince Blucher,' bearing in sight, took on board the remainder, who had been exposed on a rock near the wreck for five days ; owing to the tempestuous weather that now set in, the captain of the 'Prince Blucher' deemed it prudent to proceed to Calcutta, where he arrived in nine days. Lord Hastings, the Governor-General, immediately despatched two of the Company's cruisers to proceed to the island and bring ofT the remainder of the shipwrecked people, amounting to one hundred and fifty men, who were found on the thirty-sixth day after the wreck, in a state of deplorable weakness. They had been subsisting on shell-fish, but latterly, none had been procurable, and they were in too exhausted a condition to search for them at low-water. Several of them died after being taken on board the cruisers, and the sudden change from total privation to plenty, proved fatal to many more. HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY, 271 A few months later, another of the Hon. Company's ships was of service to the cause of humanity, by rescuing the crew of H.JM.'s frigate 'Alceste,' of forty-six guns, commanded by Captain Maxwell. The ' Alceste' had sailed on the i)th of January, 1817, from Manilla for England, with Lord Amherst and suite, then returning from the embassy to China; within nine days of her departure, while making for the Straits of Gaspar, the frigate struck with a tremendous crash on a rt-cf of sunken rocks, and, in a few minutes, the water iilled the hold and flowed over the orlop-deck. The Ambassador and his suite were immediately landed on the island of Pulo Leat, about four miles distant, and, before night, all the crew joined them. As it was now found that the island was destitute of food, every effort was nuide to recover as much as possible from the wreck, and, daring the next few days, they succeeded in collect- ing several casks of flour and some arms, which were of almost equal importance to them in their unfortunate situation, as a large number of Malay pirate proas had made their appearance, and not only took possession of the wreck, but threatened to attack the breast-work enclosing a circular position, within which Captain Maxwell had retired with his crew. j\Ieantime, Lord Amherst, with the other members of his embassy, I'orty- seven in all, had proceeded in a large cutter to Batavia, in order to procure assistance, and it arrived not a day too soon. On the morning of the 3rd of March, the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Ternate,' of sixteen guns, hove in sight, and, advancing on the pirates, quickly dispersed them with her broadsides ; before nightfall all the ofiicers and crew of H.M.S. 'Alceste' were safely on board the little cruiser. Captain Maxwell who, throughout these trying circumstances, had exhibited the gallantry and self-denying example which are the most cherished characteristics of the British officer, and who was well seconded in his eflorts to maintain discipline by his crew, said, during the course of his examination at the court-martial convened to try him for the loss of his ship, "Having seen all my compan- ions in distress fairly embarked, I felt, in walking off to the boat, that my heart was lifted up with gratitude to a kind Pro- vidence who had watched over us." And he had cause for thankfulness, as appears from the following account of the pro- ceedings of the day preceding the arrival of the ' Ternate,' which reads like a ])age out of IMarryat's novel, ' ^lasterman Ready:' — "At dawn on Sunday, the 8rd of March, the whole horde of savages advanced to the island, yelling and firing their pieces, and beating their gongs, and they anchored within a cable's length of the shore. Some further attempts were made at a parle}', and a negotiation for assistance, but without any feeling of sincerity on tiie ])art of the Malays. Their force kept continually increasing, and in the course of the day no 272 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. less than fifty proas and boats liad arrived, with at least five hundred men on board. Their objeet was evidently to slaughter. the Europeans for the sake of plunder, and as they hourly grew stronger, they were less careful to conceal their intentions. That evening. Captain Maxwell assembled his men, and in- forming them that he was hourly expecting an attack from the pirates, made a spirited appeal to them, and promised them victor_y. His address was received with three hearty cheers, which resounded far and wide, and produced an evident effect on the savages, who mistook the hurrahs for a war-cry, and stood on the defensive. The night passed without any attack, but the morning discovered the enemy strengthened by the arrival of ten more vessels, with a hundred additional men. The position of the English grew momentarily more critical, and they began to ponder which alternative they should accept, that of dashing at the pirates, and, at the risk of being butchered themselves, getting possession of their boats ; or that of stand- ing on their defence until their scanty provisions were exhausted, or assistance arrived from Java. "While they were yet un- decided which course to adopt, one of the ofilcers climbed a tall tree, and reported something like a sail at a great distance. A look-out was immediately sent up with a glass, and sweeping the horizon, soon announced a vessel standing towards the island under all sail. At this news, the anxieties of the ship- wrecked crew vanished at once, and gave place to a joy as general as unbounded, and from many a heart sincere thanks were returned to the Almighty for their happy deliverance. The vessel approaching proved lo be the ' Ternate,' despatched by Lord Amherst to their assistance. The horde of pirates made a precipitate flight at her appearance, amidst a vollej' from the now rescued crew. All were embarked on board her, and arrived in safety at Batavia, where the Ambassador himself received them hospitablv. and had them comfortably provided for." CHAPTER IX. 1811—1820. Operations against the Pirates of Kattywar and Cutch — The ' Malabar,' Captain Maxfield, in Burmah — Expeditions against Malwau and Dwarka— Galhnit Services of Lieutenant Grant in Kattywar — Action between the ' Nautihis ' and ' Peacock ' — Services of tlie Bombay Marine daring the Mahi'atta War — Shipbuilding in Bombay Dockyai'd — Operations at Mocha. BETWEEN the years 1811-16, owing to the absence of a kirge portion of the cruisers of the Bomba}^ Marine in the Eastern Islands, the duties fell very heavily on the small force disposable at head-quarters, who had thus scarcely' any rest in port, but were hurried from one sphere of duty to another. The pirates on the coast of the southern Concan, Kattywar,* and Cutch, were in consequence very troublesome and daring", and the squadron of small craft, schooners and armed pattamars, were actively and successfully employed against them ; the only remaining available cruiser was employed in protecting the Red Sea trade. The pirates established at Bcyt, had, from time immemorial, been very daring in their depredations. In 1803, a small, but well-appointed, squadron, consisting of II.M's. ship ' Eox,' and Honourable Company's brigs ' Ternatu' and 'Teignmouth,' was despatched by the Bombay Government to beat up their quarters, and, after a bombardment of two or three days without * The Guzerat Peninsula is now known by the name of Kattywar, from the tribe of Kattees, who inhabit the central division or province of the ten into wliicii the Peninsula is divided ; of these ten divisions eight belong to Ra,jpoots of diverse tribes, and one alone, Sorutli, to the Mahoniniedan dynasty of Joonu- ghur. The proper name of the peninsula is, however, Soorashtra, so called by the Greeks, from Soo (Good) and Kashtra (country) ; it is sacred in Hindoo eyes from its liaving been the scene of Krishna's exploits and death, and vast numbers of pilgi'ims crowd from all -parts of India to its shrines, the most famous of which was the Temple of Somnauth, desecrated by the Mohammedan conqueror, Malimoud of Ghuznee, and rendered historical in modern times by Lord EUeu- borousjli's famous "proclamation of the gates." The first to establish order in Kattywar was Colonel Walker, Kesidont at Baroda, who, in 1S05, checked the incursions of the Mahratta busts wlio levied choid by certain regular ])ayniont?. Full details of the Guzerat Peninsula may be found in No. 37 of the Bombay Government Records, in which are also the Eeporls of Captain (now Sir George Le Grand) Jacob, who places the population of Kattywar at 1.147,000 in 18 ti'. The entire length of the coast-line of Kattywar from Beyt Island to Uiu Head is one hundred and sixty miles. VOL. L T 274 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. any salutary effect, a division of seamen and marines was landed, but could penetrate no further than \hepettah, which, as at Broach , and other Mahratta towns, lay under cover of the guns and musketry fire of the garrison. Several men fell in the attempt to assault this strong fortress, but, though unsuccessful, their blood was not shed in vain, as after they had retired, a great portion of the pirates took alarm and evacuated the island of Beyt. These now established themselves in the ruins of the ancient temple of Somnauth which they fortified, and continued to molest the traders in the Gulf of Cambay, until driven out by a second expedition in which the above ships participated. The pirates soon again became troublesome, and, in 1808, Lieutenant Macdonald was employed blockading the ports of Beyt and Poshetra, with the schooner ' Lively' and two armed pattamars, and succeeded in forcing the piratical chiefs to give in their submission. But no sooner were the blockading vessels with- drawn than the people of the seaboard of the Guzerat peninsula returned to their nefarious calling. At length, at the close of 1811, an expedition was sent to Kattywar, nnder the command of Colonel Lionel Smith, of H.M's. (i5th Regiment, with which a squadron of cruisers co- operated. Captain Sealy being senior naval oiBcer. The squadron consisted of the 'Benares,' fourteen guns; 'Prince of Wales,' fourteen guns; Zephyr' and 'Sylph,' schooners, of eight guns, and four armed pattamars. As was customary in those days, an officer of the Marine was appointed boat-master to the force, whose special duty it was to superintend the arrangements connected with the transports and boats, and see that they were well found and in good order. As the 'Benares' and 'Prince of Wales' were too large for service in the shallow waters of the Kattywar coast, they were withdrawn, and Lieutenants Blast and Hardy remained with their schooners ' Zephyr' and ' Sylph,' and four pattamars, each armed with six 12-pounder carronades. Very efficient service the little squadron performed, and Mr. Midshipman Grant,* who had been appointed acting- lieutenant of the 'Rodney,' the pennant vessel of Commodore James Jeakes, commanding on the Surat station, particularly distinguished himself. A merchant ship proceeding from Bombay to Surat having been plundered by pirates, when an officer of the Bombay European Regiment, who was a passenger on board her, was * Tliis meritorious officer, who entered the Service in 1810, died in September, 1 874, at the age of eighty-one. He had ah-eady gained the approval of Sir John Malcolm, for while midshipman of tlie Hon. Company's sloop-oi'-war ' Mercury ' at Bussorah, he was selected to command an Arab ship taken up by tlie Pohtical Resident to carry the British Envoy's suite to Bombay, the Eesident having applied to Captain Conyers for an officer to perform this duty. His knowledge of navigation and seamanship was displayed by his bringing the sliip in safety to Bombay, when General Malcolm recommended him to the Government of Bom- bay for promotion. HISTORY OF THE IXDIAN NAVY. 27,5 severely wounded, Mr. Grant was directed to take coniiJiaii(] of the Company's armed pattamar ' Bhowany,' carrying six im- pounder carronades, and proceed after the pirate. In the hitter part of December, 1811, while cruising in search of her, he fell in with the 'Zei)hyr,' Lieutenant Bhist, who directed hiui to proceed in company to Kori or Lukput River, in Outch, where, according to intelligence, some piratical craft had taken shelter. Lieutenant Blast stationed the'Deria Dowlut,' pattamar, on the opposite side of the river to stop the passage of all boars and vessels to or from Lukput Bunder; the 'Dart' gunboat he stationed at the inner enti ance abreast of the Cotaseer Creek, where the pirates were said to have taken up a position ; and the ' Bhowany,' with Mr. Midshii>man Kinchant in command, was placed at the outer entrance of the creek to prevent their escape in that direction. Mr. Grant having volunteered to cut the three pirate vessels out, proceeded with all the boats of the small squadron up the creek, where they had taken up a strong position imder shelter of the guns of Fort Nuranseer. The affair was completely successful. Mr. Grant pulled up tlie creek, disregarding a heavy fire that was opened on him from the baghalas, which were boarded and carried in gallant style. Lieutenants Blast and Hardy, and the other officers and men of the squadron engaged on the Scinde coast in the suppression of piracy, received the thanks of the Govxn'innent of Boiid)ay, ami Mr. Grant, who received command of the gunboat ' Dart,' was honoured by a special letter of thanks from the JMarine Office, under date the 24th of January, 1812. In February, 1812, Coh)nel Smith attacked the fort of Nowanugger, when the officers and men of the Bombay Maruie afforded vahiable co-operation, and earned the tlianks of the military connnander. In April of this year, Acting-Lieutenant Grant again displayed his zeal and activity by capturing, with the ' Dart' and ' Deria Dowlut,' after a smart action, a large piratical vessel, having on board the notorious leaders Rajah Na(;kwah and his father, Vesey Nackwah ; for this service he again received the thanks of Government. At tlie close of 1811, and beginning of the following year, the 'Benares' antion into the tei'ritory of Chittagong of a large Burmese force, which spread considerable alarm along the whole line of our iVontier, and induced the political agent. Mr. Pechell, to apply for immediate succour. A battalion of troops was instantly warned for service, and one wing, with am- munition and a large supply of treasure, embark^-d on board the T 2 27() HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. ' Aurora,' fourteen guus, Captain Mactlonald, then refitting at tlie Calcutta dockyard, with which he started in a very crowded state, towing the haunch, and accompanied by the 'Phoenix,' ' Thetis,' and ' Vestal,' with the rest of the regiment, amounting in all to nine hundred men. On the sixth day he arrived at Chittagong, when the troops were no sooner disembarked, than the insolent Mughs retreated within their own boundary. Our .political relations with the Burmese Empire had become gradually more unsatisfactory in proportion to the aversion evinced by the British authorities to engage in an expensive war. This state of affairs dated from Colonel Syme's second mission in 1803, when a plot, believed to have the concurrence of the King of Burmah was concocted, for the forcible seizure of the Envoy's person while en route to Amurapura, together with the captain of the ' Mornington,' who had taken up his resi- dence at Rangoon, and to whom in the dead of night the project was disclosed by an American, in the service of that government, who also furnished him with a canoe in time to effect his escape to the ship. By this officer's prompt and decisive measures on the following morning, in demanding hostages for the Envoy's safety, and assuming a position to enforce these demands in event of denial, this treacherous scheme was effectually defeated ; though the Mission failed of producing any cordial or permanent results. The British territory, bordering on the kingdom of Arracan, was frequently disturbed by predatory excursions, for which it was impossible to obtain the slightest redress ; and, in 1811, Captain Canning, aide-de-camp to the Governor-General, was despatched in the 'Malabar,' Captain Maxfield, as diplomatic agent to the Court of this capricious potentate. The Burmese Government was ripe for aggression, and the Viceroy of Rangoon received orders from Ava, which were published in the streets, to send the Envoy, as well as the commander of the cruiser, up to the capital in irons. An attempt, indeed, was made to carr}' the order into effect, for when the Envoy was returning with his escort and followers to the ' Malabar,' two war boats, out of about twenty that were in motion round the cruiser, tried to seize one of the ' Malabar's' cutters. But Captain Maxfield was a man of prompt action, and he ordered the guns to be pointed at the two war boats, but not to fire, as the Envoy was still in the cutter and might be sacrificed. Captain Canning reached the cruiser in safety, when a message was immediately sent to the A'iceroy, complaining of the outrage, and demanding instant reparation by the delivery of the conmianders of the war-boats in irons, on board the ' Malabar,' and the disavowal of the act of aggression ; the Viceroy was allowed half-an-hour to decide, at the expira- tion of which time, he was informed, the ' Malabar would, in HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 277 the event of refusal, attacik the town. In response to this iniperative summons the commanders of the war-boats were sent off handcuffed, and the Viceroy made the required atone- ment for the outrage. During the year 1812, the western squadron was reinlorcc 1 hy the ' Mornington' twenty-two guns, and 'Thetis' and 'Ariel,' ten-gun brigs, from Bengal, they being relieved by the ' Teign- inouth,' sixteen guns, and 'Antelope,' fourteen guns, which had been employed in China; the former vessel and the ' Malabar' and ' Aurora' proceeded early in the following year to Java, and participated in the expedition against the Rajah of Sambas, where, as already mentioned, the ' Teignmouth' lost more than two-thirds of her crew. Towards the end of 1812, a small military force, under the command of Colonel Lionel Smith, assisted by the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Prince of ^Vales,' fourteen guns, and a squadron of small craft, proceeded against a nest of pirates who had long established themselves at Malwan,* on the Malabar coast, rendering navigation nnsafe for trading vessels unless nnder convoy, and compelling the Bombay Govennnent to retain a. cruiser to blockade the coast. The expedition was completely successful, and the pirates were so thoroughly rooted * Malwan had for centuries been tlie haunt of pirates. The port of Malwan is situated between the fort of that name and Melundy island, or Sindcedroog, and lies between Gheriah and Vingorla. Malwan and three other ports had formerly belonged to the Rajah of Kolapoor, -while between them and the Portu- guese territory of Goa, lay the small principality of VVaree. ruled by the Uhonsla family. The late Duke of Wellington, then Major-General Wcllcsley, apprehen- sive t)f the safety of the single Company's cruiser employed to blockade the coast of Malwan, a fear not shared by the officers of the Bombay Marine engaged in that service, wrote in 1801 that he regarded " the blockade of the Uajah's ports by a Company's cruiser as always inconvenient and expensive," and recommended the adoption of a treaty on their paying com])cnsation for the country vessels ]ilundered. Again, writing to Colonel Sir William Clarke, commanding the 81th Regiment at Goa, he remarks that " nothing can be more scandalous than the system of piracy which has long been carried on on the coast of Malabar ; and 1 am con- vinced that the nu-asure which I have proposed to the Rajah is an expedient which will answer the j)urpose expected from it, only for a time. I indeed doubt much whether the Rajah of Kolapoor or the IShonslah have the power, suppos- ing them to have the inclination, to prevent piracy ; and that object is, in my opinion, to be atl'ected only by severe instantaneous punishments of pirates on their own coasts, and in sight of their own people ; and if it sliould still l)e per- sisted in, by sending strong armaments -within all the creeks and rivers, with orders to destroy boats, vessels, the fortifications which protect them, and even the habitations of the pirates." The capture of the lortresses of Newtec and Rairce, during tlie Mnhratta War in 1818, by a force under Sir William Xeir Grant, in which the IJombay Marine participated, finally put an end to the depredations of these restless jieople. At this time only the principality of Sawunt Wiirec, a stri]) of territory forty miles in lenglh by twenty-five in breadth, remained between the Southern Concan and the rortugucse district of Goa, and its ruler, called Phund Sawunt, gave trouble in 1814, though the rci.ning prince in 18.i7, -was faithful. The family was known by the title of Desaee, and the dynasty wa-* al>o called Bhon"^^la m the eighteenth century. He is now a petty diief, entitled to a saluto of nine guns. 278 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. out that they have never again l)een able to make head there. In 181;^, xMr. Grant, now First-Lieutenant of the ' Prim-e of AVales,' again distinguished himself by cutting out, with a party of seamen and marines i'roin his ship, a pirate vessel that had taken shelter in the Ranpeer River, Scinde. In consequence of his meritorious services, Captain Carnac (afterwards Sir James Rivett Carnac, Governor of Bombay) Political Resident at Baroda, strongly recommended him to Government, and Lieutenant Grant was appointed to the command of the Guicowar's naval force, which was no sinecure in those days, as the Joasmi pirates were at the height of their power, and their well-armed and manned dhows, sailing in squadrons, swept the Arabian Gulf and the coasts of India, almost as far south as Bombay. Within a year of his appointment Lieutenant Grant, when on a cruise, recaptured off Damaun, a ship under English colours that had just been seized by a large pirate vessel, which he drove off. In 1815, during the course of the military opera- tions in Kattywar, Lieutenant Grant landed with his men and took command of the artillery at the siege of the fort of Kundorna. The Guicowar lost upwards of one thousand five hundred men killed and wounded during the investment of this important fortress, and Lieutenant Grant effected the breach in a short time by the accuracy of the fire of the guns which he himself served. For this service he received the thanks of Government, and the Political Agent at Kattywar, writing on the 8th of July, 1815, from the camp, bore testimony to the "indefatigable zeal" he displayed, and added, "the professional exactness and skill with which the shots were thrown, and the general effect of the ordnance, were such as frequently to call for the marked commendation and applause of the superior officers, as well as the troops in genei-al of this force." In the same year Lieutenant Grant was convoying twenty- four trading vessels with two armed pattamars, when a fleet of Joasmi pirates hove in sight and began to attack the convoy ; a sharp action now ensued, and Lieutenant Grant succeeded in beating the enemy off. He also captured a pirate vessel out of Cutch, which had been harassing the trade along the Kattywar coast, and a little later in this year (1815) captured, off Pore- bimder,* a pirate vessel commanded by the notorious chief, Hussein Nurreadah, who had, for a long time, preyed on the trade of the Gulf of Canibay. For these services he received * Porebuiider, on the Kattj'war coast, in tlie district of Jetwar or Biirda, is a place of considerable commercial importance, and the town, which is within tlie fort, is surrounded by walls one and a half miles in circmnference. The Rajpoot Eana of Porebuuder is subordinate to the Guicowar of Baroda, to whom he pays tribute, as well as to the British Government, to whom a portion r)f the customs' dues was ceded in 1809 for tlie maintenaiu-e of a small military force. Fifteen miles from Poi-ebunder is Novee Bunder, the capital of the district, a place of commercial note. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 27 9 the thanks of the Gnicovvar, who presented him with a sword and a pahmkin, in which to go to Court on state occasions, and conferred on him the rank of captain in his service — honours and gifts the bestowal of which were ap])roved h}' the Govern- ment of Bombay in Council, and by the Court of Directors. Further to enable him to support the eight bearers necessary to carry the palanquin when attending at Court, the Guicowar granted him the village of Velun, near Din Head.* In 1815, in consequence of the continued depredations of the piratical tribes of Cutch against neighbouring States in alliance with the Company, the Governor of Bombay ordered a squadron of cruisers, under Captain Blast, including the 'Vestal.' Lieutenant James Watkins, and ' Sylph,' Lieutenant James Arthur, to be despatched to blockade the coasts, and issued a proclamation to that effect. He also directed the despatch of a body of troops, composed of H.M. 17th Dragoons and 65th Reginient, the Hon. Company's European Regiment, and three companies of Native Artillery, under the couunand of Colonel East. After a brief siege, a detachment, under Colonel Barclay, captured Anjar. about two miles from Bhooj, the capital of Cutch, while the main column proceeded to Okhamundel,t where the squadron, under Captain Grant, * The following is a copy of the letter of the Guicowar, dated 23rd October, 1817, conferring these honours : — " Anund Rao Guicowar ISena Khaskjl Sliunisheer Bahadur writes his compli- ments. "The distinguished ralour and courage which you displayed \\hilst in company with Vitell Row Dewanjee Soobali of Kattywar, Marluckgury, have been duly brought to tlie notice of tliis Government by the above-named otlicer, as also by Captain James Kivett Carnac, Resident. From this we are sensible of your being interested in tlie welfare of this Government. Likewise the gallant conduct, discipline, and military knowledge which you evinced whilst in connnand of the Artillery at the siege and capture of the Fort of Kundorna, and other various meritorious services rendered by you; as also your exertions, valour, ])crseverance on a late occasion, while in command of the Sirkar pattamars, in saving numerous merchant vessels, and capturing two of the vessels belonging to the pirates, have all been brought to the notice of tliis Government. This Governmeut, there- fore, entertain the highest ojiinion of your ability and merits. " The Government is also mucli gratified to learn your conciliatory conduct in preserving the friendshij:) and attachment of their servants and subjects in general. " The Government therefore grants you as a mark and token of its apjiroba- tion of the various meritorious services which you have, from time to time, rendered, the rank of Captain, with a suitable uniform and sword. In order to enable you to accompany the Soobah on his joui'neys. and to travel by land, a palanqueen is grantetl to you by the Sirka, in which you are to ride. " What more can be said?" t Okhamundel is derived from two words, okha., Punjabi for " bad," and mendel, a term applied to any district or division. The inhabitants of tiie penin- sula are called Wadhel Rajpoots and ^^'aghers, and tlic latter liave ever been a notorious race of pirates, who have resisted all authority and given rise to nume- rous expeditions on the part both of Native rulers and the British Government. Of the entire length of the Kattywar coast, one liundred and sixty miles, the northern portion, thirty miles, forms Okhamundel, and is almost severed from tlie main by the Runn of Cutch, a mud Hat snbnieiged in the rainy season. The 280 HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. afforded valuable co-operation. In February, 18 1 G, operations were commenced in the peninsula, by the reduction of the fortified post of Dhengee, which was captured by storm after a siege of three days ; thence the column marched to Dwarka, famed for its temples dedicated to Krishna, but just as the bat- teries and ships, the latter under Captain Blast, were about to open fire on the place it surrendered at discretion. The Expedition now proceeded to the island of Beyt, but the chief, considering resistance hopeless, sent in his submission. The 5th Regiment Native Infantry wt^s left to garrison the captured places, and the remainder of the troops proceeded to Nowanuggur, the Jam's capital, and Joonughur, a strong fort on the southern coast of Kattywar. The squadron remained some time longer on the coast, until the peninsula of Okhanjundel was delivered over to the Guicowar. Between the years 1818-19 a squadron was kept cruising off the coasts of Scinde and Cutch, under command of Lieutenant Tanner, in the ' Antelope,' who had considerable success in destroying several pirate vessels. In 1820 the garrison maintained in Okhamundel b}^ the Gui- cowar, was so insufficient for the purpose of keeping the restless Waghers in order, that they rose upon the troops whom they overpowered, when they obtained possession of the province. To retrieve the loss, in November of that year, a British force was despatched against Dwarka, under command of Colonel the Hon. Leicester Stanhope ; and, on the 2t5th of November, the place was taken by escalade, with the loss of four killed and twenty-eight wounded. The 'Nautilus,' of fourteen guns, commanded by Lieutenant Middleton, participated in this Expedition, and her officers and crew were honourably mentioned in Colonel Stanhope's despatch. A column has been erected at Dwarka to commemorate its capture, a little to the west of the great temple* and close to the edge of the cliffs. In the latter part of the year 1817, Captain Grant received the thanks of the Bombay Government for fitting out, with extraordinary promptitude, a corvette of sixteen guns, belonging to the Governor of Diu, and a brig, which he armed with the guns and men of his own gunboats, in order to cruise against some Joasmi pirate vessels, which were infesting the Kattywar and Cutch coasts ; none of the Company's cruisers were at the time on the station, and his zealous exertions were rewarded with success, until he fell in with the 'Teignmouth' and next twenty-two miles from the Rimu at Mucllii to Miani, form part of Halar, the territory of the Jam of Nowanuggur ; the southern ten mik's, hke Okha- mundel, is also under the Guicowar. From Mul Dwarka to Seel Bunder, foi'ty- Jive miles, belongs to the Nawab of Joonughur, and fi-om Mahadeopore to Miani owns the sway of theRana of Porebunder. * This temple, wliieh is built of stone, and is whitewashed, stands at an eleva- tion of 168 feet above tlie sea level ; it is a prominent object, being visible in clear weather a distance of seventeen or eighteen miles. HISTORY OF TPIE INDIAN NAVY. 281 'Aurora,' in company with which the corvette continued the cruise. While thus engaged he was instrumental in saving treasure amounting to sixty bags of dollars, and the greater part of the cargo of a vessel, formerly known as the ' l*rincess Royal,' belonging to some of the principal merchants of Surat, which had been wrecked on the Kattywar coast ; for this act, the merchants, upwards of twenty in number, and the under- writers, presented him with a letter of thanks, and he received from the Governor in Council, a despatch conveying his " high approval" for his meritorious conduct, and his huuianity in pre- serving the crew from the hands of the " lawless soldiery " of the Government of Joouughur, who had appropriated the whole of the valuable cargo, besides forty-two bags of dollars and silver, in recovering which, says the Political Agent, "Captain Grant, who had returned to the coast for the express object of pro- curing restitution, was subjected to personal insult and danger." In 1820, by an unexpected event, the active career of Captain Grant was temporarily brought to a sudden termination, and though he served in India some years after this event, his con- stitution had received so rude a shock by the cruel ill-treatment to which he was subjected, that he never recovered his health, and was ultimately forced to quit the Service, and retire upon a pension. Captain Grant had been so successful in his vigorous measures for the extirpation of piracy on the coast of Kattywar, that the Guicowar considered it unnecessary to maintain a naval establishment. He, accordingly, received orders to proceed in- land from his station, Velun Bunder, near Din Head, to Ann-ellie Fort, to deliver over charge of his vessels to the Guicowar's Sersooba or Dewan. While proceeding on this journey with an escort of four moinited men, he was waylaid by a bidm-icutt'ui* band of thirty-five horsemen, commanded by a noted Kattee outlaw chief, one Bawawalla, and, after a brief struggle, in which his servant was killed, and his moonshee and two of his small escort were wounded, the party were overpowered. Captain Grant was personally unable to make any efllectual resistance, as he oidy carried a riding whip, and was carried away to endure a confinement of nearly three months in the most pestilential jungles of tlu; Kattywar peninsula.! * Balia-wuttia means literally " out of countn," and the outlaws, wlio wore thus termed, were the most cruel of the liumau race, and not only ravaged the country and robbed all degi-ees of the community, but did not scruple to maim or murder even those wlio offered no resistance. t His sufferings were sucli that most men would have succumbed to them, but he was gifted with an iron frame and indomitable resolution, and snrviveil more than lialf a century ; in April, 1871, at the request of General 8ir George Lo G-rand Jacob— wiio had filled the post of Political Agent at Kattywar, between the years lS;51)-43— be s\ipplied liim with the following " Narrative of bis Cap- tivity," whieli appears in that ollicer's work, entitled " Western India :" — " On first coming up, 15awawalla said that ho wanted to consult me about his alfairs, and on this pretext got me to dismount ; my people being rendered helpless, I 282 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. His release was effected through the agency of the British Political officer, but his constitution received so severe a shock from the cruel treatment to which he had been subjected during was forced to remount my horse and gallop ofT with the gang, who took me into a large jungle called tlie Geer, where I was kept prisoner on the top of a moun- tain for two moutlis and seventeen days. During the whole of this time, two armed men with swords drawn, kept guard over me. I laid amongst the rocks, drenched with rain night and day, with the exception of two niglits, when the gang forced me to accompany them, and we stopped in a friendly village. In this expedition I was occasionally allowed to ride, but always surrounded by a strong band, that made all attempt at escape impossible. In one village, where the people favoured Bawawalla, the women took my part, and upbraided him and his men for my cruel treatment. Towards unfriendly villages the custom of the gang was to ride up to the gates and chop off the heads of little boys at play, and then go off rejoicing and laugliing at tlieir cursed exploits. When they returned to the encampment, after a day's murdering foray, the young Kattee:? used to boast how many men they had killed, and one day I heard the old fellows questioning them rather particularly, whether or not they were sure they had killed then- victims. ' Yes,' they said ; ' they had seen their spears through them, and were certain they were dead.' 'Ah!' remarked an old Kattee, ' a human being is worse to kill than any other animal ; never be sure they are dead till you see the body on one side of the road and the head on the other.' "At times the chief, Bawawalla, in a state of stupor from opium, would come and sit by my side, and holding his dagger over me, ask how many stabs it would take to kill me. I said I thought one would do, and I hoped he would put me out of my misery. ' I suppose you think,' he would answer, ' that I won't kill you ; I have killed as many human beings as ever fisherman killed fish, and I should think nothing of putting an end to you ; but I shall keep you awhile yet, till I see if your Government will get me back my property, if so 1 will let you off.' " When not out plundering, the gang slept most of the day. At night the halter of each horse was tied to its master's arm ; when the animals heard voices they tugged, and the men were up in an instant. Their meals consisted of bajree cakes with chillies and milk, when it could be got. I used to have the same. Once or twice my servant was allowed to come to me, and bi'ought the rare treat of some curry and a bottle of claret from Captain Ballantine. The wine Bawawalla seized on at once, thinking it was daroo or spirits, but on tasting the liquor, he clianged his mind, and spitting it out declared it was poison, sent no doubt on purpose to kill him. By the way of test I was ordered to drhik it, which I did with very great pleasure, and finding me none the worse, he gave up his idea of poison. Among his people there were two young men who showed some feeling for me. One of tliese was shot in a pillaging raid, shortly before my release. They used to try and cheer me up by telling me I should be set free. Occasionally, when opportunity oHered, they would inform me how many people they liad killed, and tlie method they pursued when rich travellers refused to pay the sum demanded. This was to tie the poor wretches by their legs to a beam across a well, with their heads touching tlie water, and then to saw away at the rope until the tortured victims agreed to their demands, then the Kattees would haul them up, get fiom them a lioondee, or bill on some agent, and keep them jirisoners till this was paid. '" Sometimes they told me of their master's intention to murder me, which was not pleasant. He and his men had many disputes about me, just as his hopes or fears of the consequence of my imprisonment prevailed. I can never forget one stormy night they were all sitting round a great fire, and I lay behind them. Lions and wild beasts roared around us, but did not prevent me overhearing a debate upon the subject of wliat should be done with me. The men complained that they had been two months in the jungle on my account, their families were in the villages, very badly off for food, and that they would stay no longer. Their chief replied, ' Let us kill him. and flee to some other part of tlie country.' To this they objected, that the English would send troops and take their families HISTORY OF THE IXDIAX NAVY. 283 his confinement, that he was nnable to enter on active dutj' until 1822, when, on Captain Mack, of tlie Marine, being drowned while piloting the Hon. Company's ship ' Buckinghamshire' out ot" Bombay, owing to the heavy sea capsizing his boat, he was promoted First-Assistant in the Master Attendant's Department. He signalized the first year of his return to active employ by a gallant ex])loit, and, in the words of the Superintendent of the Bombay ilarine to the Governor of Bombay, " had the good fortune, off Surat Bar, by great energy and risk, in heavy blowing weather, to save the lives of a detachment of His Majesty's 4tli Dragoons while under his convoy, for which he received the thanks of Colonel Dalbiac* and the marked approbation of Government." prisoners, and ill-use them. So in the end it was agreed to keep me for the present. " Mj release was effected at last through our Political Agent, Captain Ballan- tine, who prevailed on the Nawab of Joouu^hur to use liis inilucnce to get anotlier Kattee, who had forcibly taken Bavvawalla's Pergunna, or district, to restore it to him, and Bawawalla thus having gained his object, set me free. My sufferings during confinement were almost beyond endurance, and I used to pray in the evening that I luiglit never see another morning. 1 had my boots on my feet for the first month, not being able to get them off from tlic constant wet until I was reduced by sickness. Severe fever with ague, and inflammation of the liver c-ame on, and with exposure to the open air drove me dchrious, so tliat when let go I was found wandering in tlie fields at uiglit covered with vermin from head to fool. I shall never forget the lieavenly sensation of tlie ht)t bath and clean clothes I got in tlie tent of tlie Nawab of Joonughur's Dcwan. The fever and ague then contracted continued on me for five years, and the ill effects still remain, my head being at tunes greatly troubled witii giddiness, and I have severe fits of ague ; my memory is also much affected, but I can never forget the foregoing incidents, though it is now upwards of fifty years since they occurred." * The following is an extract from a letter addressed to Captain Grant by Colonel Dalbiac, commanding the 4th Dragoons, afterwards General Sir Cliarles Dalbiac, Inspector-General of Cavalry, dated 29th May, 1822, and written at " Arras while on the march to Khairah :" — "I felt confident throughout that the detachment would receive every assist- ance which could possibly be derived from skill and exertion. Such, accoi-ding to Lieutenant Coney's Report, has indeed proved to be tlie case, for it is to your aid chiefly that I must ascribe the preservation of this valuable detaclinient. Allow me then to exjiress tlie sincere obligation wjiich I shall ever consider myself under for tlie inijiortant service rendered to tiiis part of the Regiment under my command, wliich I have requested ]\lr. Meriton to communicate in a particular manner to his Excellency the Commander-in-Cliief." Captain Grant had already distinguished himself as a philanthropist, and Cap- tain James McMurdo, Political Agent at Kattywar, sent a correspondence to the Bombay Gazette, which appeared in (hat ]iaper on the 2Gth of January, 1820, describing the noble work ho had done among the poor inhabitants of Kowrinar, when they had been stricken with tlie plague. Of this correspondence we will only' insert the two following letters. The Ser Soobah of Kattywar wi'ites : — "As a river of sweet water brings relief to the world, so liave you extended your favours by the wisdom of your actions. We are in friendship one. Tlie Supreme who keeps the j;lobe without visible support, who baa spread tho heavens like a tent, is always in our remembrance. Since you have left us wo have never forgot you, and we daily exjiect news of you. In the meantime, we have received from the inliabitants of Kowrinar reports of the assistance you were to them when they were attacked by the Mirgce [cholera morbus) : for this 284 HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. In 1815 occurred a circuinstancc which, at the same time, stamps with honour the name of a gallant officer of the J:)(jinbay Marine, and with ignominy that of his opponent, a Captain in the Navy of the United States, with which nation this country had been at war during the previous three years. On the oOtli of June, 1815, the Hon. Company's cruiser 'Nautilus,' of four- teen guns, commanded by Lieutenant Boyce, while off Anjier i-eason we liave sent you thiswitli oar thanks, as well as those of the inliabitants, wliose report is enclosed. Y"ou have saved them ; they are pleased ; and in seeing them happy, we are ourselves most happy. What can we say moi'e ?" The second letter, which is signed by one hundred of the Native inhabitants of the afflicted district, and is addressed to Captain Grant, " the Protector of the Poor," is in the following terms : — " From the bankers, traders, and other inhabitants of this place, this is our Report. The trouble you took when we were attacked by the pestilence, in administering to the poor of tliis place, not only medicine, but relief of all kinds from your own resources, by wliicli means you not only saved a great many persons from death, but as if inspired by heaven, treated them with all manner of kindness. How much can we thank you for these favours. Out of seven hundred persons who were seized with this distemper, seventy-five only died, and of those fifteen or twenty only died after the remedy had been applied, and twenty-five others died before any assistance was given ; in the other thirty it appeared to liave been too long delayed ; but six hundred and twenty-live persons were, by the favour of heaven and your exertions, rescued (called again to life.) For all tliis, what can we give you but thanks and prayers to God for your prosperity and long life ; the reward is with Him, and our thanks that he permitted so valuable a person to reside amongst us ; it is indeed fortunate. Fi-ora far and near they came unto you, and were relieved ; pray God that it may be returned tenfold. And as long as you remain with us, we look up to you for protection, for if it had not been for you we should have had no assistance. Believe this, we pray, and continue your kindness towards us." As assistant to the Master-Attendant at Surat, Captain Grant received the thanks of Government for saving the Hon. Conipany's ship 'Duke of York,' off the entrance of the harbour during the south-west monsoon. Likewise he received the thanks of the merchants for saving from destruction on the south- west prong, the ship ' Milford,' of Bombay. Captain Grant continued in the Master-Attendant's office until 1828, when he was appointed Senior Naval Officer on the Surat station. In bringing his services to tlje notice of the Bombay Government, Captain Crawford, Superintendent of the Marine, says, under date of the 19th of March, 1833 : — " This officer always displayed great courage, talent, and energy, for which he invariably received the warmest approbation of his immediate superiors in the Civil, Military, and Naval Services ; even recently the Hon. Ihe Court of Directors, in their despatch in the Public Department, under date of the 24th of August, 1831, esijecially notices the exertions of Captain Grant and Commander Cogan, in securing pirates and recovering plundered property." In 1833 he pro- ceeded to England on sick leave, and in 1836, when his health had been restored, the Court of Directors appointed hnn to the command of the new steam sloop ' Berenice.' This vessel he took to Bombay in the year 1837, she being the second shijj (the ' Atalauta ' having sailed a few months before) that was pro- pelled by steam the whole voyage round the Cape of Good Hope from England to India. Soon after Captain Grant's arrival in Bombay, in June, 1837, his health failed, and he was again obliged to return to England, where he arrived in the beginning of 1838, after whicli he resigned the Service, having served twenty- three years in India, and altogether in the Service twenty-eight years. He soon after succeeded to tlie Senior Pension list of £800 per annum, which the gallant old officer enjoyed for a period of thirty-six years." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 285 in the Straits of Sunda, with despatches for the Supreme Government at Calcutta, sighted a vessel, which proved to be the United States sloop-of-war ' Peacock,' commanded by Cap- tain Warrington, the same ship which, on the 2yth of April, 1814, had captured H.M.'s brig ' Epervier,' Captain Wales, of eighteen guns, and one hundred and seventeen men. The following is an exact account of their respective armaments : ' Peacock,' a full-rigged ship of 539 tons, and carrying twenty 32-pounder carronades, and two long 18-pounders, total twenty- two guns, with a crew of one hundred and eighty-Hve, or, as some said, two hundred and twenty men; 'Nautilus,' a brig of 180 tons, carrying ten 18-pounder carronades and four long 9-pounders, and, being much under-handed, having a crew of only thirty-nine European officers and seamen, and forty marines and Lascars,* the total on board, including some European invalid soldiers, being about one hundred. We cannot do better than give the account of the action that ensued between the 'Nautilus ' and 'Peacock,' in the words of Lieutenant Boyce — a gallant young officer who had served under Captain Eatwell as First-Lieu- tenant of the 'Benares' while that ship was employed under the Bengal Government — in his oflicial despatch, addressed to the Secretary of the Company's j\Iarine Board : — " Sir, — I beg leave to acquaint you, for the informa- tion of the Board, that the wounds received on the 30th of June last, in a short but smart action with an Ame- rican sloop of war, off Anjier, in the Straits of Sunda, have hitherto prevented my transmitting an olKcial report of the circumstances attending that melancholy affair. I am hap])y to state that my health is now tolerably re-established ; and I think myself particularly fortunate, considering the nature of the wounds, that the honour of addressing you on this subject has been reserved for my pen, although, no doubt, public rinnour has, ere this, put you in possession of most of the facts which I now do myself the honour to state, and request that you will do me the favour to submit them to the Honourable Board. On the 30th of June last, being off Anjier, in the Straits of Sunda, on my passage to Bengal, in charge of public despatches from the Java Government, about four p.m., a strange sail hove in sight, standing with a fair wind to the north-eastward ; and as tlie lion. Comjiany's cruiser 'Nautilus,' under my command, was working to the scMith-westward, the two vessels approached each other rapidly. When the stranger was distant about three miles, 1 observed that she had J>ritish colours hoisted, and * As was customary with such of the Company's cruisers as coukl not make up their complements with European seamen, Lascars were sliipped in the 'NautiUis' to make up tlie required number. As the ditliculties of reeruiting scunien for the Service dccreaseii, owing to the great number of merchant sliips tliat arrived in Bombay Harbour from Enghmd, the crews of the Company's cruisers were latterly entirely composed of European seamen. 286 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. knowing that universal peace had been restored to Great Britain, I despatched a boat in charge of iny master, Mr. Bartlett, to obtain intelligence, which reached the stranger nearl}' at the same time as the Master-Attendant's from the shore : and I observed with my spying-glass, that the officers had no sooner got up the ship's side than the crews were forcibly taken out and both boats made fast astern. I prepared foraction.and thestranger at once opened her tier of ports, and bore down towards us. To prevent her crossing our hawse I tacked, then shortened sail, hove to, and soon afterwards hailed the stranger, 'What ship is that?' To which I received no reply until repeated four times, and then merely 'halloo!' About this period the English blue ensign was hauled down, and American colours hoisted. I then asked, 'Am I to consider you in tlie light of a friend or an enemy V The reply was, ' An enemy.' I then informed the American captain that peace had been ratified between Great Britain and the United States of America; also, that I had the proclamation on board, and hoped that a due consideration of this would induce him to spare bloodshed. I was tlien com- manded, in a very loud and peremptory manner, to ' haul down my colours,' which was immediately repeated still louder, and \vith the addition of 'instantly ;' to which I replied, ' I shall do no such thing.' The American then opened his fire upon us, by which two men were killed at the gun near me, and I received a grape shot, in a slanting direction, through the upper part of the thigh. A short but brisk action ensued, and observing sonie casualties, my First-Lieutenant, Mr. Robert ]\Iayston, and several others, wounded, and being myself disabled by a 32-pound shot, which shattered njy right knee joint, and splintered my thigh bone ; also considering the great disparity of force, I deemed it my duty, although I must confess that it was with no small degree of reluctance, to strike the British colours to the American. Her first-lieutenant, about dusk, took possession of us. She proved to be the United States sloop-of- war ' Peacock,' Captain Warrington, carrying twenty 32- pounder carronades, and two long 18-pounders. Her crew is said to consist of two hundred and twenty men. Both anchored for the night about six miles off Anjier, and in the morning I was permitted to be taken on shore, as well as the rest of the wounded, in compliance with my request to that effect. About two p.m. on the day following the action, the Hon. (Jom- pany's cruiser 'Nautilus' Avas restored, and Captain Warrington addressed a letter to Mr. Macgregor, Master- Attendant at Anjier, stating, that in consequence of the information received from him, and the several different sources from which he had heard that a peace had been concluded between the United States and Great Britain, he felt himself bound to desist from hostilities, and regretted that his reasonable command had not been complied HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 287 with b}'' the coinmaiKler of the 'Nautilus' brig the preceding afternoon. On the 4th of Jul}^ the ' Nautilus ' sailed for Batavia, where she arrived the day following, and was sent from thence to Reinbang, on the coast of Java, in the temporary charge of Acting-Lieutenant Barnes, who was ordered on board from the lion. Company's cruiser ' Malabar,' by Captain Hepburn, to receive such repairs as the damages she had sustained required. In the meantime I remained, on account of m}'- wounds, at Anjier, where I was most handsomely received and accommodated by the kindness of Colonel Yule, Resident, and attended by Mr. Harvey Thompson, surgeon of the district. On the 14th of July it was deemed necessary to amputate my right leg. I submitted to the operation, and it was accordingly taken off above the knee. On the 20ih following, I was removed to the residence of Colonel Yule, at Ceram, and there I remained, experiencing every mark of hospitality and the most unlimited attention, until the return of the 'Nautilus' from Rembang ; at which period, finding my health tolerably restored, I rejoined her on the 23rd instant. I beg leave to subjoin a list of th(? killed and wounded on board the Hon. Company's cruiser 'Nautilus' on the oOth of last June ; and in having to lament the loss of so many, I regret that a fairer opportunity for their exertions was not afforded them and myself, with a vessel of more equal force. (Here follows a list of killed and wounded.) " What loss the American may have sustained 1 am not able to say. If report is to be relied on, they had four or five men wounded, and their bow gun dismounted. The damage the ' Nautilus' received in the action was considerable, both in her hull and rigging. The bends on the starboard side, the side engaged, were shivered from aft to the fore-chains, and the bul- warks, from the chess-tree aft, much torn. The launch and cutter were both perforated with shot, the lower masts and tiller slightly wounded with grape, and the boom mainsail slu)t through in many places. Two guns were disabled by the enemy's shot, and the sheet anchor completely so, by the loss of its iron stock, ring, and fluke. Four 32-pound shot that were found last have been picked out of her, one was under the counter, very nearly level with the water. A great number of small arms and gunner's stores were thrown overboard by the Americans, on tlu'ir taking possession, to clear the (U'ck. The packets, I am happy to say, remain untouched, but almost every- thing Delow was ransacked. It now only remains for me to do that justice to the conduct of the officers and crew of the ' Nau- tilus,' on the 30th of last June, which they so well deserve, by declaring my admiration of their firmness, and thus publicly expressing my satisfaction at their conduct throughout. The two 8ei)oys and native servant witii amputated liml)s, have, I luiderstand, recovered, and been sent by Captain Iviiwdl, oftlie 288 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Hon. Company's cruiser ' Benares,' to Calcutta, in the Hon. Company's cruiser 'Antelope.' Lieutenant Mayston's wound was once healed, but has broken out afresh ; he is however now, I am happy to say, on the road to recovery. My own cure has been greatly impeded by two unfortunate fistulas in the stump, which have caused me to suffer much. The rest of the wounded are all well. I beg to subscribe myself, with the utujost respect, " Sir, your most obedient servant, Charles Boyce, Commander. "H. C. cruiser ' Nautilus,' the 24th of September, 1815. " John Lowe, Esq., Secretary to the Mariue Board." The above despatch was written by the gallant captain of the ' Nautilus ' more than three months after his spirited action with the ' Peacock,' his recovery during the interval appearing at times hopeless ; it is a manly and modest despatch, and we will contrast it with the following extract from the official letter of his opponent, dated 11th November, 1815, which breathes throughout the consciousness of criminality : — " As it is probable you will hereafter see or hear some other account of a rencontre which took place between the ' Peacock ' and the East India Company's brig ' Nautilus,' on the 30th of June last, in the Straits of Sunda, I take the liberty of making known to you the particulars. In the afternoon of that day, when abreast of Anjier, as we closed with this brig, which appeared evidentlj^ to be a vessel of war, and completely pre- pared for action, her commander hailed, and asked if I knew there was a peace. I replied in the negative, directing him at the same time to haul his colours down, if it were the case, in token of it, adding that, if he did not, I should fire into her. This being refused, one of the forward guns was fired at her, which was immediately returned by a broadside from the brig; our broadside was then discharged, and his colours were struck, after having six Lascars killed and seven or eight wounded. As we had not the most distant idea of peace, and the vessel was but a short distance from the fort of Anjier, I considered his asser- tion, coupled with his arrangements for action, a finesse on his part to amuse us, till he could place himself under the protection of the fort. A few minutes before coming in contact with the brig, two boats containing the Master-iittendant at Anjier and an officer of the army came on board, and as we were in momentary expectation of firing, they were, with tlieir men, passed below. No questions in consequence were put to them ; and they, very improperly, omitted to mention that peace existed. The next day, after receiving such intelligence as they had to communicate on the subject (part of which was official) I gave up the vessel, first stopping her shot holes and putting the rigging in order, I am aware that I may be blamed for ceasing hostilities without njore authentic evidence that peace had been HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 289 concluded ; but, I trust, when our distance from home, with the little chance we had of receivins; such evidence, are taken into consideration, I shall not be thought to have decided prema- turely." This is a sorr\' attempt to escape the just reprobation which Captain Warrington's conscience warned him would be visited upon his conduct by every right- feeling and brave officer of either the British or x\inerican Services. James, in his " His- tory of the Naval Occurrences of the War between the United States and Great Britain," completely demolishes the sophistries by which Captain Warrington sought to excuse his cowardly attack upon a vessel of sucli inferior force : — " The British and American accounts of this rencontre," he says, " differ mate- rially as to one fact; the knowledge of Captain Warrington, at the time he approached the 'Nautilus' with a hostile intention, that peace had been signed between Great Britain and the United States. We will, in the first instance, suppose the American officer to have been unacquainted with the circum- stance, till, as he admits, he was hailed and asked if he knew of it by the ' Nautilus's' commander. After that, would not a humane man, would not a brave officer, have deferred firing till he had ascertained the fact? But Captain Warrington says : — " I considered the assertion, coupled with his arrangements for action, a finesse on his part to amuse us, till he could place himself under the protection of the fort.' It was, then, an ' assertion,' as Lieutenant Boyce states ; happy inconsistency! and a most important assertion too, concluding with ' I have Mr. Madison's proclamation on board.' Had not the 'Nautilus' 'shortened sail' and 'hove to f Did that appear as if her commander wished to place himself under the protection of the fort'^ and that fort, instead of being at 'a short distance,' was five miles oflF. Was it not time for Lieutenant Boyce to make ' arrangements for action' when he saw a ship like the ' Pea- cock' bearing down upon him, with ports ready opened? Let us suppose for a moment that, just as the American commander was listening to the hail from the ' Nautilus,' she became suddenly transformed into H.M. ship ' Volage,'* Captain War- rington would then have promptly hailed in turn with the best speaking trumpet in the ship : thanked Captain Drury for his politeness ; and been the first to urge the folly not to say wickedness, of w^oundingand killing each other, while any doubt existed about peace liaving been signed. ]3ut it was a vessel he could almost hoist on board the ' Peacock ;' he therefore called out, ' Haul down your colours instantly.' This reasonable demand. Lieutenant Boyce very properly considered, as an imperious and insulting mandate, and fully alive to the dignity * The ' Volage,' carrying tbirty-tliree guns, and a complement of one liundrod and seventy-one men, was, at this time, cruising in the East Indies. VOL. I. U 290 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. of the British flag, and to the honour of the Service of which he was so distinguished an ornament, prepared to cope with a ship whose immense superiority, as she overshadowed his littlebarque, gave him nothing to expect short of a speedy annihihxtion. Then, says Captain Warrington, ' one of the forward guns w^ere fired at her, which was immediately returned by a broadside from the brig ; our broadside was then discharged, and his colours were struck, after having six Lascars killed and seven or eight wounded.' The Master of the 'Nautilus,' Mr. Joseph Bartlett, was on board the ' Peacock ' during the action, and swore positively* ' that two or three broadsides were fired,' and * The following is the correspondence and evidence referred to by James in his strictures on Captain Warrington's conduct : — " The Bench of magistrates of Batavia, having appointed a commission, con- sistuig of the Magistrate, Mr. Turr, and the Magistrate and Acting Bailiff, Mr. Cassa, these two gentlemen, on Friday morning, the 7th of July, 1815, proceeded on board of the ' Nautilus,' then lying in Batavia Roads, and received the follow- ing voluntary deposition of Mr. Bartlett, Master of the cruiser, and now Acting- Commanding ofEcer. That in the afternoon, about four o'clock, of the 30th of June, the cruiser ' Nautilus ' was working out to proceed on her passage, when a strange sail was seen, and he was ordered by the Captain, C. Boyce, to proceed with the boat and see what ship it was. That on his arrival on board, he was instantly ordered by the Commander of the vessel to go below, not being allowed to ask any questions ; that a short time after he heard say, ' Strike your colours, or I will sink you' and then, that orders were given to fire the bow gun into the cruiser ' Nautilus,' which did not bear, when a second gun was fired. That further, two or three broadsides were fired, when he heard that the ' Nautilus ' struck her colours ; and after this two heavy guns and some musketry were fired into the ' Nautilus.' " Extract from evidence of Mr. McGregor, in reply to interrogations by the Magistrate, Mr. Turr : " Question. — Did you communicate to the officers of the enemy's ship before the action between her and the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Nautilus ' took place, that peace had been concluded between Great Britain and the United States, and ratified by both parties ? Answer. — I did ; I communicated to the First-Lieute- nant, on his informing me that I was a prisoner of war ; but I scarce said it, when the Captain came forward and ordered me to be taken below. I communi- cated the above also to the purser of the ship, in the ward-room. Question. — What time had you been on board before the commencement of the said action ? Rather more than a quarter of an hour. Had any reply been made by any of the ofiicers of the American sloop-of-war on your communication ? Answer. — Yes. Question. — By whom ? Answer. — The Purser. Question. — What was the reply ? Answer. — I do not know how we can avoid a little brush ; and the purser ordered me to go out of the way into the side cabin." The following was the Report addressed by Mr. R. B. Macgregor, Master- Attendant at Anjier, to Lieutenant-Colonel Yule, Resident at Bantam, dated the 1st of July, 1815. " I have the honour to report for your information, that I was this afternoon released, as a prisoner of war, from the United States sloop-of-war ' Peacock,' Captain Warrington, in consequence of the intelligence forwarded to him by me, which he deemed perfectly satisfactory, that peace had been ratified between the United States and Great Britain at Washington by Mr. Madison, on the 18th February, 1815. Enclosed, I have the honour to transmit a copy of a letter from Captain Warrington, acquainting me that he would desist from hostilities." The following is the Enclosure referred to : — " From Captain Warrington to Mr. Macgregor, Master-Attendant at Anjier. July 1st, 1815. " Sir, — In consequence of the information received from you, and the several HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 291 that the American continued his fire, even after the flag, and, as it appears, until the pendant of the ' Nautilus' was hauled down. Nineteen of the crew have deposed to the same effect. Captain Warrington's object in framing this falsehood was evidently to show what execution had been done by his one broadside. "From the first gun fired some of the 'Nautilus' men were killed ; and Lieutenant Boyce was dangerously wounded, a grape shot measuring two inches and one third in diameter, entering at the outside of his hip and passing out close under the back- bone. This severe wound did not, however, disable him. In a few minutes a 32-pound shot struck obliquely on his right knee, shattering the joint, splintering the leg-bone down- wards, and the thigh-bone a great way upwards ! This, as may be supposed, laid him prostrate on the deck. The first, and only Lieutenant, received a mortal wound, the Master, who would have been the next officer, was on board the ' Peacock.' It was then, and not till then, that the gallant Boyce, lying bleeding on the deck, ordered the ' Nautilus's' colours to be struck. Of the ' six Lascars killed,' two were European invalids, and one a seaman, of the ' seven or eight (Lascars) wounded,' two were seamen; and was Lieutenant Mayston a ' Lascar T was Lieutenant Boyce a ' Lascar V 'i'hat Captain Warrington well knew he was uttering a falsehood, is clear; because the ' Pea- cock's ' surgeon had, at Lieutenant Boyce's rec^uest, attended the ' Nautilus's' wounded ; and his official return would certainly have noticed a distinction so evident, as that of Native or European. The ' Nautilus's ' First-Lieutenant, Mr. Mayston, languished till the 3rd of December, a period of five months, when mortification of his wound carried him off. About a fort- night after the action, Lieutenant Boyce suffered amj)utati()n very near to his hip, on account of the length and complication of the fracture. The pain and danger of the operation was augmented by the proximity of the grape-shot wound. His life was subsequently despaired of, but after a long course of hopes and fears to his numerous friends, this brave and amiable young man (or what Captain Warrington has left of him) still survives. The damage and loss of the 'Peacock,' as stated in Lieutenant Boyce's letter, was as much as, from the shortness of the action, and the immense disparity between the two vessels, could reasonably be expected. Of course the American Captain, who had escaped unhurt, the moment he was informed of the casualties on board his prize, either visited or sent a condoling different sources from which I have heard that a peace had been conchided between the United States and Great Britain, I feel myself bound to desist from hostilities, and regret that my reasonable demand had not been complied with by the Com- mander of the ' Nautilus ' brig yesterday afternoon. " Kespectfully, your obedient servant, "L. VVakuinoton, Captain U.S. Navy, '' Commanding the U.S. sloop-ol-war ' Peacock.' " U 2 292 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. message to her so dreadfully mangled commander? Reader! he did neither. Captain Warrington, in the words of the poor sufferer, in his memorial to the Court of Directors, proved him- self totally destitute of fellow feeling and commiseration ; for during the time he retained possession of the ' Nautilus,' (which was till two o'clock the next afternoon) he was not once moved to make a commonplace enquiry after the memorialist, in his then deplorable condition."* * James examines at length the discrepancies in the statements of the British and American officers, and we will give an extract from his acute analysis. " It now becomes necessary to consider the facts attending this action, or more parti- cularly the commencement of it by Captam Warrington, as they arise out of the statements of the British officers, who had gone on board the ' Peacock,' and remained in her during, and long after, the engagement. Captain Warrington admits that the Master-Attendant at Anjier came on board a few minutes before coming into contact with the brig. Mr. Macgregor, upon his oath, says, ' "Rather more than a quarter of an hour.' The portion of credit due to any assertion of Captain Warrington may be measured by the concealment and falseliood so con- spicuous in his account of the ' Epervier's ' action. Nothing appears in Captain Warrington's letters about the arrival on board the ' Peacock ' of the ' Nautilus's' master, Mr, Bartlett, and who was the ' officer of the army,' that came in the second boat ? Cornet White, a passenger on board the ' Nautilus,' who was requested to accompany Mr. Bartlett in the gig to obtain information. Captain Warrington had his reasons, no doubt, for concealing, in liis official despatch, that he had any of the ' Nautilus's ' officers or crew on board his vessel. Scarcely had Mr. Bartlett stepped upon the deck, than, without being allowed to ask a ques- tion, lie was hurried below. Happily Mr. Macerregor met with rather better success. The instant he arrived on board, he communicated to the ' Peacock's ' first-lieutenant, the most authentic information of peace having been concluded between Great Britain and America, grounded on no less authority than Mr. Madison's proclamation ; which Mr. Macgregor had himself received from an American ship, passing the Straits on her way to China. What effect had this communication ? Captain Warrington, whom the single word ' Peace ' ought to have made pause, before he proceeded to spill the blood of his fellow-creatures, ordered Mr. Macgregor ' to be taken below.' Had the Master- Attendant no opportunity of communicating his important intelligence to any other of the ' Peacock's ' officers ? In his way below, Mr. Macgregor met tlie purser, who was in superintendence of the magazine, and repeated to him what he had told his first-lieutenant. The purser jocosely said : " I do not see how we can avoid a little brush.' Almost immediately afterwards, Macgregor (according to Lieute- nant Boyce's memorial) heard orders given to return the ammunition into the magazine ; which showed an evident relinquishment of the intention to attack the ' Nautilus.' But, while the orders were executing, they were countermanded, and all hostile preparations resumed. It was then that Mr. Macgregor was desired to retire into one of the side cabins : and very soon afterwards the firing commenced. Captain Warrington, in his letter to Mr. Macgregor, says, ' In consequence of the information received from you, and the several different sources from which I have heard that a peace has been concluded, &c.' Here it would appear as if Captain Warrington had received information of tlie peace from other parties than those in the two boats, which, he admits, came on board just previous to the action. But the official letter says : * The next day, after receiving such intelligence as they (the Master-Attendant and officers of the Army) had to commimicate on the subject (part of which was official), I gave up the vessel, &c.' This proves that the source of all Captain Warrington's in- formation on the subject ai'ose out of the communications of those very persons wlio, as he says, 'were, with their men, passed below.' But Captain Warrington, as the purser said, wanted to have a little brush with the British brig. He saw at once what a diminutive vessel she was, and accordingly ordered his men to fire into her." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 293 The naval historian, after commenting at length on Captain Warrington's conduct, which he stigmatizes as it justly deserves, adds: — "The Governor-General of India, the Lieutenant-Cio- vernor of Java, and the different heads of departments through- out the British dominions in the East, also the King's Navy, and the King's Army, serving there, have all been unanimous in bestowing the tribute of praise upon tlie noble behaviour of Lieutenant Boyce." It was indeed a terrible alternative that was placed before him, when the demand came from over the water that he was to strike his flag or be sunk there and then; the tiuie for consider- ation afforded him was but short, but it was long enough for the gallant ofiicer, who did not hesitate a moment as to the course he should pursue. Urged by a sense of the duty he owed to the flag of his country, a duty paramount to all con- siderations based on the absolute certainty of defeat, perhaps of annihilation, from the guns of a ship three times his size, and nnder whose fire his little craft hiy almost defenceless, the Commander of the 'Nautilus' replied to the insolent demand of the American by an equally haughty refusal. After the require- ments of honour and duty had been satisfied, Boyce hauled down his flag, himself severely, and his first-lieutenant mortally, wounded, and his only other officer — for at this time the 'Nau- tilus ' was as shorthanded in officers as in European seamen — a prisoner on board the ' Peacock.' The dL'tcrmination of Captain Warrington to have " a brush with the brig," was shown by the remark of the purser, who, as well as the other officers was doubtless aware of the intentions of his captain. Though a Court of Inquiry, held on the conduct of Captain Warrington by the officers of his own Service, acquitted him of all blame, and American papers vied with each other in extolling the "hero," whose capture of the little brig conferred considerable "glory" on the Yankee Navy, yet his unseemly haste to shed blood, when it could be done with conjparative impunity, will ever brand his name with ignominy among brave and right thinking men of both countries. The Governor-General of India in Council said of him: — "He contemplates Captain Warrington's proceeding as destitute of any possible extenua- tion ;" and (Jommodore Hayes, who, on his return from .lava, had resumed his office of Master-Attendant at Calcutta, described Captain Warrington in his despatch, as " the ruffian who has alike dishonoured himself and disgraced the Columbian Eagle." It would appear that the Captain and officers of the ' Peacock,' in seeking to enhance the " glory" of their victory over the ' Nautilus,' magnified her size according to the invariable custom of American officers in describing the British ships they captured, which were, indeed, in every instance of inferior force. In 1833, however, the same ' Peacock' visited Aden 21»4 HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. when the 'Nautilus' lay there, and her officers and those of the American man-of-war ' Boxer,' could scarcely be induced to believe that the little Company's cruiser was the same vessel that had been captured by Captain Warrington, as "they had always understood her to be a vessel of nearly the same size as the ' Peacock.' " The clearing up of this point did not flatter their national vanity. Commander Boyce, the victim of American rowdyism, was compelled to retire from the Service in 1817, in consequence of his wounds, and, though now in his ninety- second year, is, as he lately informed us, still in the possession of his health and faculties, and in the enjoyment of a pension voted sixty years ago by the Congress of the United States, who have thus had to pay pretty heavily for this particular item of " glory." During the Mahratta War of 1817-18, some of the Company's cruisers, stationed at Fort Victoria, near Severndroog, had the good fortune to be actively engaged, and acquitted them- selves so well as to earn the frequent and hearty commendations of the Bombay Government, and the military officers under whose orders they served. The vessels engaged were the ' Prince of Wales,' Lieutenant Dominicetti, ' Thetis,' Lieutenant Arthur, ' Sylph,' Lieutenant Robson, and some small craft ; ■find the officers and crews, who were landed to assist the troops, bore a conspicuous part in the capture of the forts on the coasts of the Concan. A detachment was employed at the surrender of the forts of Severndroog on the 4th of December, 1817, and the Governor in Council, in General Orders of the 20th of December, expressed his high sense of the gallantry of the seamen and marines. The escalading party consisted of only thirty seamen, led by Lieutenant Dominicetti, and fifty sepoys, under the command of Captain Campbell, of the 9th Regiment. The General Order states that, though opposed by very superior numbers, the energy of this small force succeeded in surmounting every obstacle, escalading and taking in open day the Fort of Kundah, not- withstanding the heavy fire of the enemy. This gallant and successful enterprise so completely intimidated the enemy, that the two other forts of Goa and Gunjeera were abandoned during the night. Shortly afterwards the troops on this station were increased by the newly raised 1st Battalion of the 10th Native Infimtry, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel M. Kennedy, who, with a small force, including a naval brigade of seamen, under their own officers, and the marines from the Company's cruisers and pattamars, under the command of Captain Farquharson, reduced the strong forts of Madunghur, Ramghur, Paulghur, Russulghur, Anjenweel, and other strongholds, with the territories depen- dent thereon. The following were the General Orders bv the HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 295 Right Hon. the Governor in Council, published upon the several occasions : — "Bombay Castle, 9th March, 1818. " The reduction of the Fort of Madunghur was announced in General Orders, of the 20th ultimo, but having since received a detailed report from Lieutenant-Colonel Kennedy, of his operations against that Fort and Jambah, the Right Honourable the Governor in Council takes occasion, in publishing to the Army, the Detachment Orders issued by Lieutenant-Colonel Kennedy, again to express his cordial approbation of the conduct of those engaged. Detachment Orders by Lieutenant- Colonel Kennedy. " Fort, 15th February, 1818. "Lieutenant-Colonel Kennedy has the highest satisfaction in congratulating the troops under his command on the brilliant success of this morning. " To Captain Farquharson, Lieutenants Dominicetti and Cogan, of the Marine, to tlie seamen, native officers and soldiers, volunteers for the storming party, Lieut.-Colonel Kennedy offers his most sincere acknowledgments for the intrepid and gallant manner in which they assaulted the triple stockatles in front of the communication gateway, and carried by escalade the two Forts of Madunghur and Jambah. For the excellent plan of attack laid down in yesterday's Orders, and so gallantly carried into execution this morning, Lieutenant-Colonel Kennedy is indebted to Ca2:)tain Farquharson, who proposed and principally arranged it. Neither can the Lieutenant-Colonel pass over unnoticed the excellent conduct of Lieutenant Waddington, who converted successfully into real attack what at first was intended only to be feint. " To Lieutenant Dominicetti and Ensign Dashwood, for their highly zealous exertions in erecting the battery, Lieutenant- Colonel Kennedy's best tluinks are due. " The precision of the fire from the battery, where Ensign Dashwood and Captain Robson, of the Marines, served, and of the guns placed under charge of Captain Taylor and Lieutenant Cogan, greatly contributed to the success of theenterprise,whilst the manner in which the feint, under Cai)tain Taylor's di- rections was conducted, does every credit to .lenuulur Sonmeter, 1st battalion lltli Regiment,* the Native ollieer leading it on. "Lieutenant-Colonel Kennedy assures the whole of the officers, military and marine, that no part of each individual's merit shall pass unnoticed in his report to the Commander-in- chief." To this Order was appended the following by the Governor in Council : — * This was the Bombay Marine ButtuHou. 296 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. " Bombay, Tuesday, March 17th, 1818. " The great exertions of tlic troops in constructing a battery on the summit of the hill, and giving up their tents, carpets, and cumlees for making sandbags, evince in a particular manner the zeal of all, and merit the highest commendation. " The manner in which the enterprise was planned and so ably and spiritedly conducted by a detachment, not exceeding half the number of the garrison, is highly creditable to Lieute- nant-Colonel Kennedy, and all the officers and men of the Honourable Company's military and marine services employed, and it is gratifying to observe that during these operations, the success of which so much depended on the united exertions of the two branches of the Service, the most perfect cordiality has existed." Again the same high authority issued the following General Orders :— "Bombay Castle, 10th March, 1818. " The Right Hon. the Governor in Council has great satisfac- tion in publishing the following detachment orders issued by Lieutenant-Colonel Kennedy, on taking the forts of Ramghur and Paulghur, and to express his approbation of the conduct of the Lieutenant-Colonel and of the officers and men engaged on the occasion. " Paulghur, 4th March, 1818. "The commanding officer begs to return his best thanks to the officers and men of the detachment he has the honour to command, for their cool, steady, and gallant conduct in the attack and escalade of the forts of Ramghur and Paulghur this morning. The difficulties the detachment had to encounter in climbing a hill of such an abrupt ascent under a heavy fire from two forts, where they were necessitated to assist them- selves up by the bushes and rocks that lay in their way, reflect the highest credit on every individual engaged in this hazardous enterprise. The commanding officer cannot refrain from parti- cularizing the names of Captain Farquharson (who was the first man who mounted the wall), Lieutenants Cogan and Seymour, than whom none could have behaved with greater zeal and gallantry during the arduous service they were engaged in this morning." By General Orders of the 25th of ]\Iarch, 8th of June, and 19th of June, the Governor in Council annoiuiced the reduction, by the troops in the Concan, of the forts of Russulghur, Gunga, Byramghur, Bowunghur, Jyghur, and Wijeyghur ; also of the town of Sunghumseen, and fort of Rutnaghurry, at all of which the seamen and marines of the squadron were present. About the same time a detachment of seamen and marines landed at Malwan, and were employed for some time under Lieutenant-Colonel Lnlach, C.B. This officer's force was too t HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 297 small to enable liira to attack the fort of Seedgliiir, near Malvvan, but in March, a portion of H.M. 89th Regiment, bound by sea for Bancoot, was obliged by adverse winds to put into Malvvan. Colonel Imlach directed their immediate disembarka- tion, and with the combined force, renewed the designs he had formerly been compelled to abandon. On the 15th of ^lurch he moved to Seedghur, and, on the following day, opened iire from a battery, which, by noon, produced so great an effect that the garrison evacuated the fort by the opposite side. On the 28th he proceeded to Bliugwuntghur, and, having driven in the enemy's outposts, that place was likewise abandoned. Its fall was followed by that of r>eoghur. which was evacuated, and by the capitulation ofComptaand Acheera, so that the liritish force was placed in full occupation of the province of Salsec.* The last important service of the Bombay Marine in this quarter, was the dislodgment of the enemy from a position on the banks of the Dewghur river. The following was the order published by the Bombay Government referring to this service : — " Bombay Castle, 14tli May, 1818. "The Right Hon. the Governor in Council has much satis- faction in announcing his approbation of the gallant conduct of the detachment under Brevet Captain Hughes, assisted by Captains Robson and Dominicetti,t and a party of the seamen and marines belonging to the Hon. Company's cruisers, ' Prince of Wales' and ' Sylph,' on the occas-ion of an attack made on the advanced posts of the enemy on the banks of the Dewghur river, when the enemy was surprised with the loss of above twenty- five killed and wounded and nine prisoners." The Governor- General was pleased to order three months full batta as gratuity to be issued to the troops and seamen employed on service in the Concan. Among matters of interest connected with the Bombay Marine, other than its war services, may be mentioned the launch at Bombay, on the 28th of December, iSlS, from the * » Memoir of the Operations of the British Arruj in India, (liirinj^ tlio Mnh- ratta Campaign of 1817, 1818, and 1819." By Lieutenant -Colonol VaU>ntnie Blacker, C.B. The military results of the bri.-f Maliralta War, wliicli forms the most salient feature in the eventful administration of Lord Moim, better known as the JMarquis of Hastings, may besummeil up in a few words. Between November, 1817, and June, 1818, twenty actions were fought in tlic field, and one hundred and twenty forts, many scarcely accessible, some dccuud imi>rcg- iiable, fell by surrender, siege, or stoVm, the distance between tiic most northern and most southern of these forts being not less than seven liundred mdes. Ihe forces engaged on cither side cannot well be comjiarcd for want of accurate know- ledge. Colonel Blacker, in his " Memoir of the Openitions," hiws estnnatecl the a^Tcgate strengtli of tlio Mahralta armies at two hundred and seventeen thousand, while the British forces in the field, including tlie aux.hary and irregular troops, amounted to one hunch-ed and sixteen thousand, of whom only thirteen thousand were Europeans. . . t This young ofllcer, distinguislu^d both forliis enterprise and scientihc attain- meuts, was lost to the Service by death early in 1821. ^^8 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Upper Duncan Dock, built in the year 1810, by Captain W. Cowper of the Bombay Engineers, and so called after the Governor, General Duncan, of the ' Malabar,' seventy-four guns, a teak-built ship constructed by the venerable builder, Jarnsetjee Bomanjee ; and soon after, the keel of another line-of-battle ship, to be called the ' Ganges,' rated at eighty-four guns, but pierced to carry ninety-two, and of 2,289 tons, was laid by that disguished naval architect. On the following 10th of February, a new fifty-six-gun ship, for the service of the Imaurn of Muscat, was floated out of the old middle dock, and received her name of ' Shah AHum' at the hands of Mr. Meriton, the Superinten- dent of Marine, who employed a copious effusion of rosewater and attar, instead of wine, as the christening liquid, the use of the latter being contrary to Mahommedan usage. Again, on the 5th of September in this year, a third ship, a thirty-eight gun frigate, called the ' Seringapatam,' was floated out of the dock and added to the strength of the British Navy : and within the next few years, besides the ' Ganges,' eighty-four guns, the following ships were constructed for the Royal Service — ' Asia,' eightj^-four guns, (which noble line-of-battle ship bore the flag of Sir Edward Codrington at the Battle of Navarino) ; the 'Bombay,' eighty-four guns; the 'Manilla,' forty-six guns; and the ' Madagascar,' forty-six guns.* Soon after this a ship was also built for the Bombay Marine, by the Parsee naval architect, Mr. Jarnsetjee Bomanjee. This was a small thirty- two gun frigate, which, on being floated from the Upper Bombay Dock, on the 2nd of May, 1821, received the name of * Of the strength and superiority of the Bombay-built ships, an unimpeach- able witness, the First-Lieutenant of one of them, the ' Salsette ' frigate, bears testimony in the following letter to the builder, Mr. Jarnsetjee Bomanjee. This officer came to Bombay in 1819 as Captain of the merchant ship ' Stakesby,' when he wrote to the Parsee builder requesting him " to accept of the accom- panying clock as a small mark of esteem, and kind of remembrancer that under Divine Providence, his professional abihties were the happy means of preserving Mr. Henderson and the rest of tlie crew of H.M.S. ' Salsette ' from what appeared to the human eye unavoidable destruction ; that ship, with five other small vessels of war, and twelve valuable merchantmen luider their convoy, being beset by the ice in the Baltic Sea in the winter of 1808-9, and she alone escaped ship- wreck." In accepting this present, and the gratifying letter which accompanied it, Mr. Jamset;jee said in the course of his reply, dated on the following day (the 15th of June, 1819) : — "The 'Salsette,' (first named the 'Pitt') was, as you are aware, our first efforts in frigate Itiilding for the Navy, and you will forgive me when I say that the praise 1 received on that occasion was, in a great measure, owing to the very seamanlike style of the ' Pitt's ' equipment, under your super- intendence as First-Lieutenant in charge of her. I had heard a rumour of the ' Salsette's ' escape while frozen in the Baltic ; but to have this rumour confirmed by an officer in His Majesty's Service who had first contributed to her debut as a man-of-war, and who had, subsequently, under Providence, witnessed the strength other hull, in withstanding a danger that overwhelmed so many vessels in com- pany, is more gratifying to me than I can find words to express." The ' Ganges,' eighty-four, was launched on the 10th of November, 1821, on which occasion the Governor, Mr. Mountstuart Elphinstone, stood sponsor, her designer and con- structor, the venerable Jamsetjee Bomanjee, having died a few months before the launch of this noble ship. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 2 'J 9 ' Hastings,' in honour of the Governor-General, and passed into the harbour under a Royal salute from the battery. The following table of precedence* in India, was fixed by the warrant of the Prince Regent, dated the 31st of May, 1814 : — " The Governor-General ; the Vice-President and Deputy- Governor of Fort William; the Governor of Madras; the Governor of Bombay ; the Governor of Prince of Wales' Island ; the Chief Justice of Calcutta; Chief Justice of Madras; the Lord Bishop of Calcutta ; the Members of the Supreme Council ; the Members of Council, Madras ; the Members of Council, Bombay ; the Puisne Judges of Calcutta ; the Puisne Judges of Madras ; the Recorder of Bombay ; the Recorder of Prince of Wales' Island ; the Commander-in-chief of H.M.'s Naval Forces ; General und Flag-officers above the rank of i\Iajor- Geueral ; Superintendent of Marine, Bombay ; Major-Generals and Rear-Admirals ; Captain of the Fleet, as Junior Rear- Admiral ; Brigadier-Generals, Commodores with broad pen- nants, and First Captain to the Naval Commander-in-Chief; Colonels, Post-Captains of three years, and Commodores Hon. Company's Marine; Hon. Company's xVdvocates-General of Bengal, Madras, and Bombay ; Senior Merchants, the Archdeacons of Bengal, Madras, and Bombay, Lieutenant- Colonels, Post-Captains under three years, and Senior Captains Hon. Company's Marine ; Junior Merchants, i\Iajors, Masters and Commanders, Members of the J\Iedical Board, Commanders of regular Indiamen, and Junior Captains Hon, Company's Marine ; Commanders Hon. Company's Marine ; Factors, Captains in the Army, Lieutenants in the Navy, Surgeons, Chaplains, Lieutenants Hon. Company's Marine, Commanders of extra Indiamen and Packets ; AVriters, Lieutenants in the Army, Second Lieutenants Hon. Company's Marine, Assistant Surgeons and Veterinary Surgeons; Second Lieutenants in the Army ; Lieutenants Fire-workers, Ensigns and Cornets ; Adjutants and Quartermasters not holding superior com- missions; Midshipmen of the Navy, Cadets and Volunteers, Hon. Company's (Bombay) Marine. In 1820 the Bombay Marine were actively engaged at Mocha. It was a period of fifty years since they were last employed on a mission to this seaport, which, on that occasion, resulted in the Commodore obtaining the satisfaction he was sent by the Bombay Government to demand, without the necessity of firing a shot. On this second visit, which was due to the following circumstance, affairs were not settled so amicably. In the month of July, 1817, says Captain R. L. Phiyfair. in his valuable "History of Arabia Felix or Yemen," a dispute arose between Lieutenant Dominicetti of the Bondiay Marine, com- manding the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Prince of Wales,' then * In this table of precedence, which we liiive copied frcnn tlic Bengal Ahiiansick of 1820. there is no mention of the Commanders-in-Chief of the three PresiJeucies. 300 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. at Moclia, and the nacoda, or captain of a vessel under charter to the Company, which resulted in an Arab being detained for a short tiuie at the ]>ritish Factory. This man was released on a requisition iVom the Dowlah, or Governor, but no sooner had ho left the building than the yard and factory were filled with three or four hundred soldiers, who rushed upon the small guard of marines from the ' Prince of Wales,' dragged them into the street, and beat them in a most inhuman manner; they also seized the captain of a merchant vessel then at the factory, and subjected him to a like ignominious treatment. Lieutenant Dominicetti, who was at this time confined to bed with a severe fever, was attacked by the soldiery, who beat him with sticks and the butt ends of their muskets until he was rendered insensible, and finally dragged him naked and half dead, to the Governor's house. Here every species of insult and contumely which could be devised, was heaped upon him ; he was spat upon by the infuriated mob, who saluted him with every term of abuse which the Arabic language could supply, and was eventually imprisoned, while the Residency was ransacked and pillaged. The Bombay Government of course instituted an inquiry into the conduct of the Governor of Mocha. Considerable delay attended the investigation of the charges, and it was not until the end of November, 1819, that the ultimatum of the Govern- ment of Bombay was sent to the Imaum of Sanaa. This required that His Highness should inflict a suitable punishment on the late Dowlah of Mocha, who had been dismissed from office, in presence of the Company's representative ; that pecu- niary satisfaction should be made for the acts committed within the Residency; and that several British seamen, who had deserted, should be given up. TheGovernor-Generalof India, who expressed regret that steps had not been taken at an earlier period to obtain reparation, authorized the despatch of a squadron to Mocha, to enforce the reclamations of the Bombay Government, and directed that, in addition to the demand for the punishment of the Dowlah, and an indemnity for losses sustained, means should be adopted to secure, for the future, the observance of respect to the British Resident, and a clear understanding of the terms on which the factory was to continue ; for this purpose certain terms* were * The terms of tins treaty were as follows : — (1). That the Resident should have a guard of the same strength as at Bussorah and Bagdad, to ensure his respectability. (2). That all servants of the factory should enjoy British protection, and be amenable only to the jurisdiction of tlie Resident. (3j. That all Indian merchants should be under the protection of the British flag, and all differences amongst themselves be settled by the Resident, or in the event of any of the Imaum's svibjects being concerned in the disputes, by an agent on tlie part of the local government and tlie Resident conjointly. (4). That the Resident should be exempt from all degrading comphances ; that he should have liberty to ride on horseback when and whei-ever he pleased, and HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 301 to be obtained from the Imaum of Sanaa and embodied in a treaty. Captain Bruce, the Resident at Bushire, formerly an oflEicer in the Marine, who was appointed agent for the Government of Bombay in conducting these negotiations, sailed for Mocha on the 23rd of August, 1820, and, on his arrival, made known to the authorities the demands of the British Government, but declined to land until an officer had arrived from vSanaa to make the required apology. From the intercourse which passed between Captain Bruce and the Dowlah's agents, every expecta- tion was entertained of a favourable result ; and a letter was addressed by the Uowlah to the Imaum, enclosing the ultimatum of the Bomba}' Government, and expressing a hope that its demands would be complied with. But the authorities at Mocha, notwithstanding their pacific professions, were mounting guns on the different towers, and the militia were ordered in from the several villages ; to give time for the arrival of these levies the Dowlah made a request, with which Captain Bruce complied, that a few more days than had been first lixed, might be allowed for the arrival of the answer from Sanaa, On the 24th of October Captain Bruce received the Imaum's reply, conveying friendly assurances, stating that a person would be sent to communicate with him, and requesting that he would land at Mocha ; private letters from Sanaa were also to the effect that the Imaum was highly displeased with his Minister for having allowed matters to proceed to so great a length. On the arrival of the Imaum's deputy, Futteh Iloosain, who gave an assurance that all demands would be acceded to, Captain Bruce proceeded on shore, accompanied by the Dowlaii's brother and a party of merchants. The result proved entirely unsatisfactory, as Futteh Hoosain said he had no authority to bring Haji Futteh, the offending Governor, to Mocha, but that he was authoris(Kl to accompany ('aptain Bruce to Sanaa, where that Dowlah would be brought. Captain l^ruce replied that, until the apology had been made at the British Kesideney, he could not proceed to Sanaa, and as, after protracted discussions, it was evident that they were only attempting to evade the demand, he determined to proceed on board ship, have free ingress and egress at all the gates of Mocba, amongst others, that of Sheikh Shaduli, from which Europeans had been excluded for some years piist, on account oi' the ])rctendcd sanctity it derived from the tomb of that saint being in an adjoining mosque. (5). That the rate of export duty on British trade be reduced from 3i to 2i per cent., which was the same as the French had paid since tlicy bombarded Mocha, nearly a century previously. (6). A piece of grou^id to be allotted for a cemetery, and no British subject to be insulted on account of his religion. (7). The P.ntish Resident to liuvc free permission to proceed to Sanaa, to com- municate with the Imaum, whenever he might deem it necessary ; the Dowlah of Mocha, on those occasions, furnishing an eecort. 302 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. acquainting the local authorities of his fixed determination not to land again till the Dowlah was forthcoming. Captain Bruce warned all the vessels in the roads, that the port was blockaded, and that if any of them remained on the arrival of the squadron, they would be destroyed. The Expedition arrived on the 2nd of December from Bombay, after a passage of fourteen days. It consisted of H.M.S. ' Topaze,' Captain J. R. Lumley, Senior Naval Officer ; the Hon. Company's cruisers ' Benares,' Com- mander Faithful, and ' Antelope,' Lieutenant Robson ; ' Thames,' mortar-vessel, Lieutenant Elwon ; storeship 'Ernaad,' Lieutenant Jones. On board the mortar-vessel was embarked a detachment of the Bombay Artillery, under Lieutenant William Jacob of that corps. Captain Lumley, on being informed of Captain Bruce's proceedings, immediately resolved to bombard the place. A previous messenger had been received from the Dowlah, requesting a further reference to Sanaa, which was refused ; and, during the course of the day, a flag of truce came ofi" with a message to the effect that, if hostile operations were delayed for eighteen days, the British demands would either be complied with or the place would be evacuated. An hour and a-half was allowed by the Commodore for the authorities to send off hostages, who should remain on board for three days, to allow time for the production and punishment of Haji Futteh. No reply having been received within the time specified, the vessels were ordered to open fire. The operations commenced on the 4th of December, by a general cannonading and bombardment by the cruisers and mortar vessels, which had been warped up to the South Fort, the ' Topaze' meanwhile firing on the town. The South Fort being silenced, the cruisers and mortar vessels took up a fresh position against the North Fort, a detached work near the town. At length the fort appearing to be silenced and abandoned, although no practicable breach had been made, boats were sent to take possession of and destroy it. The assaulting party consisted of all the seamen who could be spared, together with a party of artillerymen and marines. On their being about to land, it was discovered that the garrison, if they had abandoned the fort, had now reoccupied it, for a large body issued thence and rushed down to the beach to prevent the landing ; they were, however, beaten back with loss, but, before the assaulting party could reach the fort, the Arabs had shut the gate, which being in a very narrow passage, could not be blown open by the 3-pounder brass gun brought for that purpose. The enemy bravely contested the ground, and, when driven in, threw down 32-pound shot and quicklime on the heads of the assailants, which blinded their eyes, while their fire proved more destructive. After vainly attempting for a quarter of an HISTORY OF THE IXDIAN XAVY. 303 hour to force an entrance, the retreat was rehictantly ordered, and with difficulty effected, many having to swim to the boats, which were found to be riddled with bullets. The storming party sustained a loss of eight killed and twentj'-four wounded, the detachments from the ' Topaze' and 'Benares' being the chief sufierers. The ships reopened their fire on the return of the shore party. On the following morning another flag of truce was received, which was followed by two hostages, who conveyed an assurance from the Dowlah that, in fourteen days, the demands should be complied with. This term of grace was conceded, but, on its expiration, a deputation of merchants came on board, praying for a further prolongation, in consequence of the approach of the Bedouins, who, they expected, would enter and plunder Mocha in the confusion ; as two of the deputation engaged to go to Zebeed, and bring in Haji Futteh, two additional days were granted, on condition that, before the date of the expiry of the truce, a notification should be received that the ex-Dowlah was on the road. The unsuccessful attack on the North Fort, however, had led the Dowlah and his people to suppose that their fortifications were impregnable, and they, accordingly, delayed their submission. The truce of fourteen days was, under various pretences, extended to twenty, daring which })reparations were making on both sides for a renewal of hostilities. British prestige having suffered by the repulse experienced in the attack on the North Fort, it was decided to direct the first efforts to destroying the work. Accordingly, the ' Benares' and ' Antelope,' each equipped with two additional long 18-pounders and an 8-inch mortar, and the ' Thames,' with her two long 18-pounders and 13-inch mortar, were hauled in under the north side of the fort, at a distance of less than 600 and 400 yards respectively ; while the 'Topaze' took up a position about 800 yards to the westward of the fort, her draught of water not allowing a nearer approach. Finding that no dependence could be placed on the faith of the authorities, tiie flag of truce was hauled down on the morning of the 2()th of December, and, at seven a.m., the squadron reconnnenced the attack on the North Fort, calk-d "Taire,"* or the "Impregnable," a strong work of ten guns, * After the capture of " Taire," the Green Flag of the Prophet was found in the ruins, and a jioriii bv one of tlio defenders, of which the foUowinjj is a trans- lation : — " It happened on a certain day that live Kiii;Usli sliips of war eanie here tofightabattlc with the warriors of this i'ort; tiieir t^niis eowKl do but iitth- against true behevers, for we fouglit that day— and who wouUl not iight luuh'r our gal- lant commander— we fought the battle of tlie Imaum, under tiio holy banner of our Prophet like the sons of Tliunder. Tlicy came to land, but wc soon put them to ilight ; we drove them to their boats, and many tiiere were of them who bit the dust, wlio left their bodies at tiie Ahnioody Gate festering ni the sun, a prey to the dogs. Thus we Sous of Thunder light and conquer; let tliem 304 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Upwards of four thousand 18, 24, and 32-pound shot had been vainly expended in endeavouring to effect a breach in the sun-dried brick, or mud, walls of whicli the whole of the defences were constructed, as the projectiles either passed through or buried themselves, without cracking the walls. Mining was out of the question, for there were neither tools nor implements, and all hope of making a breach by the ordinary methods failed. It was then proposed by Lieutenant Jacob, to effect a breach by firing spherical case loaded with powder only,* fired, with reduced charges, point blank from the 18 pounders. This was done, and, in less than four hours, an excellent practicable breach was formed ; a strong party was now landed from the ships, and, by two p.m., the fort was taken possession of and blown up, the guns were spiked, and the barracks burnt. On the 27th of December, the ' Topaze ' moved up abreast of the town, and the two cruisers commenced warping up to the right, on the north side of the Abdouroof, or the " Protector," a fort of nine guns, with a citadel, and somewhat stronger than " Taire." The work of warping was very heavy, owing to its blowing a gale of wind. The firing was intermittent on both sides, and the boats of the squadron were much annoyed by a galling fire of matchlocks, while employed laying out warps for hauling the cruisers and the bomb-ketch close into position under this fort. On the following day, the violence of the wind almost stopped the progress of the laborious duty of warping into position, and, at the urgent solicitation of the Iinaum's Vakeel, a truce was granted for one day. On the 30th of December, at six a.m., the two cruisers and bomb-ketch, having taken up their stations in the coil of the bight, on the north side of the fort, at a distance of 500 and 350 yards respectively, and the frigate in her draught, opposite the town, a general bombardment was opened. " The effect of our fire," says a correspondent, in a letter which appeared in the "Bombay Gazette' of the 21st of March, "was again equal to our most sanguine expectations ; in a few hours we had the satisfaction of seeing this strong fort crumbled to the dust ; like the former one, the shot andi shells from the cruisers tumbled it down piecemeal. By nine o'clock the citadel was breached and the work unten- come again, we will make them bite the dust, we will show them that we can fight and conquer still, or lay down our lives under the Holy Banner." * It has generally been stated that common shell was used on this occasion, but tliJs would appear to be incorrect from the following letter addressed to us by Captain Campbell, I.N. : — " It was William Jacob's idea about firing spherical case, loaded with powder only, at the Mocha forts, for he told me of it himself, and I carried out the idea in Eurmah against the teak stockades, and it answered admirably. It was not common shell, but spherical case, or shrapnel, with the lead balls all shaken out and filled with powder, and fired with a reduced charge. Of course it needed much care not to burst them in or at the muzzle of the gun." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 305 able ; the garrison, about four hundred in number, were driven out, and, not being able to run the gauntlet across the isthmus, were compelled to decamp towards the south-east point, and swim across to the main, by which many were drowned. At ten a.m., possession was taken, and the British Union displayed on the flagstaff; the guns were then spiked and thrown clown, and five mines were sprung, wliich, with tiie assistance of a rope, completed the destruction of this stronghold ; and the " Pro- tector," so formidable at sunrise, was before noon a confused mass of rubbish." While exploding one of the mines, Lieu- tenant John H. Wilson of the ' Benares ' and one seaman were seriously burnt.* * The following account is from an ofTicov who was present throughout (he operations: — "No sooner had we anchored, but the signal was displayed on board H.M.'s ship ' Topaze,' to 'prepare for battle ' and ' to take up proper positions for bombarding the North Fort.' The frigate moved into 20 feet water ; the ' Antelope ' and ' Benares ' were laying within her, in little more than their draught, at the distance of about 600 or 700 yards from tlie North Fort, and the Thames mortar boat was placed close in shore, opposite the to\m, between the two forts ; and everything was ready for opening a heavy fire on the following morning, and expectation was high as to the effect it would produce. At eight a.m. on the 4th of December, the business was begun by a broadside from the frigate, and followed by the same from the two cruisers. The fire was at first smartly returned by the enemy from all the cannon in their five batteries, but with little etl'ect, and shortly after began to slacken. The effect of our guns was good, considering the distance ; for in the course of an hour the north battery was silenced, and a party of Arabs, who were stationed therein (finding our firo particularly directed to that part of the defences), quitted their post, and made a precipitate retreat across the isthmus, towards the Mecca gate of the town. The fight had now become a chase, and I observed one of tlieni knocked down by a cannon shot, which overtook him in the race. The North Fort was now thought to be entirely abandoned by the enemy, and the ' Antelope ' made a telegraphic signal to that effect. In the meantime the ' Thames ' mortar-boat threw her 13-iiich shell into the town, to the great dismay and consternation of the terrified inhabitants, who had never believed things would be brought to such a pass. At ten a.m. the ' Antelope ' got under weigh, and worked up in a beautiful style {under double-reefed topsails and courses), to attack the South Fort, but in tacking under the lee of this fort, her keel touclied, and, missing stays, she lay aground at the distance of 500 yards, but in an excellent position for cannonading it. The fort immediately opened its guns on the ' Antelope,' but was soon silenced by the superior fire of that cruiser, whose precision aud execu- tion was particularly noticed. The frigate had still continued a heavy aud well- directed cannonade on the north battery, and the shot which missed it ])a6sed over into the town ; the effect was considerable and manifest, yet it was to be regretted that her draught of water prevented her getting close enough to make a pi'actieable brcacli. By noon the ' JJsnares ' had also got up to the southward, and taken up a position for supporting the 'Antelojie,' and covering the bomb vessel from the fire of the centre Ijattery, when a flag of truce came off aud a general truce was displayed by the squadron. The 'Topaze ' iu>w made telegraph signal ; ' Great many killed on shore ; they want eight days' truce ; I have given tliem one hour and a-half.' At two p.m., finding our proi)osals not answered, the firing was recommenced on the North Fort by tlio frigate, and on the town by the two cruisers and the mortar boat, and was continued during the afternoon. At a quarter past two p.m. the boats of the squadron, manned and armed with a party of marines and artillery under the counnand of Lieutenants Moriarty, Wriglit, and Atkinson, of the 'Topaze,' Lieutenants Wilson and .McDowall, i.f the ' Uenares ' aud ' Anteloi)e,' aud Lieutenant Jacob of the Artillery, having been assembled round the frigate by signal, pushed olT with tho view of taking VOL. I. X 30<) HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Duriiig the uight tlie boml)-ketch continued to throw shells into the town, and, on the following day, the bombardment was partially resumed ; but the destruction of the South Fort was decisive in bringing to terms the Imaum's Vakeel, Meer Futteh Ullah, now appointed Dowlah, who, on the morning of the 2nd of Januar}^ came off to wait on Captain Bruce, a concession hitherto unheard of. Having afforded Captain Bruce the strongest assurances of a full concession of all demands, that officer landed on the 4th, accompanied by the captains of the ships of war, and rode to the house of Futteh Ullah, who received him with the utmost consideration ; the late Dowlah was present at this interview, but placed on a seat at some distance from possession of the North Fort. They efTected a landing about half-past two o'clock under cover of the guns of the 'Topaze ;' but, on getting to the fort, the door ■was barricaded ; and tlie party having no means of escaladiug the wall, and being unable to force the gateway, the assailants were reluctantly compelled to retreat to their boats, under a galling fire from the matchlocks of the Arabs, and with a heavy loss in killed and wounded. Although foiled in their object, no words can do justice to the merits of the party employed on this entei-jirise ; the coolness and detennined spirit of gallantry which actuated every individual was never more conspicuous than on this trying occasion. Both officers and men were observed going round and about every side of the fort, seeking in vain for a hole to creep througli, or in any way to gain access to the area of the work ; while many were falling by a murdei'ous fire from the matchlocks of the enemy, who, unseen and in security, took deliberate aim at their victims through Ioojd- holes in the walls, and by hurling shot, stones, and quickhme on their heads from above. This is one of the melancholy instances which occasionally occur on expeditions of this nature ; and while we regret the loss of those brave men who fell in this affair, no blame can be attached to any party. That experienced and gallant officer wlio commanded the force, Captain Lumley, had doubtless very strong reason to believe that the fort was abandoned, and, from the circumstance of no men having been seen in it, and not a gun having been fired from it since nine o'clock, it was but reasonable to conclude so, and in his zeal for the acquisition of an important object of the expedition, namely, the destruction of the North Fort, he dii-ected it to be taken possession of as the best means of terminating hostilities, and securing British interests by a speedy acquiescence with our reasonable, and just demands. The shells from the bomb-ketch were thrown into the town with admirable effect during the night, and (at 1,200 yards range) penetrated the flat roofs of the houses and through two floors, and exploded in the lower apartments, destroying whole families. The explosion of some shells in the early part of the night caused two extensive conflagrations in the town, which destroyed the prison and Governor's stables, &c. The attack of the North Fort recommenced on the morning of the 26th of December, at a few minutes after six. Our fire was returned by the enemy from the North and South Forts, Bunda, Five Gun, and North Gate Batteries, and kept up throughout the day. By ten, the North Fort having been rendered untenable, was abandoned, and by noon it was occupied by a detachment of Marines, Bombay Artillery, and Sepoys, landed under the command of Lieutenant W. Moriarty, and by three the guns were spiked, their carriages destroyed, and three mines sprung, which completely destroyed it. In consequence of the state of the weather, the operations against the South Fort did not commence till the 29th. The ' Benares ' and ' Antelope ' cruisers, and ' Thames ' bomb vessel, were warped close to the South Fort ; the depth of water not admitting of tlie ' Topaze ' being also warped near enough, her fire was directed in keeping the town batteries in check. By half-past ten in the morning of the 30th, the South Fort was taken possession of, and demolished in the same manner as the North one. On the following day the enemy opened a cannonade partially ; but our object having been fully accomplished, our squadron sliifted beyond the reach of the fire." HISTORY OF THE IXDTAX XA^T. 307 the Meer. During the da}- he was put into close confinement, with a guard over him, and, by an express order from the Imaum. his property was seized and confiscated for having transmitted false accounts of the real state of alBPairs. In the evening, Futteh Ullah returned Captain Brace's visit on board the ' Ernaad.' Saturday, the (ith of January, 1821, having been fixed for Haji Futteh's affording public atonement for the wrongs he had committed, on that day, ^leer Futteh Ullah, accompanied by his Council, a number of other functionaries and the principal merchants, brought the offender to Captain Bruce's house, where were assembled Captain Lumley, the commanders of the Company's cruisers, and a large party of officers. The Meer, leading Haji Futteh by the hand, formally announced to Captain Bruce that he had brought him. by the Imaum's order, to be delivered up for punishment, in any way he thought proper ; that His Highness deeply regretted what had occurred, which had been entirely without his authority, and that he trusted, therefore, that this public acknowledgment would be considered sufficient atonement. Pie then delivered Haji Futteh into Ca})tain Bruce's hands, when that officer replied that sufficient reparation had been offered, and Haji Futteh was freely forgiven, an act of generosity which deeply affected the late Dowlah, who, for some time, in vain attempted to give utterance to his gratitude. On the following day, Captain Bruce and the Naval commanders, accompanied by a high official on the part of iiw Dowlah, rode through the Shaduli gate, hitherto undesecrated l)y the foot of an unbeliever, after which the l)owlah issued a proclamation, which was repeated for three successive days, annoimcing that no one was to presume to ofter molestation or insult to any person belonging to the English, in the streets or the different gates of the town, which were to be for their free use, the same as to themselves, and that any one transgressing this proclamation woukl be severely punished. On the 14th, Meer Futteh Ullah delivered to Captain Bruc a firman, which had been issued by the Imaum, reducing the duties to 2rl- percent.; and, in the course of the following day, copies of the treaty, which had been sent to Sanaa, were returned, duly signed and sealed by the Imaum and the members of his Council.* All the demands of the Bombay Government were now amply fulfilled, and the British factory was jilaced on that honourable footing which it should ever have occupied. Lieutenant Kobson,t commanding the Hon. ( '()m|>any's cruiser 'Antelope,' was left in charge of affairs as British Resident, * Bombay Book of Treaties, p. ()72. t This gallant oflicer, who had gone throtigh great personal fatigue, ("uilered 80 much in healtli, that he expired at Moclia on the lath of Ancnst, 1821, two days before the arrival of his late ship tlic 'Antelope,' \\ith the new British Kesident, Captain Hutchinsou. X 2 308 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. ^vitll a guard of thirty Sepoys. " Thus," says Captain Play fair, " through the entire success of this Expedition, the national character was honourably redeemed from that stain v/hich the natives of Arabia admitted it had received, and were surprised we had so long tolerated ; and important advantages were ob- tained and secured by treaty."* While serving on this Expedi- tion, Lieutenant Thomas Tanner, of the ]\Iarine, made a survey of the fort and batteries of Mocha, which forms one of the ]:)latest m Major Straith's "Treatise on Fortification," the text book for the scientific services. On the conclusion of the arduous operations at Mocha, Captain Lumley issued the following order :— " H.M.S. ' Topaze,' off Mocha, Dec. 21, 1820. " The gallant and spirited conduct displayed by the captains and commanders, and all the officers and seamen, artillery and sepoys, of the Company's cruisers, under my orders, during the late arduous attack and destruction of the forts of Mocha, having met my warmest approbation, I take the present opportunity of conveying my high sense of their very njeritorious services on that occasion ; and I am to request that the respective captains * This treaty had not long been concluded, when a disposition appeared on the part of the Imaum to cTade its provisions. The first instance occun-ed in considering whether Indian merchants, trading to Mocha under the protection of the British flag, shared equally with the Enghsh merchants in the benefit of the reduction of duty to 2\ per cent. As, however, the terms of the treaty were ambiguous, and afforded good grounds for disputing the right to insist on this privilege, the point was waived. Early in the following year, it was observed that another, and much more serious, oversight occurred in the treaty, namely, that the stipidation which provided tliat the dependents of the factory should be entirely under Britisli protection and control was omitted in the Arabic counter- part. This circumstance was made known to the Imaum, but he declined to rectify it ; iipon which he was given to understand, that, if attempts were made to seize or punish any person, of whatever nation, who might be in the Resident's exclusive employ, the latter was immediately to withdraw from Mocha, pending such steps as the Government of India might deem it necessary to ])ur8ue. t This plate is numbered 4 in the Fourth Edition of Major Straith's work, and consists of plans, numbered 144, 145, and 146. " The two forts," says Straith, " stood on two pi'ongs, which, abutting into the sea, completely defend the harbour and sea front of the town of Mocha. Each of these two forts mounted a heavy battery of iron guns, with casemated embrasures, and both forts were well within range and support of several heavy batteries on the sea front of Mocha." Speaking of the first unsuccessful assaults of the North Fort, the same authority says : — " Even had the assaulting party been provided with scaling ladders, it would have been almost certain destruction, for they would have been exposed, in the interior area, to a concentrated loop-holed fire from three sides of the quadrangle ; and even if the lower entrance into the casemated barrack-rooms had been forced, the upper apartments would have secured a safe retreat, from which a deadly fire would have been poured down on the heads of the assailants, the ti-ap-doored staircase being a removable ladder. The plans and sections of these forts are given in figures 145, 146, as showing the sorts of defences to be expected in offensive opei'ations in these quarters of the globe, and the hopeless- ness of attacking them without the effective assistance of artillery." We learn from Greneral Sir George Le Grand Jacob, brother of Lieut. W. Jacob, that the latter was blown into the air by a mine sprung in the breach, and that he was so seriously hurt that, for some days, his life was despau-ed of. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 300 will signify the same to them respectivel}', and to assure them that I shall not fail to represent their gallant behaviour to the Hon. Company's Government accordingly. I have also to return my warmest thanks to Lieutenant Jacob, of the Artillery, fur the great precision with which the shells were thrown by him into the town and forts of Mocha; as also to Lieutenant Tannur, of the Hon. Company's ]\hxrine, who so willingly offered his services, and who proved particularly useful, and whose be- haviour was highly meritorious, during the late arduous attack above-mentioned. " (Signed) Gr. R. Lumley, " Captain and Senior Oiiicer. " To the respective Captains and Commanders of the Hon. Company's cruisers ' Eenares,' ' Antelope,' ' Ernaad,' and ' Thames.' The Governor of Bombay in Council gave formal expression to his satisfiiction, in an Order, dated ]\Iarch 31, 1821, in which was published the following extract from Captain Lumley's despatches relating to the services of the Bombay Marine : — " The good conduct evinced by the officers, seamen, and Sepoys, of the Hon. Company's vessels, merit the fullest praise; the ready obedience to all my orders, even the frequent antici- pation of them (produced by a sense of what the innnediate exigencies of the Service required), marked particularly the zeal of Lieutenants Faithful and Kobson, and the position in which they always placed their vessels, denoted as strongly their ability as officers. I have to express my satisfaction with Lieutenant Jones, commanding the ' Ernaad,' and Second-Lieu- tenant Ehvon of the 'Thames,' Lieutenant Tanner, passenger in the 'Antelope,' very handsomely volunteered his services where he might be useful." The Captain of the ' Topaze,' than whom the British Navy did not possess a more gallant or meritorious otKcer, died on the 23rd of July, 1(S21, in a great measure owing to excessive exertion and exposure during the operations at ]\Iocha. He was buried at Penang on the 2.Sth of July, greatly mourned by all who knew him, and not less by his country, in whose service he had lost an arm and had suffered other wounds. Lieutenant Faithful also died on the 22iid of April, 1823, and as Lieutenant Robson expired on the 15th of August, 1821, from the over- fatigue he had undergone, death soon removed the three prin- cipal actors in the capture of the Mocha forts. CHAPTER X. 1797—1820. The Joasmi Pirates ; their origin and early history — Attack on the ' Viper ' — Their Defeat of the Imaum of Muscat, and Agp;ressions on the British Flag — The Treaty of 1806 — Attack on the ' Fury ' — Capture of the ' Minerva ' and ' Sylph '—Their Eepulse by the ' Nautilus '—The Expedition of 1809 ; Cap- ture of Eas-nl-Khymah, Luft, and Shinaz — Recognition by Commodore Wain- wright and the Bombay GrOTerumeut of the gallantry of the Marine — Renewed Depredations of the Joasmi Pirates — Action between the ' Aurora ' and a Joasmi squadron — The Abortive Demonstration before Ras-ul-Khymah in 1816 — Repulse of a Piratical Fleet by the ' Antelope,' and other actions with the Joasmis — The Expedition of 1819 ; Siege and Capture of Ras-ul-Khymah and Zayah — Complimentary Orders on the Services of the Marine — Final Pacifica- tion of the Joasmis, and Signature of the Treaty of the 8th of January, 1820. T'HE Persian Gulf, as a field for the services of the Bombay- Marine, carne prominentl}^ into notice during the earl}' years of the nineteenth century, and, for two decades, it became a scene of active strife, until, at length, the piratical tribes who infested its waters, were finally humbled, and the flag of England became as paramount throughout every creek and inlet of the Persian Gulf as in Bombay Harbour itself. We first hear of the maritime Arab tribes, of whom the Joasmi were the most bold, coming into actual conflict with the ships of the Bombay Marine in the year 1797, and, subsequent to that date, many passages of arms took place between the small British cruisers and the heavily-manned craft that flew the flag of Abd-ul-\Vahab, the great reformer of the religion of the Koran, whose followers, called Wahabees, carried fire and sword throughout the peninsula of Arabia. The Joasmi* occupied that part of the Arabian coast, extending from Khor-es-Shem, or Elphin stone's Inlet, near Ras Mussendom (or Masandim) to Abu Thubee, a low sandy coast line running in a south-west * There were also three smaller tribes of Arabs on the coast between Ras-ul- Kliymah and the island of Balireni, called the Mahama or Owaimir, Beni Yas, whose capital is Abu Thubee or Abu Zliabi, and Menasir. Though they seldom committed acts of piracy on the high seas, these Arabs would seize any vessel that approached their coast, and in IHS-i, the Beni Yas attempted a daring act of piracy, which met with condign punishment. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 311 direction for about 150 miles. The towns on this coast, which was generally designated by navigators, " the Pirate Coast," are all built near the entrance of a Khor, or salt-water inlet, and the maritime robbers, established here from a very remote period, not only made themselves dreaded by their neighbours, but defied the efforts to subdue them of the Portuguese, (who nomi- nally claimed the whole coast of Oman until expelled by the Arabs), and extended their depredations along tiie southern coast of Arabia, and even to the shores of India and ihe Ked Sea. Their chief towns were Sharjah, or Shargah, the residence of Sultan Sugger, the noted Joasmi chief, and Ras-ul-Khymah,* formerly called Julfa, a large town built on a long sandy penin- sula, or spit, projecting into the sea, and enclosing a deep narrow bay protected by a bar, over which, at spring tides, there is scarcely 11 feet of water, although at these periods there is a rise of 6 feet above the usual level. Vessels drawing 1-1 feet cannot approach within two and a half miles, though gun- boats drawing 3 feet may advance within pistol-shot of the beach and point-blank range of the town. The "pirate coast" was called by the Persians Julfarah, after the chief town, and P]s-sirr by the Arabs. "In the time of Mahomed," says ]\lorier, in his "Travels in Persia," "there existed a predatory tribe, whose chief is described in the Koran, according to Ebn Haukal, as 'the King, who forcibly seized every sound ship.'" In the early part of the seventeenth cen- tury, Julfa was occupied by the Persians, who had captured Ormuz in 1G22, and by the Portuguese, each having a separate fort and garrison there. The powerful Omanee chief. Nasir- bin-Murshid, first attacked the Portuguese, who still huld Sohar, ]\Iuskat, and other places on the Oman coast; at his death in 1649, he was succeeded by his cousin, Sultan-bin-Seif, who, by treachery, captured Muskat, and some of his vessels attacked and killed the crews of two Portuguese men-of war, which con- tinued to hover about the coast. Fired with this success, the " Imaum," for such was the religious title assumed by this dynasty, " about the year 1()70," according to Hamilton, attacked * Eas-ul-Khyinali, tlic cliiof town of the Joasmi, at this time oontainod ab(»ut one thou.siuid houses, and jjrobably still possesses some lour or live thousand inhabitants. The town is chielly construeled ol' stone houses, with some square buildings forming the Sheikh's resilience, of greater elevation than the rest. On one corner of the highest building is a dome, which is about sixty feet above the level of the sea; and on another high building to the left Hies the Joasmi lliig, red with narrow white border. A great many boats and baghalahs belong to this port, which has long since recovered from the elleet of the Ivxiiedilions of ISO!) and ISIO, the teachings of which, however, have hap])ih- created a permanent and salutary nnpression of the jjower of the lirilisli Ciovtrnment. From hence to Shargah, the largest town of tlie Juasmis, having a population now of between eight and ten thousand inhabitants, tlie coast is generally low, ami thinly planted with date trees, and full of shallow creeks, well calculated to allord protection to the peculiarly constructed boats of the ]iirate tribes. Other ports arc Kauise or Earns, lioo liaille, ajid the ports of thcEcni ias. 312 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Uiu and Damaun, Portuguese possessions in India, and sacked the churches. His son, Seif, in 1698, drove the Portuguese from Mombaza, Pemba, and Kilwa, and added these possessions to Oman ; this prince had a formidable Navy, one of the ships carrying eighty guns. So powerful had the Omanees becon]e that, as we have mentioned during the course of this narrative, the trade of the English East India Company was greatly en- dangered, and one of their agents in Persia — who had all, indeed, successively insisted on the necessity of sending an armed force to destroy them — declared that '' they were likely to become as great a plague to India, as the Algerines were in Europe" Some of the ships owned by these " pirates," as Morier calls them, had from thirty to fifty guns; and one of their fleets, consisting of five ships, carried between them fifteen hundred men. Niebuhr makes no mention of Ras-ul-Khymah, under that name, but there appears an account of the origin of the w'ord in a curious work,* which formerly was in the library of the famous Orientalist andtraveller, Sir W. Ouseley, written by an European officer of the household of the late Seyyid (or Syud) Said of Muscat. He says of Ras-ul-Khymah : — " Their founder, Joasmi, pitched his tent on a point of land a little elevated above the sea shore, which being very conspicuous to all other ships passing by, the sailors called the place Ras-el-Keima, which in Arabic signifies ' the point of the tent,' and in process of time a town being built, the original name w'as transferred to it." During the latter part of the eighteenth century, the arms of Mohammed- ibn-Abdul-Wahab,t whose name signifies " Bestower of Blessings." subdued the whole of Nedjed and the countr}'- between Derreyah, the capital, and the Gulf; and "before he died," says Palgrave, " he saAv his authority acknowledged from the shores of the Persian Gulf to the frontiers of Mecca." For three years these fierce pirates held out against the Moslem reformer, but, at length they gave in their adhesion to the new tenets, and, after the manner of proselytes, enforced its behests upon all disbelievers with fiery zeal. For a long time the Joasmis only attacked the crews of native trading vessels, and, according to their invariable custom on such occasions, gave the crews the option of forthwith conforming to their religion or * " History of the Seyd Said, Sultan of Muscat, with an account of the Wahabees, by Sheik Mansur, an Italian, who was physician to the Sultan, and commanded his forces against the Joasmis." t For furtlier particulars regarding the history, government, and religion of tlie Wahabees, I would refer the reader to Burckhardt's " Notes on the Bedouins and Wahabees." According to Palgrave's " Central and Eastern Arabia," the following was the succession of Wahabee chiefs: — Saood, the founder of the dynasty ; Abd-ul-Aziz, his son and successor ; Saood II. the disciple of the founder ; Abd-ul-Asiz, his son, who was assassinated about 1803 ; Abdullali, a younger son, beheaded at Constantinople ; Toorkee, son of Abdullah, assassinated in 1834 ; and Faisul, son of Toorkee. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 313 suffering a cruel death. But tliey waxed bolder as years passed by and tliey grew in strength.* Since the capture of Ormuz, the Company had retained two or three of their ships of war in the Persian Gulf for the pro- tection of their commercial interests at Gombroon and the agencies at Bushire and Bussorah, with which places, particularly the latter, a considerable trade was carried on. The officers of the Bombay Marine were enjoined not to interfere wnth the piratical acts of the Arab tribes of the Persian Gulf, but only to act in self-defence, which encouraged the Joasrais — who, like all Easterns, construed non-intervention into an avowal of weakness — to commit an act of treachery which brought its own punishment. In the year 1797, the first capture of a British vessel was made by the Joasmis. The ' Bassein,' snow, carrying public despatches, was seized on the 18th of ]\Iay off Kams on the Joasmi coast, by a fleet of dhows, and carried into Ras-ul- Khymah, but was released after a detention of two days. In the following October, the pirates, encouraged by the impunity they had enjoyed, made their first attack upon a Company's cruiser, but the reception they met with was not encouraging. The Hon. Company's brig 'Viper,' of fourteen guns, was lying in Bushire Roads, where were also some Joasmi dhows, under the command of Sheikh Saleh, nephew to the Joasmi chief, who was then at war with the Imaum of Muscat. As their object was to intercept the Sooree Arabs who were at Bussorah, no fear of any hostile movement on the part of these vessels existed in the mind of the Captain of the ' Viper,' who jiroceeded on shore to the house of the British Political Resident. This gentleman, lulled by the protestations of friendship of Sheikh Saleh, unwisely gave an order to the Captain of the ' Viper,' to supply the dhows with powder and shot, ostensibly to attack the Sooree Arabs; and no sooner had they secured enough for their purpose, than the}^ weighed anclior as if for a cruise. It was about eight o'clock in the morning, and the crew of the Company's cruiser were having their breakfast on deck. Suddenly two of the dhows, which were passing under the ' Viper's ' stern, opened fire with round shot upon the little craft. The officers, who were below rushed upon deck. Lieu- tenant Carruthers, the senior, called the men to quarters, and none too soon, for the dhov/s, cramuied full of men, bore down on the little man-of-war, intending to capture her by boarding. The crew of the 'Viper' cut the cable and uiade sail on the ship, while the guns were cast loose, and soon opened a well- * Mr. J. Warden, Member of Council at Bombay, says in a paper on the Joasmis that Ouuin Hussaiu-ben-Ali was invested by the Wahabees with the fullest authority, which enabled him to compel the heads of the Joasmis residing at Shargah and Eas-ul-Khymah, to cruise in conjunction with vessels from Kams in the service of the Wahabees, against all ships, witliout exception, appearing in the Gulf. 314 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. directed fire on their treacherous assaihmts. The superior seamanship of the Englishmen toklin their favour, and, by dint of smartmanoeuvring, Lieutenant Carruthers succeeded, not only in preventing the enemy from carrying into execution their intention to board, when their numerical superiority must have given them the victory, but beat the dhows off, and ended the conflict by chasing them out to sea. Unfortunately this gallant young officer was killed towards the latter part of the action. He had been previously wounded by a musket-ball in the loins, but refused to leave the deck, and was soon after shot through the forehead. Mr. Salter, the senior midshipman, who took command on the death of his superior, fought the ship with determined braver}^ and the great loss she incurred, thirty-two out of a total crew of sixty-five, testified to the severity of the action.* Notwithstanding the glaring nature of this outrage, which cost many gallant men their lives, no hostilities were ordered by the Bombay Government, but the Joasmis had received so severe a lesson that many years elapsed before a second attempt was made to attack a British vessel of war. The Company's Besident at Bushire wrote to the Joasmi chief demanding explanations as to the treacherous attack on the 'Viper 'and the capture of the ' Bassein,' but his remonstrances were met on the part of Sheikh Suggur by professions of regard for the English, contending in respect to the attack on the ' Viper,' that the cruiser had fired first on the dhows. He stated that Sheikh Saleh leftRas-ul-Khymah, and, having separated himself from the tribe, proceeded to the Persian shore, where he estab- lished himself among the Beui Khalid Arabs, marrying a woman of that tribe, which was one of a villainous character : that since the commencement of hostilities between the Joasmis and people of Oman, Sheikh Saleh had acted independently of Ras-ul-Khymah, committing depredations according to his inclniation; that the Joasmis had no disputes with the English, and considered the people of Omanf alone as their enemies. * According to Mr. Warden, in his Memoir of the " Rise and Progress of the Arab Tribes in the Persian Grulf," ah-eadj referred to, this affaii-, and also the attack on the ' Eassein ' snow, " was supposed to have been by Arabs, in the interest of the deposed Prince of Oman, the elder brother of Syud Sultan." Mr. Warden states that it was not until 1804, which was two years after the Wahabees had reduced to obedience the Joasmis, that the latter commenced their piratical depredations. It is certain that the Wahabee element has exercised only a baueful influence in Persian Gulf politics. t These hostihties arose in consequence of the unsettled state of the Muscat GoTemment on the death of Syud (or Seyyid) Ahmed, and the usurpation of Seyyid Sultan. The latter had involved himself in serious disputes with the Arabs of the Gulf, which brought on a war with some of the tribes, who had united against him ; and the Bombay Government conceived that the acts of aggression experienced by British vessels, had been from Arabs in the interest of the deposed Prince of Oman. At the close of the year 1798, the Imaum of Muscat was threatening Bussorah, on account of some claims against the Pasha of Bagdad. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 315 It was not until early in the present century that the Joasmis may be said to have engaged in piratical depredations as their recognised occupation, for up to the close of 1804, with the exception of the attack on the ' Bassein,' snow, and ' Viper,' cruiser, they manifested every respect for the British flag. The influence of the Wahabees* having been introduced over the " pirate coast," and the Government of Muscat, on the death of Seyyid Sultan, having also temporarily fallen under the control of that power, the characters of the different tribes in the Gulf underwent a material change, and the attention of the British Government was directed to check the spirit of piracy which, at this period, began to display itselff In 1803, a remarkable man appeared upon the scene, in the person of Sultan Bin Suggur, Chief of the Joasmis. In that year he succeeded to the Sheikdom of the tribe upon the death of his father, Suggur, who had assumed the chief authority in 1777, upon the retirement of his father, Rashid Bin Muttur. Sultan Bin Suggur had three brothers and seven sons, and was in many respects a remarkable man ; he lived to a great age, and his noble presence and patriarchal appearance were familiar to the officers of the Indian Navy, with whom, notwith- standing the losses and defeats his tribes had sustained at their hands, he and his sons, the eldest of whom was appointed Governor of Shargah in 18o8, remained on terms of friendship. The other dramatis im-sonce in Persian Gulf politics, at this time, were Shakboot,:|: Sheikh of the Beni Yas, whose head-qiuirters were at Abu Thubee, who had been supreme since 17i:K3-it4; and Abdoola Bin Ahmed and Suliman Bin Ahmed, joint rulers of Bahrein, (literally "the Two Seas") then held by the el-Uttiib, or Uttoobee Arabs, who, with the assistance of the In order to enable him the more effectually to execute his hostile intentions Seyyid Said negotiated a yjeace witl> liis iormidable enemies, the Joasmis, through the interposition of the British Resident at Eussorah. * The Joasmis must liave been kept in check by the progress of the Wahabees, •who had by the month of May, 1802, reduced to nominal submission tlie wiiolo coast from Eussora to Dibba, wliieh included their territory. They appear, however, towards the close of 1801, to have been in alliance with tlieUttobees of Bahrein, since it was in an engagement with these two tribes that Seyyid Sultan, the Imaum, lost his life. ^ t See " Historical Sketch of the Joasmi Tribe of Arabs from the Year 171/ to the Year 1819. Prepared by Mr. Francis Warden, Member of Council at Bombay." Also a continuation of the same, from the year 181'J to tiui close of the year 1831, by Lieutenant S. Heunell ; and from 1832 to July, 181-t, by Lieutenant A. B. Kemball ; and from tlie latter period to tlie dose of the year 1853, by Lieutenant II. F. Disbrowe, successive Assistants to the Resident in the Persian G-ulf. (" Bombav Government Records," No. 24-, 1856.) + He was deposed in 1816 by his son, Mahomed, who was, in his turn, dis- possessed two years later by his brutlier, TuhiK.oii, tlirough the nssistnncc of the Imaum of Muscat. In 1833 Talmoon was killed by iiis younger half-brother, Khaleefa Bin Sluikboot, who was assisted by his own brother, Sullan. Tins brother and the father continued to reside at A.bu Thubee, but had no share in the govemmciit. 31 G HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Wahabees,* early in 1801, retook the island from the Imaum of Muscat, who had expelled them only a few months before. In 1804, Seyyid Sultan met his death at the hands of the Wahabee pirates off Linjali, while on his return from Bussorah, to which he had proceeded to receive the annual gratuity, awarded by the Sultan of Turkey to the successor of the Imaum Ahmed, who, in the year 1756, raised the siege of that city, then beleaguered by the Persians. The following were the circum- stances under which Seyyid Sultan died at the hands of his traditional foe. He left his frigate, the ' Jinjawar,' off Linjah, and embarked in a tender, called ' El-Badry,' in order to proceed through the Clarence Straits to Gombroon. About midnight of the 19th of November, 1804, according to the Arabic historian, whose work is translated by the Rev. G. P. Badger, he was hailed by three boats from Ras-ul-Kbymah, and it was agreed that they should fight at daylight. The Seyyid disdaining to flee, connuenced the conflict at dawn, and was almost victorious when a musket-ball struck him in the mouth and he expired on the spot. Upon this the enemy overpowered the crew, but spared their lives.t During his rule, Seyyid Sultan's brother, Imaum Said, being still alive, he never assumed the title of Imaum, which, as Palgrave remarks, " is unused in Oman itself, and belongs to European and not to Arab nomen- clature." Since the time of Said, son of the Imaum Ahmed, who founded the dynasty in 1741, the rulers of Oman have never adopted the title of Imaum, but are uniformly designated " Seyyid," or lord. Said, the last of the race Avho adopted the religious title of Imaum, or chief priest, died during the regency of his nephew, Seyyid Said, between 1811-21, but the latter never laid claim to the title, and he and his successors always retained the appellation of Seyyid, in preference to the- religious prefix, though the English knew him as the Imaum. On Seyyid Sultan's death his two" sons, Salim and Said, ruled conjointly, and ultimately, on the death of Salim in 1821, the younger brother. Said, became supreme, and for fifty years ruled Oman with prudence and firmness, while he showed his * The Wahabee chief, Saood the Second, the first patron, and the successful defender and propagator of the new doctrine, died about 1800, and his son, Abd- ul- Asiz, at once turned his arms against Xateef, Bahrein, and the Kmgdom of Oman. t Fraser, in his narrative of a Journey into Khorassan, says, " While proceed- ing witli his fleet to the island of Kishm, and thence to E-hameer, to visit the great sulphur mines, which he received from Persia, he left his ships, five in number, becalmed between Polior and the Tombs, and got into a boat to proceed alone, when, night coming on, he was attacked by five Joasmi boats, which happened to be crossing from the Arabian side to celebrate a wedding at Linga. The contest was severe, but ended in the murder of the Imaum and his whole party, and it was the more distressing, as his own ships were near enough to see the llashes of the guns, though being .becalmed they could have rendered no assistance, had they even known the danger of their chief." HISTORY OF THE IXDLVX NAVY. 317 sagacity in maintaining a close alliance with the British Government. In the year 1805, two English merchant brigs, the ' Shannon' and ' Trimmer,' belonging to Mr. i\Iannesty, the Company's Resident at Bussorah, while on the voyage from Bombay to that place, were attacked near the islands of Polior and Kenn, (Kais) by several Joasmi pirate boats, and, after a slight resistance on the part of the ' Shannon' only, were captured, and the native part of the crew of each put to the sword. The captain of the ' Shannon' had his arm struck off as he had been seen to fire a musket, but the European seamen were lauded and permitted to disperse. The vessels were armed, one of them with twenty guns, and, being manned with Arab crews, were sent from Ras-ul-Kliymah to cruise in the Gulf, where they committed many successful piracies on maritime trade. The Bombay Government had been so ill-advised as to place the lives of their officers and men absolutely at the discretion of these pirates by issuing an order signed by the President in Council, directing all the commanders of the ships of the Bombay Marine on no consideration to attack these blood-thirsty rovers, and threatening to visit with displeasure any officers who might molest them. In the same year that they attacked the merchant brigs, ' Shannon' and ' Triunner,' the Joasmis. encouraged by impunity, surrounded the Hon. Company's cruiser, 'Mornington,' twenty-two guns, with a large fleet of forty sail, and attempted to capture her. An action ensued, and the 'Mornington' drove off her assailants with great loss. Though enraged at the attack upon the two merchant brigs, the Government did not appear to be very anxious on rhe score of the safety of their own ships of war, whose captain's iiauds they had tied by orders not to take the initiative even in self-defence, but to wait until they were fired upon, instructions which resulted soon after in a sad catastrophe. "The Governor of that period," says the traveller, J. S. Buckingham, '• from i^-norance of the character of this people, could never be persuaded that they _ were the aggressors, and constantly upraided the officers with having, in some way, provoked the attacks of which they complained — continuing still to insist on the observance of the orders, in not firing on these vessels until they had first been fired at by them." In consequence of the attack upon the two brigs, the. Con)pany's ships were directed to operate against the Joasmis in conjunction with the Imaum's Government; the combined forces aceorilingly pro- ceeded, in the year 180(5. to the island of Kishni, where they blockaded the Joasmi fleet, which was reduced to such distress that they sued for peace. Captain David Seton, the British 318 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Political Agent, agreed to grant them a truce until tlie pleasure of his Government should be known, and a treaty was concluded at Bunder Abbas, dated the fith of Februar}', 1806, by which they agreed to give np the 'Trimmer,' the ' Shannon' having been previously restored completely stripped, and to " respect the flag and property of the Hon. East India Company and their subjects," and " to assist and protect" any English vessels touching on their coast. Captain Seton represented to his Government that "the whole bulk of the Joasmis were desirous of returning to their former mercantile pursuits/' but he had suffered himself to be cajoled by these wolves in sheeps' clothing. Pirac}^ was bred in the bone among these restless, truculent Arabs, and the fleets of large and heavil^^-armed dhows moored in the harbours of Shargah and Ras-ul-Khyraah, were not destined for the peaceful pursuits of pearl-fishing on the Bahrein coast, but for deeds of rapine and blood. For a brief period the Joasmis continued true to the pro- visions of the treaty of 1806, so far as regarded the British ships cruising in the Gulf; but it is probable that this tempo- rary abstention from acts of piracy on the British flag, was induced only by a fear of the consequences, as we find that during the year 1807, owing to the exigencies of European politics, there was a powerful squadron of ships of war in the Persian Gulf. Urged on by the intrigues of General Sebastiani, special envoy of Napoleon, then in the very height of his power, the Turkish Government, in December, 1806, declared war against Russia, with which Power we made common cause, though indeed the Czar Alexander had forestalled the Porte by invading what are now known as the Danubian Principalities. Sir John Duckworth was despatched by Lord Collingwood in February, 1807, to coerce the Sultan, and that admiral actually forced the Dardanelles, and arrived within eight hours of Constantinople, when, being hampered by the action of the British Minister, precious time was lost, the defences of the city were strengthened, and Duckworth was forced to retire without accomplishing anything. In order to assist in bringing Turkey to her senses through her Asiatic possessions, a squadron was despatched to the Persian Gulf from Bomba}^ consisting of H.M.S. ' Fox,' Captain Hon. A. Cochrane, and eight of the Company's cruisers. The ' Fox' took the Persian Ambassador up the Gulf, and proceeded to Al-Koweit, or Grane,* whence she soon afterwards returned to Madras, the Turkish Governor disclaiming the acts of his Government. The squadron of * Al Koweit — for the English name Grane is a corruption, and is utterly unknown to the Arabs of the Grulf, says Captain Constable in his " Persian Gulf Pilot " — is, perhaps, the best port in the Gulf, and contains a population of some twenty-five thousand souls of the Uttobee tribe, while it numbers one hundred and thirty tradhig vessels, between thirty and three hundred tons. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 319 cruisers remained in the Persian Gulf for a 3'ear, and hence there was a brief cessation to the course of piracy on the part of the Joasmi. In the month of April, 1808, after the return of the squadron to Bombay, the Joasmi dhows from Rams, Shargah, and otlier places on the coast, sent out to cruise without the permission of their lawful chief, Sheikh Sultan J^iu Sug,i2;ur, whose sole pos- session at this time was lias-ul-Kh_vmah, made their first a])pear- ance on the coast to the northward of Bombay, and Caj)tain Seton reported that the acts of piracy "can only be considered as a general one at the instigation of the Wahabees." While off the Guzerat coast, in command of the schooner ' Lively,' Lieutenant Macdonald fought a gallant action with four piratical dhows, each larger and carrying more men than his own little craft. He says : — " Calling the small pattamar close under our lee, we stood on till within half gun shot, when the two largest being most in shore, luffed up, whilst the others passed on to leeward, with the obvious intention of hemming us between them ; to avoid so unpleasant a dilemma we went about, and crossing the two weathermost, brought our carronades and musketry so effectually into play, as to drive the fellows who were ranged along the gunwales, for boarding, instantly under cover ; meantime, the leaders, by inattention, or attempting to wear, became entangled, and thrown into the utmost confusion, whilst we plyed them with grape and canister till they separated, and went off before the wind. So smooth and motionless, and so near were we all this while, that it was impossihle to miss half so good a mark; almost every shot told in passing to wind- ward : and as they slid onwards, we saw men suspended over the side of the one nearest to us, with whom we had been principally occupied. As the firing ceased, we could hear them shouting " Shoof, shoof," — that is " fly, fly " — to their compan- ions to seaward, and as long as the wind lasted they stood oiF shore, in close connnunication as before ; and when afterwards becalmed, their mainsails were lowered down, and their boats passed to and fro till the sea breeze came in, when they made their way down the coast, and we saw no more of each other nntil the subsequent detention of three of their number in Surat Roads, where they had ventured under the guise of honest traders. They were, however, detected by the Connno- dore's boat's crew visiting and discovering several wounded men concealed under an awning, which created a strong pre- sumption that all was not as it should be, and led to their seizure and being sent toljombay for examination : Mr. Secre- tary Goodwin, of the Public Department, and ('aj)tain Court, Secretary in the Naval Department, investigated the case, and, though fully satisfied of their identity and guilt, the Govern- ment, in consideration of their long detention, set them free 320 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. again to exercise their calling on some hapless coaster." The natural result of this feeble paltering with maritime brigandage was the encouragement of the pirates, who, during the year 1808 captured twenty native vessels, wdiich so elated them that they despatched a fleet of fifty sail towards Cutch and Scinde. At length they flew at higher game, and attacked the Honourable Company's cruiser ' Fury,' of six guns, commanded by Lieutenant Gowan, when carrying despatches from Bus- sorah to Bombay ; but the gallant officers and men of the little cruiser beat off their assailants with heavy loss. " The attack," says Buckingham, " was made by several boats in company and during a short calm ; but the resistance made was determined and effectual, and the boats were made to sheer ofli" with the loss of a great number of men. On the arrival of the ' Fury ' at Bombay, the commander w^aited on the Governor in the usual way ; but on reporting the affair of the battle, instead of being applauded for his spirited resistance, and his preservation of the despatches under his charge, he received a severe repri- mand from the Governor himself in person, for disobeying the orders given, and daring to molest the innocent and unoffending Arabs of these seas." During the latter part of the year 1808, they attacked the ship ' Minerva,' belonging to Mr. Mannesty, on her voyage from Bombay to Bussorah. The attack was made by several dhows, which, watching a favourable opportunity, threw on board a large body of men, and the crew- of the 'Minerva' were, of course, quickly overpowered. The ship was first purified with water and perfumes, and then the wretched captives were bound and brought forward singly to the gangway, where one of the pirates cut their throats, with the exclamation Mahommedans use in slaying cattle, " Allah Ackbar " (God is Great), regard- ing this terrible deed of blood as a propitiatory sacrifice to the Deit3\* The captain was said to have been cut up into frag- ments, which were thrown overboard ; the mate and carpenter were alone spared, probably to make use of their services, and an Armenian lady, wife of Lieutenant Taylor, then at Bushire, was carried captive, but, in accordance with Arab custom, no indignity was off"ered to her, and she was ransomed a few months later by Mr. Bruce, Political Agent at Bushire. The ship was taken to Ras-ul-Khymah, where twenty guns were mounted on her, and she was sent to cruise in the Gulf. On the 20th of October, only a few weeks after this, they mastered the Honourable Company's cruiser ' Sylph,' a small schooner of only 78 tons, and mounting eight guns, the com- mander's hands being tied by the instructions of his Goveru- * " Travels in Arabia," bv Lieutenant J. E. Welsted, I.N., F.R.S. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 321 ment until it was too late to offer any effectual resistance. The 'Sylph' formed one of a squadron carrying the Mission, under Sir Harford Jones, to the Court of tiie Shah of Persia, when, on being separated from tlie rest of the ships, a flec^t of dhows was seen bearing down on her. Lieutenant W. C. Graham, her commander, was alive to the peril of his position, but he could take no steps to keep them at bay, as they com- mitted no openly hostile act ; they only steered for him, and he had received peremptory ordei's, any infringement of which ■would involve dismissal, on no account to fire on the Arab craft until they first opened fire upon him. These orders placed a small cruiser absolutely at their mercy, for the Joasmi did not care to engage in a gunnery duel with British seamen, even with long odds in their favour ; their tactics consisted in running on board an enemy and throwing some hundreds of desperate men, armed to the teeth, on to tlie deck of a vessel, thus bearing down all resistance. This ujethod of fighting was well known to the officers of the Indian Navy, and the crews were specially trained to repel boarders should a calm, or the loss of any top-hamper, as masts or spars, pUice their small vessels at the mercy of an overwhelming force of the enemy.* The dhows quickly approached, and ran alongside with their large overhanging prows, which form a peculiar feature of this class of vessel, towering above the little cruiser's waist. From this vantage ground a crowd of men poured volleys of huge stones upon the heads of the unfortunate officers and crew, who were powerless to do more than return a feeble nnisketry fire. It was too late now to use the guns, or make any etfeetual resistance, and, in another instant, the decks of the 'Sylph' were swarming with a host of desperadoes, who, with the name of the Prophet on their lips, and a thirst for Christian blood in their hearts, quickly bore down all resistance, and commenced a wholesale massacre. Lieutenant Graham fell, covered with wounds,t down the fore hatchway, where one or two of (he crew who had been hurled below, dragged hiui into a store- room, of which tiiey barricaded the door from within by a crow- bar ; his chief officer, Acting-Lieutenant Denton, who had served * The writer who, as a inicLshipman, was for a Icncthciiod iicriod senior executive ofTicer of a small brig-of-war, can recall the drill of " forming Lion's mouth," as it was called, wliicli was specially practised by tlic crews of small cruisers, to repel boarders. The enemy was siijiposed to be boarding, forward or aft, as the case might be, and at the word " Form Lion's moutii,"' a couple of the small 6-pounder howitzers were wheeled across the deck at the otlier end vf the ship, with all hands armed with cutlasses in rear of them. At the order the guns were lired (supposed to be with grape) at liie i-nruiy, and then a rush was made at the foe, staggered by this unexpected discharge. t Lieutenant Grraham, who subsequently held ashore appointment at Bombay, survived for half a century the terrible wounds he received on this occasion on the head and shoulders. VOL. I. Y o22 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. US a midshipman onboard the ' Colossus ' at Trafal2;ar, only survived the wound he had received on that great day to be butchered by these murderous fanatics ; and, in a few minutes, almost the entire crew had perished, fighting desperately. The Jnasmis now made sail on the schooner, and were bearing her off in triumph to their own ports, when an unexpected event snatched the prize from their hands, and resulted in the rescue of Lieutenant Graham, and the remnant of his men, from the cruel fate that would have awaited them on their being dragged forth from their secret hiding-place. This event was none other than the appearance of His Majesty's thirty-six gun frigate, ' Nereide,' Commodore Corbett, forming part of the squadron, which now hove in sight, and, perceiving the ' Sylph ' in company with the dhows, divined what had occurred and made sail in pursuit. On nearing the prize, the Joasmis quitted her, and took to their dhows, to which the Commodore gave chase, but without success, as owing to their superior sailing, they were enabled to effect their escape: it was thought at the time that the ' Nereide ' had sunk one of the dhows by a broadside, but this was subsequently found to be a mistake. The Government, in sending to the Persian Gulf wretched little craft, like the ' Sylph,' of eighty tons, not one-third the size of the ordinary Joasmi war dhows, which, moreover, cruised in squadrons, carrying among them hundreds of men, positively invited the loss of their ships, and, still worse, of the crews ; but then the Government only suffered in prestige, while their gallant seamen paid the penalty with their lives. Only three days after this affair the Joasmi pirates attempted to capture the Company's brig ' Nautilus,' fourteen guns, in a similar manner, but met with a warm reception at the hands of the Commander, Lieutenant Bennett. " The ' Nautilus,' " says Buckingham, who acquired his information from those engaged in the Persian Gulf at the time, " was proceeding up the Gulf with despatches, and in passing the island of Anjar, on the south side of Kishm, near the Persian shore, was attacked by a squadron of pirates, consisting of a baghalah, a dhow, and two trankies ; the two former mounting great guns, the others having oars as well as sails, and all being full of armed men. The attack was made in the most skilful and regular manner, the two larger vessels bearing down on the starboard bow, and the smaller ones on the quarter. As Lieutenant Bennett had received the same positive orders as his brother officers, not to commence an attack until fired on, he reserved his guns until they were so close to him that their dancing and brandishing of spears, the attitude with which they menace death, could be distinctly seen, and their songs and war shouts heard. The bow gun was then fired across their hawse as a signal for them HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. 323 to desist, and the British colours were displayed. This bein^ ■ disregarded, it was followed by a second shot, which had no more effect. A moment's consultation was then held by the officers, when it was thought a want of regard for their own safety to use further forbearance, and a broadside was instantly discharged among them all. " An action now commenced between the ' Nautilus ' and the two largest of the boats, mounting cannon, and continued I'or nearly an hour; the trankies lying on their oars during the contest to await its result, and seize the first favourable moment to board. As the superiority on the part of the cruiser became more decidedly apparent, these latter, however, fled, and were soon followed by the others, the whole of whom the 'Nautilus' pursued, and fired on during the chase as long as her shot would tell." iVmong the killed in this action was the boatswain, and among the wounded, Lieutenant Thomas Tanner,* who survived to a great age, and, in the year I80D, was elected Mayor of Exeter, his native town. These repeated aggressions of the Joasmi, coupled with an insolent demand from the Chief of Ras-ul-Khymah, whose harbour was the principal resort of the larger craft, for the payment of tribute by the Bombay Government, in order that their merchant ships might be permitted to traverse the waters of the Gulf unmolested, atlength opened the eyes of theGovernor ot Bombay and Court of Directors as to the fatal impolicy, and, indeed, absurdity, of the instructions enjoined upon their naval officers. The public voice called for the punishment of the piratical horde which had heaped insults and injuries on tiie English name, and when the blood-red Joasmi flag was seen flaunting itself on the coasts of Cutch and tScinde, and twenty craft were captured in Indian waters, the authorities awoke to a s'ense of shame and bethought them it was high time to make a hostile move if British trade was not to be driven out of the Persian Gulf. These counsels were quickened by the aggres- sions of the Wahabees, who had established a preponderance throughout Oman, so that the Imaum was virtually dependent upon them, while, in another direction, their armies a^tpeared * Lieutenant Taiinei* was a gallant aiul meritorious ollicer, and Imd alro.vly done good service to his country. Ue entered the Royal Navy in March, 1801, on board the 'Fisgard' frigate, under command of tlie late Sir Byam Martin, Admiral of the Fleet, and assisted in blockading the combined French and Spanish fleets in the port of Brest; he was also employed against the enemy on the coasts of France and Spain, and in cutting out from under the batteries at Corunna the twenty-gun ship ' Neptune,' a gunboat, and some morcliautmen. After the peace of Amiens, m 1802, Air. Tanner was transferred to the liombiiy Marine, and served under Commodore Hayes and other ollicers, on the coast of India and among the Eastern islands of Borneo and the AIolucc:is, before pro- ceeding to the Persian Gulf, where, and at Mocha in 1820, he saw much service. Y 2 324 HISTORY OF THE IXDIAX NAVY. before the walls of Bnssorah ; and, tliougli they received a tem- porary check at Lin jah and Ciiarrack,* whence the Persians from Lar compelled tliem to retire to Bassadore, on the island of Kishm, their fleet of twenty-two vessels attacked and defeated that of Mahomraed Nnbhee Khan, Governor of Biishire, at Khor Hassan,t where they captured six ships. In 1809, Sultan Bin Siiggur, the legitimate Joasmi chief, having been invited to Dereeyah, the Wahabee capital, was treacherously detained by Saood ; but, having contrived to escape, he found his way to Yemen, embarked at j\locha, and, proceeding to Muscat, threw himself on the protection of the Iraaura, to whom he disclaimed all complicity in the attack on the ' Sylph,' and confessed his desire to conform to Captain Seton's treaty of February, 1806. The Wahabee chief, Saood, having appointed Hussein Bin Ali, cousin of Bin Suggur and Joasmi Sheikh of Rams, a port near Ras-ul-Khymah, his vice-regent over the pirate coast, nominated Wahabee officers throughout the country. Bin Ali was vested with authority to compel the Joasmi chiefs at Linjah and Rfts-ul-Khymah to send their vessels to sea in conjunction with those from Rams, and to cruise in the service of the Waha- bee Sheikh against all vessels, without exception, appearing in the Gulf, reserving one-fifth as his share of the plunder, the remainder being divided among the captors.J This organised system of piracy created such a terror among all the maritime Arab tribes of the Persian Gulf, that they obeyed without reserve the mandates of the terrible Saood rather than incur the Vengeance that awaited all who thwarted his will. According to a well-authenticated calculation, the Joasmi fleet consisted of sixty-three large vessels, and eight hundred and thirteen of smaller size ; and this truly formidable armada was manned by nineteen thousand men. This force was increasing, and, in the month following the capture of the 'Minerva,' a fleet of seventy sail, with crews averaging between * Linjah is one of the most flourishing towns on the Persian coast, near the island of Kishm ; and Charrack, opposite the small island of Kais (Kenn) is a small Joasmi port, near to which is Charrack Hill, having an elevation of 5,000 feet, and forming a conspicuous feature in the landscape. Tlie hill is said to be the Mount Ochus of the ancients, and the town was once occupied bj the Danes, who formed a settlement here. t Khor Hassan is a town distant three leagues sonth-west from "Ras Reccan, the extreme point of the tongue of land which, projecting to the nortli, forms on its west side the Gulf of Baln-ein. Khor Hassan was the chief town of the famous pirate chief, Rahmah Bin Jaubir, who, in 1826, fouglit a desperate action with an Uttoobee baghalah of greater size, and finding that he had no chance of success, set fire to his magazine and blew up himself, his vessel, and crew. Such were the desperate freebooters with whom the cruisers of the Bombay Marine had to contend. They gave no quarter, and were astonished at receiving it. X " Historical sketch of the Joasmi," by Mr. F. Warden. HISTORY OF THE IXDIaN NAVY. 325 eighty and two hundred men, was cruising about the Gulf and threatening Bushire. The Bombay Government, having determined to relieve tlie Imaum* from the power of the Wahabees, and, at the same time, to suppress the Joasmi pirates, organised an Expedition which proceeded to the Persian Gulf in 1809. The instructions, dated the 7th of September, directed to Captain Seton, in political charge of the Expedition, were drawn up with a degree of caution and forbearance towards the Wahabeesf, which appeared to denote an intention to truckle to theui, and which resulted in rendering nugatory the fruits of the Expedition, not- withstanding that it was notorious that the Joasmi chiefs and people were acting under Wahabee compulsion in engaging in piratical depredations. The naval portion of the Expedition assembled at Bombay, under command of Commodore John Wainwright, consisted of H.M.'s ships ' Chift'onne,' thirty-six guns, and ' (yaroline,' thirty-six guns ; the Company's cruisers, ' Mornington,' twenty- two guns ; ' Ternate,' sixteen guns ; ' Aurora,' fourteen guns ; ' Mei'cury, fourteen guns ; ' Nautilus,' fourteen guns ; ' Prince of Wales,' fourteen guns ; ' Vestal,' ten guns ; ' Ariel,' ten * The first treaty on record entei-ed into by the Imaum of Muscat witli tlie Indian G-overnment, was, according to tlie Rev. Gr. P. Badger, that dated tlie 12th of August, 1798. Its object was to secure liis alliance against the suspected designs of the Frencli and the commercial rivalry of the Dutch in that quarter, and to obtain his sanction for the establishment of a British factory and garrison at Gombroon, or Bunder Abbas. The second, which is dated iSth of January, 1800, and signed on the part of the Company by Sir John Malcolm, Envoy to Persia, provides for tlie reception of a British Political Resident at Muscat. In these documents, Seyyid Sultan is styled " Imaum." t Captain Seton was instructed that '" all operations by land were to be avoided otherwise than might be momentarily necessary for the more effectual destruction of the pirate vessels in their harbours ; and in any case Captain Seton was to be careful to make it known in due time to the Wahabee and the officers of liis Government, that it was our sincere wish to continue, at all times, on terms of friendship with him and with the other States of Arabia, (which were all in subjection to the Wahabees), desiring only to ])rovide for the security of the general commerce of the seas, and of the G-ulf of Persia in pai-ticular, so long and so unjustifiably interrupted by the Joasmis, in breach, also, of a positive treaty concluded with their chief in 180(3 ; the motives and objects of our inter- position, involving no views of aggrandisement on our part, but being altogether limited to the repression of maritime depredations (such as is equally condemned by the professors of cvei'y religion l, and the just support of our ally, the Imaum of Muscat, cannot reasonably give offence to any other Stite or Govern- ment." " The British Government," says Morier, in his ' Travels to Persia,' " know- ing the intimate connectiou of the Joasmi pirates with the Wahabees, proceeded in the suppression of the evil with ' cautious judgment ;' and when, by the extension of these outrages to themselves thoy were driven to vindicate the honour of their flag, and to extirpate their enemies, they regarded all the ports, which had not actually committed depi'cdations on the British, as still neutral, and endeavoured to confine their warfare to reprisals for specitlc acts of violence, rather than to commit themselves generally against the ^\'ahabees, by attacking other piratical tribes of that alliance who had not violated the conunerce of England." 326 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. guns ; ' Fury,' eight guns ; and ' Stromboli,' bomb-ketch. The troops, who were embarked on board four large transports, consisted of Her Majesty's ()5th Regiment, flank companies of Her Majesty's 47th Regiment, a detachment of the Bombay Artillery, and about one thousand Sepoys, the whole being under the command of Colonel Lionel Smith, of the 65th Regiment. The fleet sailed from Bombay in September, and it had not quitted the harbour twenty-four hours before an accident occurred, involving loss of life. The ' Stromboli,' bomb-ketch, was in tow astern of the ' Mornington,' when suddenly her bottom fell out and she foundered, carrying with her Lieutenant Taylor, of the Bombay Marine, Lieutenant Sealy, of the Bombay Artillery, and the greater portion of her crew. The despatch of this vessel, laden with a heavy cargo of ordnance and shot and shell, on such a mission, was due to the most culpable carelessness. It appears that a long period anterior to this she had been condemned as unfit for service, and, for three years, lay moored, as a floating battery, off the entrance of Tannah River, as is called the strait which separates the island of Salsette from the mainland. From thence she had been removed to Bombay Harbour and moored off" a sunken rock, whence she was taken on the strength of the squadron and fitted out to cross the stormy Arabian Sea, and carry the heaviest and least buoyant cargo that a ship can be freighted with. After a long ])assage the Expedition reached Muscat, where it remained some days to refresh and arrange the future plans. The Imaum, on whose behalf the Expedition had been, in a great measure, undertaken, regarded the project of an attack on Ras-ul-Khymah with so small a force as ill-advised, but the British officers and men were sanguine of success. The fleet at length sailed for Ras-ul-Khymah, and the desperate resistance they encountered did not belie the Joasmi reputation for courage and resource. The ships arrived off" that town on the afternoon of the 11th November, but, in consequence of the shallowness of the water, the frigates were notableto approach within four miles; the Com- pany's cruisers, however, owingto their smaller draught, anchored as near as two miles.* Earl}' in the day. a small Joasmi squadron, consistingof the full-rigged ship 'Minerva,' carrying twenty guns, and four dhows, were on the point of proceeding on a cruise, but seeing the hostile armada, they immediately ' up helm' and made for their harbour. Owing to its being low water the 'Minerva' was unable to get in, but ran aground under a small fort about a mile south of the town, where, being attacked by the smaller vessels and gunboats, her crew were driven out of her, and she * See Report of Captain Wainwright to Eear- Admiral W. O. B. Driirv, Coin- mander-in-Chief of Her Majesty's ships, dated " H.M.S. ' la Cliiiloiiue.' oti' Ras-ul- Khymah, NoToiuber 14, 1809." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 327 was taken possession of; but the heavy fire of musketry which was opened from the shore, obliged the captors to abandon her, after setting heron fire. In this preliminary affair, Lieutenant Allen, commanding the ' Prince of Wales,' gained great praise. This officer ran alongside the ' ■\Iinerva' as she lay under protection of the guns of the fort, but unfortunately grounding, his ship became exposed to a heavy and destructive fire. Lieutenant Allen managed to bring some guns to bear on the enemy, and returned their fire so efi'ectually as to drive them out of the fort. In this affair the ' Prince of Wales' had two men killed, and many, including Mr. J. lirown, boatswain, wounded. The squadron now anchored abreast of the town, and preparations were made for the attack, and for landing the troops when some impression had been made upon the works, "The warm defence made from the shore, and the well- directed fire kept up to prevent the ' Minerva' being got off. began to show us," says an eye-witness, "that we had to deal with an eneni}'' on whom we had not set sufficient value ; added to whi('h, it being now discovered that the frigates could not get within three miles of the town, owing to the shallowness of the water, and having lost our only bomb vessel, the prospect was far from cheering." The only means for cannonading or bombarding with any effect, were thus confined to the smaller cruisers, supportt-d by the gunboats, and such an attack was accordingly uiade on the 12th, but, notwithstanding a heavy fire of shot and shell maintained, says Captain Wainwright, " with considerable effect for three hours," the inhabitants, from the numerous batteries and entrenchments thrown up in front of the town, kept up a cool and well-directed fire, which did considerable mischief. The narrow, low peninsula on which Kas-ul-Khymali stands, is about three-fourths of a mile in length, and the breadth of the isthmus does not exceed one-fourth of a mile; across the latter was a high wall flanked by four towers, and along the sea front were the batteries and entrenchments before alluded to, evidently thrown up under the direction of some Euro])ean. The harbour is formed by this peninsula and the mainland opposite, and is about half a mile broad ; but nearly the whole of the piratical ileet was hauled up along the inner side of the town. The number of armed men in the ])lace was about five thousand, but it was known that a much greater force could be drawn to their assistance, in the course of two or three days, from the adjacent ports. Towards the outer end of the harbour, the houses were so extremely close that landing appeared impracticable; also the wall across the isthmus opposed great obstacles to landing at the south end of the town, while the strong garrison and the numerous noujad population, rendered 328 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. it undesirable for the small British force to undertake reguhir siege operations. The commanders were not to be dismayed, however, by appearances, but ordered the boats to be ])repared to receive the troops at two in the morning of the 13th. The main body, consisting of H.M.'s ()5th Regiment, and flank companies of the 47th, with detachments of marines and native troops, rendezvoused alongside one of the cruisers stationed oif the south end of the town, while two gunboats and the ships' boats, with a few troops, pulled in towards the mouth of the harbour. The latter, as the first dawn of day appeared, commenced a most furious fire on the north end of the town, Avhich impressed the enemy with the idea that they were trying to force their w-ay into the harbour. Their whole attention was con- sequently drawn to that point, and a heavy fire of musketry was opened by them, which was the signal for the main body of the British troops to land at the other end of the town and push directly for the wall. The enemy too late perceived the rapid advance of this body in the boats, and, the fire then opened from their towers and buildings not appearing to check its progress, boldly cajue down to the beach to dispute the landing, sword in hand. The troops had been ordered to form under the rise of the beach, which would secure them, in some degree, from the enemy's fire; but, before this could be done, and when little more than one company had landed, a desperate attack was threatened on their left. The good conduct and steadiness of the gunboats, which had been appointed to flank the landing, was here most conspicuous, for, steadily reserving their fire of grape to the last monjent, the enemy, when nearly in contact with our troops, received a most severe check, which gave time for the formation of the advanced guard of the British ; these, in their turn, made a desperate and successful charge, and the first rays of the sun which darted over the lofty mountains forming the background to this scene of strife, lit up the cross of St. George floating on the towers of Ras-ul-Khymah, thus proclaiming that the hour of retribution, though long delayed, had at length struck. The British forces burned with ardour to advance into the heart of the town ; but their commanders, before undis- mayed by sinister appearances, now showed equal prudence in not giving way to too much elation at the improved prospects of success. Instead of immediately following up the blow and hastily entering a town defended by a well-armed population, they took possession of the land wall and its towers, and of a few of the buildings in the vicinity, in the meantime landing and bringing up their field pieces, ammunition, and scaling ladders. The circumstance of most of the houses being flat- roofed, and furnished with numerous loopholes for musketry, HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 329 made this measure more advisable. When prepared to advance into the town, an attack was commenced on some of the most commanding buildings, by effecting lodgments in the adjacent ones, supported b}' the fire of field-pieces, and the cross fire of the gunboats, but, formidable as this nature of attack appeared, the obstinate defence showed that progress by this mode would be most tedious. In Kas-ul-Khymah, as in most Eastern towns, the huts of the poor are intermingled with the houses of the rich, presenting a most motley appeararance, the former being constructed with kajan, (the small branches of the date tree closely interwoven), and the latter of large whitish bricks, which, at a little distance, have the appearance of good stone. Most of the larger houses now became separate fortifications, but this circumstance was turned to their destruction ; for, by setting fire to the huts, and the wind blowing along the town from the point at which the landing was eft'ected, the houses became enveloped in flames, and the Joasmis were gradually smoked out of their positions. The most obstinate and gallant resistance was made, howev^er, by the defenders of some of these buildings. In one instance, a large house was defended even after the British had scaled the roof and had droi)i)ed several hand grenades into it, through holes worked with their bayonets, when at last its defenders rushed out and matle a gallant, though vain, attempt to cut their way through the troops that surrounded it. It was two in the afternoon before the British troops had worked their way to the centre of the town, where was situated the palace of the Sheikh or Governor. It was expected that a desi)erate effort would have been made here by the enemy to rally, but, finding the compact order of the British not to be shaken, and the fire of their artiller}^ most destructive, they were soon dislodged from it. The height of this buihling, and of its tower, gave such a command over its neighbom-hood, that the enemy found any further steady resistance vain ; they still, however, defended the north end of the town, wliile the inhabitants effected their escape across the harbour in boats, which it was not the wish of the commanders to prevent. By four o'clock the seamen of the squadron had set firo to upwards of fifty vessels, thirty of them being very large war dhows;* the guns of some of these were loaded, and many of the dhows, and of the houses, had depots of ginipowdi-r, the explosion of which, with the general conflagration in the town and harbour, added to the scene of desolation and misery attendant on a town taken by assault, and presented a striking picture. Ras-ul-Khymah was I'ound to contain goods of very considerable value, and, to judge from appearances, so comj)Iete had been the confidence of the enemy in themselves, that * Captain Wainwright'a despatch of the Itth of ^'ovoInbcr, 1809 330 HISTORY OF THE LXDTAN NAVY. nothing seemed to have been removed into the interior, many warehouses being found filled with valuable goods, which were now set on fire and consumed. All these valuables might with ease have been embarked on board the captured vessels, which was suggested at the time, but the commanders acted on the principle that the British forces had come to inflict vengeance, and not acquire gain. No looting was permitted, and the only articles taken off to the ships were a little treasure and a few jewels, which had been found in some buildings stormed by our troops,* and which the individual captors were permitted to retain. The town was now set on fire with its contents, and the flames quickly reduced all to ashes. The British loss was trifling, considering the resistance encountered, while at least three hundred of the Joasmis were slain in defending their houses with the desperate tenacity characteristic of the race. Commodore Wainwright expressed his thanks to the captains, ofiicers, and men of the following cruisers, which participated in these operations: — '^lornington,' Captain .Jeakes ; ' Aurora,' Lieutenant Conyers; 'Nautilus,' Lieutenant Watkins; 'Prince of Wales,' Lieutenant Allen; 'Fury,' Lieutenant Davidson; 'Ariel,' Lieutenant Salter; and 'Vestal,' Lieutenant Phillips. The punishment thus meted out was condign and terrible, but the deterrent effects were, in a great measure, neutralised by Colonel Smith hastily re-embarking the troops on the morn- ing of the 14th, on receipt of a report that a large body of Arabs was nearing the city from the interior. This hurried exit reassured the Joasmis, who, far from giving way to depression at the sight of their smouldering hearths, a weakness unknown to this fierce race, again opened fire upon the troops. The embarkation, says a writer already quoted, took place at daylight in the morning, and, while the fleet remained at anchor, during the whole of the day parties continued to assemble on the shore displaying their colours, brandishing their swords and spears, and discharging their muskets from all points ; so that the conquest was scarcely as complete as could have been wished, since no formal act of submission had j'et been shown. The officers of the Expedition are themselves said to have regretted that their work was to be abandoned so prematurely ; but whether the report of the reinforcements expected from the interior, or the temporizing and lukewarm instructions of the Bombay Government, guided the measures of the leaders in their retreat, is not accurately known. From Ras-ul-Khymah the Expedition proceeded to Linjah, a flourishing port of the Joasmis, on the Persian coast, near the island of Kishm, and probably containing at that time nearly * Milburn, in liis " Oriental Commerce," pays, " Considerable plunder was taken in the town. One soldier is said to have had fourteen liundred gold Mohurs." HISTORY OP THE INDIAN" NAVY. 331 ten thousand inhabitants. From this phice the people fled into the mountains on the approach of the squadron, takni<^ all their moveables with them. On the 17th ol" November Linjah was occupied without resistance, and burned to the ground, and the vessels, amounting to twenty, nine of them being large war dhows, were destroyed. H.M.'s ship ' Caroline,' with the trans- ports and the greater portion of the troops, was now sent for supplies to Burka (or Birkeh), a large town on the Batnah coast, about thirty-eight miles to the west of Muscat. Other ships were detached on separate services, such as blockading passages and examining Kongoon and three other Joasmi ports, where, however, no vessels were found. Commodore Wain- wright despatched the ' Ternate ' and ' Nautilus ' to the eastward of Kishm, to prevent the escajie of the Luft pirates, while he entered the channel between that island and the main at the western end ; but, having got the ' Chiffonne' aground, owing to his ignorance of the navigation and the intricacy of the channel, he determined to proceed to Luft by the eastei-n ])assage, and left the ' Vestal' to guard the west end of Kishm. On the 24th of November the 'Ternate' and 'Nautilus' joined him, and, having procured pilots at the town of Kishm, he sailed IbrLuftwith his llag-shi[). and the 'Mornington,' 'Ternate,' ' Nautilus,' and ' Fury,' and the ' Mary,' transport, with five hundred troops, chiefly British. The squadron arrived at noon of the 26th off the town of Luft, a Joasmi jiort on tlie north side of the island of Kishm. The channel being narrow and difficult of approach, the ' Ternate,' ' Nautilus,' and ' Fury ' were warped into their stations, and a sunmions was sent on shore, as the people had not abandoned the town, but had taken post in a large and strong castle, having many batteries and redoubts. After tw'enty-four hours had been expended in fruitless nego- ticition with the chief", Moolla Hussein, the three cruisers being in their stations, the troops, preceded by the gunboats, were landed under Colonel Sn)ith about two o'clock on the 27th of November. AVhile forming on the beach, a slight skirmish took place with such of the armed men as were flying for shelter to the castle. The troops then advanced towards the fortress, which is described as having \valls fourteen feet thick, pierced witli loop-holes, and otdy one entrance through a small gate well cased with iron hars and bolts, Jt was intended to have blown this gate open with a howitzcM", and then to have taken the })lace by storm ; but, on reaching it, whiK.' the ranks opened, and the men sought to surroinid the castle and seek for some other entrance at the same time, they were picked oil so rapidly and imexpectedly from the loop-holes above, tiiat a general retreat took place, the howitzer was abandoned even before it had been fired, and the troops sought slieltcr by lying down behind the ridges of sand and little hillocks 332 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. immediately mulerneath the castle walls. An Irish officer, jumping up from his hiding place, and calling on some of his comrades to follow him in an attempt to rescue the howitzer, was immediately killed, and some others, who only raised their heads to look around them, were picked off by the musketry from above. The whole of the troops were accordingly ordered to keep under shelter until the darkness of the night favoured their retreat to the beach, whence they re-emb^rked after sunset, without molestation " Meantime," says Commodore Wainwright in his despatch of the 7th of December, " the gunboats and the ' Fury,' which being of light draught, had been towed within musket shot of the fort, kept up a ruinous fire which very much shattered the strong fort by sunset." A message was then conveyed to Moolla Hussain in the castle, summoning him for a second time to sub- mit, and fixing until two a.m. for the period of evacuation, when, in the event of non-compliance, it was threatened that the squadron should bombard the castle from a nearer anchorage, and no quarter be afterwards shown. With the dawn of morning, all eyes were directed to the fortress, when, to the surprise of the whole Expedition, a man was seen waving the Union Jack on the summit of its walls. This gallant action was performed by an officer of the Bombay Marine, Lieutenant Hall, who had commanded the ' Stromboli,' bomb vessel, at the time of her sinking, but had saved himself by swimming, and now com- manded the 'Fury, which was one of the vessels nearest to the shore. "During the night," says Buckingham, "he had gone on shore alone, taking an Union Jack in his hand, and advanced singly to the castle gate. The fortress had already been aban- doned by the greater number of the inhabitants, but some few still remained there. These, however, fled at the approach of an individual, either from deeming all further resistance unavailing, or from supposing, probably, that |uo one would come singly, but as a herald to others immediately following for his support. Be this as it may, the castle was entirely aban- doned, and the British flag waved on its walls by this daring officer, to the surprise and admiration of the whole fleet." The town and fortifications, together with eleven dhows, were then taken possession of, an4 the latter were burnt. As Luft had been taken by the Joasmis from the Imaum of Muscat, it was delivered over, together with property to the value of ,£20,000 belonging to the Imaum, to Sheikh Dewish, head of a tribe of Arabs friendly to His Highness. The loss in this aff"air was very heavy, the squadron having twenty-seven killed and wounded, including Mr. Hay, Midshipman of the ' Mornington,' Mr. James W. Guy, Midshipman of the ' Ternate,' and Mr. T. JSmith, boatswain of the 'Nautilus.'* * See Captain Wainwright's despatch dated Burka Road, 7th December. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA\'Y. 333 The squadron now proceeded to Moghn,''^ and also visited Sharjah, Jezirat-el-Hamrah,t and Rams, three small towns on the opposite coast, near Ras-ul-Khyniah, where nothing was efifected beyond the destruction of such vessels as were found at each of them, this, as it would seem, being the extent of the orders of the Bombay Government to the leaders of the p]xpedi- tion. When the bottom of the Gulf had been thus swept round, the Expedition returned to Burka Roads, where they rejoined the remainder of the force, including the ' Caroline ' frigate, and remained some days at this rendezvous in order that the British commander might concert fresh measures with Seyyid Said. His Highness, who, in the first instance, considered as desperate the attack on Ras-ul-Khymah with so small a force, warmly expressed his great satisfaction at the success of his gallant allies, and his gratitude for the benefit he had derived, particu- larly by the capture of Luft and its surrender to him ; he now proposed to accompany the Expedition with a large force to attack Shinas| and Khor Fukaun, which had been taken from him by the Joasmis. On their arrival at Shinas on the 31st of December, says Buck- ingham, a suunnonsto surrender was sent to the Wahabee chief, H)n Abdool Uzzeer,§ the favourite general of Saood, to which he * Moghu or Mogliiinah, is situated in the bay between Ras Bostonah and Ras Yarid on the Persian shore. Until the acquisition of Bassadore on the north- west extremity of the island of Kishni, Mogiiu was the station for the Indian Kavy squadron. In " Nearclius' Voyage " (Gronov. edition) Moghu is called Sidodone. Ras Yarid is called by Niebuhr, Ras-cl-Jerd, or " Baldhead." Many other places in the Persian Gulf are rendered classical by the allusions to them in the " Voyage of Nearchus," B.C. 328. To the West of Kongoon is Uhm- Xheilah, called by sailors, Cape Berdistan (or Verdistan) the " Place of Cold." Ormuz, mentioned by Arrian (p. 352) is called Organa, Gerun, and Gyrina by Sti-dbo. Minab, or Minaw, from Mina-aub (blue water! is called Anamis by Keai'chus. Neoptana, in Karmania, is the country of the Ichthyophagi, whicli terminates at Cape Jask (Bardis) Ari'ian, p. 34-t. Other places outside the Gulf, identified as having been visited by Alexander's Admiral, arc Cape Gwadel, or Kas Noo, whicli lie describes, Gwadel Bay, called Mosarna, and .^shtola island, ■which he calls Carmine. The stadium of Nearchus, it should be noted, is 18'7 to the nautical mile. Koli Mubarek, near Cape Jask, means the " Blessed Mount," and is called by Marcian, the " Round Mount of Semiramis " (Geogr. Minores, p. 21). It is not mentioned by Arrian. t This place is a town and fort ten miles from Ras-ul-Khymah, built on an island in an inlet. The fort has five or six towers, one a high square structure, with two rows of windows. Rams, consisting of a port and small town, stands six miles north-east of Ras-ul-Kliymah. X Shinas is a considerable town, with a strong fort, twenty-seven miles to the north-west of Sohar on the Batnali (or the" Inner") coast, which extends from Muscat to Khor K(>lbeh. Khor i'ukaun, on this coast, is in a sandy bay, and is a place of no importance. § The native Omanee historian, whose account is translated by Dr. G. P. Badger, makes no mention of tliis General, but says that the Governor of the Castle, one Moliamed-bin-Ahmed, on the commencement of the bombardment, |)roceeded to procure assistance from Muttak-el-Mutairy, the Wahabee general, but was unable to break through the investing force. After the departure of the British, he says, Muttak fell upon tlie army of tiie Imaum, and put them to flight, Seyyid Said escaping with dilllculty. 384 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. r(^]>lie(l by a proin))t refusul ; upon which a hoinbar(hn(.'iit was opened from the sliips and boats, bnt without producing much effect. On the following morning the whole of the troops were landed, and a regular encampment formed on the shore, with a battery, completed on the evening of the 2nd of January, 1810, and other necessary siege works. A heavy bombardment was opened from the ships of war and battery, throughout the night of the 2nd, during which about four thousand sliot and shell ■were discharged against the fortress, to which the people had fled for refuge after burning down the town. Early in the morning of the 3rd, Colonel Smith wishing, like a brave soldier, to spare so gallant a foe, again sent a summons to the chief, who replied that death was preferable to surrender, and so well was he seconded by his men, that when the towers and other works were crumbling round them under the terrible fire of the British squadron and battery, they hurled back upon the assail- ants the grenades and fire balls before they could burst, and even thrust their spears up through the fragments of the ruins in which they themselves remained buried. Twice during the bombardment had Colonel Smith ceased firing in order to spare an unavailing effusion of blood, and it was only, when the breach of the main work was reported practicable, and the troops were on the point of storming, that the survivors, on being assured of protection from the fury of the troops of our ally, the Imaum of Muscat, surrendered to the British commander. The loss in killed and wounded sustained by the enemy was said to exceed one thousand. The fort was given up to the Imaum's troops, but it was so much shattered that His Highness did not think it prudent to keep possession of it. Seyyid Said expressed some hesitation as to the policy of attacking Khor Fukaun, from an apprehension of experiencing a similar obstinate resistance to that encountered at Shinas, which would only render the fort untenable ; all intention of attacking it was, therefore, abandoned, as it had no British interests connected with it, there being no pirate vessels belonging to that port. The troops of the Expedition, accordingly, returned to Bouibay, but the frigates and cruisers repaired from Muscat to the Gulf, where they remained several months before they finally dispersed."^ Notwithstanding this severe chastisement, the * On the return of the Expedition to Bombay, the general expectation of some reward for these services became so well known to Captain Wainwrigiit and Colonel Smith, that they felt it their duty to represent it to the Government of India. There were tliree grounds for such an expectation ; fii-st, nearly the whole of the vessels destroyed were vessels of war, and ready for sea, which entitled the captors to the allowance usually called head money ; secondly, the Expedition were entitled to the property recaptured, and formerly belonging to tlie Imaum of Muscat, as lawful prize, but from the services that sovereign had rendered the East India Company, by supplying the Expedition witli wood and water, and boats for landing tlie troojDs, the commanders thought themselves justified in giving it up on the part of the Company ; and lastly, the circumstance HISTORY OF THE IXDIAN NAVY. 335 snake was scotched, not killed, and, before another decade, a second Expedition was demanded finally to root out this powerful race of pirates. The commanders were unable to form a treaty with Ras-ul- Khyraah, Sheikh Sultan Bin Suggur, the legitimate chief, having been seized by the Wahabees, and his Government complet('ly overthrown ; independently of which, no treaty could be binding on the Joasmis, without the direct authority and participa- tion of Saood,* on whose will they were entirely dependent. Such, however, had been the impression created by the success of the operations against the principal pirate ports, that the commanders succeeded in their demands for the destruction of all the dhows and large boats of the petty chieftains from Rams to Abu Haile, on the Arabian side, as well as at i\Ioghu on the coast of Persia. The chief of Charrack, not having any dhows or large boats, was admonished to refrain from giving encourage- ment or protection to pirates in future. A similar message was sent to the chief of Nikiloo,t with a demand, at the request of the Imaum, for the release of Sheikh Jubara of CongoonJ. It was not deemed material to insist on the destruction of trankies and small boats — a measure that would have been hard on the poorest of the inhabitants, and created an odium against the British name, which did not generally exist, as many of tlie valuable property at Ras-ul-Khymah having been destroyed froin political motives, and the great personal risk to which every individual liad been exposed, in fighting against an enemy from whom no quarter was to have been expected, had any reverse taken place. Tlie answer returned to this application was, that there was no precedent for such a proceeding ; so neither olHcers nor men received any honorary or pecuniary reward. * A communication was opened with Saood advising him to prohibit the piracies of his dependents, and in answer, the Wahabee chief observed : — " Tlie cause of the hostihties carrying on between me and the members of the faitli, is their having turned away from the B jok of the Creator, and refused to submit to their own prophet Mahomet. It is not, therefore, those of anotlier sect against whom I wage war, nor do I interfere in their hostile operations, nor assist them against any one ; whilst under the power of the Almighiy, I have risen superior to all my enemies. . . . Uuder these circumstances, I have deemeil it nices- sary to advise you that I sliall not approach your sliores, and have interdicted the followers of the Mahomedan I'aith aiul tlieir vessels from offering any moles- tation to your vessels; any of your merchants, therefore, who nuiy appear in, or wish to come to my ports, will be in security ; and any person on my part who may repair to you, ought in like manner to be in safety." He coiu-ludes tlie letter with a contemptuous reference to the Joasmis whom the English had just conquered, " Be not, therefore, elated with the conllagration of a few vessels, for they are of no estimation in my opinion, in that of their owners, or of their countz'y. In truth then war is bitter ; and a fool only engages in it, as a poet has said." t Nikiloo is a town on tlie Persian coast, opposite to Shitwar Islet at the eastern end of Shaikh Shuaib. X Congoon, or Konkun, on the same coast, has a good anchorage, and behind the town are some hills, one of remarkable appearance being culled Barn Hill. Congoon was the name used in the Persian Ciilf iij) to the time when, by the adoption of the new Ilunterian system of ortlmgiMpliy, the name became traiis- mogrilied into Xonkun, to the unbounded bewilderment of the "ancient mariner," as in numerous other instances of proper names in the Persian Gulf. 336 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA\'Y. of the small villages on both sides of the Gulf, had been compelled to join in piratical pursuits. As the Uttoobees of Bahrein had never committed any depredations against British trade, even at times when the Joasmis were enriching themselves by their frequent capture of our vessels, the commanders abstained from attacking Khor Hassan. On his arrival at Bombay, Commodore Wainwright, both in General Orders and in a report to Government, expressed in the warmest terms his approval of the discipline, efficiency, and enterprise displayed by the Bombay Marine during the period they were nnder his command. The Government of the day highly appreciated this testimony, and, in consideration of the good services rendered by the officers, created a new grade, by appointing eight Lieutenants to be Commanders, a rank hitherto unknown in the Service. By this increase the strength of the Marine now stood thus : — One commodore, one master-attendant (the senior captain), eight senior and eight junior captains, eight commanders, twenty-six first and twenty-four second-lieutenants, and fortj'-eight midshipmen. From tho Persian Gulf a portion of the Service proceeded to take part in the Exj^edition against Mauritius, and thence, in the following year to Java, where they earned fresh distinction. In the Eastern Islands they w-ere actively employed between the years 1811-16 in the various expeditions against pirates and Native States, already detailed, and only returned to Bombay to participate in the final operations against the Joasmis. It was the prevalent opinion at Bombay, founded on the results of this Expedition, that the Joasmis had been rendered quite incapable of committing any further depredations by sea. The Resident at Bussorah confirmed this view, but added : — " Such was the revengeful and vindictive spirit of the Wahabee tribe, and of the inhabitants on the Arabian side of the Gulf, under the jurisdiction and authority of Sheikh Saood, that they "will attempt to wreak their vengeance on any defenceless British vessels which they may meet." Accordingly, as their country produced no timber suitable for ship or boat-building, Mr. Mannesty recommended a prohibition being imposed on the exportation of timber from the ports of India either to those of the Red Sea or the Persian Gulf, even including Muscat, from which place the pirates would contrive to procure it. But, though this course was strongly approved by Sir John Malcolm, it was not adopted by the Bombay Government. The lesson of 1809, though severe, did not create an abiding impression, although one would have thought that the Joasmi pirates had learnt that honesty was not only the best policy, but that pearl- fishing during the season, with the monotonous and uneventful life of trading, was on the whole more profitable, as the large returns of piracy were swallowed up by such wholesale acts of HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 337 vengeance and confiscation as the destruction of their fleets and conflagration of their towns with their accumulated plunder. The ' Benares ' and ' Prince of Wales ' cruised in the Gulf in 1811, when the British flag was respected, but, on their return to Bombay in November, the Joasmis recommenced their depre- dations. In the begiiniing of 1812, and in the following year, they destroyed several large dhows and baghalahs belonging to the ports of Bussorah and Congoon ; boats navigating under British colours did not escape depredations, while others were detained at Porebunder, and prevented from prosecuting their mercantile pursuits. In 1813 the Lnaum prepared an expe- dition against the port of Ras-ul-Khymah, for the purpose of reinstating in his Government Sheikh Sultan Bin Suggur, who, as already mentioned, had been treacherously confined by Saood, but succeeded in effecting his escape. As Bin Suggur promised that if the Imaum would restore him to his hereditary j)Os- sessions, he would ever consider himself his vassal and woiiM abstain from conmiitting piracies, his Highness requested Mr. Bruce, the British agent at Bushire, at that time on a visit to Muscat, to accompany him to witness the treaty which he pro- posed entering into with Sultan Bin Suggur, and for the purpose also of negotiating a separate treaty to the same effect with the Joasmi chief on the part of the British Government. As tlie renewal of the treaty entered into by Bin Suggur with Cajitain Seton in 1806, was deemed essential for restraining the piratieal acts of his subjects, Mr. Bruce was instructed to adopt the necessary measures, and to contract similar engagements with the other chieftains in the Gulf. The Imaum's expedition failed, but a second one, equipped in 1814, for a similar purpose, terminated in a peace concluded between the Imaum and the Joasmis, by which Sheikh Sultan Bin Suggur was established at Sharjah. Later on, in conse- quence of piratical depredations, remonstrances were transmitted by Mr Bruce to the chief of the Wahabees at Dereeyah, and to his vice-gerent at Ras-ul-Khymah, Hussein-bin-Iiahmah, who stated in reply that he was not aware that any vessels bearing- the British pass and colours had been captured by the .loasmis, but that if it should prove to be the case, such jirnperty as might be forthcoming would be restored, and that in future lie would issue instructions to his tribe not to molest any siiip or vessel under British colours. On the 2nd of October, a Wukeel, or envoy, arrived at Bushire with letters Irom the Wahabee Chief* and Ilussein-bin-Kahmah; the former disapproving of * Great reverses fell upon the Wahabee cnuec at this time. lu 1813 Abclulhih, son of Saood, was driven out of the Hedjaz by Ibrahim i'asha, adopted son of Mehemet Ali, Pasha of Egypt, and, in the fuliowing year, oecurred the death of Saood. Five years later Abdullah, who sueeeeded Ins father, wus taken prisoner and executed at Constantinople, and the Wahabee capital, Uereeyah, was destroyed. Before the end of 1821, Toorkee, son of Abdullah, wlio had been VOL. I. 2 338 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVy. the conduct of the Joasini chief and of his tribe, and ))indinf^ liimself to compel him to deliver np such goods as could be proved to have been captured, while the latter again denied having taken any British property. The Wukeel was authorised to enter into an engagement with Mr. Bruce, who, accordingly, deemed it advisable to propose a few preliminary articles of agreement with the envoy, renouncing all claims and passing an act of oblivion on the past, on the conditions specified in tlie engagement. The Joasmi chief having expressed his intention to depute an agent to Bombay, Mr. Bruce was induced to con- clude the preliminary agreement in question. But it was no better than waste paper, for in August, 1814, some vessels, bearing the British pass and colours, were captured oif Pore- bunder. Mr, Bruce, on receipt of orders to remonstrate against this act, despatched a dhow to Ras-ul-Khymah, with letters to Hussein Bin Rahmah and his Wukeel, who had entered into the preliminary engagement above specified, and with one also to Sultan Bin Suggur at Linjah, but, to his astonishment, the Nakhoda returned in a few days in a most wretched plight, and stated that he had been robbed by the chief of Linjah, and that the Ras-ul-Khymah Sheikh had seized his boat. This flagrant breach of faith was speedily followed by the capture of a bag- halah belonging to the Imaum of Muscat, whilst at anchor in the roads of Moghu, whose people were privy to this depredation, and had, in fact, given information of the baghalah being there. Besides the seizure of this vessel, which was laden with horses for the remount of the 17th Dragoons, and with sulphur on account of British subjects, six others were captured off the Scinde coast. The success that attended the subsequent cruises undertaken by the Joasmis, added so much to their strength that it induced most of the other ports on the same coast, from Cape Nabeud to the southward, to follow the same system. The Sheikh of Charrack, in particular, was encouraged to form a connection with Ras-ul-Khymah, and Abdoolla Bin Ahmed of Bahrein openly avowed his determination to adopt piracy, as the surest mode of acquiring wealth and strength. Thus the Arab tribes of the Persian Gulf once more embarked on a course of flagrant and open breach of the law of nations. In 1815 a vessel belonging to Bombay, sailing under a British pass and colours, was captured off Muscat, the greater part of her crew put to death, and a ransom exacted for the release of the remainder. About this time a Joasmi fleet, consisting of a ship and twenty-five baghalahs and batils, while cruising at the entrance to the Gulf, fell in with the Imaum, who was on the taken prisoner by Ibrahim Pasha in 1819, but had effected his escape, succeeded in recapturing Riadh, the new capital near Dereeyah, and partially restored the ascendancy of the Wahabtcs. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 339 look-out for them with a squadron, consisting of the 'Carolina,' frigate, with two other ships and a number of smaller vessels. A smart action ensued off Cape Keriat, during which the Joasmis attempted to board the Tmaiim's ship, and had actually- got possession of the forecastle, when they were dislodged by the guns from the poop being fired forward, loaded with grape. The Imanm's other vessels having fallen astern, he was obliged to bear up and run into Muscat. His Highness wrote to the Governor of Bombay requesting the assistance of some of their ships, and, early in 181(3, renewed operations against the Joasmis, but, beyond an ineffectual blockade of Ras-ul-Khyraah for four months, he was unable to do anything against them; nor, in the opinion of Mr. Bruce, was he capable of effecting anything without British support, for which he would have gladly ceded any of the ports or islands in the Gulf that were subject to him.* Encouraged by the seeming impunity they enjoyed, the Joasmi pirates attacked, on the 6th of January, 1816, oft'Dwarka, the Hon. Company's armed pattamar, 'Deriah Dowlut,' having a crew^ of native officers and men, which was proceeding to Porebunder. On the pattamar showing the Company's colours, the pirate, a large baghalah, fired a shot at her, and a smart action ensued, which was kept up with great briskness until two more piratical vessels appeared, which convinced the syrang that the only chance of escape lay in flight ; all sail was therefore made upon the pattamar. A running fire continued for three * On tlie loth of June, 1816, Mr. Bruce reported that the Imaumhad proceeded with a large force to reduce the Uttoobee and Joasmi Arabs to bis allcftianct-, having been joined by tlie Asseloo and Congoon Arabs, and tlirco vessels I'rom Bushire despatelied to his assistance by orders of the Governor of Shiraz. With this armament the Imaum proceeded to Bahrein, and landed the troops on tlio island of Arad, which is separated from Bahrein by a narrow channel for boats, and commenced tlie attack with some prospect of success, but ultimately expe- rienced a signal defeat with great loss, two of his principal Sirdars being amongst the killed. Mr. Bruce, who had quitted Bahrein a few days before the Imaum arrived, wrote to His Highness to dissuade him from the attack, as he knew that many of the Imaum's troops were secretly in the interests of the Uttoobees, and ofl'ered his mediation to settle his dirt'erences with the tribe, but received no reply to th«' proposal. The Imaum, after this defeat, proceedeil to Congoon with the whole of his fleet, for the purpose of taking on bo-ard a reinforcement of troops, consisting of one thousand musketeers and Ibur hundred irregular cavalry, which the Trnicc of Shii-az had engaged to furnisli on certain conditions : but the expedition was abandoned, the Iinaum having discovered tliat the Government of Persia wiw actuated by motives of treachery, and contemplated his seizure and that of some of his chiefs. In the month of May, 1817, Rahmah bin Jaubir, a chief in the Waliabee interest, who was at war witli the Uttoobees, proceeded to Muscat, with the view of prevailing on the Imaum to make another attack on Bahrein, but Uii< Highness was too much occupied in his own territories to undertake it, Injviug met with a repulse from a Joasmi force that marched against Khor Fukaun, which surrendered to these freebooters. Thus matters stood at Muscat nt the time of the second and decisive expedition of the Bombay Government against the Joasmi pirates. z 2 340 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. hours, when the sj'rang received a severe wound and was carried below ; in about an hour after, the tindal, who had assumed the command, was killed by a shot in the stomach ; the three bag- halahs had by this time closed, and, instantly boarding, by force of numbers overpowered the brave little crew of the ' Deriah Dowlut.' Some jumped overboard, and others into the hold, and out of a crew of thirty-three, seventeen were murdered, eight were carried prisoners to Ras-ul-Khymah, and the re- mainder, being wounded, were landed on the coast and proceeded to Bombay. The ' Deriah Dowlut' only mounted two 12-pounder and three 2-pounder.iron guns, while the pirate vessels carried each six 9-pounders, and had crew^s of from one hundred to two hundred men, armed with swords, spears, and creeses. But their next venture was not equally successful. In this same month of January, they attempted to cut off a large baghalah laden with treasure, in tow of the ' Aurora,' fourteen guns. Captain Jeakes, upon which the cruiser wore round and fired into them. After a smart action, during which Captain Jeakes exhibited seamanlike skill of a high order, in manoeuvring his ship so as to prevent the pirates from capturing his convoy, the enemy were beaten oif and made sail. In this affair the Joasmi fleet consisted of about fifteen dhow^s and trankies, and the fire of the 'Aurora' was so sustained and accurate that she sank many of them, the remainder making their escape under cover of night. Captain Richard Kinchant, who was Acting-Lieutenant on board the ' Aurora,' writes to us of this action : " At Bushire we received orders from the Political Resident of the Persian Gulf, Captain Bruce, formerly of the Bombay Marine, to convoy to Muscat, on our way to Bombay, a large baghalah containing a considerable amount of treasure for the Imaum of Muscat. On our passage down the Gulf, one evening a little before sunset, we fell in without about fifteen dhows and trankies, and they looked to me like a forest of masts ahead with all sails down. We looked well to the baghalah astern, in tow of us, knowing that their object in laying in wait for us was to cut her off. The ' Aurora ' stood on her course with a light nor'-wester, steering right through the fleet, and as we approached we gave them both broadsides, shotted with grape or canister, which told well. During the action that ensued we sank many and dis- abled others. We had to pay great attention to our convoy to prevent their cutting her tow-rope, and some of the smaller craft, pulling twenty oars, ventured near at times for that pur- pose. Captain Jeakes directed me to superintend the manage- ment of the baghalah, so I was on the poop of the 'Aurora' the whole time, and had no very easy task in keeping so towering a vessel close to the 'Aurora' without great risk, and small shot came fast and thick among us on the poop. We continued to HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 341 pepper them with grape and canister, and if we could only have had two hours more daylight, we should have given a better account of them. At dusk, the chief of Ras-ul-Khymah, who was in command, burnt a blue light and stood over to the Arabian coast with the remainder of his fleet. Captain Jeakes thanked me on the quarter-deck for my management of the baghalah, which would have been a great prize to them. On our arrival at Muscat, the Imaum presented Captain Jeakes with a valuable sword and Arab horse, whicli became a great favourite with the sailors." Soon after this action the Jnasmis chased and fired at the American ship ' Persia ;' they also attacked the ' Macaulay,' and overhauled a French schooner bound from Mauritius to Bussorah, sailing under convoy of a ship of that nation, and, in broad daylight, took out of her much treasure, coolly informing the captain on his remonstrating, that had the crew been English all their throats would certainly have been cut. So great was now the dread entertained of the Joasmis that ]\Ir. Bruce could not obtain a vessel to convey to Ras-ul-Khymah a letter of remonstrance to the chief in regard to these depredations. A few weeks later several other captures took place, including a ship, name unknown, under English colours, from Pulo Penang, which was taken by five dhows full of pirates, who murdered all the crew and passengers.* In the same year four ships sailing from the port of Surat bound to Mocha, uiuler British colours, were taken in the Arabian Gulf by a Joasmi squadron under their Admiral, Ameer Ibrahim, and the crews w^ere almost all murdered. The loss of property was estimated at over ten lacs of rupees, and many other captures were made of vessels sailing under our protection, attended by similar acts of atrocity. Nevertheless the retaliatory measures of the Govermnent were limited to remonstrances— for it will scarcely be credited that the commanders of the cruisers were instructLnl not " to sink, burn, or destroy " the piratical craft whenever met with, but to avoid firing on them until their hostile intent was n)ade apparent — and to the disposal of the cruisers for the * A Bombay letter, speaking of the Joasmi metliocl of captu:-:ng ships, says : — "It depends solely in boarding ; with the best mode of otlecting wliich they are acquainted, and for which purpose tliey approach the stern of the vessels, and if not opposed by guns in that quarter, and by boarding nets, they board anu over- power the vessels by numbers of men. The best precautions, therefore, which can be used by our merchant vessels, are stern cliasers loaded wit!i grape-shot, boarding nets and musketry, which, in addition to its own charge, sliould receive two or three pistol balls over the ball-cartridge. These merciless freebooters, wo understand, inquired with a savage anxiety, if tliere were any Europeans on board the ' Deriah Dowlut,' whom they would immediately have massacred; and tho manner in which they murdered the crew of that vessel, was by placing the necks of the unfortunate men over the gunnel of tluur vessel, whom they required to repeat the leading verse of the Koran, and as soon as tliey came to tiio inirt which dill'ered from the tenets of the Waliabce sect, it was the signal for execu- tion, and the head was instantly severed from tho body." 342 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. protection of the trade, until the exigencies of the public service in other quarters should admit of an expedition being detached against the pirates. Sur}»rise has been expressed by contem- porary writers tliat the Joasmis, whose fleets were supposed to have been destroyed in their ports during the 1809 Expedition, should have so quickly recovered the effects of their losses as to cover the seas with their ships; but this apparently unaccountable circumstance is explained by the fact that owing to the Persian Gulf having never been surveyed — a task accomplished by the officers of the Indian Navy a few years later — certainly one half of the Joasmi ships had been secreted in the various inlets and backwaters, which abound in the pirate coast, probably to a greater extent than on any coast-line of similar extent in the world. Country ships and merchantmen generally were now forced to sail under convoy of ships of war, and the services of two or three of H.M.'s ships, in addition to those of the Company that were available, were called into requisition. The Bombay Government always appeared to regard with equanimity the attacks of the pirates upon their small cruisers, but. as in 1808, when the merchant ship ' Minerva ' was captured, they vigorously resented the seizure of the four Surat ships. After much delay, owing to the majority of the ships of the Bombay Marine being employed in the Eastern Islands, a small squadron was assembled at Bombay for despatch to the Persian Gulf, consisting of H.M.'s sloop 'Challenger,' eighteen guns, Captain Bridges, and the Company's cruisers, ' Mercury,' four- teen guns, and ' Vestal,' ten guns. By these a despatch was forwarded to the Resident at Bushire, instructing him to demand from the chief at Ras-ul-Khymah, the restitution of the Surat ships and cargoes. The squadron left Bombay in the early part of September, 1816, and, after a long voyage, in which the 'Mercury' lost her mainmast, the 'Challenger' reached Bushire in November, and the other vessels a few days afterwards. In the meantime, the ' Ariel,' which had touched at Bushire on her way down from Bussorah, had been despatched to Ras-ul-Khymah with a letter from Mr. Bruce, inquiring into the circumstances of the captures alluded to, and reproaching the Joasmis for a breach of faith in their departure from their agreement to respect the British flag. To this they replied by a flat denial of the charge of having captured English vessels hailing from Surat, coupled with the remark, that, if even they had seized the vessels in question, they would not thereby have departed from the terms of the treaty, and that they would respect the sect of Christians and their property, but none other ; that they did not consider any part of Western India as ours except Bombay and Mangalore ; and that if we interfered in favour of the Hindoos and other unbelievers of India, we might HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. 343 take all India and ]\rnscat too, when nothing would be left for them to plunder. This was plain speaking indeed, and to such diplomatic utterances onl}' the sword could give any adequate reply. On the 18th of November, the 'Ariel ' having returned to Bushire, the squadron of four ships sailed thence, with Mr. Bruce and j\lr. Taylor on board, and arrived before Ras-ul-Khyuiah on the 2()th of November. At daylight on the following morning, a boat was sent from the ' Challenger ' to take on shore Mr. Taylor and an Arab interpreter, as bearers of a letter from Mr. Bruce, stating the firm conviction of the British Government, that the capture of vessels flying the English flag was committed with a knowledge of their nationality, and insisting upon the immediate restora- tion of the plundered property, amounting to about twelve lacs of rupees. A demand was also made in this communication that the commander of the piratical squadron, Ameer Ibrahim, should be delivered up for punishment, and that two of the sons of the chiefs should be placed in the hands of the Bombay Govenmient as hostages for their future conduct. A refusal to comply with all or any of these requisitions, would be considered as a defiance of British power, and therefore noon was fixed ibr the return of a definitive answer, by wliich the i'uture movements of the squadron would be regulated. The bearers of this letter soon returned and reported that they were denied admittance within the gates of the town, upon which Captain Bridges proceeded on shore, and was conducted tlirougli the town to the presence of the pirate chief, who was attended by about fifty armed tbllowers. An eye-witness, Mr. Buckingham, says: — "Thechief Hussein-bin- Hahmah was a small man, apparently about forty years of age, with an expression of cunning in his look, and something particularly sarcastic in his smile. One of his eyes had been wounded, but his other features were good, and his teeth beautifully wliite and regular, his complexion very dark, and his Ijeartl scanty and chielly confuied to his ('hin. He was dressed in the usual Arab garments, and a Cashmere shawl turban, and a scarlet l)enisii of the iV-rsian form, to distinguish him froui his followers. These were habited in the plainest garments, with long shirts and keft'eas. or hand- kerchiefs, thrown loosely over the head; and most of them, as well as their leader, wore large swords of the old Norman form, with long straight blades of great breadth, and hirge cross handles, perfectly ])lain short spears were also borne by some, with circular shields of tough hide, ornamented with knobs of metal and gilding. They are thought to have at present about sixty large vessels from their own port, manned with crews of from eighty to three hundred men. Forty other craft of a smaller size may be counted among their auxiliaries, from the ports of Sliarjah and Rams, on the Arabian coast. ( 'harra<'k and 344 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Linjah, on the Persian coast, and Luft, on the inside of the island of Kishraah, are subject to their authority. Their force, if con- centrated, would thus amount to at least one hundred vessels, ■with perhaps four hundred pieces of cannon, and about eight thousand fighting men, well armed with muskets, swords, and spears. No circumstances are ever likely to bring these, however, all together ; but on an invasion of their chief town, at Ras-ul- Khymah, they could certainly command a large reinforcement of Wahabees from the desert within ten or fifteen days notice. The cannon and musketry of these pirates are chiefly procured from the vessels which they capture ; but their swords, shields, spears, and ammunition are mostly brought from Persia." On returning to the 'Challenger,' Captain Bridges waited until the hour of noon had passed, when a gun was fired, the topsails sheeted home, and the signal made to prepare to weigh anchor, though it was intended to allow another hour of grace for the answer from the shore. In the meantime a boat arrived with deputies from the chief, bringing a reply, in which he stated the impossibility of restoring either the property demanded, since that had long since been divided and consumed, or paying the amount of its value in money, as this was more than their whole present wealth ; he also peremptorily refused to deliver up Ameer Ibrahim, who was his kinsman and near friend, denying that this chief was guilty of anything which deserved punishment in capturing, with the vessels under his command, the persons and property of idolators and strangers to the true God, The Wahabee chief offered to send deputies to Bombay to treat on the affair, and it was added, that as all things were of God, and deliberation might possibl}^ accord better with his councils than hasty determi- nation, he requested a delay until noon of the following day, in order that he might know what Divine wisdom had decreed should take place between them. The letter of instruction from the Government of Bombay had ordered that, on the refusal of the Joasmi chief to comply with the requisitions therein stated, the squadron was to quit the place, after signifying to him that he might expect the displeasure of the British Government. As, however, it was determined to allow him until the following noon to deliberate, the squadron remained at anchor, until the wind having freshened at sunset from the north-west, and a heavy swell setting into the bay, it was deemed imprudent to continue at anchor there during the night. The ships, therefore, weighed in company and stood out to sea, the wind increasing to a gale towards midnight. The squadron lay at the anchorage off the island of Anjar, on the opposite coast, during the whole of the night of the 2(5th, until the strength of the north-west gale having abated, it HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 345 weighed anchor soon after sunrise, and stood across the gulf towards Ras-ul-Khymah, where they anchored at two p.m. On the following day a letter was sent to the chief signifying the cause of their hurried departure, and granting him until the following noon to prepare his final answer to the original requistions. At about noon on the 1st of December, a boat appeared, bringing some messengers from Hussein-biu-Rahmah with an answer as unsatisftictory as his former replies. The signal was now made to weigh, and the squadron bore down nearly in line, under easy sail, and with the wind right aft. or on shore ; the 'Mercury' being on the starboard hand, the 'Challenger' next in order in the centre, the ' Vestal' following in the same line, and the ' Ariel' completing the division. A large fleet of small boats was seen standing in from Cape Mussundom, and escaped by keeping close along-shore and passing over the bar, thus getting into the creek, or backwater, behind the town. The squadron continued to stand on in a right line towards the four anchored dhows, graduall}^ shoaling to two and a half fathoms, when stream anchors were dropped under-foot, with springs on the cables, so that each vessel lay with her broad- side on to the shore. A fire was now opened from the ships in succession, the ' Vestal' discharging the first gun upon the four dhows anchored close in shore, which were full of Arabs brandishing their weapons in the air, their whole number probably exceeding six hundred men; but owing to the great distance the fire was not very eff"ective. The 'Challenger,' having a draught of fourteen feet, could not approach within a mile of the beach, but, at the risk of grounding, the ' Vestal' and ' Ariel' dropped to within six inches of their own draught of water, and under the ' Mercury' there was less than a foot. These ships now re-opened their fire, which they maintained with much spirit. The shot from the dhows fell short, but two of the forts, after some time past in prejiaration, at length opened with some effect, and one shot carried away the ' Vestal's' fore-shrouds in its passage, and then dropped mider the weather-bow. The Arab colours were displayed on all the forts, crowds of armed men were assembled on the beach, bearing large banners on poles, and dancing around them with their arms, as if rallying around a sacred standard, so that there was no sign of submission. Seeing that all the effitrts of the ships were unavailing. Captain IJridges signalled to cease firing, and, about four o'clock, the squadron weighed ami stood out to sea. On the following day the ships separated, the ' Mercury' and ' Ariel' proceeding to Sharjah, Linjah, and Cliarrack, for negotiations similar to those entered into at Kas-ul-Khymah ; the 'Vestal' to Bombay, where she arrived on the lilth of 346 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. December; and the 'Challenger' to j\Iuscat to give information of hostilities, and afford protection to vessels bound upward from thence, as besides live heavy armed baghalahs blocking the entrance to the Bussorah River, the Joasmis had fifteen sail cruising between Ras-ul-Had* and Cape Jask on the Persian shore. In October, 1817, some piratical craft landed their crews at Busheab Island,t in the Persian Gulf, and burnt and plundered the villages on the island, carr3'ing off the cattle and killing a large number of the inhabitants. Before the close of the year, also, they entered the harbour of Asseloo, and took five large baghalahs valued at de3(),000, and murdered the crews. So great was the fear of these pirates, inspired by their sanguinary acts of crueltj^ that a panic seized the inhabitants of Bushire, who were with great difficulty restrained from entirely deserting the city. The Joasmi chief, apprehending an attack by the Turkish troops, sent a force to build a fort at Bassadore, on the western extremity of the island of Kishm, which had formerly been occupied by the Portuguese, who built fortifications and reservoirs, and which became during the forty years preceding its abolition, the head-quarters of the Indian Naval squadron in the Persian Gulf. What may be described as a reign of terror ensued upon the sea, and merchant vessels feared to leave any port without the escort of a ship of war, for the pirates had become so bloodthirsty by long impunity that, not satisfied with plundering ships, they massacred the crews. A shocking instance of this occurred on the Okhamundel coast, when some piratical craft boarded a pilgrim vessel having eighty souls on board, of whom forty were ruthlessly butchered, and the remainder, after being backed about with a wanton barbarity, were permitted — with the exception of some women — to sink in the ship, which was scuttled ; however, the poor wretches managed to keep the craft afloat, and navigated her into Beyt, where they were duly cared for by the English agent, but few of the survivors recovered from their wounds. The Joasmis, grown bold by thes« successes, enlarged the sphere of their depredations, and once more appeared off the coast of India. In the latter part of 1818, two native vessels laden with cotton, were captured in their passage from Guzerat to Bombay, off the Island of Diu ; and an Arab vessel, called the ' MuRtapha,' having English colours and officers, was captured about sixty or seventy miles to the northward of Bombay. This success was not due to remissness on the part * The name Ras-ul-Had, which is the extreme east point of Arabia, signiiies in Persian and Arabic, a " boundary or limit." t Busheab Island, called Sheikh Shuaib, and Jezii-at-es-Sheikli by the Arabs, is situated to the northward and eastward of Kenn, and is tliii'teen and a half miles in length. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN XATY. 347 of the men-of-war, either of the King or Coinpan}', engaged in keeping the police of the seas, as they were few in number, and could not be ubiquitous. From the 26th of October, 1818, to Januar}'- in the following year, the Company's cruisers, 'Thetis' and ' Psyche,' met the Joasmis on the high seas no less than seventeen times, sailing in divisions of from two to ten vessels, and were constantly driving them from port to port, frequently getting within range of them, but these dhows had so much the advantage in sailing over the cruisers, that the latter were rarely able to sink any of them. In December, 1818, the Joasmi fleet, numbering fourteen sail, were returning to the Gulf from their cruising station off the Cutch and Kattywar coasts, when they were intercepted by the ' Thetis' and ' Psyche,' off Ashtola* Island, on the Beloochistan coast, proceeding to the westward in three divisions. H.MS. 'Eden,' Captain Loch, was also, at this time, proceeding to the Gtdf, when she fell in with the two Company's cruisers, chasing this fleet off Gwetter Bay, in which the pirates took shelter. The British ships re- mained outside, and Captain Loch, contrary to the advice of the commanders of the two brigs, oj)ened negotiations with the chiefs of the hostile fleet. Time was to be given them until morning, but when daylight broke the birds had flown ; the Joasmis, taking advantage of the darkness of the night, had weighed, and, standing round the bottom of the bay, which is three leagues deep and five wide at the entrance, passed out at the opposite end to where the liritish ships were anchored. Captain Loch had only his obstinacy to thank for this failure, as the commmanders of the Company's cruisers, having a lengthened experience of the duplicity and cunning of these Joasmis, had warned him that they would certainly play him false. A little later the Hon. Company's brig-of-war, 'Antelope,' fourteen guns, fought a spirited action with the Joasmis, upon whom she inflicted great loss. At daybreak on the 21st of December, LSl.s. ihr ■ Antidope,' Lieutenant Tanner, descried a fleet, consisting of a full-rigged ship, five large baghalahs, one dhow, and two of the largest- sized batils. The men were sent to their quarters, and the 'Antelope, stood lor the fleet, upon which four of the baghalahs, the dhow, and the batils, hauled in shore towards the Island of Kishm. Directly after a boat left the side of the ship and brought intelligence to the 'Antelope' that she was the * Rahomany,' a ship of war belong to the Imanm of .Muscat, and that she and the remaining baghalah had maintaintMl a running fight for nearly two days with the pirates, and that, as their * Ashtola, called also Haptalaii and SmiKadoop. is iiii inland oflf tlio Ueloorhi!reditary ])o«- sessions in Oman, the islands of Kisliui and Ormuz, and he rented from Persia, 350 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. lying at that place seventeen Joasmi sail, having on board five or six thousand men, returning from El Kateef,* where they had arrived too late to aid the Wahabee chief against Ibrahim Pasha. Captain Barnard, as in duty bound, respected the neutrality of the port— though it was notorious that the pirates disposed of a large proportion of their plunder in Bahrein — and accordingly sailed from thence in order to allow the Joasmi armament to quit the island. This they did, and some of their ships, proceeding across to the Persian coast, continued their depredations. On her arrival in the Gulf, the 'Eden,' under instructions from the Bombay Government, accompanied by the ' Conway,' and the Hon. Company's cruisers, ' Benares,' ' Mercury,' and 'Antelope,' proceeded to Bahrein in February, 1819, and, after some negotiations, the Sheikh succeeded in convincing Captain Loch that the report regarding the European females was incorrect, and. at the same time entered into an agreement to abstain from receiving captured British property in his territory, though of course, suo more, he paid no heed to his engagements directly the British squadron had sailed. At Captain Loch's request the Sheikh communicated with Hussein- bin-Rahmah, the Ras-ul-Khymah chief, offering, on the part of the British Government, the release of a number of Joasmi prisoners in exchange for native women captured by the pirates, and eventually the proposal was agreed to, and seventeen poor creatures were restored to liberty. Before quitting Bahrein, Captain Loch again connnitted a mistake, owing to his perversity and ignorance of Persian Gulf politics, in which he was too proud to take advi(;e from the commanders of the Company's cruisers. The British Native agent at Bahrein informed him there were some Joasmi vessels in the southern anchorage, which the Sheikh and his Ministers strenuously denied, declaring them to be belong to the Beni Yas tribe, whose chief port is Abu Thubi. But the senior officer, though warned of the mistake he was about to commit, sent the boats of the squadron, under cover of the 'Antelope,' to cut them out; a stout Gombroon, or Bunder Abbas, and its dependencies, a tract of about ninety miles. His commerce was considerable, and, in 1820, he bad five ships, including the ' Shah Alum ' of fifty-six guns and the ' Caroline,' thirty-six guns ; also two large baghalahs and four batils, his prirate property, besides being able to com- mand all the vessels of his subjects. * El Kateef town is on the west side of the bay of the same name, on the mainland, near tlie island of Bahrein. The bay is large and unsafe for ships. Tlie town holds a prominent place in old histories and voyages of the Persian Gulf, particularly during the Portuguese tenure of Ormuz. For a detailed account of the Portuguese operations against El Kateef and Bahrein, see Manuel de Faria y Sousa's " Portuguese Discovery and Conquest of Asia," in Vol. vi. of Kerr's " Collection of Voyages and Travels." The conquest of those places was undertaken in the same year that Camoens, the immortal author of the " Lusiad," sailed for India to advance by the sword the fortune which had been so little promoted by his pen. HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. 351 resistance was offered, but the dhows were boarded and carried off, though in attempting to get them out they were wrecked. The Bahrein chief made a great clamour about this vioUition of his neutrality, and the Abu Thubi Sheikh, whose property the vessels really were, made a demand for restitution upon the Bombay Goverinnent, which considered itself bound to pay the damages, and also, we believe, blood money for the men killed. The Bombay Government, having at length resolved to take decisive measures for extinguishing piracy in the Persian Gulf, assembled a powerful armament at Bonibay. The troops, which numbered three thousand and sixty-nine fighting men, of whom one thousand six hundred and forty-five were P^uropeans and one thousand four hundred and twenty-four Sepoys, were placed under the command of Major-General Sir \\'illiam Grant Keir,* and consisted of one company of artillery, H.M.'s 47th and 65th Regiments, 1st Battalion 2nd Regiment Native Infantry, the flank companies of 'the 1st Battalion 3rd Native Infantry and tlie Marine Battalion, and half a comjiany of pioneers. The following were the ships of war, some of which were in the Persian Gulf: — H.M.S. ' Liverpool,' fifty guns. Captain F. A. Collier, C.B., who arrived on the 25th of September from Mauritius, to assume naval command of the Expedition ; and H.M. ships ' Eden,' twenty-six guns, Captain Loch, and ' Curlew,' eighteen guns, Captain Walj)ole — the latter brig, which arrived only a few daj^s before from the Persian Gulf, having been attacked on her way down by fifteen large Joasmi boats, which she succeeded in driving off after five hours' fighting, during which she sank three and captured seven. The Company's ships were: — the ' Teignmouth,' sixteen guns. Captain Hall, (senior officer) ; ' Benares,' sixteen guns. Com- mander Arthur ; ' Aurora,' fourteen guns, Commander Maillard ; 'Nautilus,' fourteen guns. Lieutenant Faithful; 'Ariel,' ten guns, Lieutenant Greenway ; and 'Vestal' ten guns. Lieu- tenant Watson. Besitles these cruisers, wliicli actually partici- pated in the ensuing operations, the Hon. ('ompany's ships ' Ternate,' sixteen guns, ' Mercury,' fourteen gims, and 'Psyche,' ten guns, were engaged cruising about the Gulf, and, during the month of November, the former was sent to Bushire to bring I\Ir. Jiruce to Ras-ul-Khymah to confer with the General, who was invested witli supreuie political au- thority. The first division of troops, consisting of the artilK-ry and * The divisional staff consisted of Major E. G. Stannus, Assistant Adjutant- General; Captain D. Wilson, Assistant QtuirtormaMtor-Cu-niTal ; and t'aptain G. F. Sadleir, of the ITth Kegiineiit, Interpreter. The foree orij^inulU intended for embarkation, ineUided tlie Hunk eonipanies of the 2nd IJatlaiion -HIi Native Infantry, half a company of Pioneers, and one eoin]iany of .\rlillery La-^ean', whieh were connternKUuied, owing to tlie Governor-General having roeoived a communieatiou from the piratieul ehiefs oil'eriug to give up hostages. 352 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. two British regiments, embarked on board the transports* on the 30th of October, amid the cheers and good wishes of the people of Bombay, who crowded on the beach and hinding- stages to bid them God speed ; and, on the following day, the embarkation of the Native troops took place, under a similar popular ovation. The two following days were occupied in making arrangements for taking up other vessels as store and hospital ships, as it Avas found that in case of sickness the transports would be rather crowded ; and, on Wednesday, the 3rd of November, Sir W. Grant Keir having embarked on board the ' Liverpool,' the first division of the fleet proceeded to sea, under convoy of the ' Liverpool,' ' Curlew,' and ' Aurora.' The remaining part of the Expedition sailed a few days later for the Persian Gulf. It was about time that some such active steps should be taken to extirpate the audacious horde of pirates, for by accounts published in the " Bombay Gazette " of October the 27th, it appears that the pirate fleet, cruising off the coasts of Kattywar and Cutch, consisted " of sixty-four vessels, having on board a crew of seven thousand men ;" and the " Bombay Courier " of October the 23rd, mentions that " thirty-five sail of Joasmi have proceeded on a cruise off the coasts of Mekran and Scinde." The fleet proceeded to the rendezvous at Kishm, while the 'Liverpool' sailed to Muscat, which she reached on the 13th of November, and, on the 17th, the military and naval chiefs had an interview with the Imaum, who promised to co-operate with four thousand men and three vessels of war. As it was a matter of importance that a reconnaissance should be made of the defences of Ras-ul-Khymah, Sir W. Grant Keir proceeded thither, on the 25th of December, in the ' Liverpool,' leaving the convoy to water at Kishm, and, the same day, met the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Benares,' having on board Dr. Jukes, who had been sent on in advance of the Expedition on a special mission to arrange for the Imaum's co-operation, and a commissariat officer, who was to make arrangements for the provisioning of the large force on their arrival at Kishm. Sir W. Grant Keir communicated with Dr. Jukes, and learnt from him that the letterf of the Governor of Bombay to the Prince of Shiraz, had been forwarded from Bunder Abbas direct to Shiraz on the 16th of November, and that a duplicate had been * The following were the transports for the troops and ordnance stores : — ' Hannah,' ' Ann,' ' Jessy,' ' Orpheus,' ' Jemima,' ' Glenelg,' ' Bombay Castle,' ' Pascoa,' ' Diana,' ' Emaad,' ' Faiz Eemaun,' ' Augehca,' ' Carron,' ' Cornwall,' ' Francis Warden,' ' Conde de Rio Pardo,' ' Orient,' and ' Upton Castle.' t Tliis letter from the Governor, the Right Hon. Sir Evan Nepean, was explanatory of the objects of the British Government in equipping so large a military and naval force for service in the Gulf, and requested the co-operation of the Persian Government in the operations about to be undertaken against Linjah, Moghu, Charrack, and other points on the Persian coast which had completely identified themselves with the Joasmis. HISTORY OF THE IXDIAX NAVY. 353 transmitted by the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Tcignmoutli ' on the 4th of the same month, to Mr. Bruce, the Political Resident at Bushire, also to be forwarded to Shiraz. As it was desirable that Ras-ul-Khymah should be blockaded, Captain Collier ordered the ' Benares ' to accompany him to assist in the ope- ration, and, on the same day, the two ships arrived off' the place. The military commander, accompanied by his staff and the commanding engineer, reconnoitred the town during the 2()th and 27tli November, and, after careful consideration, arrived at the conclusion that tlie troops now at Kishm would be sufficient for the reduction of Ras-ul-Kliymah, without waiting for the arrival from Bombay of the four remaining transports. The ' Benares ' was, accordingly, despatched to summon the fleet, and, u])on its arrival on the 2nd of December, immediate arrangements were made for disembarking the troops and camp followers from the transports. During the afternoon the remaining four transports from Bombay came in sight; on the same day the Imaum arrived with two frigates and about six hundred men, considerably less than he had promised, but his zeal appeared unabated, and his co-operation was of no little value. On the following day the disembarkation was conducted, under cover of the gunboats and armed launches of the squadron, with surprising celerity and good order, considering the great distance the ships were obliged to anchor from the town, and the lack of a sufficiency of means for transporting so large a force with all the guns, supplies, and stores necessary for siege operations. The landing was effected under the superintendence of Captain Loch, assisted by Lieutenant IMoff'at, R.N., and Lieutenants Edward Seawright and (jeorge Barnes Brucks, of the Comi)any's ]\larine, who had been a])pointed agents for transports befure leaving I^ombay. Captain Collier reported to Govennnent of these officers as follows :— "Lieutenants Seawright and Brucks, agents for transports, deserve the highest commendation ; their duties have been arduous and harassing. Nothing could exceed the zeal of these officers, and I truly feel confident that they will meet that reward they are so truly deserving of. In short, any praise I can bestow will tall far short of what they deserve." The troops were landed by the ships' l)oals about two miles from the town, under protection of the armed launches of the squadron, the large boats belonging to the Imaum being of great service, while his people worked with energy in bringing up the guns and aunnunition to the batteries. That little resist- ance was encountered in landing, was due, in a great measiuv. to the valuable diversion caused by the "Aurora' and ' Nautilus." which brought up near the mouth of the creek and openeil a heavy fire in that direction ; for their services on this occasion the officers and men of these vessels received the hearty com- VOL. I. A A 354 HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. mendations of the senior naval officer, v^ho was one of those rare disinterested characters who arc animated by no feelings of petty jealousy, but can recognize Zealand ability when mani- fested in other officers than those of their own service. " The conduct of Captain Maillard of the 'Aurora," he says, "who anchored close to the town with this ship and the ' Nautilus,' is truly meritorious ; the well-directed fire he kept up does his officers and njen great credit." To assist in the siege operations a body of five hundred sea- men was landed from H.M's and the Hon. Company's ships, and was placed under command of Lieutenant Campbell, First of the ' Liverpool,' an officer who displayed in no common degree the qualities of energy and resource for which the British Navy is so pre-eminently distinguished. During the arduous work in the batteries, the contingent from the Company's cruisers, serving on shore with their officers, vied with their brethren of the Royal Service in the ardour and zeal with which they worked the guns. Some account of the defences of Ras-ul-Khymah at this time, derived from an officer of the Bombay Marine who was present, will properly preface a narrative of the operations which resulted in its capture and final abasement from its position as the capital of as powerful and warlike a race of pirates as any in the East. " The town was walled in along the sea face, across the end nearest the point, and also across the south-west face, the walls, which were well built, being about nine feet high and two feet thick. At intervals were round towers about twenty feet high, the lower half of solid masonry, and a small store or guard-room between this portion and the roof which was sur- rounded by a parapet with loopholes for guns instead of embra- sures. The side next the creek was open, but had a number of guns planted along it. To the southward of the town was a square fort, or ghuny, in which were mounted some small guns. On the island of Mahara, opposite the town, was also a strong tower, and there were several more in the date groves. The number of men in the town at the time of the arrival of the Expedition is said to have amounted to near seven thousand, but, from various enquiries I have made since, I do not think it exceeded at an}^ time four thousand. These consisted of the Joasmis, Taal, Shahine, and Motarish tribes, and there were also about one thousand mercenaries who had been in the Mah- ratta service. A very large portion of the property of the place was removed, on the arrival of the Expedition, to the date groves ; most of the women and children were also sent there, and the chief Hassan Bin Rahma, with his brother Ibrahim, prepared for the defence." The following narrative of the operations before Ras-ul- Khyraah, embracing a few circumstantial details, is from an HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 355 officer of the Royal Army who was present: — " The batteries of the town b(jre directly on the entrance of the port — the har- bour was full of shippinj^ — the main land on the opposite coast appeared picturesque and verdant, with innumerable date trees, and the mountains of Arabia reared their dim, hazy outline in the background. The place of our encampment and soil of the tongue of land was parched, sandy, and herbless. Two thousand of the Imaum's troops joined us : they had forced the passes in the hills, deemed iujpregnable, and brought in some prisoners. " Parties of seamen were landed to assist in the erection of the batteries. Smart skirmishing took place during the 4th ; the rifle company of the 65th advanced within twenty yards of the largest fort and reconnoitred. The gunboats particularly distinguished themselves by their activity. "The hrst line of trenches having been made by means of sandbags, an advanced battery opened on the place at the dis- tance of three hundred yards. A mortar battery to the right was served very effectively. There was a gun from one of the enemy's batteries which enfiladed the trenches, whilst we could get none of our artillery to bear on it. It did considerable execution among the men. ]\Iajor Molesworth of the 47th mounted the parapet of the trench, to reconnoitre more minutely, and in an instant fell back in the trench, his head blown to atoms. At length, however, we succeeded in silencing the piece. The ships of war having approached nearer the town, in con- junction with our batteries, opened a most vigorous fire on the morning of the 5th. Shells were thrown witli evident eft'oct. The giuiboats contributed as before their powerful assistance. Towards the close of the (lav's work a Joasmi sj)y was brought in prisoner ; he informed us that the enemy h;id suffered great loss, nearly ninety killed, besides wounded. The Sheikh's brother had lost his leg by a cannon-shot. " The duties of the seamen in the trenches were severe and unremitting. Whilst the soldiers were relieved every four hours, the sailors remained frequently twenty-four hours, without any rest or respite. Jack grumbled a good deal at this unfair distribution, though he did not work tlie less strenuously. It was not a little vexatious to be saluted with a "good night" by several parties in succession as they quitted the trenches, with the prospect of comparative comfort in the camp, whilst the jioor fellows left behind luul to pass the time as they best could. The firing from the ships and batteries still continued on the (ith, that of the Arabs was very faint, and they evidently did not possess much ammunition, as large stone shot came hailing in upon us, but often wide of the mark. As soon as a discharge was made from our guns, the Arabs were seen leaping out of the embrasures to pick up the round shot, which they imnie- AA 2 356 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. diately returned. The walls and towers did not exhibit any very decided traces of the efficiency of this day's cannonade. The firing had terminated for the day, the men had been relieved, silence reigned in the batteries, the night was very dark, and the picket, as usual, on the alert. About one, a dark object, like a large black dog, was seen creeping along on all fours, several similar objects following. The advanced pickets were instantly cut down ; all was hurry, shout, and bustle. The trenches were filling with a large party of Arabs, engaged in a close contest with our men, who were speared and stabbed in a twinkling. Already the Arabs had succeded in dragging away a howitzer in triumph. The alarm spread like wildfire through the trenches. A part of the 65th Foot, under Major Warren, instantly advanced in double quick time, attacked the assailants, drove them out of the trenches, and recaptured the howitzer. A desperate conflict ensued; tlie Arabs fought like furies, but they were soon bayoneted ; nearly all of them, ninety in number, were found lying in the trenches. They had divested them- selves of their upper garments to facilitate their onset, and if we mistake not, their bodies seemed anointed with oil. "It being found that our 12 and 18-pounders produced but a slight impression on the walls and towers, while the enemy availed themselves of our own shot to annoy us greatly, as they fitted exactly the calibre of their guns, it was resolved that several 24-pounders should be erected as a breaching battery. Two 24-pounders were accordingly landed, with considerable exertion, from the ' Liverpool,' and had to be dragged a long way through heavy deep sand. The battery was erected nearer the town, and a party of seamen and marines, under the command of Lieutenant Mills, was landed to work the guns. Lieutenant Campbell, of the ' Liverpool,' commanded the whole of the seamen on shore. The 24-pounders opened on the 8th with marked effect, and the walls and towers appeared to shake and totter under the force of the shot. The enemy tried to make use of our cannon-balls, but found that they were too bulky for their guns, and were therefore under the necessity of having recourse to their own stone and grape shot.* * Here the gallant officer interpolates tlie following amusing anecdote, so pecu- liarly characteristic of " Jack Ashore :" — " Towards the afternoon of the 8th, and during the hottest of the cannonade, a bullock and a white cock were descried close under the wall of the town, exposed to the showers of shot from our bat- teries, from wliich they remained \mharmed. The attention of several of the men was called to these objects, ' What a fine mess they would make !' sliouted one of the sailors, with an expletive to which we would ratiier not give currency. ' Bill, I say, you bear a hand with me in towing them things out.' Over the ti'cnches both of them vaulted, and scampered away at a slapping pace towards the ramjiai'ts, heedless of the balls plunging around them. We slackened our fire as speedily as possible ; the men in the trenches cheering and exulting in the boldness of the entei^jrise. Tlie Arabs crowded on the walls, firing their matchlocks with steady aim at the two fellows as one ot the sailoi-s coolly drove the animal towards us, whilst the other, after a sharp chase, captured the cock. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 357 "Before nightfall, repeated flags of truce were despatched from the town, but to these no attention was given, and dark- ness put an end to the firing. The cannonade was recommenced at an early hour the next morning, and as the progress of tlie hreach became hourly more apparent and practicable, tlie necessary arrangements were made to assault the works. Ou receiving the announcement, great satisfaction was expressed by the force, for though a severe struggle was expected, success was deemed certain, and much plunder was anticipated. About one hundred seamen were assembled in the trenches, and these, with the gallant 47th, and the grenadier and flank companies of the other regiments, composed the storming party. On a signal being given, the whole rushed from the trenches in sight of the enemy, and advanced rapidly towards the breach, which was soon mounted, and the place entered. No one disputed the entrance, not an Arab was even visible in the town, from which they were observed running at their utmost speed towards the hills. The disappointment of the men was excessive, and the result of their search over the town for an enemy ended in the unearthing of four decrepid hags, whom the gallant Arabs did not deem worth removing, Still more disgusted were our fellows at finding that plunder there was none. Towards the close of the siege, the garrison had been employed in secretly removing all their effects out of the place ; bullocks and goats only were left, and these Jack was seen driving, in herds of five, ten, and twenty, down to the beach, each man jealous of any interference with his flock, and conveying as many of the goats on board as he could stow away. The Union Flag was immediately hoisted in place of the blood red flag of the pirates, and orders were issued to dismantle the whole fortifi- cation and raze the place. The walls of the several gooharries and towers were five and a half feet thick, and so strong and well built as to render theu) impregnable to all, exce))! Kuropean artillery. Our total loss in this tedious siege was one ollicer and four men killed, and three ollicers and fi)rty-nine men wounded. The loss experienced by the enemy was very great, being at least three hundred killed and seven hundred wounded; and sixty-two guns were captured in the place. Hassan Win Rahma, Chief of Ras-ul-Khymah, with nearly one tlionsand followers, surrendered hiuiself prisoner. He stated that during the siege, while he was holding a couneil, a shell from our They returned to the trenches, loudly huzzaed by their comrades ; ' We've pot the , my lads ! and now for prime beef steiiks to you all.' The neek of the cock was wrung, and tlie buUoek's throat cut, and the body eut up into liir^;e pieces, which the men cooked in tlie trenches and devoured with keen appetite, amidst many an applauding; joke and praise of their brave conduct. The ollicer, whose duty it was to re]iriuiand tlie men for this breach of discipliiu', could hardly control his risible faculties, or ussuuio a grave look or steru demeanour." 358 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. batteries burst into the room, and instantly exploding, killed and wounded about one hundred of his fighting men, and created infinite consternation throughout the garrison." Of the sortie on the night of the 6th of December, an officer of the Bombay IMarine, already quoted, says : — " About 80 or 100 yards to the right of the howitzer battery was the backwater, and the Arabs left the town at low-water about half- past eight p.m., and by crouching down and keeping silent, got in the rear, and made a rush on the battery without being perceived. The surprise was complete, and had they continued the attack along the trenches, our loss would have been severe, but having gained the battery, they commenced dragging away the howitzer, which they removed more than 100 yards ; Ibrahim, brother of the chief, and a number of the Arabs, were wounded in the battery. This was the only sortie made, and from what I have learnt since from Hassan Bin Rahma, the Sheikh, its failure quite dispirited the defenders, Avho, up to this time, had enter- tained hopes of being able to hold the fort ; for the Arabs have no idea of protracted operations, and concluded that if we did not succeed in a few days we should retire. The following day the seamen's battery opened, and the day after the breach was practicable." He continues, " Very little property was found, but about eighty vessels of various sizes, from 250 to 40 tons, fell into the hands of the captors. I have since learned that about forty of the better class of boats had been secreted at places then unknown, and the onl}'' property of value not removed from the town w-as the chiefs, the most valuable and portable of which was buried. His reason for this was, so he assured me, the fear that if he bad sent away his property his people would not have remained to fight. The number of guns mounted in the town was about seventy or eighty, many of which were, however, unserviceable, owing to the vents being half an inch in diameter and all honej'-combed ; there were two or three brass guns, one a 24- pounder. During the siege the seamen had their full share in the duties, more particularly those of a laborious character connected with the guns. Though the loss was not large, scarce a man of the rifle company of the ()5th escaped a scratch of some sort, but they never reported themselves wounded unless quite disabled. On this occasion the Marine had full justice done to them by the General and by their immediate connnander, Sir F. A. Collier, who, both in his despatch to the Admiral and to the Government, bore testimony to their zeal and ability, and thanked many of the officers by name in General Orders."* * The following is Sir William Grant Keir's despatch to the address of the Adjutant-General of the Army, describing the operations after tlie completion of the landing : — •' The troops were formed across the isthmus conuectiug the HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 359 In his second despatch of the 3rd of January, 1820, Sir \X. G. Keir estimated tlie loss of the enemy " as little less than a peninsula, on which tlie town is situated, witli the neiglibouring country, anil tlie whole of the day was occupied in getting tents on shore to shelter the men i'roni the rain, landing engineers' tools, sand bags, &c., and making arrangements pre- paratory to commencing our approaches tlie next day. On the morning ol' the 4th the light troops were ordered in advance, supported by the pickets, to dis- lodge the enemy from a bank within 9U0 yards of the outer fort, which was expected to aiford good cover for the men, and to serve as a depot for stores previous to the erection of the batteries. The whole of the liglit companies of the force, under command of Captain Backliouse of His Majesty's 47lh Regi- ment, accordingly moved forward, and drove the Arabs witli great gallantry from a date grove, and over the bank above described, close under tlie walls of the fort, followed by the picKcts under Major Molesworth, who took post at tlie sandbank, whilst the European light troops were skirmisliing in front. The enemy kept up a sliarp tire of musketry and cannon during these movements ; and I regret to add tliat xMajor Molesworth, a gallant and zealous otllcer, was killed by a cannon shot at the head of the pickets ; Lieutenant Stepney, of tlie 65th, was wounded on this occasion. The troops, however, maintained their position during the day, and in tlie niglit ell'ected a lodgment within three hundred yards of the southernmost tower, and erected a battery for lour guns, together with a mortar battery on the right and a trench of communication for tiie protection of the covering party. TJie weather having become rather un- favourable for the disembarkation of tlie stores requu-ed for the siege, it was with considerable difficulty that this primary object was effected ; but every obstacle was surmounted by the zeal and indefatigable exertions of the Navy, and on the morning of the 6th we were enabled to open three 18-pounders on the fort ; a couple of howitzers and six-jwunders were also placed in the battery on the right, which played on the defences of tlie towers, and nearly silenced the enemy's fh-e. The ' Liverpool,' during these oi)erations, warped in as close to the shore as her draught of water would permit, and opened her guns on the town, which must have created considerable alarm in the garrison, but she was unfortunately at too great a distance to produce any decided ell'ect. The enemy, who during the whole of our progress, exhibited a considerable degree of resolu- tion in withstanding, and ingenuity in counteracting an attack, sallied fortli at eight o'clock this evening along the whole front of our intrenchments, crept dose up to the mortar battery without being perceived, ami entered it over the parapet, after spearing the advanced sentries. The party which occupied it was obliged to retire, but being immediately reinforced, charged tlie assailants, who were driven out of the battery with considerable loss. The attack on the left was repelled instantaneously by tlie spirited resistance of the covering party under Major Warren, who distinguished himself much on tliis occasion by liis coolness and gallantry. The enemy repeated his attack towards morning, but was vigorously repulsed. During the 7th, every exertion was made to land and bring up the remaining guns and mortars, which was accomplished during tlie niglil, after incessant labours, by the sailors, assisted by working parties from llie troops, and those of his Higiiness the Imaum, who cheerfully volunteered their services. They were immediately piaceil in battery, together with two 21-pouniler9, which were landed from the 'Liverpool,' and ui the morning the whole of our ordnance opened on the fort, and iired with scarcely any intermission till sunset, when tlio breach on tiio curtain was reported nearly practicable, and tlio towers ulmo.-t untenable. Immediate arrangements were made for the assault, and the tnwps ordered to move down to the treneiics at daybreak the next morning. Die bombardment continued during the niglit, and the batteries having recommenced tlie ih-e before dayliiilit, completed the breaches by eight o'clock. Tlie accom- panying orders will explain to his Excellency the disposition of attack, as well as_ the measures taken to guard against the possibility of a failure, iu tlie event of the enemy defending himself as desperately as might have been expected from his previous defence. These precautions, however, were unnecessary ; the party moved forward about eight o'clock and entered the fort without liring a shut ; and it soon appeared that the enemy hail evacuated the place. The town was 360 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. thousand," and adds, " the Sheikh himself has acknowledged that four hundred fighting men of his own tribe were either killed or wounded, which would appear to establish a much higher proportion, but the most authentic accounts agree in fixing it nearly at the number I have stated." The British loss in acliieving this great success was only five killed, including j\Iajor Molesworth, and fifty-two wounded, of whom three were officers. Sir William Grant Keir, both in his General Orders of the 9th of December and his despatch to the Bombay Government of the 10th of December, pays a just tribute of thanks to Commodore Collier and the naval part of the Expedition, specifying the officers and men of the Bombay Marine. The Commodore, also, in his letter from Ras-ul-Rhymah, to the address of the Secretary to the Bombay Government, reports of the Service : — " To Captain Hall, the senior officer of Marine, and the officers and crews of the Hon. Company's cruisers, every praise is due for their unremitting exertions, both on shore and afloat." The efficient little squadron of the Bombay Marine also received the meed of praise from Lieutenant- General Sir Charles Colville, G.C.B., Commander-in-Chief at Bombay, in his letter to the Hon. Mountstuart Elphin stone — who had succeeded Sir Evan Napean as Governor of Bombay, on the 1st of November in this year — enclosing the despatch of the commander of the Expedition. After the capture of Ras-ul-Khymah, the ' Curlew,' ' Aurora,' and ' Nautilus' were despatched to blockade Rams, six miles north-east of that place, where there were some pirate vessels and a fort. The town was found to have been abandoned, but its inhabitants were supposed to have taken shelter in the hill fort of Zayah, situated at the head of a creek about two miles from the sea coast. This place was held by over four hundred men under a former Wakeel of the famous Wahabee chief, one taken possession of and found almost entirely deserted, only eighteen or twenty men and a few women remaining in then* houses. Upon the wliole, it appears evident, considering the spirited behaviour of the enemy at the commencement of the siege, that their sudden I'esolution to evacuate the place was occasioned by the overwhelming fire of the Artillery, of which they could have formed no previous idea, and which the ample means placed at my disposal, enabled me to bring against the town. Our loss, I am happy to say, is much less than could have been expected from the length of the siege, and the obstinacy with wliich the enemy disputed our appi'oaches. I have had no means of ascertaining theirs, but it must have been severe. I beg that you will assure His Excellency that I feel entirely satisfied with the conduct of the troops ; their gallantry has been exceeded only by their patience and cheerfulness under every species of privation and fatigue, and the peculiarity of this service has called forth a full display of these qualities which ai"e equally creditable to the soldier as tlie most intrepid acts of bravery. By the orders which I do myself the honoiu- to enclose. His Excellency will be enabled to estimate the services performed by Captain Collier and the naval part of the expedition ; and I can only add, that the acknowledg- ments expressed are scarcely adequate to the assistance I have received from them." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 361 Slicikh Hussein Bin Ali, whom it was necessaiy to subdue as from his talents and hxwless liabits, as well as from the strength and advantageous situation of his fort, he was likely to seek to revive the piratical system at the first favourable opportunity. The squadron proceeded thither with a large detachment* of troops, under Major Warren, commanding the (ioth Regiment, but the General, on his arrival, discovering that the fortifications were more formidable than had been represented, ordered up a reinforcement of the 47th and the flank com])ani(.'s of the first battalion of the 3rd N.I., to complete the close investment of the place, and Commodore Collier also landed two 24-pounders from the ' Liverpool,' which were placed in battery with the other artillery, by the sailors of the squadron, who won great com- mendation by their cheerful alacrity. The service that ensued, though short, was arduous in the extreme, owing to the difficulties of transporting the guns and stores for a siege, and the resolute defence made by the enemy. One officer. Ensign j\Iathieson of the 65th, was killed during the desultory fire that took place between the 18th and 22nd of December, when the investment of the fort was completed. At half-past eight that morning fire was opened from the batteries, one to breach the fort on the north-east side, and the second to destroy the defences of the Sheikh's house in the town to the westward, and such was the precision of the practice, that, in two hours, a practicable breach was effected, and the column told off for the assault were about to advance, when a white flag was displayed. Hussein Bin All's followers, if not the Joasmi chief himself, had recognised the futility of further resistance, and, after some little delay, marched out to the number of three hundred and ninety-eight fighting men, the women and children being at the same tiuju collected together in a place of security. At half-past one, p.m., the liritish flag was hoisted on the hill fort and at the Sheikh's house, and, soon after, the whole of the prisoners were taken on board the squadi'on, and were brought to Kas-ul-Khymah, where they were landed. The loss of the liritish force was one ofiicer and three men killed, and sixteen men wounded, one of whom died. A detachment of sean)en j)articipated in these operations, under the command of Captain Walpole of the ' Curlew,' and the inde- fiitigablc and gallant First Lieutenant of the ' Liverpool' com- manded in the 24-pounder battery. Major ^^'arren pays a handsome encomium to the zeal and ability displayed by these and the other officers and men of the Naval Brigade, which enabled them to "overcome the dinieiilties attending the landing of the supplies and stores, partictdarly the gmis, which, * Thirty Artillen-mcn, witli two brass 12-iiountli'rs, two S-inch mortars, and four 6eld-picces ; 11. M. Gotli Kogiiueut, niul tlio tlauk companies of the 1st Battalion 2ud llegimeut N.l. 302 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. after being Lronght up a narrow, intricate, and shallow creek, a distance of upwards of three miles, had to be dragged through a muddy swamp, and afterwards over a considerable space of rocky and intersected ground, before they could be placed in the batteries."* He continues, "Nor can I conclude this report without feeling that it is due to Lieutenant Brucks, the Agent of Transports, to bring to your notice his laborious exertions in the particular line of his duties, during the embarkation and subsequent landing of the troops on the 18th inst., on which occasion the officers and men belonging to the cruisers and transports, had all to endure a day of most severe labour and privation." The Commander of the Expedition, in his Field Orders to the Army, dated " Ras-ul-Khymah, 2,5th of December, 1819," says of the services of the Naval Brigade:— " The Major-General feels at a loss to express in adequate terms his obligations to the Navy, but the value of their services will be estimated when he declares that the enterprise must have failed Avithout their assistance." The column, after destroying the fortifications, returned to the camp before Ras-ul-Khymah on the 26th of December. On receipt of the intelligence of the fall of the pirate strong- hold, whence the Joasmi fleets had issued to prey upon the com- merce of all countries, the Governor of Bombay issued a General Order, dated the 28th of December, announcing the success of the British arms, in which he speaks as follows of the services of the Bombay Marine : — " The conduct of Captain Hall, and of Lieutenants Maillard, Arthur, Faithful, Greenway and Watson, in command of cruisers, and of Lieutenants * The military officer whose description of the capture of Ras-ul-Kymah we have already given, says of the operations at Zayah : — " A strong fort on a neigh- bouring hill, called Zaire, still held out. The duty undertaken by the seamen was most arduous in this case ; two 24-pounders were dragged by the poor fellows for a space of two miles over rough and swampy ground. After batteries had been erected, a brisk cannonade was kept up against the fort, and shells were thrown without intermission. The firing was unremitting and tremendous. The fort was deemed quite impregnable by the natives, but they had soon speedy reason for entertaining a mortifying belief to the contrary ; tliey accordingly manifested a wish to captitulate. The Greneral offered unconditional surrender, which, after half-an-hour's deliberation, was acceded to. Sheikh Hussein Bin Ah, the Chief, was sent prisoner on board one of the transports. He was the most active and the most cruel of the pirates, about thirty years of age, hand- some in person, mild in demeanoiu-, but with a look of sullen, tiger-hke ferocity lurking in his restless eye. " On our return to Eas-ul-Kymah, we found the place totally in ruins ; the forts and towers having been blown up by the indefatigable soldiers and seamen employed on tliat duty. A strong work was in a state of forwardness for such of our troops as it might be deemed requisite and expedient to leave behind for the entire prevention of future piracies, and a check upon the Arabs in their attempts to rebuild their forts and strongholds. "On the 3rd of January we quitted the coast and proceeded to the different harboui's in the vicinity, in order to capture and destroy all the piratical vessels and small craft. This operation was can-ied into complete effect, and it is hoped lias succeeded effectually in destroying the roots and nipping the branches of piracy for a long period to come." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 3(33 Seawright and Brucks, and the officers and men of the Hon. Company's Marine, employed on this service, have been spoken of in terms of high comnien(kition by the Major-General, and also by Conimodore Collier, whose established rej)utation and experience of the qualifications that distinguish the Naval profession, renders his testimony to the character of the Bombay Marine of peculiar value in the estimation of the Governor in Council." The Governor-General in Council, in publishing the despatches of the military and naval chiefs, on the 21st of January, 1820, issued a General Order, concurring in the praise bestowed by the Bombay Goverinnent, and, on the 21st of March, 1820, on the return of the Expedition to Bombay, the Governor in Council issued a General Order highly eulogising the services of all arms, and expresssing the thanks of his Government.* The fleet were now employed visiting all the Joasmi ports on the coast, and destroying their war-vessels and blowing up their forts ; thus Jezirat-ul-Hamra, Ejman, Amulgavine, Shargah,t and several other places, were visited and reduced to a condition of impotence, but no resistance was encountered anywhere. On the 8th of January, 1820, a General Treaty of Peace was concluded at Ras-ul-Khymah between ]\Iajor-General Sir William Grant Keir, on the part of the British Government, and nearly all the chiefs of the maritime tribes of Arabs in the Persian Gulf, by whom it was subsequently signed at dill'erent times and places. The sole purpose and scope of this treaty was the entire suppression of piracy, and the adoption of such * By an order, dated Bombay Castle, 17th of February, 1827. the military and naval forces engaged in the operations against the Joasmis in 1810, were informed that the Court of Directors, by dcspatuli dated tlie 12ih of April, 182(;, directed that, " in addition to tlie prize property reahsed by agents," tlie "full valuation of all boats captured and destroyed by the forces," iucluding the moiety legally accruing to tlie Company, together with interest at six \)cv cent, per annum from the 30th of September, 1820, making a sum of 2(j(;,()2o rupees, should be paid to the captors. " John Company," though mercantile in his condition, was assuredly, on some points, more lordly than his " Iniperiar' suecessors, and such liberal conduct oifers a strikinLi contrast to the view, perhaps legally admissible, entertained by the India Ollice on the Bauda and Kirwee prize ease, which has given rise to so much protracted aiul expensive litigation. t Sharjali, in Persian, or Shargah, as the .Vrabs call it, the most important town on the coast, contains a poi)ulation of about ten thousand. Five miles to the nortli-east is Aymaun or Ejman, a small place of about one thousand two hundred inhabitants, who during the seastjn send nearly one hundroil boats to the pearl fisheries. Amulgavine, or Anuilgawein, stands about twelve miles to the north-cast of Ejman ; the old town was deserted after its destruction in this year, and the people now reside at Eibini, a tln-iving i>liice having some ono thousand live hundred souls, and sending seventy or eighty boats to the fisheries. Jezirat-cl-Hamra is a fort and town ten miles south-west by west from Kas-ul- Khymah, built on an island formed by a khor or iidet. The pimte coa.nt was supposed to end at Debaye, a town of the Beni Yas tribe, having about^ ono thousand two hundred inh'abitants, distant seven miles fi-on\ Shargah. From Debaye to Abu Tluibi, the capital of the Beni Yas, the coast stretches in a south- west direction a distance of sixty-scvou miles. 3G4 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. iiieasurcs of precaution and general co-operation as seemed best adapted to attain the object in view ;* but it is an interesting, * The following is a translation of the general Treaty of peace with the Arab tribes of the Persian Gulf, dated the 8th of January, 1820 : — " In the name of God, the merciful, the compassionate ! Praise be to God, who hath ordained peace to be a blessing to his creatures ! There is established a lasting peace between the British Government and the Arab tribes, who are parties totliis contract, on the following conditions : — "Art. 1. There shall be a cessation of plunder and piracy by land and sea, on the part of the Arabs who are parties to this contract for ever. " Art. 2. If any individual of the people of the Arabs contracting shall attack any that pass by land or sea, of any nation whatever, in the way of plunder and piracy, and not of acknowledged war, he shall be accounted an enemy of all mankind, and shall be held to have forfeited both life and goods ; and acknow- ledged war is that which is proclaimed, avowed, and ordered by Government, and tlie killing of men and taking of goods without proclamation, avowal, and the order of Government, plunder and piracy. " Art. 3. The friendly (literally the pacificated) Arabs shall carry, by land and sea, a red Hag, with or without letters in it, at their option ; and tliis shall be in a border of white, the breadth of the white in tlie border being equal to the breadth of the red, as represented in the margin, the whole forming the flag known in the British Navy by the title of ' White pierced Eed ;' and this shall be the Hag of the friendly Arabs, and they shall use it, and no other. " Art. 4. The pacificated tribes shall all of them continue in their former relations, with the exception that they shall be at peace with the British Government, and shall not fight with each other; and the flag shall be a symbol of this only, and of nothing further. " Art. 5. The vessels of the friendly Arabs shall all of them have in their possession a paper (' Eegister ') signed with the signatures of their chief, in wJiich shall be the name of the vessel, its length, breadth, and how many karahs it holds ; and they shall also have in their possession another writing (' Poi't Clearance'), signed with the signature of the Chief, in which shall be the name of the owner, the name of the Nakhooda, the number of men, the number of arms, from whence sailed, at what time, and to what port bound ; and if a British or other vessel meets them, they shall produce the register and the clearance. " Art. 6. The friendly Arabs, if they choose, shall send an envoy to the British Residency in tlie Persian Gulf, with the necessary accompaniments, and he sliall remain there for the transaction of their business with the Residency ; and the British Government, if it chooses, shall send an envoy to them also in like manner, and the envoy shall add his signature to the signature of the Cliief, in the jiaper (' Register') of their vessels, which contains the length of the vessel, its breadth, and tonnage ; the signature of the envoy to be renewed every year. Also all such envoys shall be at the expense of their own party. " Art. 7. If any tribe or others shall not desist from plunder and piracy, the friendly Arabs shall act against them according to their abihty and circumstances ; and an arrangement for this purpose shall take place between the friendly Arabs and the British, at the time when such piracy shall occur. " Art. 8. The putting men to death after they have given up their arms is an act of piracy, and not of acknowledged war ; and if any tribe shall put to death any persons, either Mahomedans or others, after they have given up their arms, such tribe shall be held to have broken the peace, and the friendly Arabs shall act against them, in conjunction with the British, and, God willing, the war against them shall not cease imtil the surrender of those who performed the act, and of those who ordered it. " Art. 9. The carrying off of slaves (men, women, and children) from the coast of Africa or elsewhere, and the transporting them in vessels, is plunder and piracy ; and the friendly Arabs shall do nothing of this natm*e. " Art. 10. The vessels of the friendly Arabs, bearing their flag above described, shall enter into all the British ports, and into the ports of the allies of the British, so far as they shall be able to ell'ect it, and they shall buy and sell HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY. oOo and we believe, little-known ftict, that by Article 9 of the Treaty, the slave trade was abolished in the Persian Gulf. This was due to the interposition of Captain T. Perronet Thompson. A separate treaty was concluded the same day with IIuss(;in Bin Rahmah, the Joasmi chief of Ras-ul-Khymah, stipulating the release of all Indian prisoners, the occupation of the towns of Ras-ul-Khymah and Mahara, and the surrender of all his vessels, with the exception of the boats employed in the pearl- fisheries off the Bahrein baid^s. A similar treaty was likewise entered into with Sultan Bin Suggur of Shargah and the other Sheikhs, for the "surrender of the towns, guns, and vessels which are in Shargah, Ejman, Amulgavine, and their dependencies," with the exception of the fishing boats, stipulating, however, that " the General will not allow the troops to enter the towns to lay them waste." Separate treaties were also entered into with the Beni Yas Sheikhs of Uebaye and Abu Thubi. the latter a powerful chief named Shakhboot, and the chiefs of Bahrein, Sheikhs Soleiman Bin Ahmed and Abdoola Bin Ahmed. In February the fleet, consisting of seven men-of-war and fourteen transports, proceeded across the Gulf to the island of Kenn to water, and here the Expeditionary force was broken up. Early in March the first division of transports, with detachujents of artillery and II.]\I.'s 47th and t)5th Regiments, arrived at Bombay under convoy of the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Turnate,' and, ten days later, the remaining live transports arrived under convoy of the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Mercury.' thereiu; and if any shall attack them, the British Government shall take notice of it. " Art. 11. These conditions aforesaid shall be common to all tribes and persons who shall hereafter adhere thereto, in the same manner as to those who adhere to them at the time present. " Issued at Ras-ul-Kliymah in triplicate at mid-dav on Saturday, the 8th of January, LS20, and sif^ned by the coiilracting parties at the place and times under written. Signed at Kas-uI-Kliyiuali, at tlie time of issue, by " W. Gkant Keir, Major-General. "HussAN Bin Kaiimah, Siieikh of Ilatt and Faleia, for- merly of Khymali. "Razib Bin Ahmed, Sheikh of Joizerat-ul-Humrah." The treaty was also signed on tiie 11th of January by Shakboot, Sheikh of Abu Thubi : and on tlie 15th of January by Hussein Bin All, Sheikli of Z;iyah. Also by the uncle of tlie Slieikh of Dcbaye, a minor, on the 28th of January ; and by Slieiklis SuhMuiaii Bin Alnned, and Abdoolla Bin Alimed of the house of Khalifa, Sheikhs of Bahrein ; and on the 15th of .Marcli, by Kashid Bin llumeed, chief of Ejman, and Abdoolla Bin llashid. Chief of Amulgavine. The only piratical cliicf of consequence wlio refusetl to sign the General Trt>nty was liahmah Bin Jaubir, Chief of Klior Hassan, near Balirein, wlio pleaded that he was suborihnate to tlie Persian Government ; which plea was admitted on the Governor of Bushire becoming resnonsible for bis conduct. This was tho same veteran desperado, who, in is2(j, charactoi-istically ended Ins life by setting fire to the magazine of his ship ami blowing up himself and crew. SGG HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. The ' Liverpool,' with Sir W. Grant Keir on board, after visiting I>ushire, quitted the Persian Gulf for Bombay on the 24th of ]\larch, the General having left to garrison lias-ul-Khyraah, a force, consisting of twenty artillerymen, the 1st Battalion 2nd Regiment N.I., two companies of the Marine Battalion, and the flank companies of the 1st Battalion of the 3rd N.I., the whole being placed under the command of Captain T. Perronet Thompson, of Her Majesty's 17th Dragoons, who, being an excellent Arabic scholar, had rendered great service to the General as interpreter, at the time of the signature of the Treaties, to the translation of which his name is appended. In the following April, the Bombay Government sent orders to Captain Thompson to remove the detachment to Deristan,* after dismantling the sea defences, and to give up the town to Sultan Bin Suggur, the legitimate chief of Ras-ul-Khymah, whose power was soon so greatly in the ascendant, that, in 1824, all the Joasmi ports appear to have acknowledged his supremacy.t On a communication, however, being made to the chief, he positively refused to take possession if the works were destroyed ; a reference was consequently made to Bombay, when final orders were issued to carry out the original instructions. This was accordingly done, and the town was finally abandoned by the British garrison on the 18th of July, 182U. * Deristan is a large bay in Kislim, to the north-west of the island of Angaum or Henjam. t in the commencement of 1823, Sultan Bin Suggur began the erection of a fort at Shargah, but was informed by the Political Resident that he must suspend the work until the instructions of the Government could be received. An appli- cation from the inhabitants of Ras-ul-Kliymah, says Lieutenant Hennell, for permission to erect a wall across the isthmus, was likewise referred to the Government, which intimated, in its reply, that it was not intended to prevent the erection of forts or buildings on the Arabian coast, as the treaty concluded by Sir W. G. Keir did not appear to authorise any such interference. About this time the Sheikh of Rams was deposed through the iniluence of Sultan Bin Suggur and all the Joasmi chiefs, and in the following year Rashid Bin Humeed of Ejman, who had declared to the Resident that he would never sttbmit to the authority of the Chief of Shargah, acknowledged his supremacy. In 1859, fifty-six years after succeeding his father, Sheikh Suggur, he was still living at the age of 103 years, the patriarch of the Joasmi, and his stately bearing and vene- rable appearance were well known to the officers of the Indian Navy, with whom the old Chief was ever on the best of terms. CHATTER XL 1820—1824. Loss of the 'Ariel' — Kepulsc of a British force by the Bcni-boo-Ali Arabs — Historical Sketch of the Bombay Marine Battalion — Success of the Second Expedition against the Beni-boo-^Ui — Changes in the Uniform of the Bombay Marine. rj^HE Expedition against the Joasmi pirates in 1819, closed J- with a terrible catastrophe to one of the ships of the Bombay Marine, which was more fatal in its effects than the entire British loss sustained throughout tlie preceding opera- tions. The Hon. Company's cruiser 'Ariel,' wus a brig of 1(50 tons, carrying ten 12-pounder carronades, and, at this time, a crew all told, of eighty-three souls ; her officers were Lieutenants W. C. Greenway and Duff, two midshipmen, Messrs. D'Arcy and Chitty, Mr. Garraway, gunner, and Mr. Johnstone, boatswain. After taking part in the siege of Ras-ul-Khymah, where her commander, who was a most energetic officer and able seaman, received much praise from Commodore Collier, the 'Ariel' was directed to proceed to Bussorah with despatches, and it was in returning thence to Bushire that she foundered. The brig left Bussorah on the 12th of March, 1820, and, during the night of the 17th, when the accident occurred, the deck tlu'U being in charge of the gunner, a most careful and experienced officer, was supposed to be about twenty miles from the island of Kharrack. The 'Ariel' was beating against a south-easter under double-reefed topsails, when the gunner, apprehending from the tlireatening appearance of the sky in the north-west quarrer,* a sudden shift * The prevailing wind in the Persian Gulf is the north-wester, called by tlie Natives "Shemal," wliicli blows about nine mouths in the year in the northern half of the Gulf. It blows almost incessantly during June and part of July, when it is called the " Burra," or Great Sliemal ; the general d unit ion is three days, though it sometimes lasts seven, and the worst shemals often hwt only one day. This wind blows down the Gulf, clianging its direction with tlie trend of the coast. In the northern part of the Gulf the air during the shemal is generally loaded with dust from the deserts of Mesopotamia, wiiieh shrouds the land so that often the white surf on the beach is the lirst sign of danger. In the Shatt- ul-Arab, during the continuance of a shemal, the dust is so dense that neither bank of the river is visible, and vessels, rigging, and decks, arc covered with Hue 3G8 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. of wind, reported to the captain that a squall was approaching. Lieutenant Greenway, who was at the time ill in his cot, gave directions that all was to be made snug aloft. All hands were immediately turned up on deck, the courses were hauled up and the topsails lowered on the cap. This was scarcely accomplished when a tremendous squall struck the little craft ; taking her right aft, it hurried her into and through the opposing sea caused by the north-easterly gale, and in a moment, before any warning could be given, the ' Ariel' was buried beneath the waters and went down head forem.ost. Of the entire crew of eighty-three souls only five were saved, Mr. Joseph Glen, the surgeon, Mr. Johnstone, boatswain, Brown, a seaman, Wall, a boy, and the native cook. The following is an extract from a letter by Dr. Glen,* describing the escape of the survivors : — " I was in bed, but luckily awake. I turned out on hearing the wind, and as our berth opened into the main hatchwa}^, I went out and stood between decks to see what was the matter. As I looked up the vessel heeled, the water came rushing over the larboard gunwale, the launch went over the side, and at the same time I heard a crash above me, which must have been the maiinnast. At this time I heard a horrid shriek, and found myself below water. All this must have taken place in less than a minute and a half from the first coming on of the squall. On coming to the surface I found myself among pieces of boards, and heard a few men around. I, however, felt myself irresistibly pulled below the water, and went to the depth of three or four fathoms. It was the vortex formed by the sinking vessel. On reaching the surface a second time, and swimming a little, I saw a canoe bottom upwards, to which I made, and got upon it. Hearing some people in the water near me, for it was quite dark and rainy, I called out, and was joined by six or seven of my unfortunate companions. All else was now quiet, except the tossing of the waves, and the piercing cries of a little boy, who was at some distance, but to whom we could give no assistance. In a few minutes he sunk, and we were left, the remainder of eightj^-three persons, who but a few minutes before had no idea of danger. The squall was now over, but a heavy sea continuing, made the canoe roll over and over, which always threw us to some distance in the water, and exhausted us very much. After tumbling about in this way for some time, three or four men could stand it no sand which fills the ejes and mouth. The air is generally very clear and cloud- less, but during the winter the sliemal, as in the above instance, is often accom- panied by a storm of thunder and lightning ; a lieavy swell fi-ora the north-west is often a precursor of a shemal, and should be taken as a warning. * Dr., now Physician-Greneral, Glen still survives, and has published a pamphlet describing his experiences during the day and night he was in the canoe, which was the property of the officers who used it when duck-shooting up the Shatt-ul-Arab. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 06!) longer, and dropped off. There were now four of us only remaining of eighty-three persons, who composed the ship's company, and expecting every moment to share the same fate. However, we at last contrived to right the canoe, and kept her on her keel, although full of water, by placing a few small spars that we found floating about, across the gunwale, which prevented her rolling. We fastened these the best way we could with strips of shirts and handkerchiefs, and sat upon them. We also saw the high land about Bushire, but that was far off. At this time we were joined by two other men, who had kept near us on a spar until our little raft should be ready. One of these poor fellows died before we reached the shore. Sitting upon this swamped boat naked, and every sea coming over us, we continued to drift towards the island, and about two p.m., we got within a mile or two of the beach, and expected in half- an-hour more to land. At this time, to our great distress, I discovered that the tide began to set us off again, and to drift us round the island. As we were evidently leaving the shore fast, it was proposed to swim ashore, but on making the experiment we found ourselves so weak, and the distance so great, that we were glad to put about, and it was with great difficulty some of us reached the canoe. Luckily the current soon changed and sent us back again, and a little after siniset we were cast upon a reef of rocks, over which we swam and waded till we got upon dry laud. After walking two or three hours along the beach, we arrived at the town, and were iunncdiately taken to the Sheikh. He gave us a room in his house, and supplied us with what clothes and provisions he had, for the island is very poor. \Ve remained there three days, and during that time received every attention and kindness we could expect. On the 22nd of March, the Sheikh gave us a boat, in which we arrived at Bushire the same evening, and of course were supplied with everything. We left Bushire on the 2.Sth. For several days after our unfortunate wreck 1 was laid uj). swollen with the sun and salt-water, and from having been cut a good deal with the rocks on landing, but otherwise I have been in good health." The ' Ariel' was a deep-waisted, chest-like brig, of a clas.s common in the Royal Navy at the close of the Revolutionary War, which from the frequency of their foundering, were known as "coffins" or " deaths," and were emi)loyed up to so recent a date as the year 18oi», in carrying the Government mails across the Atlantic, when they fully maintained tiieir unenviable characteristic of foundering or capsizing in a stormy sea. It was found, on subsequent inquiry, that the 'Ariel' had bcLMi condennied as unseawortiiy before Mr. ]\Ieriton, the Superin- tendent, sent her on her last cruise. On her arrival at^Iuscat the mainmast was found to be so rotten from step to cap that VOL.1. ^^ 370 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. it was a wonder it had not saved tlie crew the trouble of hoisting out by goino- over the side ; it was rephiced by a crooked spar ])roRented by the Imaiim, which was a few feet shorter than the foremast. However, no spars or other appliances could have saved the ' Ariel,' which foundered, like other brigs of the so-called "coffin" class, owing to her build, though this did not exonerate the Superintendent who sent her on a cruise in an nnseaworthy condition. After the reduction of the Joasmi ports in 1820, a strong squadron of the IVIarine vessels was stationed at Ras-ul-Khymah, to enforce the fulfilment of the stipulations of the treaty, and maintain a surveillance of the coasts ; and the brig ' Psyche' was moored in the creek above the town, so as to sweep the approaches with her guns in the event of any attack upon the garrison. In May 1820, Captain Thompson, the Commandant and Political Kesident, expecting an attack by the Arabs, a body of two hundred seamen, under the command of Lieutenant Tanner, was landed nightly from the cruisers, and every one was much harassed. At length, as already mentioned, in July Ras-ul-Khymah was evacuated in favour of Deristan, in the island of Kishm, and the officers and seamen were employed assisting in the demolition of the fortifications and embarkation of the guns and stores, when, owing to the intense heat, many valuable lives were lost.* The garrison embarked on board the cruisers on the 11th of July, under the light of a grand conflagration of the last of the Joasmi craft and the woodwork and " cadjans" of the houses, and proceeded to the opposite coast. Owing to calms, which prolonged the passage to three days, the water ran short, and the men, when landed, were sick and worn out : according to one account, fully one-third of both services w^ere laid up with fevers, but they soon recovered at Deristan, which was found to be a fairly healthy station. Complications soon, however, arose with the Beni-boo-Ali, a tribe of Arabs, which, owing to military mismanagement, * Among those who died from tlie effects of exposure and over-fatigue, was a young officer of singular promise and possessing many accomphshments. This was Mr. Albert Waterworth, midshipman of the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Antelope,' who, after an illness of nine days, contracted at Kas-ul-Kliymah, where he had been for some weeks past actively employed with a party of seamen on shore, died at Deristan on the 23rd of July, of inflammatory fever, at the age of eighteen. The following tribute to the worth of this young officer, written by his commander, Lieutenant Tanner, appeared in the Bombay papers : — " With considerable talent and a good education, this lamented young officer possessed many eminent virtues ; he was distinguished by an active and enterprising character, sound principles, and an amiable disposition, with mild and engaging manners, that secured to him the respect and regard of all who knew him. This tribute of regard to the memory of departed worth, cut off in the flower of youth, is offered by his commander, who sincerely feels, and wiU long deplore, the great loss which his own ship and the Service at large has sustained by the melancholy event. His mortal remains were attended to tlie grave by the officers and seamen of the squadron with every mark of respect." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 371 brought about a great disaster. Government having heard of some irregular proceedings on the part of the people of Ul Ushkara, a small place on the sea- coast, near Ras-ul-Had, belonging to the Beni-boo-Ali* Arabs, Captain Thompson was directed to proceed against them in the event of the conduct complained of being piratical. The ' Mercur\',' fourteen guns, was accordingly despatched to Ul Ushkara, to convey a letter to the chiefs of the Beni-boo-Ali, and, on arriving off the place, sent a boat with her pilot, a man of some consideration, who had been engaged at Muscat. Owing to the surf being high, this man swam ashore with the letter, but, on landing, was cut to pieces ; upon seeing this outrage the boat's crew opened fire, and killed several of the natives. On the return of the ' Mercury,' Captaiti Thompson immediately determined to take hostile measures against the Arabs for this act of treachery, and, by his orders, a force, consisting of six companies of Sepoys from the 1st Battalion 2nd Native Infantry and Marine Battalion, with a party of artillerymen and eight guns, was embarked on board the following ships of war: — H.i\I.S 'Curlew,' and the Hon. Company's cruisers ' Ternate,' 'Prince of Wales,' ' Mercury,' and ' Psyche.' The Expedition sailed for Muscat, orders having been left for the 'Teignmouth' to join them on her arrival at Deristan. Muscat was reached on the 11th of October, and quitted on the 22nd, after a plan of operations had been arranged with the Imaura Seyyid Said, by which it was agreed that, as the landing at Ul Ushkara was nearly impracticable, and could not be supported by his Highness' contingent of two thousand men, the Expedition should proceed by sea to Sohar, where they were to be joined by the Imaum's troops. A party of about one hundred seamen was landed to accompany the force, but owing to some differences between Captain Thompson and Commander Price Bhickwood, of the 'Curlew,' Senior Naval Oflicer, which, looking to the causes of the disaster that ensued, may be said to have mainly contributed to il. the military com- mander declined the aid of the seamen, wlio were re-embarked. On the 1st of November, the detachment marched from Sohar. accompanied by the Imaum's contingent, commanded by that Prince in person, and taking with tiiem two ()-pounders, two howitzers, and two iron l8-pound, 1812, publislied to the Army December 15th, 1.S12 : — Para. 151. — " The conduct of the Native JIarines in refusing to enfor the French service under the circumstances described, is highly creditable to their fidelity, and well deserving the rewards which you have bestowed upon them. Para. 152. — "We desire that you will cause tliese sentiments of approbation to be officially communicated to them, as well as our sanction of the rewards being conferred upon them." .380 HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. Orders, is pleased to direct that the augmentation shall bear date the 1st of Jamiar}', 1818, that day having been fixed upon in commemoration of the heroic conduct of the 1st Battalion 1st Regiment of Native Infantry of this establishment, in the memorable action of Corrygaum, when it bravely and success- fully defended itself against an attack of the Peishwa's army. The Marine Battalion is accordingly formed into a regiment and denominated the 11th Regiment Native Infantry." The following General Order was published by the Com- mander-in-Chief: — "The 11th Regiment Native Infantry is to wear dark green facings, gold epaulettes and yellow buttons. The 1st Battalion will continue the anchor as a device placed under the number of the regiment, and the 2nd Battalion will be distinguished only by the numerical number XL" In order to reinforce the small detachment employed against Severndroog, an additional detail, under Captain Francis Farquharson, had been sent oflF, with artillery, but arrived too late to be employed in that service, the place having surrendered the day before they reached the harbour of Severndroog. Shortly afterwards a small force, including fifty men of the 1st, or Marine Battalion, 11th Regiment, under Lieutenant Capon, with the details from the corps serving as marines in the cruisers and pattamars employed in that quarter, under Captain Farquharson, assisted in reducing the strong forts of the Concan, where they displayed a gallantry which repeatedl}'' called forth the thanks of the Governor in Council. Towards the close of September, 1819, a force being under orders to proceed to the Persian Gulf, for the purpose of reducing the piratical States, a detachment from the Marine Battalion, consisting of two captains, four lieutenants, four Native ofiicers, ten havildars, and one hundred and eighty rank and file, was ordered to form part of the Expedition. Whilst the Expedition was occupied in the reduction of Ras-ul-Khymah, the men of the battalion serving on board the cruisers, were landed, and, with their comrades on shore, formed into a Provisional battalion under the command of Captain Deschamps. A native officer of the battalion, Subahdar Sheikh Nathoo was appointed aide-de-camp to Major-General Sir W. Grant Keir. On the conclusion of this service, two companies remained to form part of the garrison of Ras-ul-Khymah, and participated in the ill-fated expedition against the Beni-boo-Ali Arabs in November, 1820. On this occasion Lieutenant Short, one subahdar, three jemadars, one colour-havildar,nine havildars, three naiques, three drummers, and sixty-eight privates were killed, and only twent}' privates survived to return to Kishm. In a future chapter we will continue the records of the Marine Battalion from this date. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 381 As soon as news of the disastrous expedition against the Beni- boo-Ali reached the Bombay Government, they took immediate steps to retrieve the tarnished histre of the British arms, and restore our influence in the Persian Gulf, but at the same time they recalled Captain Thompson,* and expressed their dis- approval of his proceedings. A strong British force,t under I\[ajor-General Lionel Smith, C.B. — the same officer who commanded the troops in the Expedition against Rasul-Khymah in 1809, and Mai wan in 1812 — was embarked at Bombay on board fifteen transports and ten baghalahs, having a tonnage in the aggreate of 10,402 tons, and the following cruisers of the Company's Marine acted in co-operation: — 'Teignmouth.^ Captain Hardy, senior naval officer; 'Prince of Wales,' Commander Stout; 'Psyche,' Lieutenant Dominicetti; and 'Vestal,' Lieutenant Robinson. The Expedition sailed from Bombay on the 11th of January, 1821, and arrived off Sohar on the 27tli, when the disembarkation * Captain Thomas Perrouet Thompson, who died in 18C9, in the eiH;lity-sixth year of his age, was a noted man, and is better known as General Thompson, the prolific author of pamphlets and articles on Political Economy and Free Trade, and a Member of Parliament. Though a Dissenter, he went to Cambi'idge, wliere he became Seventh Wrangler ; but in his twentieth year he quitted college and entered the Navy, serving as midshipman on board the ' Iris,' llagsliiiiof Admiral Gambler. The Navy not being to his likiug, he entered the Army as second- lieutenant in the Ritle Coi-ps. lie served in that wild and unsuccessful expedition undertaken by Sii" Homo Popham and General Beresford against Buenos Ayres, and was taken prisoner there when the force capitulated. At the age of twenty- five he was appointed Governor of Sierra Leone, but owing to his zeal for negro emancipation, which formed through life a prominent feature in his pohtical creed, he got into collision with the residents, and was recalled at the end of two years. He took part in the campaign in the south of France in 18I1-, but missed Waterloo owing to his regiment, the 17th Dragoons, having been sent to Bombay. His knowledge of Arabic procured liim the post of interpreter to Sir W. G. K'-ir in 1819, and, as we have already mentioned, it was owing to his pertinacity that he managed to persuade both parties to insert Article 9 in the Treaty of the 8th of January, 1820, by which the slave trade was declared piracy, the first time such a declaration was ever made in a formal treaty between two Powers. In 1821 General Thompson returned to England, and soon after retired from military life. He now became a Radical refornu'r, and conduced by his writings in the " Westminster Review " to the abolition of the Corn I^aws, and his " Corn-Law Catechism," published in 1827, ten years before the existence of tiie Anti-Corn Law League, was a memorable production in its day. In 18:35 he was returned for Hull in the Radical interest, but he finally retired from Parliament in 1859, ten years before his death. t Europeans.— H.M.'s nSth Regiment, the Bombay European Regiment. First troop of the Brigade of Bombay Horse Artillery, 5th Company of the 2nd Battalion Bombay Foot Artillery. Natives.— Ist Battalion 7th Regiinent (afterwards 13th) Native Infantry; 1st Battalion 2nd Regiment (afterwards :}rd) Native Infantry; llauk companies of the 2nd Battalion 2nd Regiment (afterwards It h) Native Infantry; 1st Bat- talion 3rd Regiment (afterwards 5th) Native Infantry; 1st Battalion Mb Regi- ment (afterwards 7th) Native Infantry; 2nd Battalhm 9th Regiment (after- wards 18th) Native Infantry ; 3rd Company Pioneer Battalion. Total, one hundred and seventeen ollicers, one thousand two hundred and sixty-three European soldiers, one tliousand six hundred and eighty-six Sepoys, and one thousand six huiulred aiul eleven camp followers. Grand total, four thousami six hundred and seventy-seven. 382 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. took place. Owing to a want of caution on the part of the General, the Expedition was within an ace of siifiCering a severe reverse before it started on the march to the interior, the Beni- Loo-Ali Arabs have delivered a "chupao," or night attack, which was nearly proving siicccssfiil. The British camp had been pitched about one and a-half miles from the beach, while the General, with his staff and the Bombay European Regiment, took up their quarters near the shore; the Arabs, seeing their advantage, determined to make a descent upon the General's camp, and either kill or capture the entire party. Accordingly three hundred of them made a flank march of fifty miles on the night of the lOth of February, and attacked the sleeping camp before their presence in the neighbourhood had even been discovered ; but they miscalculated on their strength, and were repulsed, after some sharp fighting, in which the British lost one officer, Captain Parr, and sixteen men killed, and three offi- cers, including Colonel Cox, the Brigadier, and twenty-three men wounded. Some of the wounded soldiers lost their arms by a single stroke from an Arab sabre, but the enemy did not succeed in escaping without loss, eleven of their number being killed and twelve wounded ; among the latter was their chief, who was captured. After this experience of the character of the men with whom he had to deal, the General removed his quarters to the main camp. A sufficiency of camels and draft cattle having been procured from the Imaum, and every preparation made, the division marched for the interior, accompanied by sixty seamen from the cruisers, under the command of Lieutenants Robinson and Dominicetti, and the remainder of the ill-fated detachment of the Marine Battalion, and, on the 2nd of March, 1821, arrived before the capital of the tribe. With a bravery worthy a better fate, the gallant Bedouins, disdaining the protection of breastworks or other defences, advanced on the open plain to give battle to their white foes. A short but desperate struggle ensued. The Beni-boo-Ali thought to repeat their former tactics, and, filling the air with their war-cry, charged down upon the serried ranks of bayonets with broadsword and target. With a desperate valour that astonished the veteran officers who had been engaged throughout the Mahratta War, and disregarding the showers of grape from the 12-pounders, they strove with their swords to find the weak points in that line from which a storm of lead poured destruction into their ranks, and, with the fanaticism of a religion that taught them that death at the hands of the enemies of their faith was a sure passport to the bliss of Paradise, they threw themselves on the bayonets of the soldiery, and with reckless impetuosity tried to break through the death-dealing squares. But all in vain was a gallantry that has never been surpassed in the annals of war. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA^T. 383 Of less tlum one thousand warriors, five hundred were left on the fiekl dead or wounded, and two hundred and thirty-six were made prisoners, of whom ninety-six were wounded. The main attack was directed on the right brigade, consisting of four hundred men of HJI.'s 65th Regiment, and three hundred of the 1st Battalion 7th Native Infantry, nnder Colonel Warren of the former regiment, and of the total loss of twenty-nine killed and one hundred and seventy-three wounded, the Goth lost four killed and thirty-eight wounded, and the 7th Native Infantry twenty-two killed and one hundred and twenty-six wounded. After the repulse of the main attack the fort was cannonaded and surrendered, and so ended this little war. The British column blew up the works and defences, the Imamn's soldiers cut down the date-groves and turned away the water-courses, and then, having made a desert of what was once a smiling oasis, inhabited by brave men, the avenging troops marched back to Sohar, whence the British division embarked for India. The Bombay Marine* squadron employed in this Expedition, received the thanks of the Governor of Bombay in Council, and while every officer and man participated in the great I'ati- gues incidental to landing and transporting the materiel of a small army in the field, a detachment were fortunate enough to share in the dangers and glories, such as they were, of the action of the 2nd of March. These were deemed sufficiently great to cause the Bomba}'- Government, b}' a General Order, dated the 11th of February, 1831, ten years after the service, to permit the Company's troops engaged in the Expedition to bear on their colours and ajjpointnients the word *' Beni-hoo- Ali ;" and H.M.'s 65th Kegiment* also bear the word " Arabia' * The only officer of the old Bombay Marine surviving in this year (1877) 'who took part in the operations against Beni-boo-Ali, is Captain Kiehard Kinchnnt, wlio was first-lieutenant of tlie ' Prince of Wales,' and liad cliarge of the lirst division of transports. This old officer is also the sole survivor of those wlio took part in the Mahratta War of 1817-18, wliere, as second-lieutenant of the 'Thetis,' he was engaged at the capture of Severndroog, Gheriali, and Afahvan, on tiie Malabar Coast ; he also participated in the operations befoi-e Ka>-ul-Khynia]i and Zayah, wlicre, as he says in a letter to us, "we slept on the bare sand, with a rock for a pillow, and for a canopy the heavens above us." f This was the last service performed by tliis distinguished regiment in India, where since its arrival on the 7th May, 1803, it had seen much arduous work. After participating in the operations against the Mahrattas, including the unsuc- cessful siege of the Great Jaut fortress of IJhurtpore by Lord Lake's army m 1805, the regiment arrived at Bombay in ISO'.I, when the command was assumed by Lieutenant-Colonel Lionel Smith ; fi-om this date until its return to Englsmd, it was constantly employed on service with the Bom. bay Marine. Tiio Gotli was first engaged hi the Expe lition of 1809 against the Joasmis, and on its return landed at Bombay on the 21st February, 1810. On the iJjth September follow- ing, it sailed from Bombay in company with the 81t]i, and took part in tlie reduction of the Island of Mauritius, which it quitted ibr Bondiay on the 3nl of January, 1811. After a few weeks passed in Ceylon, the regiment landed at Bombay on the 21st of April, and participated in tlie expedition, under command of its colonel, against the chief of Nowaiuiggur in Kaitywar. On tlu> fall of this place on the 22nd of February, 1812, when the Bombay Marine acted iu co- 384 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. to coinmeinorato their .signal services at Ras-ul-Khymali and in the action of the 2nd ol' JMarch, 1821. General Smith, in his Divisional Orders issued the day after the capture of the enemy's works, mentioned the naval detach- ment employed at the front in the following complimentary terms : — " Lieutenant Robinson, of the Hon. Company's Marine, and the volunteer seamen from the fleet at Sohar, rendered the division great service, and underwent the most trying labour and fatigue in dragging heavy guns. Major-General Smith requests Lieutenant Robinson will accept and communicate his best thanks, and he will express to Government how much he is indebted to that officer for his useful exertions." Among those desperately wounded and taken prisoners was the chief, Mahomed bin Ali, who, with one hundred and fifty males, the remnant of the tribe, was sent to Bombay. Here they were detained for two years, but, in 1823, the Court of Directors sent out instructions to Mr. Mountstuart Elphinstone, then Governor of Bombay, to use his influence with the Imaum of Muscat to procure the restoration of the remnant of the Beni-boo-Ali tribe to their native place. After some corres- pondence, owing to a reluctance on the part of his Highnesg to have back such restless neighbours, even though they were powerless, the Imaum consented, and the survivors returned to their desolated homes. Li the following year, the chief having represented to the British Political Resident the dis- tressed condition to which his people were reduced, owing to the destruction of their date-groves and water-courses, the Bombay Government presented the tribe with a sum of 2,500 German dollars to enable them to recover somewhat of their former prosperity. It speaks well for the generosity of these Arabs that when Lieutenant Wellsted, I.N., the eminent tra- operation, the regiment returned to Bombay, where it landed on the 23rd of April. On the 22nd of November, 1814, it embarked for service in Gruzerat, and oil the 11th of June, 1815, marched from Baroda and formed part of Colonel East's column in the operations against the Kattywar rebels, which ended with the capture of Beyt and Dwarka. The 65th arrived at Bombay on the 20th of May, 1816, and after serving against the Mahrattas, under Major Warren, in February, 1818, proceeded to Cutch, when after some active service it returned to Bombay on the 15th of April. Then followed the second expedition against Ras-ul-Khymah, and on the 8th of March, 1820, the regiment once more took up its quarters at Colabah in Bombay. After only a brief repose of two months, a detachment of the regiment proceeded, in May, 1820, once more to Cutch, where it was employed under Colonel the Hon. L. Stanhope in the brilliant assault of Dwarka. The detachment arrived at Bombay on the last day of the year, and on the 6th of January following sailed with the expedition organised under com- mand of its old colonel, now Major-General L. Smith, C.B., to chastise the Beni-boo-Ali. This was its last service in India, and on the 19th of August, 1822, after an absence of nearly twenty-two years from England, for the regi- ment had proceeded to Bombay from the Cape of Gfood Hope, the gallant 65th sailed from Bombay for the last time. General Sir Lionel Smith was appointed Governor and Commander-in-Chief at Mauritius, and died there about 1840, when he was succeeded by the late Sir William Gomm. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 385 veller, visited them in 1835, they received him with open arms, and treated him most hospitably ; they also conversed with him freely on the subject of their defeat, but, while entertaining no animosity against us, inveighed bitterly against the Imaum.* x\.ltogether the retrospect of this Beni-bou-Ali imbroglio is not one on which we can look hack with unmixed satisfaction, and while the murder of the pilot called for punishment which would have been sufficiently inflicted by the surrender of his murderers, a condition agreed to by the chief, tht^re is reason to believe that the first P^xpedition was prose- cuted by Captain Thompson as a concession to the interests of the Imaum of Muscat, not warranted by his instructions from the Bombay Government. On the conclusion of this service the ' Prince of Wales' sailed for the Persian Gulf, and her first lieutenant, ^Ir. R. Kinchant, was placed in command of the ' Vestal,' ten-gim brig, ffe signalized his first command by attacking off the town of Biddah, on the Arabian Coast, oj)posite El Kateef, four ti-ankies, full of armed men, which had been disturbing the [teace of the Gulf. Lieutenant Kinchant attacked and sunk these trankies by his fire, for which service he received the thanks of the Bombay Government, and the captain of a ship of the Royal Navy then in the Gulf, informed him that had he been in the King's service he would have received promotion. In 1826 Lieutenant Kinchant received command of the ' Nau- tilus,' and so valuable were his services diu-ing the succeeding four years, in maintaining order and keeping down piracy in the Persian Gulf, that his Highness the Imaum of Muscat presented him with a valuable sword. During the month of August, 1821, H.M.S. 'Liverpool,' fifty guns, visited the Persian Gulf on her return from China, and lost in a few days, from the effects of the great heat, Lieu- tenants Fenwick, Giranlot and Bell, ISurgeon Alexander, her assistant-surgeon, and five men. Mr. James B. Eraser, author of "Travels in Khorassan," who was at Bushire on the TJth of August, when the 'Liverpool' arrived at that port, says, speaking of the sufferings caused by the intense heat :— " Eur some time the lower deck of the ship resembled a slaughter- house from the number of persons constantly undergoing the operation of venesection in every part of it."t * For this hatred they had good cause, as Klindira-bin-Ali, brother of the chief taken to Bombay, died of his wounds on the way to Muscat, and eighty of the captives carried thither by the Iniiuini were conlined in the eastern tower, whore, says the native historian, " they died of starvation." 't It has been variously stated by writers of that day that the loss on board the ' Liverpool' was thirty or lifty men, and we, having nuMitioned the lesser number in a work of travel, entitled "The Land of the yun," published in lS7i), tlie late Captain John Wlieatley, K.N.— who was good enough to inform us that lie had perused tiie book with much pleasure— wrote the following letter eorreet- nig the erroneous statement. Captain Wheatley, then male of tlie ' Liverpool,* VOL. I CO ^SG HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. At this time a change was made in the nniform of the Bom- bay Marine. Hitherto the senior and jnnior captains and commanders had worn buff lapells and gold lace on their full- dress coats, and lieutenants buff lapells only ; but, as a recog- nition for the good service rendered during the past few years in the Eastern Islands, at Mocha, and in the Persian Gulf, the following Orders were issued by the Bombay Government relative to the wearing of uniform by the officers of the Service : — "Minute of Council, 24th of May, 1820. The Hon. the Governor in Council, considering it proper that the officers of the Hon. Company's Marine on this establishment should be placed, in respect to uniform, on a level with those of all other military services under this Government, has been pleased to direct that the commodore, the senior and junior captains, the commanders, and the first and second lieutenants, shall wear epaulettes, according to their respective ranks, distin- guished as follows : — " Commodore. — Two gold epaulettes, with a silver lion and two stars on each. " Senior Captains. — Two gold epaulettes, with a silver lion and one star on each. " Junior Captains. — Two gold epaulettes, with a silver lion only on each. '• Commanders. — Two gold epaulettes, plain. "First-Lieutenants. — One gold epaulette, plain, on the rigbt shoulder. "Second-Lieutenants. — One gold epaulette, plain, on the left shoulder. " It is further directed, that the undress of all officers (with the exception of the commodore) be without lace; and that the participated in the operations against the Joasmi pirates of 1819-20, and died on the 19th of October, 1875 : — " I hope you will not be annoyed at my stating that vou have been misinformed as to the deaths on board of H.M.'s ship ' Liverpool,' in the Persian Gulf in 1821, as related in your book, the ' Land of the Sun.' The third-Heutenant, Girardot, having died late in the day, after having had the forenoon watch, orders were left for the officer of the morning watch to bury him as soon as he could see to read. A little before eight a.m. this officer, G. Bell, called me over (I was mate of the watch), and asked me why the cook had not brought the dinner aft. I answered that it was not jet eight o'clock ; he replied that it was so hot he thought it was near noon. In about ten minutes time he called me over again and repeated the question. Seeing that he was not well, I prevailed on him to go below, saying that I would report eight o'clock to the captain, and sent for the midshipman to call the surgeon. He died in about an liour, as did the first-lieutenant, who had been unwell since the ship left China in the early part of the year. A day or two afterwards we lost the surgeon and assistant-surgeon, but only five men, and one of these fell, or rather was supposed to have fallen asleep, and fallen overboard from the main deck bow-part, where he was last seen seeking to cool hunself. Excepting the officer of the watch, two look-out men, the quartermaster and man at the wheel, the crew were kept below, snd all hands turned up to perform any operation. On arriving at Busliire we obtained a surgeon from a Company's cruiser." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 387 undress of the commodore be distin,i,niislied by two rows of broad gold lace on the collar onl}' ; and that the full dress of all the officers do remain as it now is, with the addition of the epaulettes of their ranks respectively. "This arrangement is to have effect from the 4th of the en- suing month of June." The above remained the uniform of the Service until after the China War of lcS40-42, when fresh regulations relative to the dress of the various grades were issued, under date 2r>th of April, 1843. Finally, by a Standing Order of the 28th of July, 1852, lieutenants and pursers were allowed two epaulettes as in the Royal Navy, and additions were made to the uniform of captains and commanders, and the various other ranks. The year 1822 was a period of rest for the 15ombay Marine, none of the cruisers, almost for the first time during the last thirty years, being engaged in warlike operations. One or two vessels were employed at Penang, and found some occupation in hunting up the pirates, who were still very active and aggressive ; some cruisers were employed in the lied Sea, others on the coast of India on various duties, and five sail found full and constant work in the Persian Gulf, where they were engaged in cruising on the Arabian coast to watch tlie Joasmis and other pirate tribes. The military force* stationed at Kishm, under comnuind of Colonel Kennett, sutft-rud so severely from the intense heat, owing to the camp being on a rocky hill exposed to the heated prevailing wind, or shemal, that, in February, 1822, the troops Avere removed thence by the Company's cruisers to Sallack, on the south coast, eight and a half miles south-west of Deristan, and, later, to J5assadon.'t * The troops in the island of Kishm consisted of Artillery, the Bombay Euro- pean Regiment, 2nd Battalion 12tli Regiment N.I., and Pioneers. t Bassailore, wliicli has the advantage of an excellent harlwur, is situated at the point forming the north-west extremity of Kishm ; a short distance witliiii tlie point stand tlie nuns of the once ilourishing Portuguese town of Bassa(l.)re. A survey of the port was made by Lieutenant J. 11. Qrubb, commaiuling the Hon. Company's brig ' Ternate,' which the Bombay Government caused In be published as "Directions for entering Bassadoro Island," under dat<« " Uom- bay Castle, 21st January, 1823 ;" and aome years later, a " Report on Barc, with a Plan of the Roads," by Mr. Midshipman 11. H. lli'wi'tt, wjus i>uhlished. Lieutenant Grubb died soon after comjileting tliis survey, ami at the same |)lace, Moghu Bay, and on tlie same day (the I8th nf June, 1H23), Lieuteuanl K. Reynolds expired, both being young and accomplished oflicers. At tlie time of the abolition of the Indian Navy, the service buildings at Bassadore consisted of a hospital for invalid seamen, a store-house containing ^hips' stores, a cooper's sliod, a forge, and a house hn- the small guard of the Murine Battalion stalion.Ml here. There were also tln-ee water reservoirs, a small ba/.aar for the supply of stores for the ship's companies, the house of Kadadah, the Persian jnerebant who catered for the ollieers of the s(piadron, and a small village inha'nled by camp followers, some not of the most reputable kind. There were two or three houses belonging to olUcers, including the commodore's residence, where was a flagstaif for Ihe disjilay of the Union Jack, ami, linnily, a depot for a few- hundred tons of coal brought from Bombay for the use oi Hon. Company's ships of war. CO 2 388 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. on the same island, which continued to be the head- quarters of the Indian Navy squadron np to the date of its abolition. In 1823 the military force hitherto retained in the Gulf since the Expedition to Ras-ul-Khymah, was removed to Bombay, and the Bombay Marine squadron was left alone to fulfil the police duties of this inland sea. The year 1824 found the Service employed in a new sphere of active duty, but before treating of the part taken in the Burmese War by the Bombay Marine, we will detail the services of its officers in the more peaceful domain of Maritime Survey. Though the preceding chapters, detailing the operations of the Hon. Company's Marine between the years 1793-1821, is a record of continuous service against the French, the Dutch, the pii'ates of the Eastern Archipelago and of the Persian Gulf, and other enemies of the Compan}- by land as well as by sea, a record which, considering the strength of the Ser- vice, it cannot be gain-said was both varied and brilliant, yet the Bombay Marine did not neglect those scientific achieve- ments with which the name and history of the Indian Navy will ever be identified. The small squadron of Company's cruisers were hurried, almost without intermission, from one field of active service to another; from tho capture of Ras-ul- Khymah to Mauritius, thence to Java and the Eastern Islands, then back to the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea ; but yet, amid the toils and dangers of active service, a small band of officers was constantly employed in surveying, and extending our know- ledge of, the Eastern seas between Japan and the Cape of Good Hope. CHAPTER XII. 1804—1828. Proposed Survey of the Red Sea — Lord Valentia and Captain Keys — Resump- tion of the Survey by Lieutenants Court and Maxfield — Survey of the China Seas by Lieutenants Ross, Maughan, and Crawford — Services of Lieutenant Court, first Marine Surveyor-Geueral in Bengal — Surveys by Lieutenant Maxfield — Examination of the East Coast of Africa by Captain Smee and Lieu- tenant Hardy — Death of Captain Court and Appointment of Captain Ross as Surveyor-General in Bengal — His Resignation and Appointment of Captain Lloyd — Surveys by Lieutenants Dominieetti and Collinson — Survey of the Persian Gulf by Lieutenants Maughan, Guy, Bracks, Haines, and other ofBcers. SINCE the cessation of all sm-ve^ys in the j-ear 179o, when Lieutenant Hayes returnetl tVom his voyage in tiie Eastefii Archipelago, the ships of the Bombay Marine were fully oc- cupied against France and her allies ; but on the conclusion of the peace of Amiens, which proved so short and hollow, the surveys were resumed, and, notwithstanding the risk encountered by the olHcers of the Service, in prosecuting their researches, risks of no imaginary descri])tion, as some of tliem were captured while so engaged, and languished for a length of time in French dungeons, such was the ardour inspiring these gallant votaries of science, that no sooner were they released than they resumed their labours, while others of their brother ofHcers eagerl}^ volunteered their services for the dangerous but honourable task of Itenefitiiig mankind by majjping out the unknown seas of the Eastern hemisphere. The only chart in existence of the Kcd Sea was drawn by Lieutenant Robert White, of the Marine, who, in the year 171)5, when in command of the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Panther,' proceeded to Suez, making a cursory examination of its shores. In the year 18U2-3, Lord Valentia,* while travelling in the East, was a guest of Lord W'ellesKiy's at Calcutta, and proposed to his lordship to end)ark in one of the Company's cruisers on a voyage to the Red Sea, *• for the * "Voyages and Travels to India, Ceylon, the Red Sea. Abyssinia, and E"ypt, iu iy02-G, by George, Viscount Valentia." 3 vols, i Loudon, 390 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. purpose," as he says, " of investigating the Eastern shore of Africa, and making inquiries into the present state of Abyssinia, and the neighbouring countries." The Governor-General con- senting, Lord Valentia, accompanied by his secretary, Mr. Salt, proceeded to Mangalore, where the ' Antelope,' carrying fourteen guns and a crew of eighty-seven men, was awaiting him. The brig was commanded by Captain Keys, who, his lordship says, was told " to consider himself as under my com- mand," which, we may observe, must have been galling to an experienced officer who found an amateur civilian traveller placed over him on board his own ship. That the arrangement did not answer, was not surprising, and the fault can scarcely be entirely attributed to Captain Keys, of whom his lordship says, that " his manners were perfectly gentlemanly." The other officers were Lieutenants Hall and Maxfield, Mr. Hurst midshipnjan, and Dr. Maghie. The ' Antelope' sailed on the 13th of March 1804, from Mangalore for Aden and Mocha, where differences first arose between Captain Keys and his noble passenger. Thence the ' Antelope' proceeded to Dhalac, on the opposite coast, where, upon Lord Valentia sending Mr, Salt to request the use of a boat for the purpose of surveying. Captain Keys told him that he was commander of the ship, adding that his lordship appeared to be actuated by an intention " to take to himself the credit of discoveries and observations made by him and his officers." From Dhalac the ' Antelope' proceeded to Massowah, of which Lieutenant Maxfield made a survey. On the 8th of June, writes Lord Valentia, '-' I wrote officially to Captain Keys, informing him of my intention to go to Suakin, but that if the winds should prove too strong, I might probably go only as far as Ageeg, and then proceed for Jidda." It is not surprising that this peremptory style of correspondence was displeasing to Captain Keys, who, in his reply, notified that the 'Antelope' " must leave the Red Sea by the middle of August, in order to save her passage for the season." Then ensued a further heated correspondence, in which Lord Valentia accused Captain Keys of disobeying the Governor-General's orders, and that officer disclaimed any such intention. The 'Antelope' quitted Massowah on the 19th of June, and, on the same day, anchored in Antelope Bay, near Valentia Island, and, writes Lord Valentia condescendingly, " as the Captain wished Lieutenant Maxfield to survey it, I consented to stay for two days for that purpose." But the heat was so extreme that Mr. Maxfield fell ill, " when," writes the noble author, " I deter- mined to depart the next day." He adds, "A great quantity of biscuit was this day condemned and thrown overboard. I heard that the salt provisions were in an equally bad state, and that there was only a small quantity of spirits on board ; it was therefore fortunate we did not continue our voyage." HISTORY OF THE INDIAX NAVY. 3'Jl On the 24th of June the 'Antelope' arrived at Mocha, and, on the 7th of July, Lord Valentia having, as he says, " resigned his nominal eonnnand," proceeded on board H.M.S. 'Fox,' Captain Vashoti, and, on the 9th, the ' Antelope' sailed for Bombay, taking Mr. Salt with official letters from Lord Valentia for the Governor, Mr. Duncan, and the Governor-General, preferring charges against Captain Keys. The Captain of tlie 'Antelope' was placed under arrest* on his arrival at Bombay, and, on the 4th of December, l'S04, Lord Valentia, who liad returned to Jiombay in the 'Fox,' again sailed for the Red Sea, in the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Panther,' commanded by Lieutenant Charles Court, ap- pointed, as his lordship observes, " in consequence of the very high character which he bore as a seaman and a man of science." The 'Panther' had for a tender the 'Assaye,' a small schooner captured from the French, and purchased into the Marine, to the command of which Lieutenant Ahixfield was appointed. The other officers were, Acting-Lieutenants Hard}^ Crawford, and Hurst, and Mr. Criddle, Midshipman, all excellent observers. Lieutenant Court was of a more compliant nature than Captain Keys, and no hitch occurred to mar the success of the expedition. On the li>th ot December they reached Mocha, and, on the 27th, Lieutenant Maxtield sailed for Massowah On the 2nil of .Jainiary, LSO;'), the 'Panther' proceeded to Dhalac, Lord Valentia noting that he was "extremely surprised to ffnd how incorrectly the Aroe Islands were laid down in Sir Home Popham's chart of the Red Sea," adding that "Captain Court expressed his surprise that Mr. Maxtield had been able to lay the places down so accurately in his chart,"— referring to the former voyage of the ' Antelope.' On the Gth of January Lieutenant Court huidiid at Dhalac, for the purpose of surveying the island, ac- companied by Mr. Criddle, Midshipman, and also by Captain Rudland, of the Bombay Army, and Mr. Salt. The survey was completed by the i4th. and, on the following day, the 'Panther' proceeded to Massowah, where the ' Assaye' lay at anchor. On the 21st tif January the shii)s sailed, and, on the 28th and 2i)th, Lieutenants ('oin-t and Maxtield were engaged on the survey of Port Moniington, (of which, and of Dlialae and Valentia Islands, and environs, there are charts in Vol. ii. of his lordship's work) the bay in which they were anchored being named Panther Bay. The sm-vey of the coast and ad- jacent islands, was continued; the 'Panther' at one time run- ning on a rock, whence she was only war|)ed off after the guns, stores, and top hamiier had been removed into a dhow, the * Captain Keys was not long; in disgmco, liowovcr, niul, for uy.wy ycfirs held the post of Master-Attendant at Hoinbiiy, ami Mi'inber of tno ilurino Board. 392 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. officers and men displaying great smartness and discipline. On the 11th of February they arrived at Suakin, of which Lieu- tenant Court njade a survey, and, on the 26th they sailed to Lent Bay, Sheikh Baroud, and Daroor, where the 'Panther' would have been lost but for Lieutenant Court's presence of mind in cutting her two cables, when the ship wore clear off the rocks, "though without an inch to spare." Thence, after visiting other points on the coast, the ships returned to Massovvah, and on the 27th of March, anchored in Mocha Roads. The ' Assaye ' was now condemned as unseaworthy, as " the whole of her iron works were totally decayed, her timbers deficient in number, and, together with her bows and upper works, very bad, her bottom worm-eaten and rotten, and not a bolt to be discovered in her." Lord Valentia adds, " It is really astonishing how Mr. Sutherland and the Conjmittee of Survey at Bombay, could have reported her fit for the service of the Marine, since she could not have been in a much worse state when she entered the Red Sea." But she was, doubtless, considered good enough for the duties of the survey, and for the safety of the scientific officers who would be attached to her. The 'Assaye' was broken up, and, on the 2nd of April, Lieutenant Maxfield and his crew were turned over to the 'Alert,' a merchant ship just restored by the authorities at Macullah, who had seized her. On the 8th of April the Hon Company's cruiser ' Princess Augusta,' Lieutenant Bennett, arrived from Bombay, for the purpose of recovering the ' Alert,' and brought a new commander from the owners for that ship. Lieutenant Maxfield having lost his command, was ordered to return to Bombay with des- patches, and, says Lord Valentia. "rough drafts of any dis- coveries which Captain Court had paid me the highly flattering complinjent of dedicating to me."* He was accom- panied by Acting-Lieutenant Hurst of the ' Panther,' who exchanged with ]\lr. Midshipman Denton of the ' Princess Au- gusta,' of whom Lord Valentia reports that " he turned out a fine manly lad, who had been educated at Eton."t The ' Princess Augusta,' accompanied by the ' Alert,' now sailed for Macullah to settle matters regarding the seizure of the latter ship and mur- der of her crew; and the 'Panther,' Lord Valentia remaining on shore, proceeded to the Straits of Babelmandeb, whence she re- turned on the 1st of June, her captain, says his lordsliip, "having completed his survey, and discovered more errors in Sir flome Popham's chart." After affairs at Macullah were settled amicably, the 'Alert' proceeded to Bombay on the 27th of May, * The ' Princess Augusta ' was one of three cruisers built in the same year at Bombay, the others being the ' Queen' and ' Princess Royal.' t A brother of this officer, when Lieutenant of the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Sylph,' of eight guns, commanded by Lieutenant Graham, was killed in action against the Joasmi pirates in the Persian Gulf, ou the 20th of October, 1S08. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 303 aiivl the 'Princess AuftMista ' returned to Mocha where she cast anchor on the loth of June. Important despatches having arrived trom Suez for India on the 18th, the cruiser again sailed for Bombay on the 21st of June. On the same day the 'Panther' sailed for Massowah, taking with her Mr. Salt, accom- panied by Captain Rudland, a Mr. Carter,* Pearce, a seaman, and seven attendants, who proceeded on an exploring mission into Abyssinia. The 'Panther' arrived at Massowah on the 2.Sth of June, and, on the 2()th of July, the travellers started from Arkeeko on their journey ; the cruiser, on the following day, returned to Mocha, where she cast anchor on the llJth of August. On the 10th of September the ' Panther ' sailed to continue the survey of the opposite coast, and, on her return to Mocha, in the latter ])art of the month, the ship's comjjany were instrumental in saving the town from being burnt down. On the -ith of November, embarking Lord Valentia, Lieutenant Coiu't sailed again for Massowah, which was reached on the 7th of November, when Mr. Salt and his party came on board, having only that day arrived, after successfully accomplishing the journey to Antalo, the capital of the Rus, or ruler, of Tigre, of which an account may be found in Lord Valentia's work. The ' Panther' sailed on the 14tli of November, but, after a narrow escape from des- truction, when she lost four anchors, was forced to return to Massowah ; here the cutter's crew, under Mr. Denton, got into a collision with tlie natives, and the long boat, armed with wall-pieces, under Lieutenant Crawford, was sent to their assistance. There was a brisk exchange of firing, in which the guns of the 'Panther' took part. ()n the L'.sth she sailed for Port Mornington, and thence proceeded to .liddah, where she arrived on the 9th of December. Having received anchors, and provisions and water, of which he was in much need. Lieu- tenant Court sailed on the 2iid oi" January. l.SOd, for Suez. where he arrived on the 2tiih of daiiiinry. On the iUh of February Lord Valentia linally (piitted the 'Panther,' and, with many regrets, his lordship i)i(l adieu to Lieutenant Court, "whom," he says, "I could not but love and esteem, ami the other officers whose conduct had been certainly meritorious, and towards me iniilomdy kind and allentive. Il was ;i pain- * This gt'iiUcnian souii after took tin- sitiisitioii of siiin'n-urgo on board tlio American ship ' Kssex,' and was niurdorod witli all Iho Kimi|M>ans bv »omo pirates, the instigator of the deed, one Seul :\Ioliannned Akd, wlio had fortiliod the island of (Jamaran near Luheia, seutlling the ship after he had Uken oul t)»o treasure, amounting to IJO,OiKi dollars. The erui^en* 'Mornington' and 'Ternate' were sent from ISombav to seize him, and drive him and lii» nllifs, tho French, from Camaran, but he had limelv intelligence of their destination, ami quitted' the island demohshing the defensive works. Teareo, on the other iiand, did well, and rose to place and power in Abyssinia. Ho wrote, on tho 28th of February, I8lt), to Cajitaiu Court, un account of his position an«l prospects. 3i>4 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. ful moment to us all. The lads cheered me as we quitted the vessel." Lord Valentia proceeded to England, and the 'Pan- ther ' returned to Bombay. A large space of coast-line, and many islands were visited for the first time by the 'Panther' and ' Assaye,' and their positions were laid down, the names of those concerned in the survey being identified with some of the discoveries, as Court's Passage, Valentia Island, Annesley Bay (his lordship's family name), Antelope Bay, Panther Bay, Assaye Bay ; also Port Mornington and Wellesley Islands, after the Governor- General, and Duncan Islands, in honour of the Governor of Bombay. The results of the survey made by Lieutenants Court and Maxfield, in the 'Panther' and 'Assaye,' were em- bodied in a chart, in two sheets, which may be found in Lord Valentia's work, and, considering the short time actually em- ployed in the survey, and the miserably inadequate means at their disposal, the soundings and positions laid down show the result of a careful and comprehensive examination most creditable to those concerned. Lieutenant Maxfield, for his chart of Massowah and neighbouring coast, received a grant of 600 rupees from the Government, and his two assistants. Lieutenant Crawford and Acting-Lieutenant Hurst, were each awarded 200 rupees. In this chart of the Red Sea by Lieu- tenants Court and Maxfield, are laid down, not only the course of the ' Panther ' and ' Assaye,' but the track of the Hon. Company's cruiser 'Swallow' in 1776, of the 'Venus' in 1787, and of the 'Panther' in 1795, under Lieutenant R. White, when Mr. Court was second lieutenant of that ship. Even more important than this survey of the Red Sea, which was not of a sufficiently detailed character to fulfil the require- ments of the navigator, was the admirable survey of the China Seas made by the officers of the Marine. In 1806, Lieutenant Daniel Ross, accompanied by Lieu- tenant Philip Maughan,* proceeded in the 'Antelope' to China for the purpose of surveying those seas, and ascer- taining the fate of two cruisers of the Service, the 'In- trepid,' Captain Roper, and ' Comet,' Captain Henry, which, as the reader will remember, had been despatched to inquir'e after the Hon. Company's ship ' Talbot,' but themselves were never heard of, though it is supposed they were lost on the fatal Paracels. Lieutenants Ross and Maughan commenced their arduous task with the coasts east and west of Macao, from Tienpak westward, to the Lema Islands eastward, the various islands * Lieutenant Pliilip Maughan — there were three officers of the name of Maughan in the Service, William, Jacob, and Philip — had already done good service as a Surveyor, for in 1804- he had made a chart of the Gt-ulf of Cutcli, for which the Government awarded him 1,000 rupees " as an encouragement to others to emulate his praiseworthy conduct." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 3'.'5 and channels being minutely examined. These portions, with separate surveys of the Paracels Islands and shoals, and the coast of Palawan, w-ere sent home and published by the Cotn-t.* A considerable delay then occurred, owing to the 'Antelope' having been captured by tlie Frencli, and Lieutenants Ross and Maughan being conveyed as prisoners to Batavia. On their release and return to India, Captain Koss received charge of a second Expedition for the survey of the China seas, which was commenced in 1812, and Captains ^laughan and Crawford subsequently joined him. About this period Lieutenant Houghton was first employed as draughtsman on tliis service. From that time forward, the survey was continued with all despatch by these officers, in two cruisers ; the south-eastern part of the China Sea occupying one season ; the Natuna, Anaraba, and Tumbelau islands, with their channels, and parts of the coast of Borneo, the Straits of Gasjuir and Carimata, and neighbouring rocks, other two seasons. 'J'hen they sur- veyed a portion of the coast of China, iVom the Great Lema to Namoa islands, with parts of the Pescadores and the island of Formosa, and made a cursory examination of the Bashee islands and channels. A slight survey of the southern and eastern coasts of Hainan was also made, and several of the iiarbuurs were very carefully examined. The same was dt)ne with the coast of Cochin China, for the purpose of testing the aecin-acy of the charts made by ^I. Dyot, an intelligent French otlieer in the service of the king of that country. In 1818 and 1811), Captain Ross and his coadjutors were employed on the survey of the entrance to the Straits of Malacca, and the north and south sands within. The party on this duty assisted in forming the new settlement of Singapore,! under Sir Stamford Rallies, and constructed minute charts of the harbour and the adjacent coasts and islands. Connected with the general survey, the officers were engaged in various detached duties. On one occasion. the two surveying vessels were ordered to accompany the ships of Lord Amherst's Em- bassy to the Gulf of Pecheli, when they proceeded to the mouth of the Peiho rivei-. On their return, the officers, when detached from the other ships of the Embassy, visited and made separate siu-veys of parts of the coast, and two or three * There were also published "Direolions to aeeoiiiijain- the Chtirt of tlio South Coast of Cliina, by Daniel Ross and I'hilip Maughan, J;ieutenants of the IJom- bay Marine." Printed by order of the Directors of the Jiiwt India Company. (London, 1808.) t Singajiore owed its establishment as a free port to tlio suggestion of tlio enlightened Sir Stamford Ratllo.s, then G^ovcrnor of Heneooleii, who found a rtwly response from the Manpiis of Hastings. "You found it," said the Sinj{n|H>ro residents in an address to the Governdi-tronenii on his leaving India in 1H2.'», " loss than four years ago, a village of two hundred Malayan lishennon, and it is now a colony of one thousand industrious inhabilanU collected from every quarter." 30G HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. harbours of the province of Shantung. Daring the progress of these surveys, many discoveries were made of the highest im- portance to the navigation of those seas, and points and posi- tions of objects fixed with accuracy, which had long been desiderata from the extreme want of correctness in all former charts. In 1820 the surveys of the China seas were closed, and the vessels returned to Bombay. The work was not only of an arduous character, but great tact and caution were necessary, for fear of giving umbrage to the Chinese Government. The operations, when conducted near the shore, were closely watched, and at many of the harbours, particularly Amo_y, Chinese war- boats cruised about or anchored near the ships ; the same jealousy was also exhibited off Formosa and Corea ; hence the surveyor's exertions were frequently cramped, as they had received strict injunctions to avoid giving offence. Captain Ross' charts, which were published, as they were completed, by the Court of Directors, were incorporated into a general chart by Captain Horsburgh. Though njade more than half a century ago, with inferior instruments, and at a time when the science of marine surveying was in its infancy, these surveys have stood the test of revision in our day, and Admiral Sir Richard Collinson — than whom a more competent authority does not exist — expressed to us the surprise he ex- perienced at their accuracy when going over the same ground dtu'ing the China War. Captain Ross' health was so much shattered by exposure during the fourteen years over which the survey lasted, that he was only just enabled to complete the work, for which he received a grant of .£1,500 from the Court of Directors.* In 1809, the Court of Directors established a Marine Survey Department in Bengal, and Captain Wales, of the Marine, was appointed the first Surveyor-General. He was an officer of rare professional and scientific attainments. His father, Mr. John Wales, accompanied tlie great circumnavigator. Captain Cook, in the capacity of astronomer, in his first and second voyages, and was afterwards elected Master of Christ's Hos- pital ; from him the son imbibed that taste for astronomy which gained him a considerable reputation in India, while his acquirements in the sister science of marine surveying, were the means of raising him to his present eminence. But Cap- tain Wales did not long survive his appointment, and died in the following year, when he was succeeded by Captain Charles * We find in the Keoords of the India Office that at a Special General Court of Proprietors of the East India Company, held on the 4th of April, 1821, con- firmation was given to tlie Resolution of the General Court of the preceding 21st of March, approving the Resolution of the Court of Directors of the 17th of January, in which this grant of £1,500 was made to Captain Daniel Ross for his surveys. HISTORY OF THE IXDIAX XAYY. 397 Court, who held the office with conspicuous success for a period of eleven years. That the Service should contain on its rolls at one time such eminent men as Wales, Court, Ross, Crawford, Maughan, Houghton, and others we haxe mentioned, is certainly a noteworthy circumstance. Mr. W. T. Money, Superintendant of the Bombay Marine — afterwards a Director of the Company — spoke as follows of the character and services of this distinguished officer, when introducing him to the Court of Directors on the 15th of July, 1809 :— "Upon this occasion, Hon. Sir, I have to discharge a very pleasing part of my duty in bringing to your notice the services and merits of a very respectable officer. Lieutenant Court, after acquiring a knowledge of his profession in the East Indian Service, was appointed to the Hon. Company's Marine in the year 1790, and served as second lieutenant of the 'Panther,' on a cursory survey of the Red Sea, under Lieutenant White; and in the same station on board the ' Bombay' frigate, Commodore Picket, he was actively engaged in the reduction of Colombo and its dependencies. As first lieutenant of the same ship he gallantly served at the reduc- tion of Monado, in Celebes, and was appointed to the com- mand of P^rt Amsterdam, which he held for nine months, under the most critical circumstances^ in a hostile country. In reward of his distinguished merits in this trying situation, he was appointed Resident at Monado, and commandant of all the British troops in Celebes. "During the period of his command in this important post, which he held for seven years, he completely succeeded in con- ciliating the vast population of that valuable island, and attaching all ranks to the British Government; having, by the personal influence which his wise conduct had acquired for him, acconiplished a treaty with all the chiefs, by which very considerable advantages were secured to the Hon. Com- pany, and many barbarous customs, which tended to render a people, naturally mild and inolfensive, cruel and vintlictive, were solemnly abandoned. Had peace not restored to the Dutch their possessions to the eastward, Monado would have been rendered, by Mr. Court's prosperous administration, a valuable acquisition to the East India Company. "Upon the restoration of the IMoluccas, Lieutenant Court returned to the active dutiesof his profession ; and in command of the ' Princess Augusta,' with a small squadron, he blockaded Severndroog, where he captured thirty-six vessels, seven of the largest of which he cut out from under the guns of the fort, and obtained restitution of a dhow laden with Company's coffee to a considerable amount. " From this station he was recalled and selected to conunand the Hon. Company's ship ' Ternate,' in pursuit of ' La Fortune,' 3^»8 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. which had recentl}' captured the 'Fly,' hut upon his arrival at B()uiba3% he found that the enemy was a prize to ILM.S. ' Concorde.' Lieutenant Court was then, at particular request, appointed to command the ' Panther,' and proceeded with Lord Valentia to the Red Sea, where he prosecuted a tedious, an arduous, and a difficult survey of the Abyssinian coast, with great credit to himself and perfect satisfaction to his lord- ship. '• Soon after his return to Bombay in 1807, he was selected to be my assistant, and from his attention, assiduity, and ability, I have derived such valuable aid in the discharge of my public duties, that I part from ]\Ir. Court's services with the utmost regret, and shall ever hold them in thankful remem- l)rance." Beside the survey of the China Seas, two vessels, underthecom- mand of Captain Maxfield — the same officer who had done such good service in the ' Antelope,' and in command of the 'Assaye,' tender to the 'Panther,' under Lieutenant Court, between the years 1803-6 — were employed surveying the Ba}^ of Bengal and searching for various shoals. His chart of the coast from Sungor Point to Lighthouse Point, at the mouth of the Hooghly, from a survey executed in 1816, was in use until it was super- seded by Captain R. Lloyd's work in 1841. In 1821 Captain Court sent Captain Maxfield in the ' Henry Meriton,' to investigate the capabilities of an anchorage inside the Armagon, or Arniogham shoal, north of Madras, Lat. 14° 1' N, Long. 80° 10' E., in consequence of a report by the Commander-in- Chief in Lidian waters. Admiral Sir H. Blackwood, that H.M.S. ' Leander' had found safe anchorage there for four days during the monsoon. Captain Maxfield, who made a chart of the shoals of Pulicat and Armagon, spoke favourably of the anchorage inside the latter, since known as Blackwood's Harbour. He observes in his report, which was published by order of the Madras Government, on the 19th of July, 1822, that, "it offers many public advantages, and from its vicinity to Madras, promises security to shipping trading to that place, which is no where else to be found on the coast of Coro- mandel," In 1810 Captain Horsburgh was appointed Hydrographer to the Company, in succession to Mr. A. Ualrymple, who had died two years before. Captain Horsburgh* had brought out the * Captain Horsburgli held the office of Hydrographer up to the time of his death in 1836. The following fourteen charts, comijiled by Horsburgh, -were published by the Company, viz. : — 1. North Atlantic Ocean. 2. South Atlantic Ocean. 3. Part of the Indian Ocean. 4. East Peninsula of India. 5. West Coast of Sumatra. 6. Straits of "Rhio and Durian. 7. Straits of Banca and Graspar. 8. Carimata Passage. 9. Strait of Sunda. 10. Chhia Sea (two sheets.) 11. Canton Eiver. 12. East Coast of Cliina. 13. Eastern passage to China (three sheets.) 14. Trucks through Pitt Passage and Dampier Strait (1793j. HISTORY OP THE IXDIAN NAVY. 399 first edition of his famous "East Indian Directory,'' a work compiled to a great extent from the surveys of the officers of the Marine, in the year 1808. Nine years hiter appeared the second edition, and from that time up to the year 1873, three other editions were publislied. In the hitter year Connnander A. Dnndas Taylor, of the Indian Navy, an officer second to none in the service as a scientific surveyor, produced the first part of his " India Directory," and though, as he modestly states on his title page, he only claims for his book that it is " founded" upon Captain liorsburgh's work, it has, in point of fact, been entirely rewritten. On the 2nd of January, 1811, the ' Ternatc,' Captain T. Sniee, and 'Sylph,' Lieutenant Plardy, sailed from Bombay on a mission to examine the African coast as far south as Zanzibar, and gather information relative to that state, and adjacent countries. Having convoyed two merchant vessels, bound for Mocha, as far as Socotra, they parted company on the 12tli of January, and, passing Caj)e Guardafui, continued examining the coast line of Africa, and leaving the Juba River, (or Rio dos Fuegos of old navigators) on the 9tli of February, anchored at Patta (in lat. 2° 9' S. long. 41° 2' E.) when (Japtain Smee and Lieutenant Hardy paid a visit to the ruler, Sultan Hammed, to whom they presented the gifts and letters from Mv. Duncan, the Governor of Bombay. This chief, however, was very unfriendly, and the British officers, after a detention of a whole day, thought themselves fortunate in being peruiitted to return to their ships in safety. The natives along this coast are very treacherous, and on the last occasion on which a British ship of war had visited them, in February, 1799, when the ' Leopard,' flagship of Adniiral Blankett, and the 'Doedalus' were proceeding on a voyage to the Red Sea, Lieutenant j\Iears and several men were entrapped and killed at the .luba River.* On the 2ord of February, the ' Ternate' and 'Sylph' anchored at Zanzibar, when the captains paid a visit to the llai^iui, or Viceroy, of the Imauni of Muscat; while at Zanzibar the ships fired royal salutes in honour of the capture of Mauritius, an event, which Captain Smee records, was displeasing to the Hakim, whose attitude was unkindly towards the British. It was not until the 7tli of April that the CTOVin'nor returned (yaptain Suiee's visit, when both the ships dressed and saluteil. On the 9th the ' Ternate' proceeded to Mocha, where she arrived on the 2Gth of April, but the 'Sylph' remained behind to protect the Surat merchants from the extortionate demands of the Hakim, who expressed his determination to compi'l them to pay oj)i)0 crowns as the tribute exacted by the luiaimi, although they had alnnidy ])aid the customary port dues. This the ' Sylph' prevented, and ultimately convoyed the trading * See Memoir hy Cai)tain Bissot, of tlic ' Loopurd,' published bv I)ulrvini)le. 400 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. ships to Bombay.* In addition to exploring the East African Coast the officers of the j\lission made a brief vocabuhiry of the Soowalie, Soomalie, and Galla dialects, and collected much information relative to the political and commercial state of Zanzibar and the adjacent portions of the continent. Captain Court died at Calcutta on the 9th of September, 1821, universally regretted,! and was interred with the military honours due to his rank, the Hon. Company's surveying ship, 'Henry Meriton,' firing minute guns, and a large detachment of H.M.'s 87th Regiment, under the command of Colonel Shaw, C.B., escorting the remains to the grave. He was succeeded in the office of Marine Surveyor-General of India by Captain Daniel Ross, F.R.S. — a man possessing attainments as a marine surveyor far in advance of his time — with Captain John Crawford of the Marine, who had been engaged in the Red Sea survey under Captain Court, as his chief assistant. Captain Ross, who was called the "Father of the Indian Surveys," introduced, among his subordinates, the scientific methods which he had employed with such good results in the China Seas. Captain Ross had many difficulties to combat, and between the years 1824-26, the Burmese War caused the interruption of the survey s.^ when the surveying ship ' Research,' Captain John Crawford — with Messrs. C. B. Richardson and C. Montriou, of the Marine, as his officers — was fitted with ten guns, and participated in the military operations, when Mr. Rogers, the second officer, Avas killed in action. However, during a portion of these years. Captain Ross was enabled to * For details of this voyage see " Observations During a Voyage of Research on the East Coast of Africa from Cape Guardafui south to the island of Zanzibar, in the Hon. Company's cruisers ' Ternate,' Captain T. Smee and ' Sylph,' schooner, Lieutenant Hardy. (Vol. vi. of " Transactions of Bombay Geographical Society, p. 23-61.) t The " Calcutta Journal " of that date paid the following tribute to the wortli of Captain Court: — "In the year 1813, he had the misfortune to lose his wife, one of the daughters of Sir George Holroyd, wlioni he had married in 1809 while in England, a young lady whose personal attractions were only surpassed by her unassuming virtues and superior mental attainments ; fi-om that period to the termination of his own earthly career, he shrunk from the world's observa- tion, and never regained the wonted serenity of his mind nor the vigour of his faculties. The sevei'ity of his premature loss confirmed that disposition to retire- ment which was congenial to the natural modesty of his mild and unassuming character ; and although he possessed, in tlie resources of his cidtivated and accomplished understanding, and in the amiable virtues of his heart, most of tiiose qualities which contribute to adorn the intercourse of private life, or which are conducive to distinction in a more extensive sphere of action, he nevertheless passed the remainder of his life in a seclusion, which, if it witlidrew him from public observation, was yet favourable to the cultivation of those characteristic endowments which he chiefly valued, and the benign and gentle influence of which has left an indelible impression on the memory of his surviving friends." X The following is a return of the cost of the Bengal Marine Surveys from 1821 to 1824. 1821-22. — Annual expense of survey vessels 'Nearchus,' 'Minto,' ' Sophia,' and ' Henry Meriton,' Rs. 1,19,055. 1823-24!, — Annual expense of survey vessels ' Research ' and ' Investigator,' Es. 59,379. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 401 employ his own ship, the ' Investigator,' also fitted as a man-of- war, in the survey of the a\Iergiu Archipelago, and the ' Research,'* when she was not employed in the military operations. In 1825-26 Captain Crawford surveyed part of the Coast of Arracan in the Hon. Company's armed brigs ' Sophia' and ' Freak, 't and in February, 1827, he hired the brig ' William,' of 150 tons, and continued in her the survey of the Arracan coast. Lord William Bentinck, on his accession to power in 1828, inaugurated a reign of retrenchment, and, unhappily, his lordship extended his economies to the Marine Survey Depart- ment, which was ordered to be broken up; the 'Freak* was sold, and the 'Investigator' declared to be unseaworthy on account of the ravages of the white ants. " Stout old Daniel Ross," says Markham, "was urgent and importunate in advocating a resumption of the good work; and, in 1830, he again had two brigs, the 'Flora' and ' Sophia,' in the Mergui Archipelago, under his assistant, Lieutenant Lloyd, while lie himself examined the coast of Arracan.| Captain Ross did his work with great care and regard for scientific accuracy, and it * On January 23, 1827, the ' Research' proceeded under Captain Dillon, iu search of the French Navigator, La Perouse. (Japtain Dillon asserted, in a letter to the Calcutta papers, that in May, 1826, while proceeding from Valpa- raiso to Pondicherry, he found some articles belonging to La Perouse at Tucopia, one of the Malicolo Islands, part of the new Hebrides group. Commjdore Hayes wrote a letter to the Calcutta i)apers, approvmg Captain Dillon's theory and advocating the despatch of the ' Research.' In this letter the Com- modore mentions several geographical facts connected with this portion of the Pacific, wliich he examined in 1793-95, and in particular states that lie ascertained that the Louisiade group forms no part of the mainland of New Gruinea. The ' Research ' first proceeded to Tasmania and Sydney, and thence to Malicolo, ■where Captain Dillon succeeded in procuring certain articles said to be relics of the great navigator. From thence he proceeded to New Zealand and Sydney, where his arrival in January, 1828, created an extraordinary sensation. Accord- ing to the " Sydney Gazette," the " ' Research ' was daily thronged with visitors," and the articles exhibited " strike conviction into the mind of the most sceptical, and satisfy all of their undoubted identity." Captain Dillon was credited " with the utmost praise for coolness, intrepidity, and skill" in navigating his ship. With these relics Captain Dillon proceeded' to Calcutta, and thence made his way to England and France. The French Monarch, considering that ho liad proved his title to the reward promised by the Decree of the 28lh of February, 1798, by an Ordinance dated the 22nd of February, 1829, conferred on Captain Dillon the dignity of Knight of the Legion of Honour, and besides granted him an indemnity of 10,000 francs and an annual pension of l.OLXJ francs, while the Company renounced all claims to participate in these rewards. t See " Remarks on the Coast of Ava from Tliaygin, or Pagoda Point, to the Calventuras ; to accompany the Survey carried on ni the Hon. Company's aniiod brigs ' Sophia ' and 'Freak,' by order of Commodore Hayes, conimandini; the flotilla, Coast of Arracan." By Captain John Cmwford, iiouibay Marme, Cal- cutta, the Gth of October, 182(j. Captain Daniel Ross, the Marine Surveyor-G-eneral, in a Notiflcation, dated Fort William, March 29, 1827, reports " having surveyed the Martaban river from the West Point of Palo Gaun, round its norluuiu citremity, past Moulmeiu, down as far as Long Island." X Captain Ross' MS. Sailing Directions for the Mergui Archipelaco survived the general destruction of Records, and are still preserved in the Geographical Department of the India Ollice. VOL. L DD 402 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. was all oil a trigonometrical basis. He measured bases on shore by running a ten-foot rod along a cord stretched tight between the extreme points, and kept in position by stakes, the direction being verified by a telescope. When work on shore was impracticable, recourse was had to measurement by sound. The vessels were anchored when the weather was calm, and the time was taken between the flash and report of a gun, on the assumption that sound travels 1,140 feet per second. All angles were taken with a sextant, and the triangulation was verified by frequent astronomical observations. In Ross' time the Government of India used to strike off a few copies of his charts at Calcutta by lithography, and send the originals to the India House for engraving and publication." The Company published Captain Eoss' charts of "Chittagong to Arracan River," and " Arracan River to Foul Island." In November, 1833, Captain Ross resigned his appointment, and retired to Bombay, where he was appointed Master Attendant, and, in 1838, succeeded Sir Charles Malcolm, Superintendent of the Indian Navy, in the office of President of the Bombay Geographical Society. He was succeeded in the post of Marine Surveyor-General by his Assistant, Commander Robert Lloyd,* who had served under him for ten years. He held the office until 1840, when it was abolished, and during that period did much and useful work. One of the great clogs to the usefulness of the department arose from its being placed under the control of a Marine Board, composed of civilians who knew little more of the necessities of the survey and of the means by which the duties could be accomyjlished, than the green-covered table round which their meetings were held. Lieutenant Dominicetti, who was employed on a survey of the coasts of the Southern Concan, wrote a valuable report, dated the 9th of June, 1819, an extract from which, relating to the ports of Viziadroog and Zyghur, was published by order of the Governor in Council. At this time Lieutenant Robert Moresby was engaged on a survey of the Madagascar Archipelago, which was published by the Court of Directors in 1822. Lieutenant W. S. CoUinson, in the Company's cruiser 'Prince of Wales,' with Lieutenants J. C. Hawkins and R. Moresby as his assist- ants, was engaged in surveying to the eastward, and, under date '"Prince of Wales,' the 3ist of October, 1822," he published his " Directions for passing through the north-east entrance of the straits of Singapore from the Straits of Dryon." While thus engaged the Supreme Government directed him to proceed to the Nicobars, in order to search and rescue the survivors of * This veteran officer still survives, the last of the school of surveyors of ■which McCluer, Court, Ross, and Crawford, were distinojuished exemplars ; and who -were the predecessors of the school of Haines, Carless, Moresby, and Elwon, and of the still later band of hydrographers. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN XAYT. 403 the crew of the ship 'Futtel Mine,' which was stated to have been lost some months before on the ishmd of Nancowrie in that group. Accordingly, in Decenjber, Lieutenant Collinson sailed from Prince of Wales' Island, and in his report, dated the 15th of January, 1823, states that he first searched the Great Nicobar, when he learned from the natives that a ship had been lost on the south-west side, about two or three years previous, but that the siu'vivors had been removed from the island a few months before by a brig with a European crew. He then visited the islands of Little Nicobar, Nancowrie, Carmorta, and Bampoka, the inhabitants of which he describes as "mild and inoifensive," but he discovered no trace of the missing ship or crew. In 1820, on the conclusion of the Expedition against the Joasmi pirates, a systematic survey of the Persian Gulf was undertaken under orders of the Bombay Government, which rightly considered that a thorough knowledge of every creek and backwater of the pirate coast, was absolutely essential to enable the Company's cruisers to follow or ferret out the Arab craft, whose familiarity with the coast enabled them to elude pursuit. Nearchus was probably one of the first Europeans to traverse the waters of the Gulf, of which Benjamin of Tudela speaks in 1292 ; but it was not until the visit of the illustrious Niebuhr in 17()4, that any attempt was made to construct a chart. As far as it goes, this chart is described by Lieutenant J. R. Wellsted, I.N., in his "City of the Caliphs," as of "extraordinary accuracy." Of the labours of LieutenantMcCluer, of the Bombay Marine, we have already spoken ; he wrote a meujoir as well as made a chart of the little traversed waters of this inland sea, and, at a later period, surveys ctf portions of the Gulf were made by some ollicers of the Service. In March, 1811, when the 'Benares' and 'Prince of Wales' were sent to cruise in the Persian Gulf, an officer was put on board the 'Benares' specially to survey such places as the cruising duties would permit fthese vessels returned to Bombay in November of the same year, and of necessity, the scientilic results achieved were of that elementary ovdrr known as a " flying survey." In November, 1817, Lieutenant Tanner visited the ports of Bahrein and the pearl banks of that island, for his memoir and surveys of which he received the thanks of Government, and they were published in llorsburgh's Directory. To the credit of this talented and energetic officer it may also here be mentioned that he established the first regidar code of signals used in the Bombay Marine, for which CJovernment highly conuuended him. Though it was not ujitil 1820 llial the survey of the Persian Gulf commenced, it appears that the Court o( Directors had DD 2 404- HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. issued instructions directing its prosecution so far back as the latter part of 1815; the disturbed state of the Gulf, however, rendered hopeless the task of examining; its shores. The survey was, in the first instance, entrusted to Captain Philip Maughan, a veteran hydrographer, who had been the chief assistant of Captain Ross throughout his arduous and length- ened survey of the (Jhina Seas between 1806-20. Captain Maughan entered the Bombay Marine in the year 17V)8 as a iTjidshipman. He saw much service when a young officer, and received a ball in tlie leg, which he carried to the grave at his death in November, 1865, at the advanced age of eighty-two years. In consequence of this wound Mr. Maughan proceeded to England, but returned to Bombay overland, being, perhaps, one of the first to proceed by this route. He brought to India the news of the peace of Amiens in 1802, making the voyage from Suez to Bombay in a native craft. In 1820 Captain Maughan proceeded to the Gulf in command of the 'Discovery,' a ship of 289 tons and fourteen guns, with Lieutenant J. M. Guy, as assistant surveyor, in the ' Psyche,' ten-gun brig, of 180 tons. Operations were commenced at Cape Mussendom, the design being to examine the western, or Arabian, shore, which had been little frequented by merchant ships, owing to its being the haunt of pirates from time immemorial, and only occasionally visited by vessels of war, who avoided the dangers incidental to traversing one of the most difficult coasts in the world. In November, 1821, Captain Maughan was forced tln-ough ill-health to give up the survey, when Lieutenant Guy succeeded to the command. At this time we find that the following were the officers attached to the two surveying vessels, and, if we add to these the names of Lieutenants W. Denton, S. B. Haines, J. R. Wellsted, H. B. Lynch, J. P. Sanders, Henry A. Ormsby, F. D. W. Winn, C. E. B. Mitchell, E. Ethersey, G. B. Kempthorne, and H. Pinching, who were employed at various times in one or other of the two ships, certainly we have not often seen a greater combination of special talent than the list displays : — 'Discovery.' — Lieutenant John Michael Guy, Commanding; Lieutenant Robert Cogan, First-Lieutenant; Lieutenant W. E. Rogers, Second -Lieutenant ; Lieutenant W. L. Clement, Third- Lieutenant ; Lieutenant John Houghton, Draughtsman ; Mr. J. Anderson, Assistant-Surgeon; Mr. E. B. Squire, ]\Iidship- man ; Mr. Thomas Mullion, Slidshipman ; Mr. H. H. Whitelock, Midshipman. ' Psyche.' — Lieutenant George Barnes Brucks, (Commanding ; Lieutenant W. Lowe, First-Lieutenant; Lieutenant J. H. Rowband, Second-Lieutenant; Lieutenant Thomas E.Rogers, Third-Lieutenant ; Mr. W. Spry, Assistant-Surgeon ; Mr. HISTORY OF THE IXDIAX NAVY. 405 George Pilcher, ]\IidsLipinan ; Mi-. Charles Boye, Midshipman; Mr. George Peters, Mid.shipiiKUi. The task, notwithstanding that the officers suffered nnich from fever, was now pushed on with all despatch, being only obstructed by the necessity for the small cruisers to proceed in search of water and supplies ; and, early in 1822, Lieutenant Guy forwarded to Government an interesting report of the so- called Pirate Coast. The difficulty of surveying this tract was much increased by the coast-line being, in many places, almost invisible from the ship's anchorage, with scarcely an object for many miles that could be employed as a station. Lieutenant Guy discovered twenty-seven islands and islets, and the last group he explored, consisted of nine, on which there were some three or four hundred inhabitants, who had quitted the town of El Biddah, in 1821, when their houses had been burned by the Hon. Company's brig ' Vestal,' in consequence of their piratical doings. On the 11th of February, 1828, Lieutenant Guy was obliged to proceed to the Presidency owing to his health having failed, and Lieutenant Brucks succeeded to the command. The MS. of the portion of the survey completed by Lieutenant Guy, is preserved in the Geographical Department of the India Office, and was the work of Lieutenant Houghton,* who executed it at the request of his connnander. llorsburgh, the hydrographer to the Company, entertained the highest opinion of the talents of this latter officer, and always expressed great admiration for the beautiful execution and artistic linish of his charts. Lieu- tenant Guy was also greatly indebted to Lieutenants Cogan, Haines, Whitelock, and W. E. Rogers, the latter of whom, on the retirement of Lieutenants Guy and Cogan, succeeded to the command of the 'Discovery.' Lieutenant Brucks prosecuted the survey with great vigour, and, in April, 1825, the whole western coast of the Persian Gulf having been surveyed, the ' Psyche' returned to Bombay, and was sold out of the S( rvice in July. Early in the following year Lieutenant Brucks resumed oj)erations, and examineil the head of the Gulf, thence proceeding down the coast of Persia. "In order to furiii some idea of the difficulties encountered in these operations," says a contemjjorary writer, " as well us the energy and perseverance of the gentlemen employed, it may be observed that, in the course of a fortnight, in spite of all the obstacles they met with from the extensive sand-flats, running sometimes nearly eight nnles off sliore, through which the officers and men had to wadi' middle deep, they were enabled to * Lieutenant C. G. Constable refers tollie nccuraoy luul (ini.-li of this talented officer's work, in liis paper reiul before tlie Hoinbiiv Oeogrnpliienl Socielv on llie 21st of February, 185G. Captain llougliton died in Li-ndun on tlie UUli of May, 187i. 406 HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAXT. complete a distance of seventy-nine miles." Lieutenant Bracks pushed on his operations with unabated vigour, and, having subjected the whole of the Persian littoral within the Gulf, together with the several islands, banks, and shoals, to a careful examination, completed the survey in the April of 1828. The survey of the entrance to the Gulf was resumed in October, and pushed on with great zeal and success until the following February, when Lieutenant Brucks, having completed the examination of the coast as far as Guadel, at length succumbed to the lengthened hard work and exposure. Pro- ceeding to Muscat he made over charge of the ' Benares ' to Lieutenant S. B. Haines, who, assisted by Lieutenant Pinching, and other officers, prosecuted a minute survey of the ]\Iekran and Guadel coasts. Up to this time the whole shore from Mandavee to Kurrachee had been practically unsurveyed, while from this point to Cape Guadel, the coast of Mekran had been but slightly laid down by Lieutenant Maskal, and from thence to the entrance of the Persian Gulf only flying surveys had been made until Brucks and Haines, and their coadjutors, undertook the task. In April, 1829, this latter talented officer visited Kurrachee. and make a rough survey'' of the harbour, though the native authorities, with a just premonition that such a step would be the prelude to its occupation by the insatiable lords of more than half of India, showed the greatest reluctance to permit the examination. In May, 1829, the 'Benares' returned to Bombay. Lieutenant Brucks was not a scientific observer of the calibre of Ross, Lloyd, and others of the Service, but his deficiencies were amply made up by the acquirements of a singularly able band of assistants. The survey of the Persian Gulf occupied nearly nine years, and, in 1829, when it was con)pleted, only one of the officers who had joined the ' Discovery ' and • Psyche ' at its commencement — Brucks himself, who attained the rank of Commander on the 24th of March, 1829— was so fortunate as to retain his health, and just as all was nearly coujplete, he also broke down and was obliged to take two years' leave.* The following detailed account of the work done during the last eighteen months of the survey, is derived from the journal of one of the officers : — The 'Discovery' left Bassadore and com- * Tlie following were the resultnnt. charts : — Entrance to the Gulf of Persia, Lieutenant Brucks, 1828. Coast of Arabia from Kas Goberliinde to Ras Soaste, Lieutenant Brucks, 1828. Gulf of Persia, Commander Brucks, 1830. Persian Gulf (Arabian side) from Cape Mussendom to the Euphrates. Island and harbour of Bahrein, Lieutenant Brucks, 1825. Anchoi-age of El Katilf, Lieutenant Brucks. Entrances to the rivers at the head of the Persian Gulf, Lieutenants Brucks and Haines. Coast of Persia, from Ras Tuloop to Bushire, 1826. Bu.shire Roads. 1826. Coast of Persia from Bushire to Bassadore, Lieutenants Brucks and Haines. Clarence Straits, Commander Brucks. Coast of Persia and Beloochistan from Koe Mubarrack to Kurrachee, 1823. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 407 menced to survey the Channel called Clarence Strait, on the <5th of December, 1827 ; arrived at Bunder Abbas, on the i)th of Janiiar}^ 1828, Then surveyed Orinuz and Lurrack, and on the oOth of January commenced the survey of the south coast of Kishm Ishxnd, at Kishm Point. Anchored in Angar Sound on the 3rd of February, 1828; arrived at Bassadore on the 17th of February, after which went to Kishm, where they obtained a pilot for the Arabian coast east of Mussendom. They then sailed across and commenced to survey at Kas Goberindee on the 25th of February, 1828. Tlie ' Discovery ' was towed between Lima Island and the main by her boats, and here they experienced strong- tides. On the 13tli and 14tli they Avere at anchor in the little cove of Dooal Huffar; the breeze was fresh from north-west to south-west, with hard puffs, and at eight a.m., on the loth of March, they weighed and made sail across the cove, but, owing to a sudden shift of wind when in stays, she was nearly driven against the rocks, and dropped an anchor and laid out a long warp. The rocks at this time were seen covered with men, when before, as long as the ship was safe, no oul- was visibU>. That afternoon they anchored off the town of Dibbah, Fort S., 43° W., 11 fathoms sand ; at night a fresh gale set in from south-west, water quite smooth. On the 20th of March, the 'Discovery' anchored in Khore Fakaini in 6^ fathoms. Here they filled up their water, and the crew washed their clothes on shore. On the 2.')th of March they were off Kliore Cnlbah. The ' Inspector,' schooner, had joined them at Dibbah, so that she assisted in the survey of this part. On the 6th of April anchored in Muttrah Bay, and surveyed that and Muscat Cove. On the 20th of A[)iil, 1828, left JMuscat for Bombay. The ' Discovery ' was sold out of the service in May, 1S2S, and on the 11th of August following, the 'Benares' sailed for the Persian Gulf with the following olHcers : Lieutenant S. B. Haines, in comniand : Lieutenants H. N. Pinehing, F. D. W. Winn, Henry Ormsby; Master, Thacker,* and .Midship- men Charles Parbury.f James Young, C. D. Canjpbell, and (J. B. Kempthorne. The 'Benares' made the "direct" passage to Bassadore in twenty days, the weather being very stormy, and discharging some stores she had brought for the squadmn, proceeded to Bahrein to demand return of the cargo of a native vessel under British colours, which had been plundereil by the Sheikh and his people. The ' Benares' carried her armament of fourteen guns, and full com))lement of n)en, and was as ready to fight as to survey. It was not. therefore, until Lieutenant Haines had warped his little ship into the harbour, and threat- ened innuetliate hosliliiies that restitution was made, and (he * Died from the oll'ects of cliiiiiito. t rroceeded to Eugluiid on sick leave and died from the ellccts of i-Iiniate. 408 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. ' Benares ' returned to Bombay with a costly cargo of spices. In October, Commander Bracks rejoined the ' Benares,' with Lieutenant Haines as Assistant-Surveyor, and Mr. Midship- man H. A. M. Drought joined the ship. On the 8th of that month the ' Benares ' sailed from Bombay to resume the survey of the Gulf. She went to Bushire, and from that place sailed for the pearl banks off Bahrein. On the 19th of November the survey was conjmenced, according to the journal, at Jez-el-Suffie, whence they went to Sherarow, anchored at Guffoy, and sailed to Arlat, Arzennie, Dalmy, and other places ; returned to Bassadore on the 3rd of December, sighting Seir Aboneid and Boraosa on the way. Left on the 18th of December to survey off Bassadore, and after three days surveying on the flat, sailed to survey the Mekran coast. Began dueeastof Ormuz on the 6th of January, 1829. On the 19th of January, anchored near a shoal to survey it, in 6 fathoms, Koe Mubarrack rock bearing N. 45° W. On the 22nd of January engaged surveying Jask Bay. On the 8th of February broke off the survey at Charbar, and sailed to Muscat, when Lieu- tenant Bracks left, being sick. Lieutenant Haines resumed the survey at Charbar, on the 20th of February, and surveyed to Kurrachee, which the ' Benares ' left on the 12th of April, and returned west to Guadel Bay, whence she sailed on the 30th of April for Bombay. Several papers of great value and interest, descriptive of the Persian Gulf, were contributed by ofhcers of the Service. Lieutenant Bracks wrote a "Memoir Descriptive of the Navi- gation of the Persian Gulf."* Lieutenant Kempthorne sup- plied to the Journals of the Royal and Bombay Geographical Societies, articles on the " Identification of Places Visited by Nearchus' Fleet ;" on " The Ancient Commerce of the Persian Gulf;" and on "A Visit to the Ruins of Tahrie,"t near Congoon. Lieutenant H. H. Whitelock, of the ' Discovery/ wrote " An Account of the Arabs of the Pirate Coast," and an admirable paper, entitled " Descriptive Sketch of the Islands and Coast at the entrance of the Persian Galf."J On the cessation of the monsoon, in October, 1829, the 'Benares' was again employed on a survey not less important than that of the Persian Gulf, and equally admirable and accurate in its execution ; we refer to that of the Red Sea. Of the officers who had served under Brucks and Haines, only Pinching, Winn, Young, and Campbell, were engaged in this arduous task, under the command of Captain Thomas Elwon. * Bombay Selections, No. 24, pp. 527-634. t Royal Geog;raphical Society's Journal, Vol. V., p. 263. Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, Vol. I., p. 294, and Vol XIII., p. 125. X Royal Geographical Society's Journal, Vol. VIII., p. 170. Bombay Geo- graphical Society's Transactions, Vol. I., p. 113. In the latter volume, pages 32- 54, may also be found Lieutenant Whitelock's paper on the Pirate Coast. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 409 A detailed account of this survey will be given in another chapter. On the 4th of February, 1828, Commander Moresby sailed from Bombay in the cruiser 'Thetis,' to commence the survey of the Laccadive Islands,* but no detailed account of the opera- tions was afforded, though the Court published a chart. The examination was not executed with the minuteness with which, seven years later, the same highly scientific officer conducted the survey of the Maldive group, which, with his work in the Red Sea, will remain a monument to his industry and skill. * Laccadive is a corruption of the Sanskrit words, " I.iikslia Dwipa," or "one hundred thousand islands ;" and was given thcin at a time wlien being little known, they were supposed to be nuieli more numerous than they arc now ascertained to be. They were discovered by Vasco da Gama, and subsequently came under the rule of the Ranee of Cannanore, by whom they were ceded to Tippoo JSultan, and now nominally form part of the British province of Canara. CHAPTER XIII. The Burmese AVar. 1824—1826. The Bombay Marine in Burmah — The ' Mercury ' at Negrais — Capture of Ran- goon — Defence of Kemmendine — Actions up thelrrawaddy of the 8th of July and 4th of August, 1824 — Capture of Tavoy and Mergui — Rejjulse of the Bur- mese on the 5th of September by the Flotilla — Capture of Martaban — Gallant attack by two Cutters of the Hon. Company's ship ' Hastings ' — Operations by Captain Barnes at Ramree on the 17th and 18th of July, and lotli and 16th of October, 1824 — Unsuccessful Attack on Ramree on the 3rd of February, 1825 — R.epulse of the Burmese by tlie Hon. Company's brig ' Vestal,' Lieutenant Guy — Commodore Hayes in Arracan — The Attack on Chambalia — Capture of Ari-acan — Occupation of Ramree and Sandoway — Gallant Conduct of Lieutenant Greer — Repulse of tlie Enemy at Kemmendine in November and December, 1824 — Expedition to Tantabain — Capture of Bassein — Advance up tlie Irra- waddy — Repulse at, and subsequent Capture of. Donabew — Occupation of Prome — Actions of 1st, 3rd, and 5th of December, 1825 — Occujjation of Meaday — General Order of Sir James Brisbane — Capture of Mellown — Action at Pagahm Mew — Conclusion of Peace — General Order by the Governor- General — Votes of Thanks by the Court of Directors and the Houses of Pai'hament — Honours for the Bombay Marine. IN 1824, war broke out between the Indian Government and the King of Burmah, and a squadron of the Bombay Ma- rine, of which four vessels and the surveying ships 'Psyche' and 'Discovery,' remained on the Persian Gulf station, was employed throughout the operations, which were unusually ar- duous and protracted. Early in 1824, orders were given for the equipment of a military force of from eight thousand to nine thousand* men, * The troops embarked from Bengal in April, 1824, were : — H.M's. 13th and 38th Regiments. Detachment of 2nd Battalion 20th (afterwards 40th) N.I. Artillery, with four 18-pounders, four 6-pounders, four Si-inch howitzers, and four 8-inch mortars, and the usual detail of Engineers and Staff Services. Total, two thousand and eighty-nine Europeans, or, three thousand two hundred and thirty-one men in all, embarked in seventeen trans])orts. The Madras Division consisted of H.M's. 41st Regiment ; the Madras European Regiment; 1st Battalion 3rd, 2nd Battalion Vth, 2nd Battalion 8th, 1st Battalion 9th, and 2nd Battalion 10th Regiments of Native Infantry. Artillery, with four 18- pounders, six 12-pounders, six 6-pounders, six howitzers, and four mortars, also details of Engineers and Staff Corps. Total, one thousand nine hundred and eighty-eight Europeans, four thousand five hundred and thirty-eight Sepoys, making, with camp followers, eight thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight men, embarked in twenty-three transports. The army in Burmah was reinforced four times during the war, and it appears tliat up to the 1st of May, 1825, there were landed a total of two thousand live hundred and eighty five Bengal troops, HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 411 which was drawn from the Presidencies of Calcutta and Madras, and placed respectivel}^ under Brigadier-Generals McCreagh and McBean, the Commander-in-Chief being Briga- dier-General Sir Archibald Campbell, one of AVellington's Peninsular veterans. The men-of-war that participated in the operations were: — II.]\I.'s ships ' Liifey,' fifty guns. Commo- dore Charles Grant, C.B., naval Commander-in-Chief in India, who was at this time at Bombay fitting out the ' Asia,' eighty- four guns, built for the British Navy by Nowrojee Jamsetjee, son of the late Jamsetjee Bomanjee, and floated out of dock on the 17th of January, 1821:; ' Slaney,' twenty guns, Connuander C. Mitchell; * Larne,' twenty guns. Commander Frederick Marryat (the famous novelist) ; and ' Sophie.' eighteen-gun brig. Com- mander G. F. Ryves. The Hon. Comjjany's ships ' Hastings,' thirty-two guns, Captain Barnes ; ' Teignmouth,' sixteen guns. Captain Hardy; 'Mercury,' fourteen guns. Captain Good- ridge; 'Thetis,' ten guns, Commander Middleton ; 'Prince of Wales,' fourteen guns, Lieutenant Collinson ; and ' Jessy,' brig, fitted out at Penang and coujiuanded by Captain Poyn- ton. The 'Hastiugs' was a twenty four-gun frigate, jiierced for thirty-two guns, and commissioned for the first time, and had on board a detachment of eighty men of the Bombay Artillery, under Captain Russell and Lieutenants Law and Stamford, to assist in working the guns, and thirty men of the Bombay European Regiment, under Lieutenant Bell, wlio acted as Marines. There were also employed on the Arracan coast, the Hon. Company's ships ' Teruate,' Lieutenant Macdonald ;' Vestal,' Lieutenant J. W. Guy; and 'Research,' Captain Crawford. In addition to these regidar ships of war, there were the Hon. Company's gun-brigs and schooners, 'Goldfinch,' 'Robert Spankie,' 'Eliza,' 'Emma,' ' Phcenix.' 'Sophia,' 'Kitty,' 'PluBton,' 'Narcissa,' 'Hebe,' 'Mary,' 'Sidkea Packet,' 'Activ^e,' 'Tiger,' 'Swift,' 'Gunga Saugor,' 'Tom Tougli,' and 'Power- ful,' v^hich were all armed with two twelvi'-pounder carronades and four swivels. There was also u Hotilhi of twmty mw including three hundred and sixty European ArtiiU'rvnien, eighty-six of (lie Rocket troop, and tlirce hundred and (ifty-threo Cavah-y of tlie Governor-tienenirs Body-Guard. The Madras Division up to tlu> same date, received reinforce- ments, inchiding II.M's. ITtii and H'Jtli Regiments, and sonu' Reginu-nts of Native Infantry, wlucli brought the total of troo])s from tliat I'roideney engaged during the war, to twelve thousand seven luiiulred and seventy-six eond>alants. There vA'cre numerous changes in the Stalf du-ing tlu> war. Rrigadier-(reiu*tal MeCreagli conunanded tiie Bengal Division, witli Brigadier M. Shnwe, C.B., 87th Regiment, second in command ; Major Kvans and Cxionel Klringlon eom- manded the Brigades, and Colonel G. rolloek (the late Field Marshd Sir O. Pollock) the Artillery. The Madras Division was conunanded l>y Brigadier- Generals McBean {\o\'t in August, 1H21-,) Fra.ser (left in October." INL^.) and Willoughby Cotton, from January, ISJ."), to the conclusion of peace. The Brigadiers were Colonels xMallet, sinelt, Brodie, II. F. Snnlh, (MV. and Henry Godwin, and Colonel HopkinsoQ commanded the Artillery. 412 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. boats, each carrying one eighteen-pounder carronade in the how, and the steam vessel ' Diana.'* The Expedition rendezvoused at Port Cornwallis in the Andaman Ishmds, and, on the 5th of May, the fleet sailed for Rangoon, the General detaching a part of his force,t under Brigadier-General McCreagh, CB., with H.M.S. 'Slaney'and the Hon. Company's transport ' Ernaad,' against the island of Cheduba, which was captured on the 19th of May, after some spirited fighting. Sir A. Campbell also sent on the same day against the island of Negrais, another detachment.^ under Major Wahab, with the Hon. Company's ship 'Mercury,' Captain Goodridge. On the evening of the llth, the 'Mercury' and transports anchored off Pagoda Point, near Negrais, and, getting under weigh the following morning, brought to off the middle of that island at noon. Parties of troops were landed the same evening, and the British flag hoisted without opposition. As a supply of provisions was necessary for the troops destined to garrison the Island, on the 16th of May the 'Mercury ' crossed over to the mainland with a detachment of troops under Major Wahab, and sailing up the Bassein river nearly ten Uiiles, disembarked the troops at a village on an island, the inhabi- tants of which were given to understand that provisions were required and would be paid for. On the following evening, a large number of people, with war-boats, collected opposite the island about five miles distant, and as their intentions appeared hostile, and they had thrown up a stockade, six companies were brought over from the island and proceeded to the attack. About 4.30 the 'Mercury' anchored off the stockade and opened fire, and soon the breastwork, which was held by seven hundred men, was carried with a loss of only two killed and four wounded. Twentj'-eight boats were captured, some of * The Hon. Company's steamer 'Diana' was undoubtedly the first vessel pro- pelled by paddles that floated to the eastward of the Cape of Good Hope. She ■was launc-lied on the 12th of July, 1823, at Kyd's Dock, Kidderpore, and the Calcutta " John Bull," in announcing the event, added, with prophetic foresight, " She sits well on the water, and is a great ornament to the river. We hail her as the harbinger of future vessels of her knid who will waft us to our native shores with speed and pleasure." Up to the time of her purchase by the Bengal Government, shortly before the Burmese War, she was managed by Mr. Ander- snn, the Engineer, who, like most of those who originate improvements, derived little personal advantage. The ' Diana ' was eminently useful on the Irrawaddy, and it is a remarkable iact that up to March, 1831, when she came to Calcutta for repairs, the little steamer had run for eight years with only such occasional repairs to her engines as her engineers could give. The 'Diana' was not a sea- going ship, but her continued passages, at a period subsequent to the war, from port to port on the Tenasserim Coast during the south-west mousoon, proved her to be seaworthy. The gun-brigs and row-boats referred to above, which also carried lug-sails, were manned by natives with Europeans in charge. t Detachment, of H.M's. 13th Light Infantry, and seven companies 20th Regiment Native Infantry, in two transports. + 17th Madras Native Infantry, and Detachment of Madras Artillery, in two transports. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 413 great size, all of which Captain Goodridge destroyed, together with a large quantity of muskets and other arms, and four- teen guns were taken on board the ' I\lercnry.' Sir Archibald Campbell meanwhile, })roceeded to Rangoon* with the main part of the Expedition. The mouth of the river was reached on the 10th, and, on the following morning, the fleet of ships-of-war and transports, led by the 'Liffey,' sailed up the river, and, in a few hours, arrived off the city. (Com- modore Grant anchored his frigate opposite a landing place, called the King's ^\^larf, where was a battery of from twelve to sixteen guns. The infatuated Burmese defenders of this work, had the temerity to open fire on the ' Liffc^y,' wdiich, how- ever, effectually silenced them l^y a broadside. The troops were soon landed, and, in twenty minutes, the town was in possession of the British commander; thus, bloodlessly as far as the British were concerned, fell Rangoon, in which were captured seventy guns, eighteen carronades, and twelve smaller pieces of ordnance. On the 15th of May, the lion. Company's ships ' Hastings ' and 'Teignmouth' arrived, and, a few days later, the former was sent to Cheduba to relieve H.I\I.S. ' Slaney,' which pro- ceeded to Calcutta, and was not engaged in any of the subse- quent operations of the war. Nothing of moment occurred during the remainder of the month, except some fighting on May the KUh, at Kemniendine, about three miles above Rangoon, and an affair, on the 28tli, at Johazong, about nine or ten miles from the British lines, where the Commander-in- Chief was in personal command; in both these actions the stockades were carried with the utmost gallantry, and the Bur- mese received a lesson of what they might exj^ect if they stood to receive a charge of British bayonets. In the ('omniander- in-Chief's returns of the casualties between the 21st and .'Ust of May, the only seamen killed was a man of the ' Tei.nn- mouth,' who is specified as having been "killed whilst sound- As it was found that a ship of the class of the ' Liib-y t could not proceed up the river, she left Rangoon on the iilst of May, when Connuander Marryat assumed command of the squadron * Eangoon is situated about twouf y-eiglit iiiik-s from tlio »cn, on the northern bank of a main brancli of the groat irniwadd.v river ; the cilv ut this time ex- tended for about nine hundred yards along tlie bank, witli a width of iibout nix hundred or seven hundred yards at its widest part. The eentre of tlie town wm protected by palisades ten' or twelve feet high, strengtiioned intoruuiljr by earth. t The 'LifTey' proceeded to Penang, whore Commodore O rant, C.B., died on the 25th of July following, t^hortly after this, H.M's. ship ' Sophie ' wns sent to Calcutta for provisions, aiui Captain Marryat being temporarily laid up willi illnesn, was removed to the lines near the ttreat Pagoda. The mortality and sick- ness during this first Burmese War, was far in excess of Unit encountered by I ho Expedition of 1852. 414 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. niilil llie appoinlmeiit of a successor. About tliis time the ' Mercury ' returned from Negrais with the detachment of troops, as it was found impracticable to establish a post on that island. The south-west monsoon had now set in, and it became impossible for the troops to proceed up the river, as owing to the disappearance of the inhabitants from Rangoon, there was great difticulty in providing and equipping a flotilla or procuring a sufficiency of rowers ; the desolate state of the country also obliged the Expedition to draw its su{)plies from India. On the 2nd of June, the Commander-in-Chief received in- formation that the enemy had assembled in great force, and were stockading themselves at Kenimendine, with the intention of attacking the British lines. He, therefore, ordered two strong reconnoitring columns from the Madras Division, to move, on the following morning, upon two roads leading from the great Dagon Pagoda to the village of Kemmendine, and himself proceeded up the Rangoon river with the Hon. Com- piany's cruisers 'Mercury' and 'Thetis,' and three companies of the 41st, embarked in the flotilla and row boats, for the pur- pose of making a diversion in favour of any attack which might take place by land. Commander Ryves also accom- panied Sir Archibald Campbell with three flotilla gunboats and the pinnaces of H.M. ships 'Larne' and 'Sophie.' The start was made at five a.m., and, in two hours, the ' Mercury' and ' Thetis,' with the gunboats and pinnaces, an- chored abreast of Kemmendine, and opened a heavy fire on the stockades. The squadron had not long been under fire, when Commander Middleton, of the ' Thetis,' was mortally wounded by a cannon-shot which carried off his leg. Com- mander Ryves, who was on board her — as the gunboats and pinnaces were directed to rendezvous round the ' Thetis' — ■ assunjed temporary command of the ' Thetis.' though, as he says in his despatch, " Sir Archibald Campbell, having em- barked on board the Hon. Company's cruiser 'Mercury,' all orders to the cruisers and flotilla proceeded from him." When the stockade was reduced, and the enemy's fire silenced, the troops landed and burnt the works, before the arrival of the two columns proceeding by land. At three p.m., the enemy being in great force, the troops were re-embarked, when the cruisers and flotilla weighed and returned to their former anchorage In his despatch of the 4th of June, reporting this success, the Commander-in-Chief states that he had already captured from fifty to sixty large cargo boats, which were being cut down for transport purposes, and were calculated to carry, on an average, a complement of sixty men each. There still remained the enemy's fortified camp and stockades at Kemmendine, which the general determined to attack with a HISTORY OF THE IXDIAX NAVY. 415 strong column, for not only was it necessary that the neigh- bourhood ot" Rangoon should be cleared, but the numerous fire-rafts which the Burmese sent down the river, occasioned the most imminent risk to the shipping, and kept the naval force in a constant state of harass. Sir Archibald, accordingly, moved upon the stockades, on the 10th of June, with three thousand men, four 18-pounders, four mortars, and some field pieces ; and a portion of the naval force was also employed under Lieutenant Fraser, R.N., who had been placed in tem- porary command of the ' Thetis.' The following is that officer's report of his proceedings in co-operating ii> the attack on the great stockade at Kemmen- dine, which was reduced by artillery fire, the enemy evacuating when the troops advanced to storm : — " In compliance with your orders, on the 9th instant, at eleven p.m., at the com- mencement of the flood-tide, I proceeded up the river in the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Thetis,' accompanied by the ' Jessy,' six of the gun flotilla, six row-boats, and the I\Ialay proa you were pleased to put under my command.* At two a.m. the 'Jessy' and the row-boats took up the position assigned them, about three-quarters of a mile below Kennnendine. The ' Thetis' was anchored at the entrance of a creek about the same distance above Kemraendine, and abreast of the stockade from which the gun was taken on the 3rd instant, but which had been greatly strengthened. The gun flotilla were to have been placed abreast of the opposite point, forming the entrance of the creek (distinguished by a pagoda), on which, since the 3rd, there has been erected a formidable stockade : but in con- sequence of the ebb-tide making against them, with the excej)- tion of the ' Robert Spankie' and two others, they failed in their endeavours to take up their position, and were brought up a short distance below the ' Thetis.' About ten a.m.. the batteries opened their fire against Kemmendine ; the stockaile on the Pagoda point, at the same instant, commenced a fire of musketry, and from four small pieces, ajiparently 4 or 6-pounders, upon the 'Robert Spankie' and the other two gun vessels opposite to it, which was returned by them and kejtt up on both sides for upwards of an hour. The stockades abreast of tiie ' Thetis' not having fired a shot the whole time, and observing that the flotilla did not succeed in silencing the other, I took advantage of the ilood-tide just ihen making, to drop abreast of it in the ' Thetis,' and after a fire of half-an- hour, so far silenced the enemy, that from that time they only fired an occasional musket at intervals when we had ceased, * About three liundnul Cliiiicsc and Miilny sailors Imd roroiitlv 'yntw\ tho combined forc-e at Riini,'ooii, iind *>iiu' tiin.< utti-rwurds livo Inindn'd Mii^h Kml- men, natives of Ari-acan, urrived iVoui Cliiltugoiig, to uasist in lriin>]>.)rtiug the army up the Irrawaddy. 416 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. but altogether so badly directed that we had only one man wounded, belonging to a row-boat at that time alongside the 'Thetis.' Having observed a great number of boats, many of a large size, collected about two miles above us, and consider- ing it possible that at night, during the ebb, they might attack any of the flotilla that remained in advance, when we, from the rapidity of the current, could not render them any assist- ance, I thought fit to shift the ' Thetis,' at the last of the flood, about a quarter of a mile above the point, directing the flotilla to drop with the ebb below the stockade on the opposite point, which they accordingly did. At noon on the 11th, ob- serving the signal agreed upon, when the General wanted com- munication with us to be made, 1 sent an officer to answer it, who returned with intelligence of the troops having possession of Kemmendine. and with a request from the General, that two of the gun flotilla and two row-boats might be left at that place ; I accordingly directed the flotilla, with the above excep- tions, to proceed to Rangoon. At six p.m. the ' Thetis' weighed, and, with the boats ahead to tow, began to drop down the river." In trying to avoid a large fire raft, composed of several country boats fastened together, the ' Thetis' grounded on the bank of the river, where she remained all night, during which she received some shots from the stockades. At daylight on the 12th, Lieutenant Fraser succeeded in floating her, when she proceeded down the river and anchored at Rangoon. The total loss sustained by the British in this affair, was sixteen killed and one hundred and twenty-two wounded. Soon after, Lieutenant Greer, First Lieutenant of the ' Mer- cury,' assumed command of the ' Thetis.' About this time H.M.S. ' Sophie' was ordered to Calcutta to procure supplies and seamen, as owing to sickness, such was the shorthandedness of H.M.'s ships, that Commander Marryat re- ])orted on the 14th of June, that he had not a commissioned or "warrant officer capable of doing duty ; as regards the crew% he added : — "I am afraid that we shall lose many men before we leave this place. The heavy and incessant rains, the un- wholesomeness of the water, and the impossibilit}'^ of procuring fresh provisions, forcibly point it out as the grave of a large part of the Expedition." Previous to the ' Sophie's' departure for Calcutta, six 32-pounder carronades were taken from her and mounted, with four of the 'Larne's' guns, on board the Hon. Company's transport ' Satellite,' formerly a sloop-of-war, which was manned with every effective officer and man from the ' Lame,' and placed under the command of Lieutenant Dobson, R.N., and rendered good service during the subse- quent operations. The Burmese General having received orders from the HISTORY OF THE INDUN NAVY. 417 " Golden-footed" monarch, his master, to make a grand attack upon the British lines, the enemy crossed the river above Kem- mendine, from the Dalla to the Rangoon side, and, on the morning of the 1st of July, three columns of one thousand njen each, moved towards the British right, while the jungle in front of the Dagon Pagoda and along the whole extent of the line to the left, was occu})ied by a large force. But their attack was weak, and, dispirited by recent defeats, they gave way before an assault made by the Commander-in-Chief in person, who re- ported that twelve thousand of the enemy were engaged. A writer in the " Quarterly Review" (Vol. xxxv., p 51G), speaking of the silence of the military liistorian of tlie war, as regards the co-operation alforded by the naval portion of the Expedi- tionary Force, of which, indeed, there is no mention in Sir Archibald Campbell's despatch of the 11th of July, says : — ■ " Major Snodgrass seems to have forgotten the part which the Navy bore in repulsing this large force; and that, when, to dis- tract our operations and destroy the shipping, not fewer than fifty-three of their huge fire-rafts, protectetl by gunboats, were sent down the river towards the fleet at the same time, all of these were, by uncommon skill and exertion, turned off and rendered harmless. And the officer by whose exertions was effected this happy issue out of a great danger that threatened the shipping, was Mr. Lindquist, of the Company's service." Lieutenant John Alarshall, R.N., author of a "Narrative of the Naval Operations in Ava," says of this young oificer : — " The activity and zeal of Mr. Lindquist, connnauding the row-boats stationed at Kemmendine, was very conspicuous on this occa- sion." About the same period Captain Hardy, of the 'Teign- mouth,' then stationed just within the bar, and employed in examining a creek to which Captain Marryat had directed his attention, destroyed eleven large country boats, some already loaded, and some loading, with stone, for the purpose of blocking up the entrance to the river. After the action of the 1st of July, the L'nemy continued to receive reinforcements until it was said thirty thousand men were assembled near Rangoon. The British Commandur, therefore, determined, notwithstanding the incessant rains, to bring the newly-arrived l)urmese General, Soomlia Wongee, to action, and, on the morning of the iSth of duly, despatched a strong colunni by land under General McHi-an against Kummeroot, about live miles from the great Bagoda, while he embarked with a second cohnnn to attack a connnanding point upon the river above Kemmendine, in communication wiiii the enemy's stockaded camp, and not only obstructing the naviga- tion of the river, but affording an cxcuUeiit situation for ihc construction of fire-rafts, in the hamlling of which the Burmese were great adepts. "About a mile above Keunueiidine."' say.s VOL. I. ^ 1'^ 418 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. I\Iajor Snodgrass, " the river separates into two branches ; the point of hind where they divide is bold and projecting', and commands a hmg reach nnder it. Upon this point the enemy's principal stockade was erected, provided with artillery, and defended by a numerous garrison. On the opposite bank of either branch, stockades and other defences were erected, enfilading the approach to the principal work, and all mutually defending each other." In consequence of the strength of these works. Sir Archibald Campbell resolved first to try the effect of mortar practice. " In the event of this not succeeding," he says in his report, " I consulted with Captain Marryat upon the employment of such vessels as he might select to breach. The shells were thrown at too great a distance to produce the desired effect, and the swampy nature of the ground would not permit of any advance. The ' Satellite,' the Hon. Company's cruisers ' Teignmouth,' Captain Hardy, ' Thetis,' Lieutenant Greer, and ' .Fessy,' Captain Poynter— the whole under the command of Lieutenant Fraser, of H.M.'s ship 'Larne,' now took their stations according to a disposition made by Captain Marryat, and opened a fire which soon silenced that of fourteen pieces of artillery, besides swivels and musketry from the stockades, and, in one hour, the preconcerted signal of ' breach practicable ' was displayed at the mainmast head." The troops, as previously arranged, entered their boats on the signal being hoisted, and the assault was delivered by two columns under Colonel Godwin and Major Wahab, who carried all before them. The Commander-in-Chief says: — "To the* officers and men of the breaching vessels every praise is due ; and I much regret that severe indisposition prevented Captain Marryat from being present to witness the result of his arrangements." General McBean also captured seven stockades in the most brilliant style, and the result of the day's Avork, as reported by the Commander-in-Chief, was the capture of ten stockades, thirty-eight pieces of artillery, forty swivels, and three hundred muskets. The enemy also left on the field eight hundred dead, among them Soomba Wongee, and two otlier chiefs of the first class. The remainder, deprived of their leader, fled in confusion to the rear, there to await the arrival of the King's brother, the Prince of Sarrawaddy, said to be advancing with seventy thousand men. The loss on the part of the British was four killed and forty-seven wounded. In acknowledgment of the services rendered by the naval force, the Connnander-in-Chief wrote to Commander Marryat as follows, on the 9th of July, 1824 : — " I request you will accept my very best thanks for your able arrangement and disposition of the vessels employed in the attack of the enemy's stockades yesterday, and I beg you will also do me the fcivour of con- veying them to Lieutenant Fraser, R.N., Captain Hardy, and HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA^T. 419 the officers in command of the Hon. Company's cruisers, 'Thetis' and 'Jessy.'" On the 13th of July Commander Marryat dropped the ' Larne '* down as far as the Dulhi Creek, on her way to the mouth of the river, from whence she returned, with the sickness much decreased, on the 27th of the same month. On the 19th of July the Comniander-in-Cln'ef despatched a cohnnn of troops, by land, to disperse the enemy then ,ii;aihered at Keykloo, about twelve or fifteen miles distant from Rangoon, and himself embarking in the ' Diana,' proceeded with six hundred men in the flotilla, up the Puzzendoun Creek, but, owing to the impassable state of the roads, the land column was forced to fall back, and Sir Archibald returned after an absence of three days. Having learned that the Governor of Syriam, or Pegu, had constructed some works and asseujbled a force on the banks of the river of that name, he proceeded thither on the morning of the 4th of August, with six hundred troops, and the Hon. Company's brig, 'Jessy,' and the ' Powerful,' sloop, employed as a mortar vessel. The soldiers landed under the fire of these two vessels, and, having crossed a deep nullah, which was bridged by Commander jMarryat and part of the crew of the ' Larne,' the enemy's defences were carried after a brief resistance. A portion of the force then capturelace in the Dalla Creek, some distance up which was Tliontai, capital of the province and the retreat of the Rangoon people, and in this the boats of tiie 'Lame' did good service, while the gunl)oats and mortar-vessels also rendered assistance. The gun-vessels, row-boats, and soldiers left iu 422 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. defence of the works captured on the 8th of August, were ussailed every night by large bodies of the enemy, who kept up a fire from the surrounding jungle, whilst the energies of the seamen in the boats were directed to watching, grappling, and towing away the fire-rafts. On the night of the 5th of September, the Burmese made a desperate attempt to overpower the flotilla stationed up the Dalla Creek, and three officers of the Company's service, Messrs. Crawford, King, and Frances, com- manding the gun-brigs, ' Kitty,' ' Narcissa,' and ' Tiger,' highly distinguished themselves. Commander Marryat says, in his despatch to Sir Archibald Campbell, of the 8th of September : — " In compliance with your request for a detail of the circum- stances which occurred[ in the attack on the Dalla stockade, made by the Burmese on the morning of the 6th instant, I have the honour to inform you that, at midnight of the 5th, a straggling fire was heard in that direction, and shortly after- wards a rocket was thrown up — the signal previously arranged with the detachment, in case of immediate assistance being required. With the advantage of a strong flood tide, the boats of H.M.'s sloop ' Larne' proceeded rapidly to the scene of contention, where a heavy fire was exchanged. As our approach could not be perceived from the smoke, we cheered, to announce that support was at hand, and had the satisfation to hear it warmly returned, both by the detachment in the stockade and the crews of the gun-vessels. It appeared that the attacks of the enemy had been simultaneous, the gun-boats laying in the creek having been assailed by a number of w^ar-boats, while the detachment on shore had been opposed to a force estimated at one thousand five hundred to two thousand men. Upon our arrival we found the enemy on shore had not retreated, but still kept up a galling fire. The war-boats, which had endeavoured to board the ' Kitty,' gun-brig, had been beaten off by the exertion and gallantry of Mr. Crawford, commanding that vessel, and were apparently rallying at a short distance up the creek, with a determination to renew the attack, but on perceiving our boats advancing ahead of the gun-brigs, they made a precipitate retreat. Although from their superior speed, there was little probability of success, chase was immediately given, and five of the war-boats which had been most severely handled, and could not keep up with the main body, were successively boarded and captured. Many others appeared to be only half-manned, but we could not overtake them, and the pursuit was abandoned about four miles above the stockade. The spears remaining in the sides of the gun-brig, the ladders attached to her rigging, and the boarding netting cut through in many places, proved the severe conflict which had been sustained ; and I trust you will be pleased to recommend the very meritorious conduct of Mr. Crawford to the considera- HISTORY OF THE INDIAX NAVY. 423 tion of the Rig-lit Hon. the Governor-General in Council. Great praise is due to Mr. J. King, of the ' Narcissa,' and Mr. Frances of the ' Tiger,' for the well-directed and destructive lire which they poured into the war-boats; and I trust, as an eye-witness, 1 may be allowed to express njy admiration of the intrepid conduct of the officer commanding the detachment on shore. The loss of the enemy in this attack cannot be correctly ascertained, but from the number of dead in the boats captured, and the crippled state of many others, it cannot be estimated at less tlian two or three hundred men." The Commander-in- Chief says in his despatch, of the VHh of September, to the Supreme Government: — "AH accounts concur in bearing testimony to the resolute conduct of Mr. Crawford, in defending his vessel, tlie ' Kitt}',' against superior numbers, although wounded early in the attack ; and I beg leave to bring his name to the favourable notice of the Right Hon. the Governor-General in Council." On the 9th of September, Lieutenant Fraser, R.N., was sent to search for the passage up to Thontai by way of the Dalla Creek, but, after an absence of three days, he returned without being able to find it. Whih; on this service, Mr. Lind(iuist, commanding a detachment oi' row-boats, was wounded liy a musket-ball. Owing to the sickness* on board H.M.S. ' Larne,' of whose original crew only twenty-seven remained, Comnuinder Marryat proceeded to Penang, and did not return to Rangoon until the 24th of December, 1824. On the loth of September, Captain Henry Ducie Chads, who had arrived from England in H.M.S. 'Arachne," assumed command of the naval forces at Rangoon. Much was expected from this officer, who had iuunortalized himself by his noble defence of H.M.S 'Java,' of thirty-eight guns, in her memorable action, on the 80th of December, 1812, with the United States ship ' ('onstitutiun,' forty-foin- guns, after the death of ('aptain Lambert had placeil him in command of the British frigate, and it may be atlded that, on all occasions. Captain Chads proved himself eipial to his re|)iitation as a first-class officer and seaman. (Jaj)tain Chads commenced his service in rnu-mahby j>roceed- ing, on the 19th of September, upon Panlang, where the enemy liad established a post, with the 'Satellite' and 'Diana,' the boats of the ' Arachne' and ' Sophie.' and a llotilla of nine gini- boats and sixteen row-boats, of the Company's Marine, together with five hundred troops under l>rigadier-General Fraser. The Expedition having attacked ami captured several stockades, * At this time tlie Eiiropeiui troops fit for sorvicc were r««(lnci'il to less than one thoiisiind five hundred ell'eitives ; nevcn hundred and fortA-nine nion liiid died, and upwards of one tliouaand had invahdcd. Tho fafnlity among the native troops was not less, but tho ollieers and men of tlio Company's eruisei-n at Rangoon, owins; to tlieir being neehuiatized l\v serviee in theao sou.s, did not Buffer to anything like tlie same extent. 421 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. returned to Rai)j,^oon on tlio 27tli of September. Early ia October, a detachineiit of troops was repulsed with heavy loss, in attempting to escaUide the entrenchments surrounding the Pagoda of Keykloo ; and, at the same time, another detachment, imder Major Evans, embarked in a flotiUa of gun-boats, one of which was fitted as a bomb-ketch, accompanied by the ' Satellite' and ' Diana,' under the immediate command of Captain Chads, and carried the breastworks and stockades, which formed the defences of the village of Than-ta-bain, about thirty miles distant from Rangoon. In this affair Lieutenant (the late Admiral Sir) Henry Kellett highly distinguished himself, though the storming party of soldiers carried off the honours of the day. Sir Archibald Campbell, having determined to occupy the city of Martaban, an Expedition was fitted out, the naval portion of which, under the command of Lieutenant Keele, of the ' Arachne,' consisted of seven row gun-boats, one mortar-vessel, six gun vessels, all of the Company's service, thirty men from the ' Arachne' and ' Sophie,' and an armed transport having on board four hundred and fifty troops, the whole being under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Godwin. On the 29th the flotilla opened fire on the city, and at five o'clock on the following morning, a portion of the troops and the seamen stormed the forts and other defences, when sixteen guns and a large amount of war materiel were captured. Some good service was done at this time by the officers and men of the Hon. Company's frigate 'Hastings,' which was stationed at Cheduba. A military correspondent at Cheduba, writes in a letter dated August 12th : — " I took a sail in the Company's frigate, ' Hastings,' on the 17th and 18th of July, to look at a stockade of the enemy's on the north-west point of the Island of Ramree, and also to destroy some boats said to be collected in a creek near it, and in which it was apprehended they would take a run over to destroy the villages, and disturb the natives on this island opposite their point, and return before daylight. The distance is eight or ten miles across. We anchored some distance from the point, which we have named ' Hastings Point,' in honour of the ship and her first action. Soon after daylight on the 18th, the gun-boat, the laimch of the ship, having an 18-pouuder carronade on board, with the two cutters having a part of the Bombay P^uropean Regiment on board, were sent to reconnoitre the shore and sound towards it. The beach was soon covered with natives when they perceived our boats aj)proaching, and they commenced a sharp fire from musketry and some guns, until by signal orders, we returned to the ship by seven a.m. I think our gun-boats and musketry surprised a few who will no longer tell the tale. The stockade, and a long line of entrenchment, was discovered by the reconnaissance in a small bight of land, HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 425 neai' the place where the boats hu-l their brush. Soon after breakfast, Captain Barnes weighed anchor and stood in towards the shore, and anchored in four and a-half fatlioins water within half-gun shot of it. A spring was soon got on the cable, and the broadside of the ' Hastings' brought to bear on the place, and I doubt not several of them bit the dust, so tremendous was the fire, and the guns so elegantly directed. We gave the name of 'Barnes' Bight to the place, in honour of our gallant com- mander, and returned to the anchorage by noon." The following is an extract from a letter by Captain P)arnes, to the address of the Secretary of the Supreme Government, dated the 21st of September, 1824: — "I have great ])leasure in transmitting to you, for the information of the Right Honourable Lord Amherst, Governor-General in Council, an account of a daring and successful attack made by two cutters belonging to the Hon. Company's frigate ' Hastings,' under my command, on four boats* belonging to the enemy, on the coast of Ramree, and trust that my entering somewhat into detail will be excused, as I am anxious to do justice to the ollicers and men, who so gallantly achieved the dispersion of the enemy, whose numbers were so disproportionate to their little force. On the morning of the 10th instant, at daylight, the look-out at the masthead announced three large boats to be in sight, close to the shore of Ramree, and about five or six miles distant from the frigate, rowing to the southwartl. I immediately ilirected the two ten- oared cutters to be manned and armed, and sent six marines in each, placing both boats under the connnand of Lieutenant Har- rison, second of the frigate, ]\Ir. Graves, master's mate, being in charge of one boat, with orders to bring them alongside, if po.s- sible. Some time after the cutters had left the ship, I observed a fourth boat, and could plainly perceive they were all full of men. Our launch unfortunately being abst'ut watering, I manned and armed the two boats belonging to the i»ilot brigs 'Meriton' and ' Planet,' with European seamen ami marines, and despatched them to the assistance of the cutters ; but owing to the start they had of them, and these being very heavy-pulling boats, tliey were notable to assist in the capture, which I cannot luitter describe to his lordship than by trans- mitting the modest letter of Lieutenant Harrison, describing the affair." The following is tlie report of Lieutenant Harrison, dated the 10th of September, 1824 :— "In pursuance of your orders of this mnining, I proceeded with the two cutters under my command, in pursuit of four * The following description of a Burinose wiir-boat will convoy nn iilcii of their size, and formidable imturo. "The boat,s wore sonicwliut of tlio j* tract arc of n canoe, about eighty feet in length and seven in breadth, cilt oiitsiile and painted red inside, carrying (Ifty-two oars, and capable of holding, with the greatest safety, at least one hundred and ijfty men." 426 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. boats belonging to the enemy, as seen from the ' Hastings,' pulling along the Ramree coast to the southward. After a smart pull of about six miles, I had closed with the chase so near as to enable the cutter, under the command of Mr. Graves, to intercept the two sternmost boats of the enemy, while I succeeded in turning the two boats in advance ; they then seemed inclined to receive us warmly, by giving loud cheers, which was inmiediately returned by our seamen and marines, with their accustomed spirit. A fire of musketry now com- menced on both sides, and the enemy, perceiving our intention of laying them on board, immediately beached their boats ; we pursued so closely as to enable us to do considerable mischief. Three boats were captured and towed into deep water, six of the enemy made prisoners, and the fourth boat, I regret to say, was bilged and rendered useless. So precipitate was their retreat, that they left everything behind, and amongst various articles, a great number of arms of all descriptions have been captured. I feel much pleasure in bringing to your notice the zeal and exertions of Mr. Graves, to whom the highest praise is due, as well as the satisfactory conduct of everybody employed, particularly the seamen, whose great exertions in pulling deserve my best thanks, and although the second divi- sion of boats were not up at the commencement, I have every reason to suppose they aided in enabling me to effect my pur- pose without the loss of a man ; as the enemy could not be estimated at less than four hundred effective men. Their loss in killed and wounded I have no means of ascertaining correctl}", but I should imagine it to exceed sixty." The following letters describe further operations undertaken by Captain Barnes, with the seamen and marines of his ship, and of the ' Investigator,' which, though employed in the survey of the Arracan coast, under her distinguished Com- mander, Captain D. Ross, was, for a time, engaged in hostilities. The first is from Captain Barnes, dated the li'th of October, 1824 : — " Captain Ross, of the Hon. Company's Marine, and commanding their ship 'Investigator,' having delivered into my charge, on the 7th instant, a division of gunboats, five in nundier, under the direction of Captain Finucane, of H.M.'s 14th Regiment of Foot, I thought this additional force might be employed to advantage for the purpose of covering a landing of troops on the north part of Ramree, for the purpose of destroying some stock.ides and breastworks tlie enemy possess on the sea-face ; and as I had learnt that the Burmahs had some strong defences at a short distance inland, I applied to Lieutenant-Colonel Hampton for the aid of two hundred Sepoys, Avhich that officer was pleased to grant, and on the evening of the 14th, the troops being embarked on board the ' Hastings ' HISTORY OF TUE IXDIAN NAVY. 427 and ' Planet,' pilot brio-, we weighed and proceeded to our position. The frigate drawing too much water to ajjproach the shore near enough for her guns to prove useful, 1 placed the gunboats close in shore, abreast of the enemy's works, and in the morning disembarked the whole of our force, consisting of two hundred Sepoys of the 40th Regiment, commanded by Captain Vincent, twenty-six European Marines, and fifty-seven Euro- pean seamen of the Hon. Company's frigate ' Hastings,' and forty European seamen, volunteers from the Hon. Company's ship ' Investigator,' under the command of Lieutenant H. Wyndham, first of the 'Hastings.' I went on board the ' Elizabeth ' gunboat, to give such directions as I might think requisite. A smart fire was kept up by tiie boats on the enemy, who showed themselves in force, and fired smartly on the boats, but with the exception of one shot from a large jingal that hit the ' Burrampootra,' and a frw inusket-balls that struck the 'Megna,' which was placed by her gallant commander, Mr. Boyce, so close to the bank it was hard to miss her, no accident occurred, the whole of the enemy fiying into the jungle as soon as the troops landed, leaving their jingals behind them. The|)osirion iield by the enemy was excL't-dingiy strong and well-chosen, being coin))osed of a well-formed breast-work fronting the sea, with a nuHah of considerable width between it and the high sandbank forming the shore; the tide flowing into the nullah, so that the place was capable of good defence. The rear of the stockade was also entrenched at the distance of about 100 yards, and that backed by a thick jinigle. As the force, about noon, moved into the interior, and being unable from my weak state of health to march with tiiem, 1 beg leave to give the remaining account of tlie reconnaissance in the language of my first-lieutenant, who coinmauded the nautical party on shore. "I have much pleasure in mentioning that, on the morning of the l()th, Mv. Midshipman Laiighton landed about a mile and a-half to the south of our first ])()sition. and, with the crews of the ' Burrampooter ' and * Irrawaddy,' burnt a chowky belong- ing to the enemy, who fied on his appearance. Hoping that this diversion may meet the approval of the Iliglit llonouralde Lord Amherst, Governor- General in Council." The following is Lieutenant W'yndham's Report to (,'aptnin Barnes of his reconnaissance on the island of Ramree: — "In obedience to your orders of the KUh instant, I proceeded on shore with the seamen from the 'Hastings' untler my couuuand, toco-operate with Captain \'iiicent. in the destruction of" the enemy's stockades. The landing of tlu' force having been effected in sight of the enemy, without opposition, about one mile to the southward of Cndabeen, I was joined l>y Lieutenant 428 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA\"Y. Lloyd, with forty seamen from the ' Investigator.' A large body of the enemy were seen in their trenches half a mile to the southward, but immediately^ our force was put in motion, they disappeared among the jungle, and we then occcupied a breastwork guarding the road to the interior. A short halt was made for arrangements and the guides to be landed. At noon we were again put in motion, and commenced our march to the stockades along a narrow pathway, admitting, in many places, only two abreast, and intersected with rivulets. In about twenty minutes we were upon the spot of the expected stockade, but the enemy had previously demolished it, leaving nothing but a few of the large posts standing at its angles, and the intrenchments not filled up. From this place we pushed forward one and a half miles more, and came upon a well-con- structed stockade, capable of containing four thousand men, with a double fence round a sand breastwork, and well filled up between with pointed bamboo stakes inclining outwards, and I regret to say that William Williams, seaman of the ' Hastings,' was severely wounded by one of them running into his foot. Here again the enemy fled upon the approach and firing of the light troops in advance, when our party triumph- antly entered the gates and took possession. A small jingal, with a pair of colours were taken, and the stockade set on fire, which consuujed the whole of the interior buildings ; and from the explosion of some concealed powder, did damage to the breastwork and outer fences. From this we marched on the left, and destroyed another large stockade, which had no out- work, but a breastwork inside the stockade, about four feet six inches high, and barracks sufficient to contain three thousand men ; from hence we marched down to the beach and occupied our former position within the breastwork, and slept under arms for the night. About half-past three o'clock next morn- ing, we were aroused from our slumber by the enemy, who commenced an attack on our picquets. We received them with cheers, and every one was at his post instanter. The enemy, when they found us on the alert, and our picquets commenced firing upon them, retreated immediately to the woods, and nothing more was seen of them. We continued under arms till daylight, and then commenced a circuitous march of about four miles to the northward, and passed three villages in the rear of Umlahbeen ; but as they appeared to be Mug habita- tions, with no work of defence about them, they were not destroyed. We then marched towards the sea, and came up in rear of the breastworks, which the frigate under your connnand, upon a former occasion, drove the enemy from. We proceeded along the beach to the position held by us during the night, where we halted, refreshed the men, destroyed the buildings, and embarked the force. I have much pleasure in bringing to HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA^^". 429 Yonr notice the good conduct of the officers and seamen you did me the honour to phxce under my command, and 1 feel con- fident had the enemy stood, they wonhl have shown themselves to be British seamen."* In November, 1824, Captain Barnes died from the effects of ch'mate. In him the Company lost a gallant, zealous, and enterprising officer, who, though he knew the great risk he incurred in going on service, volunteered at Bombay to take command of the newly-launched frigate in her first commission, when his services were gladly accepted by the Government. Captain Hardy, having given over charge of the ' Teignmouth ' to Captain Goodridge, succeeded to the command of the ' Hastings.' Not less brave and energetic than his predecessor. Captain Hardy had already frequently gained the approbation of Captain Marryat and the Commander-in-Chief. At this time a large number of seamen were shipped at Calcutta for the ' Hastings,' which became very efficient under its new Captain, and First-Lieutenant, Mr, Henry Wyndham. Other changes in the command of the Company's ships, necessitated by the death of Captain Barnes, were the promotion of Lieutenant Moresby, first of the ' Prince of Wales,' to the temporary com- mand of the ' Mercury,' in the place of Captain Goodridge, until the arrival of Lieutenant Anderson, then j\Iaster-Atten- dant at Man galore. Encouraged by the successful results of the operations undertaken at Ramree in October, Colonel R. Hampton, com- manding the troops at Cheduba, contrary to the advice of Captain Hardy, determined to undertake the reduction of the Vv'hole island. Accordingly, a party landed on the morning of of the ord of February, 1825, and proceeded to attack the defences by land, whilst the gun-boais effected a passage up the creek leading to the harbour, across which strong stakes were planted. In consequence of the treachery of the guides, the troops, after a fatiguing march, found themselves in a thick jungle, at a considerable distance from the stockades, and it became necessary to return to the beach before the evening, without effecting the object of the attack. As the troops retired, the Burmese kept up a scattered fire from the jungle into which they had been driven, and from some entrenched positions ; but * Captain Vincent commanding the troops, in concludiug his Report to Colonel II;imi)ton, says : — " Tliough it may be considered presunipiion in me to speak of the merits of any otlier brancli of tlie Serviee than that to whieh I immediately belong, I cannot, in tlie present instance, avoid bringing to the notice of tlic Lieutenant-Colonel the liiglily meritorious conduct of the otlieers, scamcTi, and Marines of the lion. Com]iany's frigate 'Hastings,' and surveying ship ' Invcfli- gator,' who acted in conjunction with tlie troops, not only as reganied tlieir readiness to meet every obstacle which the nature of the service led us to expect, but likewise in their steady and promjit obedienc-e to the rigid rules of discijiline, which the peculiar nature of the enterprise rendered so essentially necessary to bo observed." 430 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA\'Y. upon tlie junction of the reserve with two fi-ponnder field pieces, this annoyance was checked, and by six in the evening the party re-embarked without further molestation. The following is the report by Colonel Hampton, dated Cheduba, the 8th of February, 1825: — "Captain Hardy, com- manding the Hon. Company's frigate ' Hastings,' having sent me two Burmese prisoners taken in Ramree Island on the 22nd ultimo, by a party sent on shore from that vessel, and having from those individuals obtained what I considered sufficient information regarding its localities, defences, and means of resistance, as to justify my making a descent on the island with a view to its capture, I addressed him on the subject, stating that if he would make arrangements for the transporta- tion of part of the force under my command, I should be most happy to join him (Captain Hardy being at this time most actively employed in surveying and reconnoitring the harbour and creek of Ramree), and had not the least doubt, provided the information proved correct, that with his cordial co-opera- tion and assistance, we should neither find much difficulty nor trouble in accomplishing the object. Captain Hardy came over to Cheduba on the 27th, and, after a short consultation, although he was of opinion that our European force was not sufficient, yet he was unwilling to throw any obstacle in the way, the business was determined on. "By five p.m. on the 29th, the detachment — forty-eight artillerymen, with two brigades of guns, and five hundred and twenty of the 40th Regiment Native Infantry — was embarked on board the depot ship 'Francis Warden,' the armed brig ' Planet,' and the flotilla of gun-boats. The brig having the artillery on board, sailed that afternoon, and, on the following morning, the remainder of the vessels got under weigh, but from light and variable winds, and the intricacy of the entrance into Ranu'ee harbour, we did not reach the mouth of the creek imtil the morning of the 2nd instant. At one p.m. Captain Hardy, accompanied by Major Murray, Captain Hull, com- manding the Artillery, and my detachment staff, Lieutenant Margrave, went for the purpose of examining the localities of the creek, and to ascertain the landing-place which had been pointed out by one of the guides. About five p.m. tlie party returned, and re[)orted that the plain pointed out appeared a favourable spot for landing at high water, and just above it the creek was strongly staked across. About three hundred yards further up the creek, there was a second row of stakes much stronger, and defended by a battery, from which the enemy opened a heavy but ill-directed fire upon the boats, from jingals and musketry. About half a mile up the creek, beyond the second row of stakes, the angle of the stockade was visible. Arrangements being made for landing the troops as early HISTORY OF THE IXDIAN NAVY. 431 in the morning as possible, to benefit by the flood tide, the distance from the vessels to the landing-place being about four miles, by half-past nine a.m., nearly the whole force was landed without opposition. I immodiatt'ly formed a column, of the strength specified in the margin,* with the view of attacking the enemy in flank, and driving him from the breastwork which defended the creek, to enable Captain Hardy to proceed up with gunboats, to remove the stakes, and to accompany the troops to the principal stockades, leaving Captahi Skardon with the reserve of about one hundred and eighty men, and the two brigades of guns, under Cai)tain Hull, to act in concert with Captain Hardy, as circumstances might render it necessary. The column of attack, I regret to say, was led by the guides in quite a difl'erent direction to the place I wished to carry, and had to suruiount obstacles never centemplated from the in- formation received. The gallantry of the party, however, overcame every difficulty which presented itself, and drove the enemy out from all his entrenched positions at the point of the bayonet, obliging him to take shelter in his usual place of resort — the jungle, from which a galling fire was kept up, until he was dislodged by our troops. It now being half-past throe p.m., the detachment, quite fatigued and exhausted for want of water, and finding that it was totally impracticable to advance by the road pointed out, the jungle being so very close as not to admit of a file of men abreast, and lined by the enemy, who had now opened a fire upon our rear, we were about five miles distant from our boats, without any possibility of connnunica- tion, and it appearing evident that we had been most treacher- ously deceived, it was deemed prudent and advisable to return to the boats, so as to arrive in sufficient time to recross the nullahs, which had so greatly impeded our advance. The enemy reoccupied every liill and plain as we quitted, and con- tinued firing on us from jiugals and matchlocks, until checked by the arrival of the reserve, when a few well-directed rounds from the 6-pounder field-pieces dislodged them from their lurking places, and eff"ectually silenced their fire, which enabled us to re-embark the whole force by six p.m. When every man composing the force did his duty, it is difficult to discriminate individual merit, but I should consider myself wanting in duty, were I not to bring to the noti;-e of his Hx- cellency the gallant conduct of Lieutenant rx'll. ot" the l«oml»ay European Regiment, commanding the Marines, and of Lieu- tenant Coxe, commanding the light coinpaiiy of my own regiment, who were conspicuously Ibrward on every occasion, showing an example to their men which did them honour and * Marines of the ' Hastings,' tliirtj ; seamen, sixty ; 40th Rogimont Native Infantry, three liundred and thirty, also six men of U.M'b. 51th Kogiment. Total four hundred and twenty six. 432 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. credit. To Captain Hardy, who commanded the naval part of the force, and who was engaged with the gunboats during my absence endeavouring to remove the stakes and force a passage of the creek to the enemy's breastwork, and whose officers and seamen exerted themselves to their utmost, my sincere and grateful thanks are due, as well as for his cordial co-operation and assistance on every occasion, wherever the public service required it." In this affair Mr. Graves, master's mate of the ' Hastings,' and five men were killed, and twent3^-two wounded,* of whom some died. Captain Hardy says, in his report to Commodore Hayes : — "The 'Henry Meriton ' has been detained to convey to you and General Morrison, the result of the operations against Ramree, which, I regret to say, have failed, from causes which Lieutenant-Colonel Hampton will more properly explain. I am happy to say the Lieutenant-Colonel speaks in high terms of the good conduct and bravery of our seamen and Marines ; and I beg to recommend all the officers under my command to the notice of Government as deserving every praise for their exertion and valour on ever}'- occasion. Previous to this attack with the military, we had, with a party of seamen and Marines, under Lieutenant Wyndham, several skirmishes with the enemy, and had succeeded in defeating them in two sepa- rate attacks, and in taking and burning two of their villages, strongly defended by five hundred men sent from Ramree for the purpose. I reconnoitred the creek under a smart fire, and gave the Lieutenant-Colonel the result of all my observations, and also every professional information connected with the service. Enclosed is a return of our killed and wounded ; our boats suffered from the enemy's shot. I further beg to acquaint you, that the ships and vessels under ray orders at Cheduba, have been actively employed on the enemy's coasts and pos- sessions since I took command. " The cutter ' Matchless ' is now going into Chebuda Creek, to undergo repairs and caulking, after which I intend examin- ing Chandwah, and some of the creeks on the eastern side of Ramree Channel, that are said to lead into the L-rawaddy, unless called up to Arracan. By this opportunity I have the pleasure to forward to you a plan of Ramree creek, channel, and harbour, as surveyed by my orders by Lieutenants Wynd- ham and Harrison, assisted by Mr. Carless,t master's mate of this ship, and beg to recommend those officers to your con- sideration, as deserving notice." Throughout the Burmese War a flotilla of gunboats was * Among the casualties were two soldiers of H.M's. 54tli Regiment, who had volunteered their services, together witli five comrades embarked, for the benefit of their health, on board the Hon. Company's armed cutter ' Matchless,' then commanded by the famous Lieutenant Waghorn. t Tlie late distinguished surveyor, Commodore Carless, I.N. HISTORY OF THE INDIAX NAVY. 433 employed in Assam, assisting, where practicable, the column under the command of Brigadier Richards, and was of essential aid in the operations. An opportnnit}^ of earning distinction was afforded to one of the Company's cruisers, which was turned to advantage. On the 3rd of June, 1824, as the 'Vestal,' 10-gun brig, commanded by Lieutenant James W. Guy, brother of the surveyor, was nnder weigh near the island of Shahporee, at the mou'th of the Naaf river, accompanied by two gunboats, under ]\Ii(lshii)men Laughton andBoye,of the Bombay Marine, a fleet of one hundred Burmese war-boats, all armed with guns and filled with men, hove in sight. The enemy's boats, owing to their overwhelm- ing force, were so confident of success, that they hailed the little cruiser, and demanded her stu-render and that of the gunboats. The reply to this request was volleys of grape and canister, and, after a sharp action, the Burmese were glad to make their escape, having sustained a loss of fourteen war- boats and one hundred and fifty men. The following is Lieutenant Guy's report: — " Shortly after I weighed anchor and stood down the river, I saw about one hundred war-boats drawn out in aline ofl'Mungdoo Creek. On our nearer approach a canoe was despatched, with five hands in her, ordering me to surrender the vessel or they would take her by force, and kill every man on board. This message I answered by a broadside from my great guns. They kept uj) a smart fire for about ten minutes, then retreated into Mungdoo Creek ; the two gun-boats, under ]\lessrs. Laughton and l^oye, chased them upon this, and poured in several well-directed showers of grape and canister, which did great execution ; they then returned, after having taken four prisoners from tin- above-mentioned canoe. " I then tacked and stood towards Shahporee island, under which several boats lay. They endeavoured to escai)e, but finding themselves cut off by the gunboats, they ran their boats on shore and fled into the jungle, but not before numbers were destroyed by the volleys of grape poured into them from the gunboats. The rest of the boats having escaj)ed, 1 stootl for the new stockade, fired a broadside into it whilst passing, then ran down and anchored off the south-eastern point of Shah- poree Island for the night. I should imagine about twelve or fourteen boats were destroyed, as I observed them floating out of Mungdoo Creek after the attack, completely shattered by t In- great guns. I also beg leave to rejjort the great zeal and activity evinced by the officers on board the vessel, as also the high-sf)irited conduct of Messrs. Laughton and Boyt-, each commanding a gunboat." The Governor-General says, in his despatch of the 14tli of July, to the Secret Committee : — "The enemy were completely YOL. I. F F 434 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. foiled, and received a severe and memorable chastisement from the ' Vestal' and her gunboats, whose fire destroyed several of their war-boats in the Naaf, and committed terrible havoc among the crews and the troops who lined either shore, expecting to find the vessels an easy prey. The cruiser and gunboats immediately after made sail for Chittagong, where they arrived in safety on the 7th ultimo." We will now detail the services rendered by that portion of the Bombay Marine, which assisted in the operations on the south-east frontier and in Arracan, conducted by Brigadier- General Morrison, C.B., of the 44th Regiment, an officer who had greatly distinguished himself during the war in Upper Canada. The naval force, which was placed by the Supreme GoA^ernment, under the command of Commodore John Hayes, who, notwithstanding his age, relinquished his comfortable post of Master-Attendant at Calcutta to proceed on active service, consisted of the following ships and gunboats: — The ' Vestal,' ten gun brig ; the surveying ships, ' Research' and ' Investigator,' fitted with ten guns ; the six gun brigs ' Helen,' ' Henry Meriton,' ' Planet,' ' Sophia,' and ' Asseerghur ;' the 'Trusty,' ketch, six guns, and steam-gun-vessel 'Pluto,' six guns ; ten pinnaces, each carrying two guns, and eight divisions of gunboats — each of ten gunboats, carrying a 12-pounder carronade — besides transports and country boats. In addition to their crews, the vessels and boats carried a flotilla Marine, about six hundred strong. A portion of General Morrison's force* proceeded in Jamiary, 1825, to Coxe's Bazaar, Avhere the flotilla under Commodore Hayes also rendezvoused. A detachment made the four marches from Coxe's Bazaar to the grand estuary of the Naaf,t and the heavy Artillery and the greater portion of the Infantry were conveyed thither by the flotilla. A delay arose in the arrival of the latter, due to a heavy gale of wind which it encountered, when some of the native boats and gunboats were stranded, and one officer and some men were drowned. The force continued in camp at Tek Naaf until the 31st of January, 1825, just a month from the period of quitting Chittagong. Before * General Morrison's force consisted of the 1st, 2nd, and 5th Brigades of the British Army, with Brigadier-General McBean (second in command), and Brigadiers W. Richards (26th Native Infantry), C. Grant, C.B., (54th Regiment), and Fair (10th Madras Native Infantry). The troops consisted of H.M's. 44th and 54th Regiments ; the 2Gth, 42nd, 62nd, and 49th Bengal Native Infantry ; the 10th and 16th Madras Native Infantry ; Bengal Artillery, eight 9-ponnder9, four 12-pounders, four 5-iuch howitzers; Madras Artillery, fovu- 9-pounders; also six companies of Pioneers ; levy of Mugh Pioneers ; 1st and 2nd Light In- fantry Battalion, and 2nd Regiment Local Horse. The total of effective fighting men numbered nine thousand three hundred and forty-three. t The Estuary of the Naaf, some three miles broad, separates the province of Chittagong from the Kingdom of Arracan ; across this inlet were situated the extensive stockades of Mungdoo, the first An-ucan post, at which it was supposed the enemy would make a stand. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 435 tins date the troops on board the ships and vessels had arrived, also those which had followed by land, except the 42nd Native Infantry. On the evening of the ]st of February, appeared a Divisional Order for the following troops to hold themselves in readiness to cross the estuary: — H.M.'s 54th Foot, one hundred men of H.M.'s 44th, the 2(jih and G2nd Bengal Native Infantry, 10th ]\Iadras Native Infantry, two companies of JMugh Light Infantry, four companies of Pioneers, and the Bengal field battery of guns. This force was divided into two divisions ; the first, under General Morrison, was to proceed to the Mungdoo creek and storm the stockades, whilst the other, under lirigadier- General McBean, was to land lower down and intercept the fugitives, or act as circumstances might render necessary. The embarkation commenced at five o'clock in the morning, and by eight the troops were all on board the boats, and the artillery on the rafts in tow of the ' Pluto' steamer. On the British force effecting a landing on the opposite shore of the estuary of the Naaf, the Burmese, acting on the well- known Hudibrastic maxim, beat a hasty retreat over the mountains, leaving the invaders to take undisputed possession of their stockades of Mungdoo. Here were found a great quantity of grain, several war-boats, one about ninety feet long, and a small ship on the stocks. A considerable force was sent in pursuit of the flying I'urmese through the forests, but without avail. After a halt of many days at Mungdoo, General Morrison pushed on through dense forests and grass plains, or by the sea-shore, to the Myoo river near its embouchure, where it is some three or four mik-s broad. Commodore Hayes, commanding the flotilla, left ^lungdoo on the Ibtli of February, having arranged with General Morrison that he was to take on the major ],)art of the fleet, including half the gunboats, to the Arracan river, with (ieneral Midican and Brigadier Fair's brigade, consisting of H.M.'s 54th, the Madras 10th Native Infantry, and left wing of the Kith Native infantry. The Commodore also directed Captain Crawford, with the other half of the gunboats and Mugh boats, to proceed to the Arracan river, for the purpose 'of joining General Morrison, who was proceeding to its entrance with tlie main body of tiie army. On the morning of the 17th, the Connnodore cleared the Naaf to join the transport ships destined to convey the above- mentioned advance brigade to Arracan, but, at one i).m.. a violent storm commenced from the northward, which rageii round the compass until tlie morning of the llUh, and prevented the embarkation of the troops in ipiestion. Commodore Hayes, before quitting Mungdoo, had despached, on the lOth instant, a small squadron of vessels,* under comn);ind of Lieutenant * ' Asseerghur,' ' Pluto,' ' Tbumes,' und * Africa ' gunboats. FF 2 43(5 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Armstrong, of the Bombay Marine, to ex])lorc the entrances of the Myoo and Arracan rivers, in communication with General Morrison; and, feeling anxious for their safety, he proceeded in quest of them, with the 'Research,' 'Vestal,' 'Helen,' 'Trusty,' 'Osprey,'and 'Gunga Saugor,' two transports, and five commissariat sloops, leaving Captain Crawford to follow ^vith the gunboats. On the 21st he was joined to the eastward of the Myoo, by Lieutenant Armstrong, wdio reported as follows, in a letter dated the 21st of February, 1825:— "I proceeded with the vessels to the supposed latitude of Mosque Point (20*' 14'), and finding the entrance of a river, which, from the correctest information we possessed, led me to believe it to be the Arracan river, I entered, crossing over a bar one and three-quarters and two fathoms low water, and after a slight survey, discovered a stockade that might give annoyance to the vessels in passing. I landed with Lieutenant Coote, a detachment of H.M.'s 54th Eegiment, a party of the Bombay IMarine Battalion, and the European crew of the ' Pluto ' On perceiving us, the enemy fled; it was situated in a strong position, being on a point with a jungle in the rear. On the IGth, the spies belonging to the Quartermaster-General's department, being closely pursued by the Burmese, were obliged to retreat to the vessels. They informed us we were in the Miou River, on which information I proceeded to the south-eastward in quest of the Arracan river, which we entered on the same night. On examining the river, the pilot I had obtained informed me of a new stockade commanding the channel, about eight miles from the entrance, to which we proceeded with the ' Asseerghur,' ' Pluto,' and gunboats. After firing a few shots we landed, and found it deserted. It was not quite finished, in a very strong position, and had the day before been garrisoned by five hundred men, and had employed the villagers around two hundred days to build it. It is 100 yards square, and full of barracks, the whole of which we burnt (named by the natives Patinga). On the 20th, the spies gave me information that the Governor of Arracan, with one hundred war-boats and two thousand men, was coming down the river to attack us that night. I moved out into the centre of the river, and kept the people under arms all night. This morning, hearing guns in the ofiing, I proceeded out to join the fleet. ]\Iosque Point is situated in latitude 20'' 5' 40" north, being nine miles to the south of the situation given by the " East India Directory" (which is 20*^ 15' north) about east-south-east from the Miou River. Lieutenant Armstrong reported to the Commodore that the people were much alarmed, and insisted on being taken off, and as it was requisite to give them immediate support and protection for the general good of the Service, Connnodore HISTORY OF THE IXDIAX XAVV. 437 Hayes dctcrmiiicJ to proceed into the Arnican river without loss of time, and, accordingly, entered it tlie same evening with the vessels above-mentioned. On the 22nd, the Commodore was joined by a ^loonshee, employed by Captain Drummond to procure intelligence of the enemy's proceedings, who inlbruied liim there was a stockade halfway to Arracan, called Chamballa, or Keinig-peela, erected by tlie Burmese to defend the water approach to the capital ; that it contained only one thousand Burmese fighting men, and would easily fall if speedily attacked; that the principal Mugh chieftains were confined in the stockade, as pledges for the fidelity and good behaviour of the inhabitants, and that if liberated, all the country would make cunnnon cause with the British, thus greatly facilitating military operations. Believing this niformation to be correct, the Commodore determined, with the small means at his command, to attempt the capture of the place, and despatched a messenger to General Morrison with an intimation to that effect. Accordingly, on the 23rd, he stootl up the Proine Pura Khione, or branch leading from the Oratung River to Arracan, with a squadron* consisting of the 'Research,' commamk-d by Lieutenant Armstrong, during the absence of Captain Crawlbnl with the gunboats; 'Vestal,' Lieutenant Guy; ' Asseerghur,' ' Helen,' ' Trusty,' ' Pluto ;' and the gunboats ' Asia,' * Os|irey, 'Thames,' ' Gunga Saugor,' and 'Africa.' There were also embarked in two transj)()rts, a detachment of the o-lth Regiment, and details of Native Infantry. At two p.m. they came in sighl of ihe enemy's works at Chamballa, which inunedialuiy ojicned a heavy lire U})(in the * Tho following was tlie military and naval force present in this alfair. of wliich all were not, iiowever, engaged : — Tho Hon. Company's sliip ' Kescarcli,' ten 12-pouii(lers, Cominodore llajes, Lieutenant Armstrong, Aeting-Coniinander, in tlio absence of C'a])tain Crawford. Hon. Company's cruiser ' Vestal,' six 1:J- pounder earronades, four brass long 18-poundei-s, commanded by Lieutenant J. W. G-uy. Hon. Company's brigs ' Assecrgliur,' six brass G-pounders, two Im- pounder carronades, W. Warden commanding ; and ' Helen,' six bni-is G-pounders, J. W. Higgins commanding; Hon. Com[)any's ketcli, 'Trusts,' six brass 3-j)oundcrs, J. Koycc commanding; Jlon. Company's steam gun vessel ' I'lulo,' four brass 21i-poun(lcr carronades, two brass long G-poundcrs (not in action), T. C. Minchall commaniling ; Hon. Company's gun pinnace ' Osprey,' two 12- pounder carronatles, Mr. Oakshot, gunner, in cliarge ; Hon. Company's gun- boats ' Gunga Saugor,' one 12-pounder carronade, Charles Montriou, .Master's Mate of tiio ' Itcscareli,' in charge; 'Thames,' two 2l-i)oundcr carronades, Richard Kent commandimg ; ' Africa,' one l^-pounder carron.ade, C. K. Ricliurd- 8on, third olllc'cr of tlie ' Research,' in charge ; and '.Asia,' one 12-poimder car- ronade, Charles .Vvcry, Boatswain's Mate of the ' Kcsc;irch,' in charge. Alsti the Hon. Company's transjxirts 'Asia Felix,' S. Jellicoc, commander; and ' Isabella,' F. McNeil, commander. The troops consisted of: — Detachment H.M's. 5 1th Regiment, under Captain Grindlcy, forty; detaohnieiits of llHli and IGth Madras Native Infantry, Captain Tolson, connnanding, one luindred and seventy ; Marines in tho llotilla, one humlrcd ; Calcutta Militia, twelve ; and lltii liombay Native Infantry, eighteen. These, together with the seamen in the dillercnt vessels, one iiundrcd and forty men, made a total strength of four hundretl and eighty-eight soldiers and seamen. 438 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. ' Gunga Saugor,' and ' Vestal,' the headmost vessels. The ' Research,' with the Commodore on board, was soon within half-pistol shot, and commenced a heavy cannonade and fire of musketry upon the stockade and breastwork, which was returned by the enemy with great regularity and spirit. On ranging to the northern end of the stockade, with intent to anchor and flank it, as well as to allow the other vessels to come into action, the Commodore found his ship raked from forward by another stronger battery and stockade, of which he had no previous information, and the strength of the enemy was greater than had been anticipated, amounting, as was subsequently ascertained, to three thousand men, commanded by the son of the Rajah of Arracan, and other chiefs of rank. After a severe engagement of two hours' duration, the tide beginning to fall. Commodore Hayes was obliged to wear round and drop down the river. The ' Research,' ' Asseerghur,' 'Asia Felix,' and 'Isabella,' took the ground, and remained fast for several hours near the batteries ; but the enemy made no attempt to fire at or molest them. The loss in this attack was severe. Amongst the killed were Mr. Rogers, second officer of the • Research,' and Majqr^chalch, a distinguished officer of the Company's service, commanding an extra pioneer and pontoon corps attached to the army, who was on board the 'Research' for the recovery of his health. He was struck while standing on the poop by a musket ball in his breast, and died on the morning of the 25th. He was an officer, says Horace Hayman Wilson, " of high scientific attainments, as much admired for his talents as for the amiability of his dis- position." On receiving his wound, he fell into the arms of the Commodore, exclaiming, " I am a dead man," but lingered for two days in excruciating pain, imploring the bystanders to shoot him through the head, and put an end to his sufferings. " The old Commodore," writes Captain Bellew, of the staff, describing this hot day's work, " was a genuine ' heart of oak,' as brave as a lion, time not having reduced the temperature of his blood much below the boiling point." In this action two officers and four men were killed, and thirty-two wounded, of whom five died. The Commodore* attributed his failure to the unexpected number and strength of the stockades, regarding which he had been deceived, his information inducing him to understand there was only one ; also to the tide falling in the course of the engagement, and the breadth of water diminishing in consequence, the vessels were cramped for room to manoeuvre, which resulted in some running aground. * The following is Commodore Haves ofScial letter of the 25th of February, detailing the action at Chumballa : — '• On the 23rd, at two p.m., came in sight of the stockade (as it was called HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 430 In concluding his report of the action to the Governor- General, Commodore Hayes says : — " I iiave to bring to your erroneously). At three p.m. made the signal No. 1. Soon afterwards the enemv opened liis fire upon the gunboats, ' Gunga Saugor' and 'Vestal,' the headmost vessels; when the 'Research' got within half-pistol shot, we commenced alieavv cannonade and steady lire of musketry upon tlie stockade and breastwork, wliich ■was returned by the enemy with great regularity and spirit (his musketry in par- ticular being tenfold that of our whole force). On ranging to the northern end of tlie stockade witli intent to anchor and Hank it, as well as to allow the other vessels room to come into action, we found ourselves raked from forward by another stronger battery and stockade, which we had no idea of, nor were the latter works known to our informants, whicii may be the case, considering the rapidity witli wiiicli the Burmese throw up their works of defence. I am not inclined to impute treachery to our informants, although it is dillieult to suppose them ignorant of sucii nnportant works. Finding myself disappointed, aiul our best men falling fast, wore round and ranged up again from tlie southward, in like manner as before covered the otiier vessels engaged, and ordered them otJ', after a severe conflict of two hours' duration. Seeing tliat any further contest was a useless waste of the lives of my brave companions (as we neither had men enough to keep the place if taken, nor sullicient means to land them with efl'ect, owing to the absence of the 'Pluto' steam gun-vessel, upon which I liad calcu- lated upon landing one hundred men on the beach, under her commanding battery), having seen the whole clear, wore round again. On hauling to the wind, grounded about lialf-a-mile from tlie stockade, as did the ' Asseerghur ' and ' Asia Felix ' transport, tlie ' Isabella ' transport liaving grounded previously did not join in the action. The contest terminated about five p.m., and altliough the vessels mentioned remained in the position, they grounded until three a.m. next morning. The enemy did not attempt to fire at any of thcin, which sliows the crippled state he was reduced to better than any other comment ; in fact, the river part of the stockade and breastwork was completely battered down, and the ■works deserted by the enemy, who retreated into liis other stronger liold, so that our possession of tlie deserted one would have availed us notliing, as we could not have maintained it with our small force, and left the vessels capable of defence. I grieve to state, in the first mstance, the premature fate of my valued friend, Major Schaleh, who was mortally wounded by my side on the front part of the poop, and fell into my arms ; he lingered in great agony until half- past three this morning, when his gallant spirit fled for ever. In the next place, 1 liave to lament the loss of ilr. Rogers, second officer of tlie ' Research ;' tlie other lamented disasters are detailed in the casualty reports, licrewith submitted for his Excellency's information, the whole of wiiich were occasioned by the enemy's musketry, althougli he fired from several pieces of ordnance and numerous jingals. To account for our loss, I need only add that the river part of tlie Burmese works is not more than musket range across, aud that the ' Researcli ' was never without pistol shot while in action with the enemy on the 'Sird instant. "I am impelled by a sense of comnujii justice due to the troops, to express my admiration of the steady and gallant eoiiihut of H..M"s. 5 Itli, the .Matlra.s details of the lUth and IGlh JN'ative Infantry, the lltli Bombay Native Infantry, and Calcutta Militia present on this occasion ; anil I hunibiy prosume to recommend Captains Grindley and Tolson, and the oHlcers under their command, to liis Excellency's consideration. Lieutenant Coote, of lI.M's. olth, fought by my side, and a more gallant otiieer 1 have never seen in action. The gunboats were admirably served and exceeded my expectation, aa did the ' Trusty ' and ' A.^ia Felix ' transport. All the oOicers and men of the larger vessels of war did justice to the higli character I had jireviously formed of them, and every elTort whicli can be drawn from courage, zeal, and ability, may be confidently oxpoetcil from the whole on the most arduous service hereafler. >' i> y_ — While writing the above di^a.strous report, I was visited by Xflmrne, the Jemadar of Oratuiig district, who says lie made his escape from Cliamballa when we drove the enemy out of the soutlicru stockade; he adtled that wviTnl more Mugh heads of villages got oil' at the same time, that there were three 440 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY, Excellency's particular notice the very gallant conduct of the following officers— viz., Mr. Royce, commanding the ' Trusty,' and Captain Jellicoe, of the ' Asia Felix ' transport, who remained with their vessels off Chamballa a considerable time. I am the more indebted to Captain Jellicoe than any other person, as I had no reasonable pretension to expect such assistance from him. With regard to Mr. Royce, the case is different. I expected much able aid from him, in consequence of his established character for undaunted courage and zeal in the service. Mr. Kent, commanding the ' Thames,' first-class gun- boat, greatly distinguished himself, as did Mr. Charles Ramsay Richardson, of the ' Hastings,' in the ' Africa ;' Mr. Charles Montriou,* in the ' Gmiga Saugor;' Charles Avery, of the ' Asia,' gunboat, and Mr. Oakshot, in charge of the ' Osprey,' gun-pinnace; the whole of the crews of vessels just men- tioned are equally entitled to the most favourable notice of his Excellency. In consequence of the loss of the second officer of the flag-ship, I have been enabled to promote Messrs. Richardson and Montriou to the situations of second and third officers of the Hon. Company's ship ' Research,' as a just reward for their gallant conduct on the occasion in question, and trust such proceeding will meet his Excellency's approbation." After several routes for the march on Arracan had been dis- cussed, it was at last determined that the array — except the portion, including the 54th Regiment, on board the vessels in the Oratung, — should proceed in the gunboats and other craft from My 00 Mooa to the plains on the left bank of the Arracan River. Accordingly, on the 4th of March, the General and Staff embarked, and, leading the way in the ' Osprey,' pinnace, crossed the broad waters of the Myoo, and entered the xA.rracan river near the Oratung Pagoda, a large Buddhist temple, which occupies the sumuiit of an eminence, and is visible at some distance from the coast ; on the arrival of the troops it was tliousand Burmese soldiers opposed to us, besides pressed Mughmen, and that thej retreated into the stronger fort or stockade. He further observed that the tliree stockades communicated with each other for such purpose ; by his account there were five Shoee Tees, or Grolden Chattahs, Nackooada, the Ramoo con- queror, the Rajah of Arracan's son, and other inferior chiefs. All the Mungdoo and Loodhong troops were posted therein to retrieve their lost cliaracter, and tlie Commander of Mungdoo was in triple irons. He earnestly entreated that we would not leave them to the rage of the barbarous Burmese. I told him we were not going farther, that in two or tliree days we should return with a suiRcient force, and take Chamballa ; that I merely came to Oratung for water, &c., for tlie troops and vessels, wliich was indispensable for our fai-ther proceedings ; that if the vessels had been supplied, I would not have lost sight of Chamballa for a moment. We are now only four short reaches from it (none of three miles in extent), at the most commanding station of the river ; the creek close tons, to the westward, runs into the Miou, near the General's head-quarters ; we com- pletely cover the Arracan river, fi'om its entrance to this station, and alike intercept aU communication to the northward." * The late Captain Montriou, I.N., the distinguished surveyor. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 441 found that some of Commodore Ha^'^es' seamen had taken pos- session of the temple by hoisting the Union Jack on its highest point. A portion of the force was disembarked on the ishmd of Chankrain, opposite to which laj^ the Commodore's ship with the other cruisers and transports at anchor. On the 25th of March, the entire army, consisting of eight regiments, with artillery, was assembled at Kray Kingdong, a few miles distant, excepting the 5th, or Madras, Brigade, and the small column left at Chankrain. The naval portion of the force, under the command of Commodore Hayes, consisting of several pilot- vessels and armed brigs, ten pinnaces, and a large number of gunboats, performed good service during the succeeding opera- tions, and the seamen, who were landed to co-operate with the arm}% appeared to be inspired witli the zeal and enthusiasm of their gallant old chief. The following were the final arrangements for the co-opera- tion of the Marine in the advance upon the Burmese provincial capital of Arracan, made by Commodore Hayes in conjunction with General Morrison, and here we may note the perfect harmony with which the military and naval chiefs worked together throughout these oi)erations : — The 'Helen,' six guns, Mr. Higgins, and 'Trusty,' six guns, Mr. Royce, and half the 5th division of gunboats, were stationed at the southern part of Chamballa Reach, to support the troops left in possession of Chankrain Island, and even- tually to take possession of Chamballa stockades on the enemy's moving towards Arracan. The ' Sophia,' six-gun brig, with the other half of the 5th division of gunboats, was left to sup- port the detail of troops left at Kray Kingdong, and to protect the transports; the 8th division of gunboats, and'Fluto' steam vessel, six guns, were stationed under Captain Crawford, in advance with Brigadier Grant. The 1st and 7th divisions of gunboats, under Commodore Hayes' personal command, witii the 'Research' and ' Asseerghur,' and the transports, ' Isabella," ' Brougham,'' Goliath,' ' Jessy,' and four Commissariat sloops, with the guns, amunuiition, and provisions, were to proceed up the river, and form a junction with the army at Mahattie, near the capital. On entering the river, the Commodore received a despatch from Mr. Higgins, commanding the detachment of the flotilla in Chamballa Reach, stating that the enemy had evacuated the stockades, and that he had, agreeably to his order, occupied them, and awaited further instructions. In consequence, Commodore Hayes directed the 'Sophia" and gunboats at Kray Kingdong, immediately to join Mr. Higgins, and instructed the latter ofTicer to proceed with the whole detachment up the Chamballa Reach to Arracan, and cause a diversion in that quarter. In the direct road between the Briti.sh army and Arracan, 442 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. lay a low range of wooded hills, through which ran a narrow defile, called the Pass of Paduah ; this debouched near an open plain intersected by two or more rivers, and fronting the strongly fortified post of Mahattie. Here at Paduah resistance was expected, and the General determined to force the pass and advance on the capital without further delay. The whole of the troops were consequently divided, at Kray Kingdong, into four columns, and advanced on the morning of the 2(jth of March. The first column, under Brigadier Grant, was in- structed to force the right pass ; the second, under General ]\Iorrison, to attack the centre ; the third, commanded by Cap- tain Leslie, H.M.'s 54th Regiment, was ordered to proceed in the gunboats and turn the enemy's position and intercept their retreat ; the fourth column, under Brigadier Walker, 54th Regi- ment, was instructed to act as a reserve. Some sharp fighting took place with the enemy at the foot of the hills, and the troops, crossing the bed of the tidal river, finally took post behind some works, in a large open plain opposite Mahattie, designed by the Burmese as the great bulwark to defend the land route to the capital, as the stockades of Chamballa were to protect the water approach. Buddhist temples and other religious structures crowned the heights within the peninsula of Mahattie, the horse-shoe edge or outer line of which, was defended by trenches, embankments, and abattis. On the morning of the 27th of March, the whole force, in battle array, marched down to attack this position. After some sharp firing on both sides, the enemy were dislodged, and joined their comrades across the river. As the columns advanced, the Burmese opened a fire of cannon, musketry, and jingals, with little effect, which was returned by the British artillery, the flotilla, under Captain Crawford, participating with equal resolution and effect. Thus firing, the main body of the troops steadily moved up to the brink of the river, which separated them from the Burmese lines. In a short time General Morrison ordered Brigadier Colquhoun Grant to ford the river with his Brigade, and attack the right and rear of the enemy's position, which was done with alacrity, and soon the Burmese were in full flight. The Army remained at Mahattie two days to prepare for the move on Arracan, the defences of which were rumoured to be of a very formidable kind, both natural and artificial. Mean- while Commodore Hayes, with the 1st and 7th Divisions of gunboats and the larger vessels, finding that, owing to want of water, the latter could not approach within six miles of Mahattie, left the 'Research' and ' Asseerghur,' with a native crew, and one warrant officer in charge of each, and, proceeding in the gunboats ' Osprey' and ' Gunga Saugor,' effected a junc- tion with the army on the afternoon of the 28th. Having com- HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 443 miinicated with General Morrison, and ascertained that the gun- boats coukl not approach the capital within range of their guns, it was determined that the seamen and marines should land under his personal command, and act with the army, taking with them two 24-pounder carronades and the requisite ammunition. Accordingly, Commodore Hayes landed two 24- pounders, and put himself at the head of seventy flotilla seamen, besides officers and warrant officers, together with the crews of the gunboats present, amounting in all to two hundred and fifty European seamen. " We succeeded," he says in his despatch, " by great exertions in dragging the guns and carrying the shot and ammunition on the men's shoulders to the camps, where we arrived at seven p.m. on the 2*Jth ultimo, Captain Crawford being previously detached with the 8th division of gunboats to endeavour to approach Arracan by a channel between Mahattie and the Cbamballa Reach ; perhaps it is here necessary to observe that the gunboats brought up the mortars, howitzers, and two 24-pounder field guns, with all their requisites to Mahattie." The 31st of March was the day fixed for the march on Arracan. The troops quietly assembhjd some time before ilaybreuk, in the order laid clown by the Ceneral ; Brigadier-General ^IcPjean commanding the column. Commodore Hayes furnished from the flotilla the following details : — For the advance attack, under Brigadier Kichards, Lieutenant Armstrong, Mr. Howard, ]\lr. Montriou. ]\Ir. Keymer, two warrant ofiicers, and thirty seamen; for the supporting column, under Brigadier-General McBean, Captain Crawford, Mr. Warden, Acting-Lieutenant Richardson, Mr. Pruen— the late Captain Pruen, LN., who died in June, 1875— Mr. Jackson, four warrant officers, and forty seamen ; while he himself accom- panied the Commander-in-chief with the main body of the army. The column moved on over rough-ploughed ground until they reached a wide plain, when the curtain of fog and mist, which had hitherto enveloped the hills, rolled away, displaying the whole extent of the Burmese position, ibrmed im the scarped, and stockaded summits. " A more picturesque coup (Tixil" says Captain Bellew, "cannot be imagined. Above, the Burmese posts, and the dusky array of their defenders, the gleam of the gilded mnbrellas, and the white volumes of smoke emitted from the stockade and embrasure ; behnv, our splendid force, spreading across the plain, the bayonets of the infantry glistening in the rays of the morning sun, the pennons of the irregular horse gaily fluttering, and, to complete the picture, a body of blue jackets from the flotilla determined to share the fun, hauling along two ponderous carronades with the Union Jack floating over them." The moment the Burmese caught sight of the army, 444 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. debouching, they clieered lustily, and u gun opened fire from a lofty conical hill, on the extreme right of their defences, which stretched in an undulating line for a great distance ; it was replied to by the British guns, and soon the firing became general on both sides. Brigadier-General McBean, who com- manded the advance, halted on reaching a bank fringed with wood, near the further end of the valley, and close to a pass leading into a basin in which the town is situated ; from this pomt, which lay within gunshot, and was cannonaded by the Burmese, but with little effect, he detached a party, composed of European and Native troops, to storm a low hill flanking the mouth of the pass. This small force, which consisted of men of the 54th Foot and 1st Bengal Fusiliers, the whole led by Major Kemm, moved off to the point of attack, plunged into the woods at the base of the hill, and were soon seen emerging on the steep, scarped portion which rose above them ; but they were nnable to make any way, owing to the heavy fire of the enemy, and were forced to retire. Something like a check was also received in the pass, where Captain French, commanding the 10th Madras Regiment, was killed, and Captain Fitton, of the Pioneers, lost a leg. General Morrison, also, had a narrow escape, a ball having struck the scabbard of his sword, causing his horse to rear and throw him. After these mishaps a good deal of firing from the artillery and mortars was maintained on the Burmese lines, which caused several conflagrations and explosions of gunpowder; but it ceased after a few hours' duration, leaving the enemy still masters of their long line of scarped eminences. The force now encamped as far out of gunshot as possible, and further plans had to be considered for the reduction of the place. It was at length decided that Brigadier Richards, with a force of about one thousand men, including Lieutenant Arm- strong's party, from the ' Vestal,' should make a night attack on the conical fortified hill* on the extreme right, which formed the key to the enemy's position. At the same time, in order to divert the attention of the enemy from this point, a battery was constructed for four mortars, two 24-pounders, which the sea- men of the flotilla had landed and dragged with infinite labour to the front, and six smaller guns. "At half-past seven that evening," says the General, " ground was broke, by three o'clock the battery was finished, and before daylight completely armed, when the guns opened and continued during the day a heavy cannonade, which had the eS"ect of checking the enemy's fire, though it was not entirely silenced." At the hour fixed for the assault, all being hushed, the party * Tliis eminence was afterwards called Richards' Hill, from the Brigadier, who became General Sir William Richards, K.C.B., and died on the 1st of November, 1861, when he was the Senior Officer of the Bengal Aj-my. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN XAYY. 445 quietly paraded, and. led by Brigadier Richards, set out through the woods for the point of attack. The path the cohnnn took, was often very narrow and difficult of ascent, and, in one place, where there was a lake or sheet of water on one side, and a lofty precipice on the other, the troops could only advance by single file. But their gallantry was rewarded by complete success, and soon the fortified position was stormed, when they made the preconcerted signal, by firing one or more rockets. The whole of the troops then advanced, and the British flag floated over the defences of Arracan. The loss in these last aff"airs was about thirty killed and one hundred and twenty wounded, including six or seven otiicers. The entry of the army into Arracan caused a scene of great confusion. One quarter of the town took fire and was burnt to the ground, and there was some looting, though the plunderers were made to disgorge their booty in passing through a gate of the town leading to the camp. Colonel Bucke, with the Liglit Inftmtry Company of the 54th, and some of the Light Infantry Battalion, was sent in pursuit of the fugitives, but the detach- ment returned in a few days, and, having caught the jungle fever, died off nearly to a man. In his official despatch of the 2nd of April, General Morrison speaks of the services of the flotilla in the following terms : — '•Commodore Hayes has, on all occasions, rendered an aid the most effectual, and had it not been for the assistance afforded by the flotilla under his command, the arrival of the force before Arracan would have been almost impracticable. Every exertion was made by him to co-operate, and when insurmount- able obstacles prevented the further approach of the gunboats to the scene of action, he landed two 24-pounders, and, with the British seamen, dragged them and their appurtenances a distance of five miles to the encampment before Arracan, rendering them available for any service on which they could be usefully employed." Commodore Hayes, in his official report to the Military Secretary of the Commander-in-C'hief, dated Pondoo Brang Plains, Arracan, the 2nd of April, 1.S25, says of the officers and seamen under his command:— ''I have every reason to beproml of the gallantry and good conduct of every oflicer and man under my command with the Arracan Army. Lieutenant Armstong has invariably distinguished himself ever since the flotilla left Coxe's Bazaar." Soon after these operations, this gallant and zealous young oflicer died of fever brought on through over exertion. By' these successes, Arracan and (/'heduba, two of the four provinces of Arracan, were cleared of the enemy, and it only remained to dislodge them from the remaining divisions of Sandoway and Kanu'ee. xVccordingly, General ^IcBean and 446 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Coniinodore Hayes, havin;^ determined on a second attack upon the island of Raniree, a small force* was embarked in the flotilla, which weighed early in the morning of the 17th of April, and. being favoured with a fair breeze, anchored on the night of the 18th, within three miles of Cheduba roads. The squadron, having taken in a supply of water at Low island, proceeded to the entrance of Ramree creek, and, on the following morning, the troops were landed. The numerous rows of stakes the enemy had driven across the creek, presented so formidable and effectual an obstacle that the seamen were occupied two hours in clearing a passage for the small boats. General McBeanand the Commodore marched towards the town of Ramree with the advance, under the command of Captain Shelton, of the 44th Regiment— an oflScer who attained an unenviable notoriety as second in com- mand of the Army under General Elphinstone in Afifghanistan in 1841-42 — and the town was occupied without any opposi- tion.f Eight companies of the 40th Native Infantry, with a detachment of artillery from Cheduba, under the command of Major Murray, were left in the island, and General McBean and Commodore Hayes then proceeded upon other service. Of the latter officer the General writes : — " To Commodore Hayes I am most indebted for his hearty co-operation upon all occasions, and feel the I'ullest confidence from his able assistance." On the 28th of April, the military and naval chiefs arrived at the entrance of the Sandoway River, up which the boats, with troops on board, rowed about eight miles, Commodore Hayes leading, until, at dusk, they came upon a stockaded entrenchment; the enemy had also constructed breastworks in commanding points, and had staked the river below the entrenchment, but left a space sufficently wide for the boats to pass. The troops were landed for the night, but were re-embarked early the next morning, and the whole force was in progress up the river at four o'clock. No opposition was made to their passage, and, soon after seven, the stockades at Sandoway were in their pos- session. After destroying the works the troops were re- embarked, and the boats returned to the ships at the entrance of the river. General McBean, in concluding his despatch, adds :— "I * Four 6-pounders, two 5j-inch howitzers, and two S^-incli mortars; four companies each of H.M's. 44th and 54th Regiments ; and eight companies each of the 40th Bengal Native Infantry and 16th Madras Native Infantry. t " The road," says the General in his despatch, " had to appearance lately been made, and was commanded in every part by fortified heights and well-con- structed entrenchments. The creek is practicable for boats to the town at high water, distance from its entrance about seven miles — by land, from the great entrenchment, considerably less. The enemy, to protect him against a landing by the creek, had thrown up a long line of entrenchments upon the bank, con- structed with great judgment, and made particularly strong by the numerous traverses placed in all directions. The defences of the town consist in a stockade of considerable extent and some strength, situated about the centre of it, this being protected by several forts upon hills, and one of them completely com- manding the road by which you approach." HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 447 have to repeat how much I owe to Commodore Hayes, and ray admiration in him of the good effects of a zealous and animated example for enterprises." The occupation of the entire province of Arracan, fulfilled one important object of the war, and afforded a valuable diversion in favour of the march on Ava; but it was not found practicable to carry out the cliief object, that of effecting a junction, across the mountains, with Sir Archibald Campbell's Army. Several reconnaissances were made with the view of proving the practicability of such a march, but without avail. But though the success that rewarded the forces operating in this portion of the Burmese Empire was complete, and gave the British undisputed possession of the province, the Burmese were avenged by the terrible losses their victors incurred while occupying their provincial capital of Arracan and other points. The malaria engendered in these fetid swamps and gloomy forests swept off the officers and men of the army and flotilla in hundreds, and of those who returned to India and p]ngland, few escaped without carrying away with them the seeds of the fatal "Arracan fever." We will now resume the history of the campaign of the main, or Ava, portion of the Expedition, under the command of Sir Archibald Campbell, so far as relates to the services of the Bombay Marine, taking up the thread of the narrative from the month of November, 1824. On the 7th of that month, Lieutenant Greer, connnanding the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Thetis,' while proceeding from Elephant Point to Rangoon, with a guard of only six marines, greatly distinguished himself by beating off two large Burmese boats, each carrying between thirty and forty armed men, every one of whom were killed, several falling by his sword and pistol. Lieutenant Greer says in his report to Sir Archi- bald Campbell, dated the 14th of Novemlti'r : — " I have the honour to report that, on Saturday, the 7th instant, at eleven a.m., I left the ship in a row-boat, with a guanl of six Sepoys of the Bombay ]\Iarine Battalion, for the purpose of waiting on the Senior Officer at Rangoon. Abreast of a small creek, a little below Bassein creek, six war-boats pulled out and stood lip close along till abreast of Bassein creek, when eight more boats of the same description joined them ; they then came out and endeavoured to cut us olF by pulling acn)ss the river, ahead of the row-boat. I kept up a constant fire from the 12- pounder and musketry until two of the boats came alongside, when 1 immediately jumj)cd on board of them with the Sepoys, and succeeded in bayoneting every man ; in one of the boats there appeared to be a chief, whom I shot in the act of darting a spear at me. The other twelve boats were coming close up, but, seeing the fate of the two, made off towards the shore. 448 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. upon wliich 1 kept up a smart fire while witliin range. I am sorr^^ to state that during the action one Sepoy and one row-boat man were severely wounded, the former in two places. In each of these boats were from thirty to forty men. I cannot conclude this Report without recommending strongly to your notice, the gallant conduct of the Sepoys of the Bombay Marine Battalion in leaping into the enemy's boats, and for the destruc- tive and well-directed fire they kept up on the approach of the enem}^ whereby great numbers were either killed or wounded before they came alongside. The conduct of the row-boat men deserves every praise." Stimulated by the encouragement and example of Lieutenant Greer, the conduct of these Native boatmen affords a striking contrast to that always attributed to them in previous actions, where they could not be got to face the enemy. Lieutenant Marshall, R.N., speaks as follows of one of the con- sequences of this affair, on w'hich. however, we will make no comment : •' The bold and determined conduct of Mr. Greer, was duly appreciated by Sir Archibald Campbell and Captain Chads, who were well aware that the capture of even a single boat would have been a source of the highest exultation to the Burmese, and emboldened them to give further annoyance on the river. Unfortunately, the seeds of jealousy respecting the command of the Hon. Company's naval force in Ava had pre- viously been sown in Calcutta ; and Mr. Greer's gallant exploit was followed by a painful correspondence, in the course of which, however, Captain Chads most firmly and successfully supported the dignity of His Majesty's service." It was right that the senior naval oflBcer should be jealous of the dignity of the Royal Service, which, however, was never assailed ; but the honour of the Company's Naval Service was equally dear to its officers, and was guarded by the authorities at Calcutta, who, probably, had not forgotten the still more " painful correspondence" that took place during the Java Expedition, when Commodore Hayes vindicated the honour of his Service and received the support of the Governor-General. During the month of November, owing to the improvement in the weather, the health of the British forces improved, and preparations were pushed on for the advance into Ava; mean- time the Burmese had not been idle. The " golden-footed " monarch had recalled from Arracan, Maha Bimdoola, a general of undoubted capacity and resource, who had long before, at Ramoo, inflicted a disaster upon a small British force. Bun- doola had concentrated his legions at Donabew, and, before the end of November, arrived before Rangoon with an army of sixty thousand men, of whom thirty-five thousand were musketeers, with a considerable train of artillery and a body of seven hundred Cassay horse ; this vast army,- a portion of HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 449 which arrogated to itself the title of " Invulnerables," was animated with a resolve speedily to end the war by driving the small British force into the sea. Sir Archibald Campbell, however, calmly awaited his antagonist, and, before the 1st of December, had constructed redoubts and other defences, in which his small force was distributed to the best advantage, while a cohmin w^as held in readiness for moving to the support of any menaced point or for attacking the enemy. The ad- vanced post at Kennnendine, some three miles from Rangoon, which was occupied by the 26th Madras Native Infantry and a detachment of the Madras European Regiment, under the command of Major Yates, was supported on the river by the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Teignmouth,' Captain (jruodridge, wiiich had thus the post of honour, and some gunboats. " This post,'" says Major Snodgrass, " was of great importance in preventing the enemy from attacking Rangoon by water, or launching from a convenient distance the ninnerous formidable fire-rafts he had prepared for the destruction of our shipping." Commander Ryves, the senior naval officer in the temporary absence of Captain Chads, placed the ' Arachne' about one and a-half miles in advance of the shipping at Rangoon to enfilade the Madras lines. The grand attack of Bundoola's army, which had approached to the very edge of the jungle within musket-shot of the Great Pagoda, was delivered on the 1st of December, the first efforts being directed against the British advanced post at Kennnen- dine. Major Snodgrass says : — " The day had scarcely dawned when hostilities commenced with a heavy fire of musketry and cannon at Keramendine, the reduction of that place being a preliminary to any general attack upon our line. The fire continued long and animated ; and from our commanding situation at the Great Pagoda, though nearly two miles distant from the scene of action, we could distinctly hear the yells and shouts of the infuriated assailants, oi;casionally returned by the hearty cheer of the British seamen, as they poured in their heavy broadsides upon the resolute and persevering masses. The thick forest which separated us from the river, prevented our seeing what was going forward ; and when the firing ceased, we remained for some time in some anxiety, though in little doubt as to the result of the long and spirited assault. At length, however. the thick canopy of smoke which lowered over the lierce and sanguinary conflict, gradually dissolving, we had the pleasure of seeing the masts of our vessels lyini'- at their old station off the fort, a convincing proof that all had ended well on our side." The military liistorian then desciihes tlie rdillict that raged on this eventful day before Rangoon,— the bkill witii which the VOL. I. I' <-' 450 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA\"Y. Burmese soldiers entrenched themselves, and the signal gal- lantry with which the 13th Light Infantry and 18th Madras Native Infantry, under that fine soldier. Major Robert Sale, drove them out of their cover and destroyed their arms and entrenching tools. Major Snodgrass continues : — " During the day repeated attacks on Kemmendine had been made and repulsed, but it was not until darkness set in that the last desperate effort of the day was made to gain possession of that post. Already the wearied soldiers had lain down to rest, ^vhen suddenly the heavens and the whole surrounding country became brilliantly illuminated by the flames of several tre- mendous fire-rafts floating down the river tow^ards Rangoon ; and scarcely had the blaze appeared, when incessant rolls of musketry and peals of cannon w^re heard from Kemmendine. The enemy had launched their fire-rafts into the stream with the first of the ebb tide, in the hope of driving the vessels from their stations off the place ; and they were followed up by war- boats ready to take advantage of the confusion which might ensue should any of them be set on fire. The skill and in- trepidity of British seamen, however, proved more than a match for the numbers and devices of the enemy ; entering their boats they grappled the flaming rafts, and conducted them past the shipping, or ran them ashore upon the bank. On the land side the enemy were equally unsuccessful, being again repulsed with heavy loss, in the most resolute attempt they had yet made to reach the interior of the fort. The fire-rafts were, upon examination, found to be ingeniously contrived, and formidably constructed, made wholly of bamboos firmly wrought together, between every two or three rows of which a line of earthen jars of considerable size, filled with petroleum or earth-oil and cotton, was secured ; other inflammable in- gredients were also distributed in different parts of the raft, and the almost unextinguishable fierceness of the flames pro- ceeding from them can scarcely be imagined. Many of them Avere considerably upwards of 100 feet in length, and were divided into many pieces attached to each other by means of long hinges, so arranged, that when they caught upon the cable or bow of any ship, the force of the current would carry the ends of the raft completely round her and envelope her in flames from the deck to her main top-masthead, with scarcely a possibility of extricating herself from the devouring element. With possession of Kemmendine, the enemy could have launched these rafts into the stream, from a point where they must have reached our shipping in the crowded harbour; but while we retained that post, they were obliged to despatch them from above it, and the setting of the current carried them, after passing the vessels at the station, upon a projecting point of land, where they almost invariably grounded ; and HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 451 this circumstance, no doubt, much increased Bundoola's anxiety to drive us from so important a position." On the night of the 30th of November, and again during the night of the 1st of December, the ' Teignmouth ' had been driven from her position off Kemmendine b}^ fire-rafts, when she dropped down below the point, to return to hcv station again, on the first occasion to participate in the furious fighting of the 1st of December, and again, on the following morning, when, says Captain Chads, " she was constantly engaged with the enemy's war-boats, which had long guns in their bows and annoyed her a great deal." Captain Chads returned to Rangoon on this day, and ordered the ' Arachne's ' pinnace, under Lieutenant Kellett, and three more gunboats, under Mr. Midshipman Coyde, to take up their stations ofi' Kemmendine, and, on the following day, still fur- ther to strengthen Major Yates' garrison on the river, H.M.S. ' Sophie,' with three more gunboats, proceeded off that post. "With the ebb," says Captain Chads, "the enemy again brought fire-rafts down, not lighting them until within a very short distance of the ships, with their war-boats firing their shot over them, to prevent the approach of our boats. The * Sophie ' cleared them, but the ' Teignmouth ' was touched, and on fire for a short time without damage." As the enemy's boats had become very bold in their attempts to fire the 'Sophie' and 'Teignmouth,' a force was sent against them, consisting of seventy seamen, under the orders of Lieutenant Kellett, of the ' Arachne,' Lieutenant Goldfinch, of the 'Sophie,' and Lieutenant Clarke, of the 'Teignmouth,' em- barked in three ships' boats and six gunboats, under Midship- men Pickey, Coyde, Scott, i\Iurray, Boscawen, and Lindquist. Pulling up the river at early morning they came upon the enemy's war-boats, and, says Captain Chads, " boldly made a dash upon them, notwithstanding their great number and size." The enterprise was completely successful, and seven war-boats were captured, some measuring 83 feet in length, pulling fifty- two oars, and carrying a 9-pounder. The chase was continued three or four miles up the river, when the boats returned with the prizes, and towing a large floating stockade. Captain Chads says : — " I enclose a report* of this gallant attack, which * The following is Captain Chads' Report : — " Captain Kvves, having thought it practicable to suiT>i'isc tlie enemy's war- boats, wlio were annoying the ships with their long gims very eonsiileiiiltly, placed the whole of his disposable force of Europeans, about seventy in number, under the orders of Lieutenant Kellett of this ship, and Lieutenant GoUlfincli. of the ' Sophie,' Lieutenant Clarke, of the Bombay llarine, with Messrs. I'iokey, Coyde, Scott and Murray, niidshipmcn, Mr. Clarke, and Messrs. Lindquist anil Boscawen, Bombay Marine, in charge of the gunboats. The force was jiut into the three men-of-war's boats and six gunboats, and, as the men went down on the morning of the -llh inst., shoved olf, and pulling up on the contrary side to the war-bouts, by daylight came abreast, and boldly made a dash at them, uot- G 2 452 HISTORY OF the ixdian navy. will again bring to your notice officers I have already mentioned to yon for their good conduct. The result of" this defeat of the enemy's war-boats has been highly beneficial, not one having ventured within gun-shot since. The two ships, however, have had their hands quite full in keeping np a constant fire on the enemy attacking Kemmendine, and throwing up w^orks against them, to mount guns in, which were dismounted as soon as got np, without their having done any material damage." The Commander-in-chief, having determined to attack the enemy's left wing on the morning of the 5th of December, re- quested Captain Chads to move up the Puzzendoun Creek, during the night, with the flotilla to cannonade their rear as a diversion to the main attack. Captain Chads, accordingly, pro- ceeded, on the evening of the 4th, with the whole of his disposable force, consisting of the ' Diana,' steamer, ' Powerful,' mortar- vessel, three gunboats, and several merchant boats, with about forty Europeans, and, dropping down to the mouth of the river, waited till the last of the flood — about four o'clock — when he took up his station off the village of Puzzendoun. At six he opened fire from all his vessels, and made every appearance of landing, which brought the enemy down in great force, when their loss from shell fire was very considerable. At seven clock, by previously concerted signal from the Pagoda, he ceased firing, and, the troops advancing, the enemy were driven from every point in the utmost confusion, their guns and ammunition falling into the hands of the victors. On this day (the 5th) Captain Chads sent the 'Powerful,' mortar vessel, to Dalla, and a few shells from her quickly dis- persed the enemy, who were strengthening their defences in that quarter. On the following morning, the enemy renewed his attacks upon Kemmendine, when the mortar-vessel pro- ceeded there, and, says Captain Chads, " rendered the post very withstanding their great number and size. They were taken by surprise, but did not run until our boats were within pistol-sliot, wlieu their confusion was great, and they fled with all haste keephifi; up a smai't fire ; their large boats with heavy guns were fixed on by our boats, and from the fire of grape were soon unmanned and captured. Lieutenant Kellett came up with some of the first with heavy guns, and Lieutenant Goldfinch, passing him whilst taking pos- session, captured the boat of the commander of the war-boats, with the flag, her crew running into the jungle. The chase was continued three or four miles, when Lieutenant Kellett judged it prudent to secure his prizes, having an enemy of considerable force in his rear, up another branch of tlie river. " The result of this gallant exploit was the capture of seven large war-boats, four of which carried long nines in the bows ; and on their return they cut adrift and brought down a large floating stockade from Pagoda Point ; and what adds to the value of the service is, that it was performed without the loss of a man. Lieutenant Kellett's conduct on this and on former occasions speaks for itself, and I trust will meet with its due reward. Lieutenant Goldfinch is a valuable officer, and merits every praise ; and Lieutenant Kellett reports the high gallantry of Lieutenant Clarke and the midshipmen commanding the boats, and of every individual under his command. The largest war-canoe was 83 feet long, 12^ feet broad, 5^ feet deep, pulling 52 oars and carrying a 9-pounder." HISTORY OF THE IXDIAX NAVY. 453 essential service, and relieved the garrison considerably." The enemy's war-boats appeared still in considerable numbers, and, on the 7th of December, made a final attempt to fire the ships of war. They were very busy all the morning constructing the fire-rafts, and, with the strong ebb, brought them down in such numbers that they stretched "nearly across the river, and consisted of upwards of twenty-six rafts and eight large boats all lashed together : but they were afraid to venture very near, and fired them earlier, so that the squadron sufl'ered no injury." At noon the British troops assaulted the enemy's lines, and ]\Iaha Binidoola's vaunted soldiery were driven panic-stricken from their entrenchments with the loss of five thousand men and two hundred and forty guus. Sir Archibald Campbell, in his despatch of the 8th of December, speaks in high praise of the conduct of the officers and men of the Royal Navy and of the Company's Marine, during the six days' heavy fighting since the 1st of December. He says : — "A division of the enemy broke ground in front of Kem- mendine, and for six successive days tried in vain every efi'ort that hope of success and dread of failure could call forth to drive the brave 2Gth and a handfid of Europeans from this post, while tremendous fire-rafts and crowds of war-boats were every day employed in the equally vain endeavour to drive the shipping from their station off the place." Further on he says: — "The attacks upon Kemmendine continued with un- abated violence, but the unyi(;lding spirit of ^lajor Yates and his steady troops, although exhausted with fatigue and want of rest, baffled every attempt on shore, and Captain llyves, with H.M.S. ' Sophie,' the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Teignmouth,' and sonje fiotilla and row-gunboats, nobly maintained the long- established fame of the British Navy, in defending the passage of the river against the most furious assaults of the enemy's war-boats, advancing under cover of the most treuiendous lire- rafts, which the unwearied exertions of British sailors ct»uld alone have conquered." Captain Chads, the senior naval officer, in liis despatch to Sir Archibald Campbell, of the lOth of December, speaks in the following ternjs of the conduct of the Company's ofiicers : — " In the attack on the enemy's war-boats, Lieutenant Kellett speaks in high terms of the gallantry of Lieutenant Clarke, and ^Ir. Boscawen, of the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Teign- mouth,' and Mr. Lindcpiist, in charge of the row-boats; tliis latter young officer 1 have also had reason to be much pleased with." The following is a ('ojiy of the proceedings of the Hon. Company's row-gunboats, from the 2()th of Novendier to the loth of Decend)er, 1.S24 ; from the former date u|) to the 2\nl of December this portion of the fiotilla was engaged, under 454 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. command of Captain Chads, in co-operating with some troops, coninianded by Colonel Miles at Pegu, and after that date in assisting the 'Sophie' and 'Teignmouth' in the defence of Kemmendine : — "November 26. — At two p.m. left Rangoon with eleven row- boats, under the immediate orders of Captain Chads, R.N., for Pegu. At four p.m., received sailing instructions to lead next to the boats belonging to H.M.'s ships. At half-past seven p.m., in passing Syriam fort, enemy fired great guns and musketry ; passed on without noticing it. At ten p.m. anchored in a direct line across the river. Men-of-war's boats on the starboard and larboard bows, flats, &c., with troops and artillery in the rear, closed in by two row-gunboats. "November 27. — At half-past three a.m., weighed and pro- ceeded up ; men-of-war's boats ahead, flats astern, river shallow and narrow ; two row^-boats closing in the rear. At eleven a.m. anchored close on the starboard shore, the rear-guard some distance astern. At three p.m. all boats arrived. At four p.m. weighed and proceeded up, At six p.m. anchored in six feet of water, taking up the same position as yesterday. " November 28. — At daylight weighed and proceeded up ; at noon came to a small village named Abo, made fast to the shore ; river fifteen or twenty yards broad, fordable at low water. " November 29. — At nine p.m. proceeded up, enemy fired a few muskets from several villages. At one p.m. arrived at Pegu, landed the troops, and received orders to bring up twenty men to assist in dragging forward the artillery ; reconnoitring, returned and reported the place to be evacuated by the enemy ; re-embarked the artillery, and anchored for the night; river forty yards broad, and fordable at low ■water. "November 30. — At noon despatched four row-gunboats, under the orders of Captain Chads, to reconnoitre* up the river; embarked all the troops, having previously hoisted a white flag in the. ancient city of Pegu ; at four p.m. recon- noitring party returned ; proceeded down, four boats being ordered as a rear-guard ; grounded several times during the night. " December 1.— At ten a.m., Commodore made signal to close and anchor : at three p.m. weighed and proceeded down ; at eight p.m. passed three vessels with foraging party on board ; at nine p.m. Commodore njade signal to close and anchor. " December 2. — At three a.m. weighed, and proceeded down ; at daylight heard a heavy firing in the direction of Dagon Pagoda ; at eight a.m. arrived off Rangoon, and found it * Tliis reconnaissance was made with the object of ascertaining whether a high rodd existed to Prome. HISTORY OF THE IXDIAN NAVY. 455 besieged by the enemy ; disembarked the troops, and ancliored ill advance of the fleet, forming a direct line across tlie river. At noon manned seven row-boats with seamen from the ' Arachne,' and received orders to despatch them to reinforce Kemmendine. At two p.m. received orders to proceed with two row-boats, to commimicate with the foraging party, for tlie purpose of recalling the troops, then marching across the country with cattle ; at four p.m. anchored abreast of Puzzen- doun Creek. At seven p.m. observed some of the enemy's boats reconnoitring; when within gra{)e-shot distance, opened fire on them, which caused their immediate retreat. At eight p.m. gun vessels of the foraging party came down and anchored ; went on board and held a commmiication with Captain Jones, 81)th Regiment ; learnt he had one hundred men escorting a herd of cattle in a direction fur tiie entrenchments. On the flood, dropped up about two miles, and desi)atched a Mugh, who volunteered his services for a small sum, to prevent the escort advancing. "December 3. — At seven a.m. foraging party came down abreast the vessels, embarked them and made sail for Rangoon ; reccnved orders to proceed immediately to Kemmendine; at eleven a.m. arrived at Kemmendine, found it closely besieged by the enemy, six war-boats witliin bow-shot annoying the shipping then riding flood; having eight row-boats, anchored them on the ' Sophie's' starboard quarter, brought the cables aft, and got the guns to bear up tlie river. At seven p.m. enemy sent down two fire-rafts, and accompanied them in the rear with war -boats, keeping uj) a heavy fire of great guns and musketry on the boats and shipping, which did no dauuige except cutting away the ' Sopliie's' after-shroud on the star- board side ; kept up a smart fire from tlie row-boats and l)ow- guns of the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Teignmouth ;' fire-rafts passed clear of all ; in the course of the night, enemy made three attacks on Kemmendine stockade ; row-l)oats' position advantageous for Hanking the right of the stockade. "December 4. — At three a.m. all boats ah^igside II.M.'s shij) 'Sophie;' at 4.30 a.m. left for the purjtosc of attacking the enemy's boats, laying about one mile above their entrench- ments; our boats pulled up, all sikmce, astern of each other on the larboard shore, enemy occupying the starboard ; at daybreak Burmese sighted us from their boats, and opened a smart fire of six-i)OUiulers and musketry. Lieutenant Keilett in the 'Arachne's' pinnace, and commanding, issued orders to form a line, and a^lvance to boaixl ; the line heing formed without the least confusion, gave three cheers and advanced, firing; the enemy also advancing, and never did I witness a better spirit and cheerfulness in the row-boats' peojile than on this occasion. In ten minutes we got within gra]»e-shot 456 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. distance, and then confusion commenced in the enemy's boats ; they pulled in shore, and made fur the jungles; we then advanced, as fast as possible, without regard to the line, and took possession of seven boats, three of which had 6-poiU)ders in the bow; one with a 9-pounder, and three with muskets, . spears, &c., in great number ; and also took the flags, one of which was red, bordered green, Brahmin goose in the centre ; in the boats with guns were found one hundred round shots and five barrels of inferior powder. As soon as we were in possession of the enemy's boats, we gave way for the ' Sophie,' but in passing their entrenchments, experienced a volley fire of musketry ; but three cheers from a British sailor has a powerful effect on inexperienced warriors, and invariably inspires them with fear. I regret to say that one war- boat escaped ns. Two attacks on Kemmendine stockade this day, but shipping and boats quiet, otherwise than flanking the stockades; notwithstanding the duty of this day, fortune favoured us all — not a man was touched. " December 5. — At nine a.m. returned to Rangoon in No. 6, for a supply of ammunition, having fired about four hundred and fifty rounds since the 3rd inst. ; at three p.m. returned to my station with four hundred rounds; the enemy all silent afloat during the night, but mounted two 6-pounclers abreast of the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Teignmouth,' with which they hulled her several times. Row-boats at anchor in their station. " December 6. — Row-boats at anchor in their station ; at eight a.m. enemy made a desperate attack on Kenuxiendine stockade, but were driven from both flanks by the ' Sophie's' and boats' guns ; at nine they retired with three horrid yells. "December 7. — At seven a.m. enemy sent down twenty-six rafts of split wood, lashed together, placing six large boats on them filled with petroleum oil ; war-boats in the rear firing at the shipping and boats. All boats away to tow rafts clear of the ships, and then let them go ; lost two iron grapnels in the rafts. "December 8. — At four a.m. steam vessel arrived from Ran- goon ; at five a.m. made all boats fast astern of her ; at 5.30 p.m. proceeded up in chase of the enemj-'s boats, but unfortu- nately could not fall in with them ; no firing from the enemy's lines. At seven p.m. received orders to proceed to Rangoon Avith all boats except four ; at eight p.m. received orders from Captain Chads to be ready to start at midnight. "December 9. — At one a.m. rendezvoused alongside the transport ship ' Good Hope,' waiting the flood to attack Dalla; at 1.30 left, and proceeded up Dalla Creek ; anchored by the stern, and fired on the enemy's flank, shot from our troops falling about and in the boats very thickly. Troops having HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 457 routed the enemy, weighed and proceeded to the China Wharf. At daylight commenced transporting a reinforcement with the artillery to Dalla ; at one p.m. left with six boats to make a diversion on the enemy's left flank. Troops i)roceeded out to attack them on the right; at three p.m. anchored in shore olT H.AI.'s ship 'Arachne.'" In the General Orders of the Governor-General in Council of the 24:th of December, his lordship paid a tribute of thanks to the naval portion of the forces engaged in Burmah, though the manner in which all the oflicers of the Royal Navy who distinguished themselves, were singled out for commenda- tion, Vv'hile not one belonging to the Company's Service was individually mentioned, must have been particularly painful to the gallant men who had borne equally- with their brethren of the Navy, the hardships and dangers of the protracted opera- tions. Probably, as the Supreme Government had no oppor- tunity of judging for itself as to whether these latter had, not less honourably than the olHcers of the Royal Service, done their duty, the General Order was, as is often the case, merely an echo of the despatches and notifications of the ^lilitary and Naval chiefs, in which but meagre thanks were rendered to the Bombay Marine. The following is the extract from Lord Amherst's Orders, alluded to: — "The Governor- General in Council seizes this opportunity of expressing his warm acknowledgments to Captain Chads, of H.Al.'s ship 'Arachne,' the senior naval olHcer at Rangoon, and to Captain Ryves, of ll.M.'s ship 'Sophie,' for their distin- guished personal exertions, and requests the former to convey to the officers and crews of H.M's ships, of the Hon. Company's cruisers, as well as the officers and men of the trans[)orts who volunteered their services, the sense which Government entertains of their gallant conduct in the several actions with the enemy's war-boats, when tiiey so consj)icuuusly displayed the irresistible and characteristic valour o[' British seamen." Notwithstanding his crushing defeat, Maha Bundoola did not lose heart, but, gathering the dehri-f of his shattered forces, returned to Kokeen within four miles of the Dagon Pagoila, and prepared to resume the oifensive. At this time the ad- vanced i)ost at Kennnendine w;is still held by Major "\ates' little force, strengthened on the river by 11. M.S. 'Sophie.' Commander Ryves,* the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Prince ol' Wales,' Lieutenant W. S. Collinson, the ' I'owerful,' mortar- vessel, the ' Diana,' steamer, a detachment of seamen under Lieutenant Kellett, and three gunboats under Mr. Lind(piist. * Commander Ejves, wlio was left at Rangoon when the !imi_v and flotillft proceeded up country, was invalided in the following April, aud the 'Sophie' left Burmah in Mav. 458 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA\Tr. On the 14th of December, Burmese emissaries snccceded in setting fire to Rangoon in several phices at once, b}' which one quarter of the town was burnt. On the 15th Sir ArchibaUl Campbell attacked the enemy with three columns, and, in less than fifteen minutes, drove them in utter rout from the formidable entrenchments they had been at so much pains to construct. The remainder of December passed away without any occur- rence of importance, except that the army received large reinforcements and the navy was strengthened by the arrival of about twenty of the Company's gunboats from Chittagong. In order to leave no enemy in his rear before advancing upon Ava, the preparations for which were nearly complete. Sir Archibald Campbell, on the 11th of January, 1825, detached a small Expedition, under command of Colonel Elrington, against the old Portuguese fort and factory at Syriam, which the enemy had rendered a tolerably strong post. Accordingly, two hun- dred men of the 47th Regiment and a party of the 1st Battalion Madras Pioneers, were embarked on board two divisions of gunboats, respectively under the command of Captain S. T. Finucane of H.M.'s 14th Regiment and Lieu- tenant J. H. Rowband of the Bombay Marine, together with forty -eight seamen from H.M.'s ships, under Lieutenant Keele. The detachment landed close to the fort, and were subjected to a heavy fire while a bridge was thrown across a nullah by the sailors, which was returned by two of the gunboats which had been brought up the creek. The bridge completed, the enemy's works were stormed, when Colonel Elrington, ad- vancing on the following morning, carried the Syriam Pagoda. The loss on this occasion was one officer (Ensign Geddes) and one man killed, and three officers and thirty-two men wounded; four guns and twenty jingals were found in the works. On the 22nd of January, H.M.S. ' Alligator' arrived at Ran- goon, and Captain Alexander, as senior officer, assumed the chief command from Captain Chads. Shortly after the defeat of the Burmese Army on the 15th of December, Sir Archibald Campbell, from motives of policy, issued a Proclamation to the Peguers, and having contrived to introduce a copy into the enemy's stockaded lines at Panlang, it had the desired effect of detaching the major part of the army, who retired into the Dalla district with their arms. Sir Archibald despatched a coliman to support them against the attacks of the Burmese force which had followed them, and the whole flotilla was also employed, for four days, in protecting our new allies, whose families came flocking into Rangoon in thousands. As the Commander-in-chief deemed it necessary, before commencing the attack on Ava, to dislodge the enemy's advanced division HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 45^ from their defences on the Lyne river, on the 5th of February he directed Colonel Godwin to proceed with a colinun to Taiita- bain for that purpose ; the naval force co-operating, under the coniniand of Captain Chads, consisted of the 'Satellite,' 'Prince of Wales,' 'Diana,' fifteen row-gunboats, seven boats belonging to H.M 's ships, and several flats. The Expedition arrived, on the 6th, before the enemy's works, which were can- nonaded and stormed with trifling loss, though defended by two thousand men and thirty-six guns. On the following day the two branches of the Panlang river were reconnoitred, and a large number of the enemy's war-boats and fire-rafts destroyed. Some of the troops were left to occupy the captm-ed stockade and also the ' Prince of Wales,' with four gunboats, to assist in its defence. At length, the preparations being complete, the Pritish forces set out upon their long march lor Ava. The land colunni, which was to move in a direction parallel to tiie Lyne river, under the personal command of Sir Archibald Cam])l)ell, quitted Rangoon on the llth of February, its numerical strength being thirteen hundred European infantry, one thou- sand Sepoys, two squadrons of cavalry, a troop of horse artillery, and a rocket troop. This column, for which oidy sufficient carriage could be provided for the conveyance of from twelve to fifteen days' provisions, was to strike tiie Irrawaddy at the nearest accessible point, for the purpose of co-operating with the Marine column, proceeding up the Panlang ciiannel to that river, in driving Bundoola from Donabew, should its aid be required. This column, which was placed under the command of Brigadier-General Willoughby Cotton, consisted of eight hundred European infantry, two himdred and fifty Sepoys, one hundred and eight Artillerymen, and twelve of the rocket troop.' The flotilla that was to convey this force, was commanded by Captains Alexander and Chads, and con- sisted of the ' Satellite' and ' Diana,' two n)ortar-vessels, six gunboats, thirty armed row-boats, about sixty launches, flats, and canoes— all armed, except the flats and canoes, with one or two 12 and 24-pounder carronades — and the boats of lI.M.'s ships, manned by about one hundred seamen. A third division, inider ]\lajor Sale, numl)ering seven hundretl and eighty soldiers of H.M.'s loth and 12th Madras .Native Infantry, Viih II. M.S. ' Larne,' Captain Marryat, and the Ib'U. Company's cruiser 'Mercury,' Lieutenant Anderson, was directed to reduce Bas- sein, after which it was to join the other columns. The rest of the army, numberijig three thousand seven hundred and eighty one effectives, chieHy Sepoys, and one hundred and thirty-four convalescent Europeans fit oidy for garrison duty, remained to hold Rangoon. The main column marched on the llth of February, and was 460 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN XAVY. followed, on the IGtli, by the water column ; but, before detailing the services of the Marine with the latter throughout the arduous campaign that ensued, we will briefly refer to the capture of Bassein, in which the ' Mercury' participated. After a tedious voyage the Expedition arrived off the mouth of the Bassein River on the 24th, and, on the 26th, weighed and stood in for the river — the ' Mercury,' owing to her light draft of water, leading. At noon the first stockade commenced firing, and shortly afterwards, the ' Larne' and 'Mercury' took up their positions within a hundred yards; the enemy's fire was soon silenced when the troops landed and destroyed the work and guns. The ships then proceeded to the next stockade, and, says Major Sale, " the effects of the guns from the ' Larne' and ' Mercury' were as decided as before f these works were also destroyed and the guns spiked. The Expedition proceeded up the river on the following day, and ran past four deserted stockades, three of which stood in commanding situations on the island of Negrais. Erora this point, the stream being very narrow, and the wind strong and contrary, the ascent became extremely arduous ; the ships often getting on shore and towing and warping day and night, till the evening of the 3rd of March, when they anchored about three miles below Bassein, which had been almost entirel}^ burnt to the ground by the people, who had then deserted it. The troops were landed, and, a few days later. Major Sale made a reconnaissance to Lamena, about one hundred and forty miles distant, with three hundred soldiers, and seventy seamen, proceeding up the river in boats and bivouacking at night upon the banks. The villages as well as Lamena, were foiuid to be deserted, and, on the 2ord, the force returned to Bassein with several war-canoes. On the 15th of April Captain Marryat assumed command of the ' Tees,' twenty-six guns, and, in May, finally quitted Burmah. The water column, under Brigadier-General Cotton, having left Rangoon on the 16th of Eebruary, burnt several stockades on the 17th and LStli, and, on the following day, arrived before Panlang, the extensive stockade of which, though of great strength and garrisoned by three or four thousand men, was captured after a feeble resistance, the flotilla co-operating by their fire with a shore battery of three mortars and two guns. At Panlang stockade a post was established, and the 'Satellite' remained behind to assist in its defence, as her draft of water caused her to take the ground. On the 25th of Eebruary the General, with the flotilla, proceeded to Mezle, about ten miles from Panlang, and, on the following day, reached a point eighteen miles higher up, where the shallows commenced and the larger vessels grounded. On the 27th it was found necessary to unload the ' Diana' and gun-vessels, for which purpose boats were allotted, and the remainder of the flotilla HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 4(51 joined the advance division in the Irrawaddy. Early on the morning of the 6th of March, the whole of the flotilla, having; entered the main stream on the previous evenini^, got under weigh, and took up a position about two miles below Donabew, while General Cotton and Captain Alexander proceeded to reconnoitre. " It was evident," says the General, " that the enemy had prepared to receive us below his position, having a succession of formidable stockades, commencing at the Pagoda, and continued increasing in strength, until completed by the main work, which is lofty, upon a very connnanding site, surrounded by a deep abattis, with all the customary defences. The guns appeared to be numerous, and the garrison were seen in crowds upon all the works." A summons to surrender was first sent to Bundoola, who commanded in person, and, upon receipt of a refusal. General Cotton made a reconnaissance with one hundred and sixty men of the 89th Regiment, covered by the light division and some row-boats. The enemy's war-boats retired under the guns on the opposite side, and, during the reconnaissance, says the General, " the enemy kept up a heavy fire from about thirty pieces of cannon, msinj of heavy calibre ;" and the precision Avith which they w^ere directed, suri)rised the British officers. General Cotton would have preferred assaulting at a point above the main stockade, but, owing to his having only six hundred available bayonets, he considered that it would not be advisable to divide so small a force in attacking a garrison estimated at twelve thousand men. " I had," he says, " no option but that of landing below the whole of the works, attacking them in succession, while the flotilla defended the river." At sinirise on the 7th, five hundred men were formed into two columns, and, under the fire of the guns and rockets, advanced upon the first, or Pagoda, stockade; nothing could withstand the head- long valour of the troops, who carried the work under a heavy fire, inflicting an enormous loss on the enemy. The second defence was 500 yards distant from tlie Pagoda stockade and the same distance from the main work which commanded it. Some guns and mortars, with a fresh su})ply of rockets, were brought up and opened fire, and when it was thought that a suflicient impression had been made, a column of two hundred men, under Captain Rose, . Now it was hardly possible to conceive that any i)ublic authority could have resorted to such caj)ricious measures, which were as repugnant to every species of judicial proceeding as they were opposed to every liberal and honourable feeling. Having said so much for the' practice of ]\larine (Jouns, he would next advert to their corn- position. As the facts which he was about to state were to be found on the (company's recorils, he took it for granted that they would not be denied. Lieutenant Koyce, of the ' Mercinw.' was, in IS 12, put under arrest by his commander. Lieutenant Blast. The Supei'intendent assembled a Court in order to try hini, on which he placed two of the ollicers of Indiamen as members. Lieutenant Boyce, be it rememl)ereil, held a com- mission, but these two gentlemen held no commission, and be- II 2 484 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. longed to a merchant ship ; they could not, therefore, he expected, from their hahits, and the different duties the}' had to execute, to i)e proper judges. The degradation and insult oflfered in this instance to the Marine officers, were evident and studied, because there was no want of Marine officers to form a proper Court." After alluding to the sale of the ' Mornington,' twenty-two guns, "Tor two-thirds of her probable value," Captain Maxfield continued : — •' When she was got rid of, the largest vessel remaining was the ' Teignmouth,' of 250 tons, which, in H.M.'s service, would have only ten or twelve guns ; but she was absurdly crammed Avitli eighteen guns, and at one time, twenty. It was as in- judicious as cruel so to equip her, as it rendered her unsafe, and in the event of capture insured the disgrace of whoever commanded her. The rest of the vessels were of the same stowage, except that they were much smaller, and one, the 'Ariel,' a brig of IGO tons, carrying ten guns, was so crank that she overset and sank in a squall in the Persian Gulf, and of her crew only three men were saved. These were facts Avhich could not be denied, and which the records of that house fully established. In October, 1814, the 'Vestal' being under orders to carry despatches to Bussorah, her commander. Lieu- tenant Phillips, was directed to receive on board (by the orders of the Superintendent) a certain number of bales belonging to private merchants at Bombay. on freight. That officer repre- t>ented the utter incompetency of his vessel to carry any cargo, as it was with diflficulty he could stow his provisions and water for the crew. His objection was overruled, and the bales sent on board, which he (sooner than deprive the crew of their Avretched accommodation) stowed in his own cabin. By the orders of 1798, all freight except bullion was prohibited to be carried in the Company's cruisers; but this disregard of orders by the Superintendent, brought into the Bombay Treasury the pitiful sum of 160 rupees. The ' Vestal' was a small sharp brig, 160 tons burthen, mounting ten guns, and scarcely able to carry ten weeks' provisions and water ; and, as the Superintendent long commanded one of their large Indiamen, he could not plead ignorance of the utter inability of the 'Vestal' 'to carry any cargo whatever, and his motives therefore could not be mistaken. What was the consequence ? Not mere dis- comfort to the unfortunate commander, but death The ' Vestal's ' cabin was very small, and had neither port nor scuttle. The Persian Gulf, they knew, was dreadfully un- healthy. Such stowage induced a liver complaint, and an officer of distinguished merit, who had served for nearly twenty years, fell a victim — not to the cause of his country, but to in- justice and cruelty. Now it was well known to all who heard him, that in every kind of ship- or vessel, from the privateer to HISTORY OF THE IXDIAX NAVY. 485 the collier, some difference of accoinniodation was allotted to the persons serving on board ; but the Superintendent, to give a death-blow to the Service, thought to confound all ranks; he therefore ordered that the berth allotted to the midshipmen of the 'Vestal' should be taken away, and the midshipmen put into the lieutenants' cabin. Now the lieutenants' cabin on board the ' Vestal ' was only nine feet by seven feet, and as there was no other, the surgeon was necessarily obliged to live and sleep in it also. Such was the wretched den into which the Superinterident ordered the midshi{)nien to be crammed also, putting health and comfort out of the question. Their Marine officers had no remedy; and if the pigs had been ordered to be put there also, they must have submitted or resigned the Service. It happened, however, that the surgeon belonged to the Army, and was protected by its rules and regulations from such abominable injustice; and he wrote to Government, complaining that the accommodation allotted to him in the 'Vestal' was worse than that provided by Act of Parliament for slaves during the slave trade. The Super- intendent took fire at the reflection, and preferred charges against him ; but as a military officer could not be punished without sufficient groinids, a court-martial saved him, and very properly remarked on the conduct and evidence of the Super- intendent. This conduct, however, obtained approbation and support, and he continued in office as long as he pleased. The Directors could not plead ignorance of the facts he had related, nnless they were guilty of neglecting to read the papers sent to this country. Hut sui)posing that in the multiplicity of business and the incessant application to foster private claims, no time was found to attend to their insigniticant .Marine, still the executive body could not deny that they were almost knee- deep in Marine memorials, not one of which they ever con- descended to answer, or probably even to consider. He iieUl the ])ublic corresi)ondence in his hand, ami abstainetl from reading it merely to save time; it was. however, on their records, and could not be denied. " It might be siipj)()sed by some utterly ignorant of the merits or claims of the Bond)ay ^larine, tliat it deserved such treatment, or that it had forfeited all claims to attention; it was therefore with reluctance that he was comjielled to advert to its conduct as a ])ul)lic body, of which he was probably one of the least worthy members. First, then, on the score of fidelity and attachment to their country, the Marine were emi- nently conspicuous; and it could not be denied that when the Company's Army, with arms in their hamls, urged their claims to equal rank with ll.M.'s troops. ;uid invited the Marine to follow their example and join them, the hitter declined so doing. The Army obtained the most liberal consideration, while the 486 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. ]\Iarine was unnoticed. He had heard it said, that the IMarine deserved to be so treated for not joining the Army. If so, it would serve as a lesson in future to regulate the claims of militar}^ bodies, and teach the just value (jf demands imaided by power. Now for patriotism. In 1799, a subscription was set on foot towards carrying on the war, as a test of public opinion. It was liberally supported in this country, and was also effectively carried on in India. Most of their servants, Civil, Military, and IMarine, subscribed towards it ; but Captain Selby, of the Bombay Marine, subscribed the whole of his pay during the war. He stood a solitary exanjple of such devotion in the Company's Service ; and continuing to serve, he sacri- ficed his life in their employ. He would not tire them with a detail of the numerous instances of gallantry and devotion which he could adduce of your Marine officers under such evident disadvantages and discouragement ; suffice it to say the repeated testimonies of His Majesty's officers in favour of their good conduct, afforded some consolation to their wounded feel- ings ; and the existence of those testimonies on the Company's records could not be denied. He would now assert, without fear of being denied, what might be justly deemed a proud proof of devotion by any njilitary body in the world. In no one solitary instance had the British colours ever been lowered from the peak of one of their miserably ill -manned cruisers to any enemy of inferior, or even of equal force, while they liad often proved successful when combating a superior foe. But supposing such military ardour and patriotism of no value in the estiniation of the Company, he would address them simply as merchants, and ask if disinterestedness on the part of their Marine officers in preferring the Company's interests to their own, could establish any claim 'f Captain Maxfield then recounted the circumstances, already detailed, under which Commodore Hayes, with the noble disinterestedness for which he was remarkable, refused to permit the captains of his flag-ship, the ' Malabar,' and of the ' Mornington,' to make prizes of two large Chinese junks, bound from Batavia to Amoy, having on board Dutch property to the value of £000,000, but directed their release on the grounds that their retention might be prejudicial to the interests of the State. After citing this order. Captain Maxfield con- tinued : — "Now the above order afforded a good illustration of the injpolic}^ of the orders of the Court of Directors in 1804. Suppose for one moment that Conjmodore Hayes had not been present, but that one of their regular ships had been in com- pany, it was not possible to believe that the commander would have presumed to issue such an order, and still less likely any captain of their Marine would have attended to it if they had. The man who made such a sacrifice to promote their interests HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 487 was not then worth one slulling, nor did he believe that he was at this moment. His disinterestedness and gaUantry, of which their records possessed abundant proof, would, in an}' other service but their Marine, have obtained for him honour and distinction. The two officers to whom the order to release the junks was addressed, submitted a memorial, which he believed shared the usual fate of Marine memorials. But if the feelings of the Marine officers, their character and efficiency, were of no value in the Company's estimation, it was worth while to esti- mate its consequences by another test : let them therefore try it by pounds, shillings and pence. In 1812, the presence of a single cruiser of twenty guns, although badly manned, pre- vented a war with the Burmese, and obtained ample reparation for an insult offered to the Company. At that time there was as good occasion for a war as since: but Lord ]\Iinto sent the ' Malabar,' of twenty guns, which was lying at Calcutta, to support the arguments of the British Envoy at Rangoon. " Now, the want of a respectable cruiser in Bengal in 1823, previous to our rupture with the Burmese, compelled the Bengal Government to equip and send a pilot-schooner* into the river Naaf, as a measure of naval defence, when its feeble and unwarlike appearance encouraged rather than repressed the aggression of the Burmese, who seized the commander and carried him off; and they augmented the grounds ot a dispute, which precipitated us into a war that had entailed an expense of upwards of twenty millions sterling, and the loss of thousands of our brave and valuable troops. On their present Superintendent of Marine, Mr. Buchauan, he should offer but one remark ; he had just given the connnand of the ' Hastings' frigate, and the 'Ernaad.'t the largest ships in the Service, to two mates of the country service, which was no less an act of injustice to the Marine officers than of disregard for the Com- ])any's interests." Captain Maxfield concluded by moving for a series of papers, sixteen in nmnber, tending to bear out the different statements he had made. Colonel Hon Leicester Stanhojx', of the Royal Army, who had served with the Bombay Marine at the capture of Dwarka in 1820, and elsewhere, and was, therefore, a good judge ot" their value, seconded the motion, and said in the course of his remarks : — •'His gallant friend was no factious character — he was no disappointed individual, coming into that ('oiM't for the purpose of opposing the conduct of the (\)nrt of Directors; no, he was one of their oldest and best officers, who iiad received the thanks of the Company nine or ten times in public Orders. * Tliis was the ' rhfrtoii,' wliicli was recovered at Martaban when thul place was captured by Colonel Godwin on tlic 3Utli of Sc])t ember, IH'Jii. t The ' Kniaad' was a transport, not a ship of war. 488 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. He here wished to mention a particiihir circumstance with which his gallant friend was intimately connected. His gallant friend had mentioned the capture of two China junks, which had been given up in the most disinterested manner by Com- modore Hayes. Now, his gallant friend was present on that occasion, and he had, in consequence of the restoration of those vessels, lost a very considerable share of prize money, the one- eighteenth or one-sixteenth of ^£600,000. With respect to the Bombay Marine, they must be all aware that it was one of the oldest branches of the Company's Service; and, as his gallant friend had truly stated, never was there an instance of any ship belonging to the Bombay Marine having lowered her flag to an enemy of equal force. Under these circumstances, he thought that their Marine Service ought to be a subject of interest to that Court. He could not help lamenting what he conceived to be the indignity offered to this useful Service. In the first place, he thought it was unfair to deprive the officers of that rank which they formerly held. This led to a very ridiculous occurrence. It happened that Commodore Hayes and his wife dined with the Governor-General. The Commodore having the rank of Colonel, the Governor-General thought it was proper to lead out Mrs. Hayes to dinner, conceiving that the precedence was due to her. This set the senior merchants' hearts on fire, and they in consequence wrote long letters home to the Court of Directors They pondered over this weighty matter ; and at last they came to the resolution of uncom- modoring the Commodore. Now, Mr. Wynn, who had been in the habit of considering questions of precedence, and who was nightly occupied in explaining them in the House of Commons, thought this was very unfair, and therefore he reversed their proceeding. This was no laughable matter, wdien they con- sidered that an indignity was offered to an old and meritorious officer, whose brow was covered with wounds and honours. " It was a very fair subject of complaint that there was no martial law for the Government of the Bombay Marine. Did they ever before hear of a civilised society, especially a military society, without some species of law for its govern- ment. He always understood that, in the military profession, the law ought to be more strict and rigorous than elsewhere. He must ever view, as a gross act of injustice, the placing captains of the Bombay Marine under the commanders of Indiamen. He knew the captains of the Bombay Marine were most distinguished men; perhaps they were the most scientific men ever employed in the Naval Service. And he conceived that it was really putting the cart before the horse, to place the captain of a ship of war under the command of the captain of a merchantman. It was an absolute indignity to the Service, and he thought his gallant friend was right in withdrawing HISTORY OF TDE INDIAN NAVY. 489 his labours from a Service which was so much degraded. Now he would tell the Court what the reason of this degradation was. The fact was plainly this : The Bombay Marine was not represented on the other side of the bar; but the other service — the merchant service — was so rei)resented ; for he believed that no less than four Directors had been captains of East Indiamen. Those captains came constantly within the inlluence of the Court of Directors, but the captains in the Marine service were quite removed beyond that influence." The Cliairnian of the Court of Directors, in reply, entered into a lengthened defence of the conduct of the late Superin- tendent, Mr. Meriton, and stated that " for a great length of time, he admitted even for years, the Court had been sedulously engaged in endeavouring to effect the improvement of the Bombay Marine, and that many difficulties had occurred in the progress of their efforts for that purpose; difficulties occasioned by the peculiarity of the naval service of this country, which entertained a kind of Jealous}' of any interference on naval subjects." He did justice to the character and conduct of the Bombay Marine, but denied that it was neglected, saying that the Court had " gratuitously" increased the emoluments of the officers since the year 1798, when the gallant officer and others had entered the Service. He concluded by moving: — '-It having been declared from the Chair, that measures are in j>ro- gress for iinproving the condition of the J^ombay Marine, and for placing it on a footing more consonant to the merits and services of that distinguished corps, this Court is disposed to give confidence to the correctness of the statement thus given from the Chair, and considers it, therefore, both injudicious and inexpedient to force a premature discussion of the subji-ct on this Court, until the details of the ])roposed plan come regularly before it." Tiie Deputy Chairman (the Hon. II. Tjindsay, M.P.) seconded this amendment, and did justice to the "able and effective manner in which the Marine performed its duty." Sir ('. Forbes advised Captain Maxfield to withdraw his motion, and, after paying a high tribute to his honoiu'able and disinterested conduct, continued : — " He concurred in all that was said, on each side of the bar, as to the merits of the Bond)ay Marine. He believed that a more deserving set of men, as j)idilic servants, did not exist, and he was only sorry thai rircumstani'es did not allow them to have done as much as, lie was sure, they could have done. He greatly regretted that some mark of distijiction had not been granted to officers who had so greatly signalized themselves. With respect to Connnodore Hayes, every j)erson who knew him would admit, that he was one of the most disinterested men in the world; and he believed that the order which he issued in reference to the (.'hina junks, was one that 490 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. very few men besides himself would have sent forth. lie conceived tluit such conduct must have recomtnended hini strongly to the Company. He thought that the giving up of those junks was extremely proper, and he only wished that the same sort of liberality had been displayed on other occasions." That eminent scholar, Dr. Gilchrist, said in the course of his speech: — "It had been asserted that the Bombay Marine had no right to complain, because the officers entered into the Service under certain stipulations as to pay and allowances. But did not njilitary men enter the Service under certain stipula- tions f and did they not all know that something had occurred by which the pay of the Army had been increased? Did not many military officers now get more than was stipulated for v/hen they entered the Army ? Had the Bombay Marine been represented, as it ought to be, in the Court, by one or more members of the body behind the bar, he was pretty well con- vinced they would not have such grounds for complaint." Another speaker observed, " one sentiment at least appeared to be unanimous on all sides of the Court, that of doing justice, and giving merited distinction to the Bombay Marine. All parties strove to confer upon that Corps the honour which was due to it. The disadvantages under which that Service laboured had been felt and known for a considerable length of time." In concluding his reply upon the discussion, which ended adversely to his motion. Captain Maxfield said : — "• Before he concluded, he could not omit to mention the kindness and consideration of many of His Majesty's naval officers, with whom the Bombay Marine had been especially associated on service. In most instances fand he spoke from experience), the British Navy had exhibited a degree of sympathy, feeling, and liberality towards the officers of the Marine, which the orders and treatment of the Court of Directors were but little calculated to produce. The gratuitous consideration and liberality of ihat gallant corps formed a striking contrast with the conduct of those whose duty it was to uphold and cherish the Bombay ]\Iarine, rather than to neglect and degrade it. That Marine was employed on the most arduous service, and yet the Court of Directors took no measures whatever to man or equip them efficiently. It remained solely dependent on the efforts of a commander to obtain a crew, as if the vessel belonged to him and not to the State. The individual in comujand received no aid from the Court of Directors or the Government abroad ; he was left to his own resources, and frequently had he been obliged to rob their merchant ships of part of their crews, that he might man the cruisers which he commanded. He thus always procured a crew, and he would rather run the risk of being dismissed the Service for distressing HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 401 the Indiarnen, than he would take the chauce of being without the means of defending the ships he comnjanded, and of uphokling the honour of the colours which he carried." It would appear tiiat the discussion at the India House, iiad the effect of quickening the Directors in bringing forth the scheme for the reorganisation of the Bombay .Marine, which had been so many years in a state of incubation, as we tind that a letter, dated the 31st of October, 1827, was addressed to the Governor of Bombay, ordering the remodelling of the Service. The letter comnienced by saying, that relative rank with the Royal Navy had been obtained, and martial law was hoped for in the ensuing session of Parliament ; that a captain of the Royal Navy would be appointed Superintendent, and the senior officers would have retirement on the Senior List in England, with pensions equivalent to colonels, and off reckon- ings, amounting in the aggregate to dgSOO a-year. The strength of the Service was fixed at five captains, nine commanders — a rank which, abolished three years' before, was now restored — forty-six lieutenants, and sixty midshijimen. Three twenty- four-gun ships were to be built, and other vessels if required, and a steamer was also ordered. The pay of the officers was fixed at the following rates: — Five captains, at 932 rupees per mensem ; nine commanders (afterwards increased to twelve), 722 rupees per mensem ; fifteen senior lieutenants, at 252 rupees per mensem ; thirty- one junior lieutenants, at 147 rui)ees per mensem ; sixty mid- shipmen, at 50 rupees per menseuj. But, though the numbers of each rank was made known to the Service, the pay fixed by the Court was kept a secret ; at least the officers were never made acquainted with it, neither was any increase given for at least one year, when tiie follow- ing scale was put into operation. The total sum jier mensem allowed by the Court, would amount to 2l.()t>l rupees, or 295,932 rupees per annum, but the Covernment only jiaid the following amounts : — One captain, at 900 rupees per mensem ; three others, at 800 rupees per mensem, and. if a (iftii was emph)yed, one at (>00 rupees per mensem ; nine counnanders, at 500 rupees per mensem; fifteen senior lieutenants, at 150, al'lerwards 175, rupees per mensem; thirty-one junior lii-utenants, at 1l'<», afterwards 115. rupees per mensem; sixty midsliipn)en, at 50 rupees per mensem. The total amount per mensem was thus 18,520 rupees, or 222,240 rupees ])er annmu. Thus the officers of the i)oml)ay Marine were, by some cause that looks singularly like taking a mean advantage of their ignorance and weakness, mulcted of (i.OOO rupees of jtay monthly, as sanctioned by the Court ; and ( Jovernnient couM congratulate itself on "conveying" to their own uses — perhaps 492 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA\T. we might with justice use a stronger epithet, but we will adopt the euphemism made famous by "ancient Pistol" — nearly a lac of rupees, the salary of their hard-worked and inadequately- rewarded servants of the Bombay Marine. The Service, being unaware of the liberality of the Court, bore the injustice with- out appealing ; and, writes a deceased officer, to whose unpub- lished jottings of the history of the Service we have had access, "it was only while compiling these papers that it came to my notice, when examining the report of the Finance Committee, appointed by Lord William Bentinck, where all is openly and officially stated. Even that Committee was ignorant of the officers not receiving the pay offered by the Court, for though they recommended the reduction of the number of the officers, yet they did not touch the amount of pay, which was not, even in their most clipping mood, thought by them too much." How different was such treatment to that conceded to their powerful Civil and Military services. Had the Court granted an increase of pay to these branches of the public service, it would have been quickly published in Orders, or have come to their knowledge through some friend in the Court, but the Bombay Marine was unintluential and unrepresented in Leadenhall Street. It siujply did its duty, and did it well, as all allowed, but not for it were the sweets of "interest" or the honours of the Bath, and when it was awarded a boon in the shape of increased pay, this was withheld from it, while, on the other hand, the reduction of the senior ranks was strictly carried out in the terms of the Order. In addition to the reduction of one commodore, seven senior captains, three junior captains, and six lieutenants, it was ordered that no officer was to hold a shore appointment, with the exception of three or four posts, which were specified, with- out retiring from the Service. The Bouibay Government found it necessary to add two captains to the number authorised by the Court, and, in writing home, stated that the commanders were insufficient ; the result was that the captain's list stood at seven, being still five less than were authorised in 1824, and, in the following year, the commanders were increased, by orders of the Court, to twelve. In other grades the numbers remained unaltered until the year 1838 The pecuniary value of the Court's boon, in granting the four senior captains pensions of <£80() per annum, may be made apparent in a few Avords. The commodore and master-attendant were entitled to =£450 each, and the two senior captains to .£l3(iO each, making a total of £1,620, so that the increase amounted to .£1,580. But by the reduction of one commodore and five captains. Government saved 5,000 rupees a month, or .£6,000 a year, besides the d£7,000 per annum of pay sanctioned by the Court, but with- held by the Government. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NA\^. 493 We said oiih^ fsiicli portions of the Court's despatch, as suited the convenience of tlie Government, were published for the inforuicition of tlie Service. Thus, by a General Order, dated '' April 30, 1828," the Governor in Council published the fol- lowing extracts from the Court's letter of the previous 31st of October, with a copy of the King's Order, conferring on the officers of the Bombay IMarine " the privilege of taking rank with the officers of the Royal Navy :' — "Para. 2. You are aware that for some time past we have been endeavouring to attain for your Marine an authorised code of laws, and a detined rank relatively witli the Uoyal Navy. ''Para. 3. We have the satisfaction now to acquaint you, that His i\Iajesty has been graciously pleased to pass an Order in Council, conferring on the officers of the Bombay Marine, within the limits of the (Company's charter, the privilege of taking rank, agreeably to their several degrees, with the officers of the Royal Navy, but under the condition that all officers of any rank in the Royal Navy shall have precedence of all officers of the same rank in the Bombay Marine, and that officers of neither Service shall have any command whatsoever over the ships, oiHcers, and men of the other Service, unless under special orders to that effect from their respective Governments, " Para. 4. We transujit a copy of His Majesty's Oi-der, and we desire that you will promulgate it for general information. It is scarcely necessary to add, that the rank now fixed by His Majc^.ty for the Bombay Marine relatively with the Royal Navy, carries with it the privilege of relative rank with His Majesty's and the Company's troops in India." The following is the Order of His Majesty George IV., referred to above : — " At the Court of St. James, the 3()tli of June. 1S27. Pre- sent, the King's Most Excellent Majesty in Counril. " Whereas, there was this day read at the l^oanl a Memorial from His Royal Highness the Lord High Admiral, dated the 12th of June instant, in the words following, viz.: — " Whereas, in consequence of a communication with the Chairman and Deputy-Chairman of the Kast India Company, I am of opinion it may be exi)etlient to confer on the officers of the Bombay Marine, within the limits of the Kast India Com- pany's Charter, the privilege of taking rank agreeably to their several degrees with the officers of tlie Royal Navy, but under the condition, that all ofiicers of any rank in the Royal Navy, shall have precedence of all the officers of the Bombay Marine of the same rank, and that the officers of neither Service shall haV'C any command whatsoever over the ships, officers, and men of the other Service, unless under special orders to that elTect from the respective Governments. 1 beg leave, therefore, most humbly to submit lo Your .Majesty, whether Your Majesty 494 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. will not be most gracionsl_y pleased, liy vonr Order in Conneil, to confer upon, and to grant to, the officers of the Bombay Marine the said relative rank and precedence, in conformity with the foregoing proposition. " His Majesty, having taken the said Memorial into con- sideration, was pleased, by and with the advice of his Privy Council, to approve thereof, and to order, as it is hereby ordered, that the officers of the Bombay Marine, within the limits of the East India Company's Charter, do take rank agreeably to their several degrees with officers of the Royal Navy, under the restrictions and upon the conditions proposed in the said Memorial ; and His Royal Highness the Lord High Admiral is to give the necessary directions herein accordingly." The following is a copy of the warrant of the Duke of Clarence, dated the 12th of June, 1827, permitting the ships of the Bombay Marine to wear the Union Jack and pennant : — ''By His Royal Highness the Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, &c., &c. Whereas I have deemed it expedient that the ships of the Bombay Marine shall be granted the privilege of wearing, in addition to the Red Ensign which all ships belonging to His Majesty's subjects should legally wear, the Union Jack and a long pennant, having St. George's Cross on a white field in the upper part next the mast, with a red fly ; I do, therefore, by virtue of the power invested in me, hereby warrant and authorise the Union Jack and pennant above described, being worn on board the ships of the Bombay Marine accordingly." As by the new regulations it was decided that a captain of the Royal Navy should be placed at the head of the Service, in November, 1827, Captain Sir Charles Malcolm, C.B.* — a brother of Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm and General Sir John Malcolm, who had been sworn in at Bombay as Governor of that Presi- dency, on the 1st of November in that year— was appointed to the post of Superintendent by the Court of Directors. On this occasion, the " Times " stated that H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence, the Lord High Admiral, had declared his intention not to inter- fere in the choice of an officer, declaring that " it would be unhandsome and might be invidious in him to meddle with the patronage that belongs to the Court." In making this appoint- ment, the Court decided to confer on the then Superintendent of the Bombay Marine, a pension of =£800 per annum, although * Sir Charles Malcolm was one of three brothers, known as " the three knights of Ribblesdale." The family seat is Burnfoot, near Langholm, where is a statue of Sir John Malcolm. The representative of the family is now Mr. W. E. Malcolm, who resides on the property close to the house where the brotliers were born. Sir Charles had seen considerable service in the great war, and was present, in his brother's ship, at the cutting out of vessels at Manilla in 1798. He was knighted in 1826, by Lord Wellesley, when Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, and was now forty-five years of age. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 495 that gentleman had served but little over eij::hteen months, and might have been employed in another ca|)acitv — the post of Master-Attendant at ^Madras, with equal emoluments and less work, being just at that time vacant ; the excuse of age could not be pleaded, as eighteen months make little difference in a man's capacity for work, but the Court wanted the ]\Iadras post for another protege. Accordingly, at their meeting of the oth of December, 1827, the Court granted Captain Buchanan a pension of =£800 a year, as compensation for the loss of the emoluments attaching to his office, and the resolution conferring this retiring allowance, mentions that his retirement and the appointment of Sir Charles ]\Ialcolm, were made " in conse- quence of the grant by His Majesty of defined rank to the officers of the Bombay Marine, and in reference to the intention to snbject that corps to Naval discipline." The proposed pension was strongly opposed by Captain Maxficld, who was seconded in liis opposition by ^Ir. Hume and others; and it was pertinently asked why Captain Buchanan's services — he being comparatively a young man, fifty-four or fifty-five — were not utilised in some other office, as happened in the case of Mr. Anderson, a former incumbent. Finally, Colonel the Hon. Leicester Stanhope wound np the debate, by emphatically declaring that tlie " whole proceeding was a job, and nothing but a job." Nevertheless, the Court carried their reso- lution by a majority of thirt^'-eight to twelve : but independent public opinion was against them, and when the grant came np for confirmation on the 19th of March, 1828, npon a question by General Thornton, the Hon. H. Lindsay, the Chairman, agreed to add to the resolution the words, " so long as Captain Buchanan shall be out of employment." Sir Charles Malcolm was sworn in at the India House on the Gth of February, 182(S. and entered npon his duties at Bombay* in the following month of June, when the new system came into operation. The commodore, master-attendant, and two senior captains, quitted the active list on their pensions of .£800 a year, others left the Service, and some died, so that by the close of the year the reduction was complete, and there were no supernumeraries. By an order of the (jovernor in Council, dated the " 18th of October, 1S2S," it was directed * Sir Charles Malcolm sailed from G'-iivcseiul in llie ' Diiclioss of Atliol,' Captain Daniels, which anchored in Bomhav Imrhour on tlie 1st of Juno, 1H2S, ■without touchino; at any pla<-e. Aninn;; the thirty pnsscnjzers were the following midsliijiincn, called "volunteers," for the Bomhav Marine: — A. II. CJordon, W. Jardine, C. D. Camphell, G. Quanbrough. Twecdell, iind E. W. S. Daniell. Also J. Thacker, M. W. Lynch, and Kiehard Walker, who were ppoceedin^; to join the Pilot Service, but were transferred to the Bombay Marine. Mr. Twcodell was drowned within a few weeks of joiniufi the Service, having, it was supposed, fallen overboard in his sleep out of a gun-port where he was last seen sitting to cool himself. Mr. Thacker also died on board the 'Benares' .shortly after joining the Service, from the elfects of the climate of the Persian Gulf. 496 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. that the Superintendent should have the rank of major-general, with "all the honours due to the rank." Sir Cluirles IMalcolm entered upon his duties under the hap])iest auspices. His brother, Sir John Malcolm, was Governor, and, without exception, the officers of the Service were favourabl,y inclined towards him, and Avere gratified that an officer of the British Navy of his name and distinction should be placed at their head. Sir Charles was a kind-hearted man, with abilities far above the average, and he was a gentle- man in every sense of the word ; he also vigorously prosecuted the surveys which were inaugurated by the enlightened policy of the late Governor, Mr. Mountstuart Elphinstone. He took a M'arm interest in the welfare of the young officers, sought to elevate the moral tone among them, and stopped the allowance of ship's grog they hitherto received, substituting wine instead. Though his motive — a desire to prevent drunkenness — was laudable, he insisted on the youngsters having wine, and, moreover, buying it at a particular firm and at a fixed price. This wine system ceased in 1832. Equally arbitrary, though well-intentioned, was his choosing the agents to whom the midshipmen should entrust their savings, with the unfortunate result that the house failed in 1838 ; had he restricted his interference to the circular letter he issued to the commanding officers, recommending the midshipmen to their care, and advising the latter to deposit their savings in an agency, instead of spending them, he would have shown more discretion. On the whole, however, it may be said that his public conduct, like his private character, was always blameless, and that he was a good administrator and wise Superintendent. One of the first acts of Sir Charles jMalcolm was to imiprove the discipline of the Service, which had deteriorated, owing to the anomalous position occupied by the officers, and the want of a code of laws, by which the will of the Governor and Superintendent were paramount. Thus, in former years, though a Court of Inquiry was held, it was not at all unusual for the verdict of the Court, which acted more as a jury, to be set aside by Government, who would decide and punish as seemed to them best. Mr. Elphinstone, on becoming acquainted w-ith this system, provided a remedy, so far as lay in his power, by creating a penal code from the Naval articles of war, and the ofiicers comprising the Court not only found a verdict, but pronounced judgment, the Government only exercising an approving power, and in no case after was that power employed except on the side of mercy. This system, introduci'd in 1825, had just begun to be felt and appreciated, and Mr, Elphinstone had made strong appeals to the Court to procure martial law for the Service, when he quitted the country and gave place to the new Governor, Sir John Malcolm. At length HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 497 martial law was conceded to the Service, but it came under a "questionable guise," and with certain anomalous provisions as to convening courts-martial which are inexplicable, and appear to be contrary to the dictates of common sense. In order that their Marine might be placed under the same provisions as to martial law which were applicable to their Army, the Court of Directors decided upon the extraordinary course of forming the service into a Marine Corps, and giving the officers military as well as naval connnissions ; accordingly, early in 182i), the Service underwent another, and the most singular, but not the last, of its numerous metamorphoses. The following is the order in question: — " Bombay Castle, April 3, 1829. " The following extract of a letter from the Hon. the Court of Directors in the Marine and Forest Department, dated the 10th of September, 1828, together with the resolution of Council in the same department of the 24th ult., are published in General Orders : — "Para, 2. We have the satisfaction to acquaint you, in reference to the expectation expressed in our despatch, dated 31st of October, 1827, Paragraphs 6 and 7, that an Act has recently been passed for extending to the Bombay j\Iarine the provisions of the 4 Geo. IV. cap. 18, being the law which regulates the Com[)any's Army. " Para. 3. Six copies of the Act accompany this despatch ; and in order that the Corps may have the benefit of it without delay, we desire that you will forthwith embody its officers into a regiuient, to be called the Marine Corps, under the command of the Superintendent, with the rank of Major-Cieneral, in which corps you will invite the petty officers and seamen to enlist. " Para. 4. The military connnissions of the officers are to be of the ranks to which they are respectively entitled, under our orders dated the 1st of August, 1798, which fixed the rank the officers of the Marine were to enjoy respectively with the officers of the Army, and the dates of the Military com- missions are to correspond with those of the Marine connnis- sions. "Para. 5. You will cause it to be distinctly understood by the Superintendent and all the oflicers under his comu)and, that the I\Iarine officers are not, in virtue of their military commis- sions, to exercise any interference, nor to possess any claim or right to any advantages which may be exclusively enjoyed by the Army, nor to receive any addition whatever to their allowances. " Para. (). That there may be no misunderstau'liiig regard- ing the nature of the commission, we have caused a form to be VOL. I. KK 498 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. prepared bj^ our law officers, which is forwarded in the packet for your guidance. " Para. 7. We further desire that no fees be taken upon the commissions to be so granted to the officers of the Bombay ]\Iarine, as officers of our Army. " Para. 8. You will observe that the Act of 4 Geo. IV., by the provisions of which the Marine will hereafter be governed, requires a larger number of officers to constitute courts-martial, than it will be practicable to collect from the limited number of officers belonging to the Marine; the deficiency must in every case be supplied from among officers of the Army, who are not to derive any pecuniary advantage from the performance of that service. You will at the same time perceive, by the Act 4 Geo. IV., cap. 81, sec. 30, that the appointment of courts- martial must, in all cases, be in the officers commanding His Majesty's forces." " Minutes, March 24, 1829. "In pursuance of the foregoing instructions, the Hon. the Governor in Council is pleased to direct that the officers of the Bombay Marine be forthwith embodied into a regiment, to be called the Marine Corps, under the orders of the Superintendent of Marine, with the rank of Major-General, into which corps the Governor in Council is pleased to authorise the Superinten- dent of the Marine to invite the petty officers and seamen to enlist." By this anomalous transformation, the Service became neither " fish, flesh, nor fowl ;" neither an Army, nor a Navy, nor even a corps of Marines. None of the officers had ever cause to complain of the provi- sion by which military officers — in the event of a paucity of officers of their own Service — served on their courts-martial. But the most extraordinary part in this arrangement was, that the Superintendent, or Major-General, at the head of the new " Marine Corps," as it is styled in all orders, had neither power to convene a court-martial of any description, or to approve or disapprove of the proceedings of any court ; so that in cases of insubordination in warrant, or petty officers and seamen, he was obliged to adopt the humiliating course, of applying to the Commander-in-chief of the Bombay Army to convene a General Court-martial. Thus we find that on the 2nd of November, 1829, a court-martial, presided over by Captain R. Morgan, of the Marine, was convened at Bombay, to inquire into certain charges for " insubordinate and disrespectful con- duct" on the part of Lieutenant W. Bowater, of the Hon. Com- pany's ship ' Elphinstone,' preferred against him by his com- manding officer. Captain F. W. Greer and that the sentence of the Court, which was dismissal from the service, was con- firmed by the Commander-in-chief of the Bombay Army, Lieu- HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 400 tenant-General Sir Sydney Beckwith, K.C.B. The same system was in vogue until, in 1847, the Superintendent was transformed into a Commander-in-ehief, and hoisted his broad pennant in Bombay harbour as a first-class com- modore. Scarcely had the measures of 1828 for the increased efficiency of the Service, as a war marine, been inaugurated under the fostering care of a distinguished officer of the lloyal Navy, than their utility was seriously impaired by a development which affected both the discipline and status of the Service. This step was the enactment by Government, in August, 1829, of rules and regulations, whereby the Service was transformed from a Marine established for purely war purposes into one of a hybrid cliaracter. A regular packet service was to be established, and the Company's steamers were to run at stated intervals between Bombay and Cosseir, carrying passengers who were to pay 1,200 rupees for the passage either way. " Passengers taking servants with them were to pay in addition, 150 rupees for a European, and 75 for a native." The charges for overland postage from Bombay, were to be as follow : — " If the letter or packet weighs not more than one rupee, four rupees. If it weighs more than one rupee, but not more than two rupees, eight rupees. Ditto more than two rupees, but not more than three rupees, twelve rupees ; and so forth, four rupees for each additional rupee weight up to twelve rupees, beyond which weight no packet will be allowed." As a rupee weighs about three-quarters of an ounce, this makes the charge twelve rupees, or 24s. per ounce. During the year 1829,* orders were issued that the larger * At this time of great changes and General Orders, the following order, dated Bombay Castle, 2nd February, 1829, addressed to Sir Cliarles Malcolm, Superin- tendent of Marine, should not be omiUed a record in tlie.se jiarjes : — " It having been brought to the notice of the Hon. the (.rovernor of Bombay Fort and Castle, tiiat masters of country vessels, and merchant vessels, and ships within the harbour of Bombay, have hoisted pendants and assumed other (.li!<- tiuctions, in contravention of JI.AI.'s proclamation bearing date 1st January, l.StU, and the Governor of H.M.'s Forts and Casiles being directed by ll.M.'s siiid proclamation on tlieir observing any sliip or vessel bel()ni;ing to any of I1..M'h subjects, wearing the Hag commonly ilcscribcd as the L'nion Jack, or any of tiie distinction Jacks in the said proclamation mentioned, unless sncli ships or vcsscIh shall liave commission of letters of manpie or rei)risal, or sluill bo employed in H.M.'s service, to cause such Hag, pendant, Jack, or ensign, to be seized, and to return the names of the master or eommaniler of sucli shijjs and vessels wearing sucli ilag, pendant, Jack, or ensign, contrary to H.M.'s aforesaid prochunution, mito the Judge of H.M.'s Higii Court of Admiralty, for the time being. The Hon. the Governor of the Fort and Castle of Bombay, is jJeased liieivby to enjoin you to carry the provisions of the above proclamatiun into elFeet, ivs far as regards the sliips or vessels witliin the harbour of Itombay ; ankd 504 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. at Calcutta, under the presidency of the late Right Hon. Holt Mackenzie, to inquire into the whole question of the Service. The Committee's labours extended over the years 1829-30, but it would appear, by the eighth paragraph, that they only examined two oflScers of the Marine, and their ignorance of the duties and utility of the Service is glaringly displayed, in the seventh paragraph; in which they state, " neither are we aware of any service for a ship-of-war in the Red Sea." Considering that the exports from the Bombay Presidency to ports in the Red Sea, were of the annual value of twenty-four lacs, and that the trade from Calcutta and other places was of an equal value, this is an extraordinary statement to have emanated from a committee of financial experts, who, possibly, could not be held to apprize at their correct value the prestige attaching to the presence of ships-of-war in that important inland sea. A sumniary of Britisli relations with Mocha and other places i:i that part of the East, which we shall lay before the reader later on, will show the fallacy of the conclusions at which the Com- mittee arrived, and upon which the Government wisely declined to act. Those conclusions were the abolition of the Service and the employment of a squadron of Royal Navy ships, although they were fain to allow in their third paragraph, on the showing of Admiral Gage, that the Navy could not do th3 work at less expense. Perhaps the key to the hostility that always existed in the Supreme GoA^ernraent towards the Service, may be ascribed to the fact that a minor Presidency enjoyed the honour of having the Indian Marine under its orders, though this was due to the circumstance that Bombay harbour was the only port which could be employed as the head-quarters of a naval service, and so it had remained since the Company first acquired the island by cession from the Crown. We will now take leave of this Report of the Finance Committee, as its essential recommendations were not acted upon, and Sir John ]\lalcolra refuted its mis-statements and lame deductions in an able Minute. In the year I80O, Captain Thomas Tanner — whose name has so frequently appeared in these pages as one of the most eminent and scientific officers in the Service, one who was as ready with his sword as with the " pen of a ready writer," or the sextant of a practised observer — laid the Service under a debt of gratitude to him, by founding, under the auspices of the Bombay Govern- ment and the Court of Directors, the Pension Fund, for giving annuities to officers' widows and children. For the trouble he incurred, and the skill he displayed, in drawing up the tables and making the arrangements, the officers of the Service presented Captain Tanner with a piece of plate of the value of one hundred guineas. The year 1830 was memorable for two events — a trial for HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 505 piracy of a distinguished officer of tlie Service, who was made a scapegoat for the sins of others, and the first voyage of a steam vessel from Bombay to Snez, under the command of an officer of the Bombay Marine, an event, the importance of which can scarcely be exaggerated. Commander John Croft Hawkins, arraigned on the extra- ordinary charge of piracy, was one of the most able officers of the Service, and had repeatedly received the thanks of Govern- ment ; indexed, it was his zeal for tlie public welfare, in carrying out the orders conveyed to him by his official superiors, that induced this high-minded officer to commit au act which was technically of an illegal character, and fraught with most grave consequences to himself. The case created a great stir, and aroused strong feelings of partisanship throughout the press of India. Our duty, as the historian of the Indian Navy, is sini))l_y to chronicle facts, and to lay before the public, letters, hitherto unpublished, from which they will be able t(^ form an opinion as to whether, on the one hand, Commander Hawkins exceeded or mistook his instructions, and on the other, whether his official suj)erior. the Superintendent of the Indian Navy, abandoned to his fate an officer who, with rare loyalty, sacrificed himself in order to screen his chief, Conm^iander Hawkins was posted to the 'Clive' in A])ril, 182i), and, in the following month, proceeded to the Persian Gulf, whence, after visiting Muscat and Bassadore, he returned to Bombay in September. As at this time there was a defi- ciency of European seamen in the ships of the Indian Navy, and the supply of lascars, hitherto shipped at Gogo, in the Gulf of Cambay, failed to fill the vacancies, Connnandcr Hawkins was selected to proceed to the coast of Africa, for the purpose of shipping black boys, who were to be trained for the Service. The ' Clive' at this time carried an armament of sixteen 82- pounder carronades, and two long nines, with a crew of ninety- four Europeans, including three lieutenants, master, purser, surgeon, six midshipmen, cajjtain's clerk, gunner, boatswain, carpenter, apothecany, the rest being petty ofiicers and seameii ; she had in addition a detachment of iMarines, and one boat's crew of native seamen, shipped for the ))urpose of saving the Europeans from exposure to the sun, in tlie generally unhealthy climate experienced on the coast of Africa. The following were the sailing instructions addressed to Connnander Hawkins, signed by Sir Charles Malcolm, and dated the 4th of January, 1, to raise seamen for the Honourable Company's Marine from the coast of Africa, 506 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. and tlie adjacent Islands, yon are (after having performed the instructions contained in my letter, No. 20,* of 1830, of this date) directed to proceed to the coast of Africa and islands in its vicinity for that purpose, and adopt the best means of entering for the Service as many able-bodied lads as you can, in age from twelve to eighteen, free from all disease and bodily infirmity, and of that compact symmetry best calculated for seamen. " You are authorised to emplo}'' (on reasonable terms) an agent to assist you in this duty, and to give these lads the bounty agreeable to the regulations, or a reasonable sum more should that not be thought a sufficient inducement. You will rate these lads as marine boys on board your ship, and pay the strictest attention to their morals, and the speedy attaimnent of their profession ; and you will perform this duty with the greatest delicacy and consideration, and avoid as much as pos- sible giving umbrage to the Mahometan Government, as upon the success of this measure, the efficiency of the Hon. Com- pany's Marine Service will very materially depend. "You will keep a private journal of every transaction that occurs during your cruise, which will be forwarded to me on your return, with a report on what you consider the best means of engaging these lads for the Service. You will visit the island of Socotra going and coming, and report on the anchorage at both sides of the island, with such facilities or advantages as it may possess for forming a coal depot on it for the steam navigation between this and the Red Sea. " You are to engage no more than sixty of the boys, as that number will be sufficient for the present. "You are to instruct Lieutenant Peters (in conjunction with the master) to make a useful survey of such ports and harbours at Socotra and other places, as may be useful to navigation in general, but to detain the vessel as little as possible from the more important duties on which you are engaged. " 1 have the honour to be, &c." During the course of the subsequent trial and the recrimina- tions attendant thereupon, frequent reference was made to other secret instructions, and though none were produced at the trial or made public at a later date, yet from a reference by Com- mander Hawkins, in a letter addressed to Sir Pulteney Malcolm, to ''a private disclosure," and a correspondence " shown to some friends in the heat of the moment," and also from a passage in a letter from Captain Cogan, Assistant-Super- intendent, writing on behalf of Sir Charles Malcolm, where there is a suspicious reference to "documents emanating in any way from you to his prejudice," — all these together justify the * This letter directed liim to proceed to Bassndore, in tLe Persian Gulf, and land stores and provisions for the use of the squadron. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 507 inference that something more passed between the two ofTicers than ever came to light. Commander Hawkins sailed from Bombay on the 5th of January, 1830, and, on the 20th, anchored in Bassadore roads, where he found the Hon. Company's sloop-of-war ' Ternate,' Commodore W. S. Collinson ; on the 2onl, having delivered the stores for the use of the Persian Gulf squadron, he proceeded to Muscat, where he arrived on theoOth. The ' Clive' remained at Muscat till the (Jtli of February, ('omnuindc^r Hawkins having, during the interval, laid in with dilKculty, owing to the absence of the Iraaum at Zanzibar and the unsettled state of the country, a supply of wood and water, and also apprehended three miscreants, belonging to a brig, who had confessed to the nnn-der of the captain and officers. On the Gth of February Com- mander Hawkins* sailed from ]\Iuscat, and, on the 18th, sighted the island of Socotra, of which he made a cursory examination, landing at some places, including Gollanseer; having gained the information necessary to enable him to report upon the facilities possessed by the island as a coal depot for the projected line of steamers. Commander Hawkins bore up for the southward on the 25th of February. On the 3rd of March he arrived at Ijrava, and, on the 8th, anchored at Zanzibar, where he received a warm welcome from the Imainu, whose capital of Muscat he had saved from destruction by (ire in the previous year, for which service his Highness had presented him with a handsome sword. Commander Hawkins sailed from Zanzibar on the ll'th of March, and, after visiting various places on the coast in furtherance of his mission to ship boys for the Service, he proceeded to Lindey,t where he anchored on the 28th of April. AtLindey he found a whaler, the master of which apjjlied to him for assistance to keep his unruly crew in subjection. Com- * Commander Hawkins sajs in his Journal of the cruisf of the ' Clivo ' : — " On the 8th, having run close in abreast of Capo Jube, shoaled very suddenly from twenty ialhonis to seven, and tlien live, then steering to tlie southward, liad regular soundings from five to ciglit and twelve fatlioms soft mud. At two p.m. saw the wreck of the ' Oscar,' (a) hauled in for it, lowered a quarter-boat, and Bent an oillcer to examine; but the surf was too liigh to venture on board, from wliich it may be concluded the cuast is always dillicult to land on, wo having been on it at dill'eront ))eriods, and each time a iii^li .surf, ahliougli tho weather was quite moderate in tlie oiling. We observed from tlic sliip, as well as from tlie boat, tliat the Arabs liad jjulicd down licr topsails, rii)ped oil" her upper deck, and completely stripped lu'r of co|iper. They hnd liuts erected cloBO to tlie spot, and sheds under which tliey were building boats, supplied with necessaries from the wreck." t Lindey lli\er, in lat. 0" 50' S., long. HO" 4.')' E., is about 22i leni;uos to tho north-west'of Cape Deliiado ; it is a line i-iver, with several villages on its banks, tho principal of whicli, called Lindey, lies, with its fort, ou tho west bunk. (a) Tlio 'Oscar' was wrecked near Ras Roos, bt>t\veen Ras Jibsh (called above Ras Jube) and Ras El Xhabbeh, on the Arabian coast. 508 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. niander Hawkins exchanged one of his seamen for two of the mutineers, and, on the 4th of May, one of the whaler's men having again been insubordinate, lie sent for the master and crew on board the ' Clive,' and punished the delinquent with three dozen lashes. Being short of supplies, on the 5th of May, Commander Hawkins proceeded on shore with a party of men, when the natives, who have the reputation of being very treacherous, attacked him. Commander Hawkins exhibited great forbearance, but, at length, when he was himself wounded, and the safety of his men was imperilled, he fired and drove the enemy off, when he succeeded in reaching the boats without loss.* On the 8th of May Commander Hawkins proceeded with * The following extracts from Commauder ITa-\vkins's Journal detail bis pro- ceedings between the Stli of Marcli and 5th of May : — " On the 7th of March passed Peir.ba Island ; on the 8tb, at sunset, saw- Zanzibar Island from the deck, and at two a.m. anchoi-ed in twenty-eight fathoms, off the north end of the island. At sunrise weighed, and at four p.m. saw the shipping at anchor off the Imaum's palace — saluted him witli nineteen guns. On the 10th of March, paid his Higliness a visit of ceremony, and was received with great honour and kindness, his Highness insisting on supplying all the wants of the ' Clive' during our stay. On my return on board, a boat-load of bullocks, goats, vegetables, and fruit, in the greatest abundance, were sent, and during our stay we were frequently supplied in the same liberal manner, and also with wood, and offer of water. Nothing could exceed the attention of his Highness ; I could only assure him of the pleasure it would give me to represent his friendly conduct to the notice of my superiors. " March 19th. Having completed our wood and water, weighed and pro- ceeded to the southward — his Highness having kindly ordered us a pilot, who, on quitting, could not be prevailed onto accept of remuneration. On the evening of the 20th, shoaled suddenly on a small bank, from twenty to four and a-half fathoms rocks and sand ; bore up to the westward, and immediately deepened to thirty fathoms. " On the 7th of April came-to in twelve fathoms, under the lee of Isle Langa, immediately to windward of Cape Uel^ado, having experienced very strong currents aud fresh winds from the southward — some days gaining a few miles, on others losing as many. I'ound here several large boats, two with horses, belonging to thelmaum of Muscat ; they had been here some days, having quitted Zanzibar before our arrival, aud, in consequence of the strength of the current could not proceed. The Naquedar having represented that he had nothing to hold water, having his tank stove, I directed him to be supplied with two sixty-gallon casks. I remained at this anchorage till after tlie springs, in hopes the wind would shift or become more moderate. On the 17th of April weighed, and worked south- ward, but found, on standing in shore, we had lost ground ; would have got into our old anchorage, but could not fetch it, and to avoid the loss we should sustain v.ere we to remaiu under Meigh all night, anchored off a reef projecting from Cape Delgado in six and a half fathoms. At daylight on the 12th weighed, and again attempted to work to the southward, but iincling we lost ground eonside- ably, bore up, and anchored in Hambreezy Bay, {a) in eleven fathoms. Ee- mamed here till tlie 27lh April, it blowing hard from the southward in squalls, with a great deal of heavy rain ; filled up with water collected Irom rain in pools opposite the ship, opened a communication with the natives up a salt water river, from whom we obtained supplies of fowls and pumpkins in quantities sufiicient for the ship's company. There were in the river great numbers of the hippo- potamus ; but altliough we wounded some, were not fortunate enough to kill any. At this place 1 was visited by an Arab Slieik, named Nasser bin Easser, to (a) Probably off Mizimbary Island on the north side of KoTuma Bay. HISTORY OF THE INDIAX NAVY. 509 the object of his cruise, and, between that date and the 30tli of May, shipped tliirty negro boys. He says in his journal : — " May 8th. Entered for the Service seven boys, rated them whom I communicated the object of mj yisit. He informed me that he was the Imaum's vakeel from Keelwar to Ibo, where the Portuguese Grovernment commences. He assured me he would do all in his power to assist me — that at Lindej, where he resides, he could insure me all that I required, and that he would return after two or tlireo days. In this he failed ; but as I saw not the least chance of getting to Mozambique or Madagascar, I was fain to endeavour to obtain the object of the voyage at Lindej, in prosecution of which I bore up for that river on the' 27tli of April, having procured a pilot at Mickindamy,(a) where we ancliored for the niglit. " Next day, tlie 28th, arrived at Lindej ; found here a whaler, the ' Ann Elizabeth,' nineteen months from London. Commenced filling witli wood and water, of both of whicih there is abundance. May the 1st, the master of tiie whaler having applied to me for assistance, his crew being unruly, two having deserted, and two refusing dutj, sent an otlicer on board to harangue them into better order, and to threaten punishment (having apprehended tiie two deserters through the Sheikli, who liad returned from Toonga, and sent tiicm on board). On tliis daj received a visit from the Slieikli and his brother, Mahommed bin Easser; saluted him with tliree guns. On conferring with liim, he agreed to do all in his power towards our wishes. May the 3nd, found it necessary from the stay we were likely to make at this place to put tlie crew on half allowance of biscuits and flour. May the 3rd, having anotlier application from tiie master of the ' Ann Eiizabetli,' as also from two men — foreigners — to do them justice, tlie master came on board with them. He wishecl to discliarge tbem (they volunteering for the 'Clive'), they refusing their duty, and using threatening language ; but the sliip being short of hands, he could not spare tlicm, though apprehensive of bad conduct at sea. I agreed, much to his satisfaction, to let him have one volunteer from tlie ' Clive' in lieu of tiie malcontents, and tiiis, I trust, will meet witli tlie ajjprobation of Sir Charles Malcolm, Superintendent, as I liad nothing in view but the furtlierance of the Service. May the 4th, one of the original deserters having again deserted and given himself up on board the ' Clive,' I sent for the master and crew of the ' Ann Eiizabetli,' and punished the deserter with three dozen lashes for frequent desertions and refusing his duty. " May the 5th. I went with a party of ofncei-s and men, in tiie launch, with the intention of opening a communication with the natives for supplies, and to explore the country. We had arms in the boat ; liaving proceeded twelve or fifteen miles up the river, we remained for the night in the boat, and in tiie morning landed, liaving but four muskets, and the men with cutlasses, not wishing to alarm them by appearing in force. After walking about four or live miles to the top of a hill, we came to some of the habitations of the natives, but tlie most of them lied at our approach. On our talking with an old man, and explaining what we wanted, lie appeared satisfied, and conducted mytclf and some of the men to tlie top of the lull where the country was well cultivated and populous ; but meeting with a party of twelve or fifteen men, they threatened us from some high groves, into which they had immediately jumped on seeing us, that they would let fly their arrows if we did not go away ; and as no explanation would satisfy tbem — they being concealed from our view — wo retired, but on joining the rest of the party, that had remained half-way down the hill, at the first houses, we were attacked by between forty and fifty with bows and arrows, spears, and large stones, which latter they threw with unerring aim. I w-as extremely loath to fire at these poor creatures until 1 was struck several times with stones, all the time begging them to desist, and that we wouKl go away. But finding they gathered boldness on my clemency, and having received a severe contusion on the head, I fired, and brought tiicir chief down. On this they again rushed up to the rear of our party, and nothing but pointing the (a) Probably IVIizimbary. 510 HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. on the books, Marine Boys. A report came to Lindey that in our late affray one of their chiefs and another man was kilhid, as also one wounded. I begged the Sheikh to send and exphiin to them, as also to say if the wounded man was sent to Lindey the surgeon would attend him. May 10th, sent the agent in the launch with a native crew down the coast, to Keelwar to expedite the service. May 11th, entered one boy ; May 14th, entered one ditto ; May 15th, entered five ditto ; May 18th, entered thirteen ditto ; May 22nd, entered three. May 23rd, having no less than twenty on the sick list, myself and two officers in the number, with sudden fever, weighed and dropped down the river. May 24th, having procured pilots for Keelwar,* weighed and stood down the coast ; at five p.m. anchored off Kis- wara River in sixteen fathoms. Daylight, weighed and stood along the coast for Keelwar ; when we anchored for the night, sent an officer on shore to inquire for the launch— she had quitted the same evening for Zanzibar. Daylight weighed, and stood out between the reefs which perfectly enclose the harbour. There is here abundance of provisions and fresh water, and the best anchorage on the coast, having plenty of water and good holding ground. The Sheikh was very civil, and said he had not been visited by an English ship since Captain Owen had been in the ' Leeven.' On the 29th of May arrived at Zanzibar. The Governor, Seyyid Hamed, and the young prince, son of the Imaurn of Muscat, behaved very kindly, proffering services?, and sending off a large supply of fruit, goats and vegetables, which were very acceptable to the sick. On the oOth the launch returned with four volunteer boys. "On the 7th of July left Zanzibar; on this day buried two seamen, and on the 10th of June, to my very great regret, Mr. Gilbert, purser, died, a young man I highly respected for his amiable, gentlemanly manners, and complete professional knowledge. June 11th, buried three seamen, and in the evening died one of the most promising young midshipmen in the Service, Mr. Thomas Pitcher. Still had on the sick-list nineteen Europeans and six natives, and, unfortunately, in consequence of the great number seized with this fever, our medicines ran out. Making prodigious way, in consequence of muskets kept them from attacking us with their spears. I had the morti- fication to find that only two of the four muskets would go off. I was obliged to fire again, several of us being knocked down and neai'ly stunned by the stones. I received anotlier blow on the head, which obliged me to order another shot to be fired, which wounded a man. I imagine that perceiving the certain effects of our fire, and tliat we did not fire often, but were retreating to the boat, after seeing us close to it, letting off their arrows and throwing stones at us the whole way, and that our strength was not diminished — for we had observed then* counting us — they retired. I had much satisfaction in retreating without loss, and could liave wished our opponents equally fortunate, although everything was done to avoid the contest. Two of our little boys were interpreters and behaved faithfully." * Also known as Quiloa. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN ^X\Y. 511 a current of eighty miles a day. June 14th, in consequence of a strong easterly set out of the Red Sea, found ourselves considerably to leeward of the west-end of Socotra island, although I had steered to make Abdul-Coory ; bore up to round the East Cape. Here we experienced a very high sea and strong monsoon. In hauling round the east end of Socotra found the reef and bank to extend much farther to the south- ward and eastward, and very dangerous ; I should jutlge from ten to twelve miles — Horsburgh says two leagues. June 15th, it blowing at times in such heavy gusts as to endanger the masts, splitting our sails and carrying away our gear, so that we were fiiirly blown olf. Remained till eight a.m. on the 16th, when bore up, finding we had lost ground. At this time I was sud'ering from a severe relapse of fever; 17th, the first- lieutenant reported that a quantity of provisions were spoiled by a leak in the store-room. Sold the effects of the deceased officers and seamen ; 18th, buried a seaman. On the 22nd of June, at 7.40, anchored off the Apollo Pier." Commander Hawkins was utterly ignorant of having com- mitted any illegality in shipping the negro boys — the only point in which he had exceeded his instructions arising from some of the number being of a more tender age than was authorised ; had the money been paid to them in the shape of bounty, even though it had been afterwards handed over to their masters, he would have evaded the law — but such double-dealing was foreign to his nature. The children under twelve cried to accomi)any the other boys, and, being of a kind-iicarted disposition, he engaged them also. He says in a narrative of the subsequent proceedings, addressed to Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm, the brother of Sir Charles, and written while in England, towards the end of 1831 : — " On the 2Gth of July, 1830, I was first made acquainted with the intended prosecution of the Supreme Court, by Sir John ]\lalcom, while on a visit to him at DajKiolie. His brother. Sir Charles, had a long conversation with me, and I told him I would go down and try and put a stop to it, by alVording any explanation the Grand Jury might require, at the same time giving him to understand he might rely on my prudence. On my arrival at Bombay, the case had proceeded too far, and as it was believed by the opposing faction,* that I had received some * By tliia term is meant the party friendly to Sir Joliti Potlaint« made against him by the Hon. the East India Company." Wo will not refer to the merits of this unhappy disinite further than to say that it was nenorally understood in Bombay that it was iu order to ombarass the Governor of Bombay 512 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. orders, my lawyers and friends stroni^ly urged me to criminate the Superintendent. 1 invariably answered that I had received no other orders but such as had already appeared before the Court. I had not been more than twenty-four hours in Bombay before warrants were out for my apprehension, no less than seventeen true bills having been found. I was obliged to go over to Angria's territory, which put me to great expense, especially as I had at the same lime to advance large sums to lawyers, and retaining fees to my counsel ; however, as I thought that the less communication I had with Sir C. Malcolm the better, I drew what was necessai-y from my agents, under the firm persuasion I should be repaid. About the middle of August Captain Cogan* came over to see me on the part of Sir Charles Malcolm, and having ascertained the course 1 meant to pursue, he acquainted me that he was authorised to assure me of the support of Sir Charles Malcolm and the Government collectively and individually ; that I should not suffer in any way, that I should have the ' Clive's' pay, and even added, that I should not be removed from the Island of Bombay, if convicted. I replied 1 would undergo anything rather than criminate Sir Charles ; that he was a sailor, one of our own cloth, and would not deceive me. I will here add that my feelings of regard for Sir Charles determined me to adopt this course rather than divulge to a soul how far he was to blame. His brother. Sir John Malcolm, at Dapoolie, had a good deal confounded me by asking me questions as to how the boys were procured, but even to him I did not choose to reveal the truth. I need not inform you how long I was kept in suspense and anxiety awaiting my trial to commence, or to what inconvenience I was put in pecuniary matters, for although I thought Sir Charles might have put so much confidence in me as to offer me assistance, I was persuaded his only reason for not doing so were appre- hensions lest I should incautiously mention the source from whence I derived support. In October I arrived at the Mahableshwar Hills, where I received a letter from my lawyer (marked A) to which I replied (see Letter B). These were and his brother, the Supermteudent, that Commander Hawkins was pi-osecuted. Sir John Grant was soon afterwards appointed one of the judges of the Supreme Court at Calcutta. * Tlie Assistant-Superintendent. (a) " Mr. Morley appeai-s to be satisfied that your only resource is to satisfy the jury tliat you acted in obedience to what you believed were tlie orders and intentions of Sir Charles Malcolm and the Groverument, and that j'ou should lay before him (Morley) your secret report, and all official orders from Sir Charles Malcolm, or by his directions all accounts of monies you expended to procure the boys, your report of those expenses, aU private conversations between you or any person acting under you respecting the manner of procuring tlie boys, and the names of the witnesses who were present at such conversations. Morley also further advises you to prove Sir Cliarles Malcolm's seeing the boys, the date of the ' Chve's' arrival iu Bombay, aud that no censure was passed on you. All the foregoing advice I received from Morley yesterday, and I send it you almost HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY. 513 shown privately to Sir John ^Vlalcohn, and I heard he was much pleased with my determination, and the reply I had written. During all this period, from the end of July, I was without pay, and latterly without any resources whatever; but I was averse to make any direct application for pecuniary assistance to Sir Charles, as I expected to have everything finally settled to my satisfaction." Commander Hawkins was arraigned before the Supreme Court presided over by Sir John Awdry, on Monday, the 2Hth of March, 1831, and the trial lasted on that and the two fol- lowing days. The Counsel for tbe prosecution were the Advocate-General, Mr. Le Mesurier, and Mr. H. Morgan; and for the defence, Mr. Morley and Mr. Hill. Eighteen true bills were found by the Grand Jury, and the indictment containi^d four counts. The crime charged in the first count was, for conveying from a certain place off the island of Zanzibar to Bombay, certain persons — here were given the Christian names and surnames of the thirty boys Commander Hawkins received on board the ' Clive ' at Lindey, and the four brought to Zanzibar in the launch, of which total, one died and one was drowned on the voyage. The second count was the same as the first, only stating that the names of the persons conveyed were un- known. The third and fourth counts were the same respectively, as the first and second, only stating that the conveying was for the jnirpose of the persons conveyed being treated as slaves. Commander Hawkins pleaded " not guilty," and, the da3' being far advanced, the Court was adjourned until Tuesday, when the trial commenced before a dense throng of excited and attentive spectators. After the opening address by the Advocate-General, Lieutenant C. Sharp, first of the ' Clive/ verbatim, that j'oii may consider it and write me by return of post, that I may lose no time in communicatins; the tciiour of your reply to him." (b) " Of course Mr. Morley gives me such advice as he tliinks best, and in so far does his duty by me, for whicli I return liim mytlianks; but I must now inform liim, tlu'ough you, that if ho cannot defend my cause strictly on tiio grounds of my own innocence, without tin-owing even the shadow of blame on either Sir C'iiurlcs Malcolm or Government, lie cannot do me tliesliglitcst service, and I would sooner plead my own cause, with your assistance in the examination of witnesses. I iiave no secret instructions, nor have I any private conversation to swear to, or to have cvitlenco. I must stand on tiu' ))lain meiits of the case, whicli never as' yet have been fairly inquired into. Morh'y befordiand a]ipears to have decided my case as gone, witliout such aid as I have not to produce. " Sir Charles did not see the boys till after the disturbance in the Supremo Court,, at least if he did, not in my presence. Neither did I receive ajiprovnl or censure, except in taking some of tlie l)oys youiiircr lliiin I was ordi'red. I cannot for a moment admit that I believed I was obey nig tlio uiders of Government in doing that of which I am accused, and wliicli accusjition I repel and defy. Tiic only report I sent him was a ]irivnte journal, which wa.* before tlie Grand Jury, and whicli merely mentioned I liad engaged thirty-four at a bounty of liiirly-fivo and a-half doUars each." VOL. I. L L 514 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. was called as the first witness, and stated as follows in the course of" his cross-examination : — " The boys were not treated like lascars, but their treatnient was precisely the same as that of English boys. The Superintendent of the Indian Navy came on board and inspected the boys on his return from Poona about a month after our arrival in port. Captain Cogan, assistant to the Superintendent, came on board two or three days after our arrival. Nothing more was said to the boys than wdiat I said, that if they came on board for five years, for which period the bounty was usually given, they might after- wards return to their own country if they wished/' The Advocate-General admitted the good treatment received by the boys. Mr. Fraser, the surgeon, and IVIr. Peters, second lieutenant of the ' Clive,' were also examined as to the facts of the shipment of the boys, and the latter deposed that some thousands of dollars were taken on board at Muscat, and disbursed at Lindey. The native syrang who brought the four boys in the launch to Zanzibar, deposed that " they came wil- lingly," and that they used to leave the boat and return Avithout compulsion. Mr. Willoughby, the Secretary to Govern- ment, and Captain Cogan, w-ere examined as to the correspon- dence between the Governor and the Superintendent; and the sailing instructions issued by the latter to Commander Hawkins were produced. Several of the African boys were then exaniined, and it was elicited from two of them that they received no money, but were ordered by their masters to proceed on board the ' Clive.' They had, however, received pay regularly since. This closed the case for the prosecution, and, on the following morning, the prisoner, we are told, " stood up in the bar, and in a loud, firm, and almost triumphant tone of voice, read his address," which, as was afterwards announced by his Counsel, " was written by him without any communication with them, and that they were quite ignorant of its purport, till they heard it delivered in Court." His object in addressing the Court himself, and not, in the regular course, leaving the conduct of his case in the hands of his Counsel, was due, as is shown in his correspondence with his solicitors, to a fear lest his Counsel might compromise Sir Charles Malcolm or Government. For the same reason the Captain of the ' Clive ' declined to call witnesses on his behalf. Such self-sacrificing loyalty is as rare as it is noble. On the conclusion of Commander Hawkins' defence, which is too lengthy for insertion here, some evidence was produced as to the humane character he had always borne, and then the judge charged the jury, who gave a general verdict of " guilty," but with a strong recommendation to mercy in con- HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 513 sideration of the pt^culiar circniiistaiifes in which he liad been placed. In reph' to a question put to them by the judge, the jury stated their belief to be (1), that the boys came willingly on board the 'Clive;' (2), that they were obtained by purchase. On the 12th of April, the judge passed sentence on Com- mander Hawkins, who was condemned to " be transported to the east coast of New South Wales for the term of seven years." On the following day the negro boys, brought by the 'Clive' from Zanzibar, were taken before the Senior Magistrate of Police, and informed, through an interpreter, that they were to consider themselves at perfect liberty to go where they pleased. They were given to understand that the usual bounty would be paid tliem if they would return on board ship ; but that, in case they wished to go back to their parents, care would be taken to send them to the country from whence they came. A large number selected to return to the 'Clive.' Commander Hawkins continues as follows his narrative of the transactions, addressed to Sir Pultency Malcolm:— "You will see by the paragraph in my letter, of the 24th of April, IcSol, to your brother (marked E) that I was reduced to great diiliculties. After my conviction your brother visited me in gaol, and told me he hoped I should get my back pay, and my memorial complied with ; but he gave me no promise of support in case it should fail. However, I thought it best to (e; " My dear Sir, — " The Grovcrnment have decided I am only to get heutenant's pay to tlie time of conviction, and then no pay whatever, with the exception of tiic month luui seventeen days I lield command of the 'Clive.' I have ilcferred writing till this has been settled, as I daresay you have to determine what will lay in your power to do for me in a pecuniary point. I may now look on myself as a ruined man, as the sum I have to receive is only adequate to pay a most pressing debt due t-o Mr. VV^est, taken up by Iiim when I was last in Bombay to save me from gaol, and ■which at that time 1 was assured I should have it in my power to pay trum my expected promised waj;es of the 'Clive.' As for myself, I liave nothin,', hut am in debt at le:i>t a couple of tliousaiul rupees, in addition to the sum ilue to Mr. West, wiiich i feel bounil in honour to pay, lio having become bail for mc. Having placed impHcit confidence in getting the wliole of my arrears, us in command of the ' Clive,' I gave him to understand he should liavo the money to a certainty. There is no provision made for mo wliile I remain at New South Wales, and it may be for seven years. This is exactly my situation at present. I need scarcely remind you Imw fre(pient!y you have jiroinised to support me in the event of this unfortunate affair taking an adverse turn. It is liardly, I trust, necessary to put you in mind how freipiently it was ple^ with the King, who promised to grant Connnander Hawkins a free pardon,! and graciously commanded that he should appear at the next levee. Commander Hawkins obeyed the royal mandate, when His ]\Iajesty received him with great kindness, and converseil with him. The Directors asked him how soon he wouhl be ready to return to his duty, upon which he replied that he shouhl memo- rialize the Hon. Court for si.K months' leave to recruit his health, which had sutFered in the prison at Bombay, and then he should again memorialize for a further period of six months, and also for his full pay as captain of the *Clive' for the time of his confinement and passage to Kngland. And he succeeded in obtaining these demands, thus showing^ that his masters * This nobleiuan wus tlio sclioolfollow and friciul of Lord Byron, n«gariliug whom ho wrote tlie exquisite stiiiizns in hi» " Jloiir:) of Mlonesa." t This docmneut wus luUlressed to the Goveriior-Gom-nii, mid wtijt daUushire, to IJoiidiay. \Vrit- ing from Tabreez on the 2t)th of December, 18;)2, he says: "1 arrived here yesterday in time for Christmas dinner, and go away to-morrow. I have accomplished my journey quicker than it has ever been done before; crossing tlu! mountains with the thermometer M deg. below zero, and the icich'S for the last fortnight hanging in thick dusters to my upper-lip, thi' breath from my nostrils freezing as quickly as emitt»Ml. ]\ly boots were not taken off for a fortnight, and the Tartar (lead beat half way, and unable to proceed with me. iNumerous adventures which I have no time to describe; in all thirty- seven days on the road from England, and 1 had reached half wav in six ilavs I'rom Constantinople, and in that period only 520 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. laid down to sleep twice." He arrived in safety at Bombay after surmounting many difficulties and undergoing great hard- ships ; and Lord Glenelg spoke in eulogistic terms of his " talents, public spirit and energy," Soon after his arrival, Commander Hawkins was reappointed to the command of his old ship, the 'Clive. The second event of importance in the year 1830, already alluded to, Commander Hawkins' trial being the other, was the inauguration of steam communication between Bombay and Suez, for which an officer of the Service is entitled to the chief credit. In 1829, there was launched at Bombay, for the Marine, a small steam vessel of 411 tons, called the 'Hugh Lindsay,' which had a long and serviceable life of thirty years. The 'Hugh Lindsay' was not by any means the first steamer that had appeared in the East, but she was unquestionably the first to demonstrate the feasibility of the overland route, so far as the most important link — the sea passage between Lidia and Suez— was concerned, and for this her captain, the late Com- mander J. H. Wilson, is entitled to high honour. The first proposal we have been able to ferret out, for' the establishment of overland steam communication, was in the year 1822, and we read the following in a letter which appears in the "Asiatic Journal" of May in that year : -"A Captain Johneton has sug- gested a plan for opening an intercourse with India by means of steam vessels, and the details he has furnished respecting it are so specious, and all the obstacles in the way of its success are so admirably disposed of, that it is astonishing the pro- jector has not been deluged with contributions or subscriptions already, and that a steamer is not unloading in the port of Suez." What would the writer, who wrote this half in irony, say of the steamers now at the port of Suez and the other ports throughout the East ! Lieutenant Johnston, R.N., was com- niissioned to proceed to Calcutta, with the object of forming a company for working one or more vessels on the Suez line, but the scheme fell through. A proposal was then made to run steamers by the old route of the Cape of Good Hope, and funds were obtained by subscription in order to carry out an experi- ment. In our account of the Burmese war, mention has frequently been made of the 'Diana,' which — under charge of her engi- neer, Mr. Anderson — was of such essential service throughout the operations on the Irrawaddy. In January and Eebruary, 1827, other steamers, the ' Irrawaddy' and ' Ganges,' were launched at Kyd's dockyard, at the same slips that gave birth to the 'Diana;' and a year or two later, a third, called the 'Hooghly,' was added to the Company's service. But these were all river steamers, and the first sea-going vessel propelled by steam, was the ' Enterprise,' built in England, by means of HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAXT. 521 the snbscriiotion raised to further Lieutenant Johnston's views. She was a ship of 500 tons, and having two sixty-horse power engines, with copper boilers extending across the ship, and seven furnaces, each seven feet in length. The 'Enterprise,' under command of Lieutenant Johnston, carrying only pas- sengers, and having 300 tons of coals on board, sailed from Fahnouth cm the 16th of August, and arrived at Calcutta on the Uth of December, having performed the voyage under sail and steam conjbined, in one hundred and fifteen days : a per- formance that was considered by no means satisfactory by the mercantile community, at a time when the splendid ships of the Company frequently covered the same distance in ninety days. On her arrival, Government purchased the ' Enterprise' for .£40,000, and she was sent to Rangoon. She was of consider- able use in towing ships between Calcutta and the nt-wl}'- acquired provinces, and, on one occasion, carried the Governor- General ; ultimately she "was brought round to Bombay by Lieutenant Denton, of the Service, and was to have made the experimental voyage to Suez, but circumstances prevented it. The origination of the overland route between India and England, though generally credited to the late Lieutenant Thomas Waghorn, is claimed with equal justice by others. Mr. R. W, Crawford has stated, that it was due "to the com- munity of Bombay, as represented by the Bombay Steam Committee," though, whoever first suggested the scheme, it is a matter of fact that the honour of being the first to demonstrate the possibility of communication by steam between Suez and India, is justly due to an officer of the Service. Mr. Waghorn, to whose energy and perseverance the esta- blishment of the overland route tlirough Europe and Egypt, is chiefly due, was born at Chatham in the year 1800. At^ the age of twelve he entered the Navy, and, before he was seven- teen, had passed liis examination in navigation for a lieutenancy, being the youngest midshipman wlio had (;ver done so. He did not receive a connnission, however, and. on being paid off in 1817, sailed as third mate of a mercliant shi]) bound for Cal- cutta. He returned to England, but, in 18 li), was appointed to the Bengal pilot service. In 1824 he volunteered for service in Burmah, and for two and a-half years commanded the lion. Coujpany's cutter ']\Iatchless,' wliich formed a part of the squadron under the orders of (Jonnnodore Hayes. Mr. Wag- horn's name first appears in connection with steam navigation between England and India, at Calcutta, in 1828, when he advocated a renewed attempt by the Cape route, that made by Lieutenant Johnston, in the * Enterprise,' not being regarded as very favourable. A public meeting was held at Calcutta on the 30th of July, 1828, at which Sir John Hayes gave his warm sup- 52-2 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. port to Mr. Waghorn, who published a letter* in the Cahiutta papers, detailing his plan for a line ot" steamers by the Cape. In consequence of the support he received from the subscribers to the Steam Navigation Fund, Mr. Waghorn left Calcutta for England in October, 1828, accredited by the Committee to per- sons of official standing at Madras, Ceylon, Mauritius, the Cape, and St. Helena. On his arrival in England, in April, 1829, Mr. Waghorn endeavoured to stir up popular feeling in favour of his project in the principal cities of the United Kingdom, but without much success. It is true, the mercantile classes connected with India and some high public functionaries, applauded his scheme, but the Post Office authorities were doggedly opposed to steam navigation, and the Court of Directors, with the exception of Mr. Loch, were lukewarm in the cause, though they voted the necessary steam machinery for one vessel. After waiting for several months, in October, 1829, he was summoned by Lord EUenborough, then President of the Board of Control, to proceed to India, through Egypt, with important despatches for Sir John Malcolm, and also to report upon the practicability of the navigation of the Red Sea. Accordingly, Mr. Waghorn left London on the 28th of October, 1829, crossed from Dover to Boulogne, and reached Trieste, via Paris and Milan, on the 8th of November, a distance of 1,242 miles, performed in * In this letter Mr. Waghorn says : — '' I propose that tlie vessel for the intended experiment sliould be in size about 280 tons, in model like tlie ' Mon- arch' and ' Sovereign,' Norway packets, wliich are remarkable for the three qualities most essential in every vessel, but above all in a steam one intended for a very long voyage, viz. : stability, buoyancy, and fast sailing. The masts of the vessel I would have fitted after the fashion of the row boats in this river, to strike ■when reqmred. The yards to be very square, but of tlie lightest possible dimensions, so as to spread a large quantity of sail, without too mueli top weight ; even the canvas itself is to be of the lightest quality consistent witli strength. The rigging of the masts and yards to be so titted that in four hours they may be got up or down. The vessel to be schooner rigged on a wind, and square wiien before it. In order that the whole space of tlie vessel under hatches may be available for fuel, and more particularly the shifting of it below as ballast, her only accommodation for officers and crew, will be a roundhouse on deck. With regard to fuel, she woidd stow 40 tons in tanks, and the rest, about 200 tons in all, in bulk. The tanks, when emptied, will be filled with salt water, for ballast; by a peculiar contrivance, already arranged with the engineers at home, this water coidd run into the vessel, and be thrown out again by the engine in light winds, so as to increase speed, and fill again at pleasure. The plan of sailing will be, according to my present views, as follows : — '' The vessel wUl start from Fal- mouth with the mails for Madeira, Cape, and Isle of France, touching at Trinco- malee and Madras, in the south-westmonsoon, to land letters, but, if possible, with- out anchoring. At Calcutta she would remain only ten days for the mails, calling at Madras on her way back, and remaining a few hours there." He elsewhere states the capital required to commence the imdertaking at £12,000, exclusive of the cost of the engines. Taking the number of letters brouglit out by the ' Undaunted' frigate as a criterion, lie calculates that the receipt, for letters only, out and home, would amount to £4,137. He says : " I believe tlie public are already convinced that I may succeed in the passage I contemplate, viz., out and home, from Falmouth to Calcutta, in six months (stoppages included), calling at HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 523 eleven days. Pie was nineteen days going by sea, in a sailing vessel, from Trieste to Alexandria, a distance of 1,2(55 miles; proceeding to Rosetta by donkeys, 33 miles; to Cairo, 150 miles, by boat; and to Snez, 12 miles, by camel. He arrived there on the 8th of December, being nearly twelve days on the journey, including a delay of tliree days. He waited at Suez, in expectation of the steamer 'Enterprise,' which he understood had sailed from Bombay to that ])()rt, and left, on the i)tli, in a native boat, for Cosseir, which he reached on the 13th, and, after a further delay of five days, proceeded to Jiddah (a distance of 660 miles from Snez) which he reached on the 23rd of December. The time occupied in getting to Jiddah from London, was thus forty-one days sixteen hours. At Jiddah he learned that the 'Enterprise' was not expected, and, alter waiting eighteen days, he again sailed for Bombay in a native baghalah, but the same day was taken out of her by the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Thetis,' which arrived at Bombay on the 21st of March, 1830. Another rivcxl worker in this field was Mr. J. W. '{'aylor, agent of some capitalists in London, and brother of ^lajor Taylor. Resident at Bagdad, who set off from London on tlic 21st of October, 1829, seven days before Mr. Waghorn. reat-hed Calais the same day, and j\Iarseilles on the 28th. He sailed for Malta the same day, and arrived at Alexandria on the 8th Madeira, Cape, Isle of France, Trincomalee, and Madras, carrying mails to and from tliese places when the season of tlie year will permit, both out and homo. I would at these ))laees, except IMadras, have my dejiols for coals." At the meeting of the 30lh of July, 1828, Jlr. J. A. Prinsep was of opinion that Mr. Waghorn could not succeed in bringing the vessel out in less than eisiiity-live days, and that letters might be conveyed from Calcutta to Cosseir in twenty-nine days, thence to Cairo in two days, and thence to London in twenty-three days, going the entire distance in fifty-four days, instead of eighly-fivc days. Cajitain Johnston made a few remarks on tlie circumstances which he considered teniled to the partial failure of the 'Enterprise' in making her voyage to India within the s)iecified time. He spoke of jMr. Waghorn, from personal knowledge, as an individual of persevering industry and unshaken self-possession in the liour of danger; and he said he considered that if any person could carry the projected speculation into effect, it woidd be iVlr. Wagiiorn. He said he, felt convinced that a vessel of proper dimensions would make the voyage in seventy days ; but, at the same time, he was certain she would never ])ay tiie necessary expenses. He differed from Mr. Waghorn on one ))arl of his jilan. The inacliinery for a vessel of 280 tons would be UtO tons, am! if he adiled ISO tout of coal to make up her registered toiuiage, slie would be tt)0 heavy at leaving jiort ; lie wouhl, therefore, suggest to Mr. Wagiiorn the expediency of having another depot of coals, so that the vessel may at no time be too deeply latlen, and ho may bo better able to ensure success. The meeting camo to the resolutioti that "should no speculation promising greater or equal success be undertaken before the lOth of February, 1829, the unappropriated fimd for the encouragement of steam ravi^ation "shall, under proper security, be applied for the pur|x>se of enabling Mr. Wa'diorn to carry his jilan into cxcrution." Mr. Waghorn stated that the snpport he had received and been ))ronnsed did not make up tlio amount of tlie outlay (including £1,000 of his owni; and tliat ho was about to i>r(>eeed to Madras, Isle of France, and the Cape, for further eneour.igement ; but tiiat, if he failed to raise the sum specified, be should not attempt ibo experiment. 524 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. of November, in eigliteen days from London, earlier by seven days than Mr. Wagliorn. He departed from Alexandria on the 28th of November, and reached Suez in nine days ; that is, five days quicker than Mr. Waghorn performed the journey. The whole time actually consumed in travelling from London to Suez, was thus only twenty-seven days. He quitted Suez on the 9th of December, and also arrived at Bombay, in the ' Thetis,' on the 21st of Llarch, performing the journey from London to Bombay (exclusive of stoppages) in forty-six days. Mr. Taylor — who, unlike Mr. Wagliorn, was a consistent sup- porter of the Red Sea route, in preference to that by the Cape, though his plan of combining steam tugs with sailing vessels was impracticable — left Bombay for England, via Bagdad, on the 2nd of May, 1830, in the Hon. Company's ship ' Amherst,' which conveyed him to Bussorah. Taking with him some packets of letters from India, he quitted Bagdad about Sep- tember, 1830, being accompanied by some Englishmen, including Lieutenant Bowater, who had lately been dismissed from the Service for disobedience of orders. The intention was to survey the course of the Euphrates from Bir to Hillah, with a view to the establishment of steam navigation, and the party proceeded in safety as far as Mosul ; but, within three marches after leaving it, they were attacked by a large body of Yezedis. At the first attack their guards fled, but the Englishmen stood their ground, and killed some of the robbers, who, exasperated at this loss, made a desperate onslaught, when Messrs. Taylor, Bowater, and Aspinall were slain, and the three remaining Englishmen succeeded with difficulty in escaping with their lives. 'J'hus untimely fell the first projectors of the Euphrates Valley route of steam communication with the East, a line by which many competent persons, including j\[r. W. P. x\ndrew, its veteran and able supporter, and Captain Felix Jones, of the Service, are of opinion railway communication is destined to be accomplished at no distant date. Lord Wellesley, that greatest of Indian Viceroys, fully appreciated the advantages of speedy postal communication between England and India, and, so early as the last years of the eighteenth century, established a fortnightl}' communication between Bombay and Bussorah, by means of the cruisers of the Bombay Marine. From Bussorah, under the supervision of the Company's Resident, Arab carriers, mounted on dromedaries, kept up a regular communication with Aleppo, from whence Tartars — called, says Colonel Chesne}'^, " life and death Tartars " — carried despatches to and from Constantinople. In 1837, Colonel Chesney, after making his successful descent of the Tigris and Euphrates in the little steamer 'Euphrates,' tried tu induce the Indian Government to reopen this " drome- HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY, 525 dary dawk," with tliL' increased advantage of a line of steamers to run between the two ports of Bussurah and Bombay ; but he was before the age, and the Governor-General was as clearly behind it. Lord Auckland was not a Wellesley, and we are told by Chesney, "that he thought it advisable to postpone the opening of the overland route, and that he was not prepared to carry out his previous intention of }>lacing steamers on the river Indus." We find that in 17'J8, Lord Nelson* communicated the intel- ligence of his victory of the Nile to the Bombay Government, by the overland route, viii Bagdad, the Company's cruiser 'Fly' bearing the oflicer he had despatched with the news, from Bus- sorah to Bombay. Some years after that date, the Red Sea route, via Cosseir, came into vogue, and a regular communica- tion was established by the Company's cruisers between that port and Bombay, though despatches continued to be sent also to the Persian Gulf, as we find that the ' Ternate ' arrived at Bond)ay on the 22nd of February, 1833, with overland despatches from Bussorah. By the Red Sea route many dis- tinguished officers had journeyed to England, or joined their appointments in Lidia, proceeding from Cosseir in the Com- pany's cruisers. An)ong tlie number we may mention the Commander-in-chief at Bombay, Sir Miles Nightingall, who proceeded home by this route, in the ' Teignni(.)Uth,' in LSl'J, accompanied by his wife. In December of the same year the ' Prince f)f Wales ' took a party to Cosseir, returning thence to Bombay early in March, 1820, with Captain Sadleir, who had been sent on a mission to Ibrahim Pasha, after the Expedition to the Persian Gulf against the Ras-ul-Kliymah pirates in the preceding year. In 1825, Sir Hudson Lowe — Napoleon's custodian at St. Helena— proceeded to take up his ajipointment as Governor and Commander of the Forces in Ceylon. i>y the Cosseir route; and, in Novend)er of the same year, (ieneral Sir Charles Colville, Connnander-in-chief at Bombay, returned to England as far as Cosseir in the ' Palinurus.' Sir John Malcolm had gone home by this route in December, 1S21, in the ' Teignmouth,' the ' Antelope' having (piitted Bombay in the preceding month with some more of his party and the despatches, which were regularly transmitted by Cosseir, the remainder of the route to Ghenna being made on camels, ami thence to Alexandria by the Nile. ]\lr. i\lountstuart El|)hinstone, in 1823, was the first to make a distinct t)i]icial projjosilion for the establishment of steam connnunication between Bond>ay and England, r/«/ the Red * Tlic great Nel.-ioii always ninintaiiud Iricnilly rcliitions with tlu« K«>t India Company, and it is an interoiilinm' fact, of tlio Inilli of wliioli wo Imve bri-n n»»uroil on liifjh" uutliority, that sonio years before tliis period, when tlio fnlare vietor of the Kile and Trafalgar was in embarrassed eircnm-^lanees, he Wiu* u eundidulv for the appointment of Superintendent of the JLJonibuy Marine. 52 () HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. Sea, and, in 182 G, he renewed the proposal, but the Court were nnwilling to act upon the suggestion. On relinquishing the Government to Sir John Malcohn, this far-seeing statesman proceeded to Cosseir in the 'Palinurus,' on the 15th of Novem- ber, 1827, accompanied by a hirge party, including Mr. and Mrs. C Lushington.* The first lady to undertake the overland route from England to India was Mrs. Elwood, wife of Lieu- tenant-Colonel Elwood, of the 3rd Bombay Native Infantry, who made the journey in 1825, and speaks of herself, in her highly interesting and graphic work,t as " the first and only female" who ventured upon that route. As Mr. Waghorn himself states, it was not until 1826 that his attention was first turned to steam communication, and then, and for many years subsequently, he was an advocate of the Cape route; indeed, on the 17th of April, 1880, onl}^ four weeks after his arrival in Bombay by the Red Sea route, we find that, at a public meeting of the merchants and inhabitants, he still advocated the Cape route to Calcutta, in preference to that by the Red Sea, treating the latter merely as a pis aller, while his rival, Mr. Taylor, spoke strongly in favour of the Red Sea route. Proceeding to Calcutta, he was present at a meeting held on the 24th of June, at which Sir John Hayes again advocated his cause. On this occasion both Lieu- tenant Johnston and Mr. Waghorn spoke ; the latter detailed his proceedings, and declared his intention to proceed to England, whence he would shortly return. Meanwhile an event had happened which perfectly demonstrated the advantages to be derived by the Red Sea route. On the 20th of March, 1830, the day before Mr. Waghorn arrived at Bombay in the cruiser ' Thetis,' the Hon. Company's steamer, ' Hugh Lindsay,' sailed from Bombay on her great experimental voyage, commanded by Commander John Wilson. This officer was in command of the sloop-of-war, ' Coote,' a vessel of higher rate than the ' Hugh Lindsay,' and, though the distaste for the service was general, he volunteered to take command of the steamer then on the stocks, and fitted her out for sea. As he says in his pamphlet, " I was the staunch assertor that the Red Sea route was the one which must become, through the means of steam, the high road to India, and I was stimulated by a desire to be the first steam navigator of the Bed Sea." The gallant officer performed the trip with signal success, and, when the disadvantages under which he laboured are taken into consideration, the achievement * Mrs. Charles Lushington published an account of her journey to England via Mocha, Cosseir, Luxor and Tliebes. t See " Narrative of a Journey Overland from England by the Continent of Europe, Egypt, and the Red Sea, to India, including a Residence there, and Voyage Home, in the years 1825, 1826, 1827, and 1828." J3y Mrs. Colonel Elwood. Two vols. London, Colburn and Bentley, 1830. HISTORY OF THE INDIAN' NAVY. 527 may be regarded as one of the most remarkable on record. This will be readily conceded, when we consider the conditions of the experiment. The ' Hugh Lindsay' was a steamer of only 411 tons, with two eighty horse-power engines, built to carry five and a-half days' consumption of coal, and drawing eleven and a-half feet of water, while she was required to perform a voyage of 3,000 miles, of which 1,(541 were across the Indian Ocean to the first coaling station at Aden. To enable her to efiect this long flight, she took on board sulficient coal for eleven days, for which purpose more than two-thirds of the space abaft, intended for accommodation, and also half of the fore- hold, were filled with coals ; this, together with stores and provisions for the voyage to Suez and back, no less a distance than 6,000 miles, increased her draught of water to thirteen and a-half feet, and it is certain her safety would have been seriously imperilled had she encountered bad weather. J'revious to undertaking the voyage, a collier brig, laden with <)00 tons of coal, under convoy of the ' Thetis,' had been despatched to the Red Sea, so that a supply was ready stored at Aden, Jiddah, and Suez. The experiment was a trimnphant success ; Aden was reached on the olst of !March, the whole distance having been covered under steam alone, and the ' Hugh Lindsay' arrived with only six hours' consumption of coal in her bunkers. Commander Wilson called at ^locha to deliver despatches and at Jiddah for coal, and arrived at Suez on the 22nd of April, having been thirty-two days and sixteen hours, including stoppages. From Suez he forwarded the despatches and the mail of three hundred and six letters, together with u despatch to the India House reporting his arrival, and enclosing a copy of his log, which was jjrinted in the appendix to the evidence taken before the Tarliamentary Conunittee of 1834.* * After receiving volumiiioug evidenop, tlio Committee of tlio House of Commons arrived at the following Resolutions on Steam Xiivigiition in Indiii : — 1. That a regular and expeditious connnunication with India bv ineiins of steam vessels is an object of great importance to Great Britain and to Imlia. 2. That steam navigation between Bonibav and Sue/, having, in live >ucces»ivp seasons, been brouglit to the test of experiment (the expense of which has been borne by the Indian Government exclu>ivcly), the ])racticabilif v of an expe- ditious eommuuicatiou by that lino during tlie north-east monsoon haa bwn established. 3. Tliat the experiment has not been tried during the south-west monsoon, but that it appears from the evidence before the Committee, that tiio eommuni- cation may be carried on during eight niontiis of the year, .lune, .luly, August, and September being excci)ted, or left for the results i.f further experience. 4. That the experiments which have been nuide, have been atlemled with very great expense, but that, from tlic evidence before the Committee, it appears that by proper arrangements the expense nuiy be materially reilueed ; and, under that impression, it is expedient that measures should bo immediately taken for the regular establishment of steam communication with India by the Red Sen. 5. That it be left to Jlis Majesty's Government, in conjunction with the East India Company, to consider whether tho communication should be in the Grst 528 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. On his return voyage Commander Wilson called at Cosseir, Jiddah, and Mocha, and reached Bombay on the 29th of May. It appears from the ' Hugh Lindsay 's' log, that the voyage to Suez was accomplished in twenty-one days and eight hours, and the return to Bombay in nineteen days and fourteen hours. The total time occupied in the passage there and back was seventy days, but the preceding was the time she was actually under steam, during which she traversed 5,928 miles, being at the average rate of somewhat less than six miles an hour ; a , surprising result, when we consider that she was two feet deeper in the water than was intended by her builder, and consequently was much out of trim. For this achievement Commander Wilson received the thanks of the Boml)ay Govern- ment. So far the credit of having shown, by practical demonstration, the feasibility of running steamers between Bombay and Suez, instance from Bombay or from Calcutta, or according to the combined plan sug- gested by the Bengal iSteam Committee. 6. Tliat by whatever line the communication be established, the net charge of the Establishment should be divided equally betveeen His Majesty's Government and the East India Company, including in that charge the expense of the land conveyance from the Euphrates on tlie one hand, and the Bed Sea on the other to the Mediterranean. 7. That the steam navigation of the Persian Gulf has not been brought to the test of experiment ; but that it appears from the evidence before the Conmiittee, that it would be practicable between Bombay and Bussorah during every month of the year. 8. That the extension of the line of the Persian Gulf, by steam navigation on the river Euphrates, has not been brought to the test of experiment ; but that it appears from the evidence befoi'e the Committee, that from the Persian Gulf to the town of Bir, which is nearer to the Mediterranean port of Scanderoou than Suez is to Alexandria, there would be no physical obstacles to the steam naviga- tion of that river during at least eight months of the year ; November, December, January, and February, being not absolutely excepted, but reserved for the results of further experience. P. That there appear to be difTiculties on the line of the Euphrates fi'om the present state of the countries on that river, and particularly froili the wandering Arab tribes, but those difficulties do not appear to be by any means such as cannot be surmounted, especially by negotiations with the Porte, Mehemet Ali, and the Chiefs of the principal fixed tribes ; and that this route, besides having the pros- pect of being less expensive, presents so many other advantages, physical, com- mercial, and political, that it is eminently desirable that it should be brought to the test of a decisive experiment. 10. That the physical difllculties on the line of the Bed Sea appcai'ing to be confined to the months of June, July, August, and September, and tliose of the river Euphrates to tlie months of November, Decembei-, Januai'y, and February, the eiiective trial of both lines woidd open a certain communication with the Mediterranean in every month of the year, changing the line of steam on both sides according to the season. 11. That it be recommended to His Majesty's Government to extend the line of Malta packets to such ports in Egypt and Syria as will complete the com- munication between England and India. 12. That the expense of this experiment by the ' Euphrates' has been, by an estimate which tlie Committee has subjected to the examination of competent persons, stated at £20,000, which includes a liberal allowance for contingencies, and the Committee recommend that a grant of £20,000 be made by Parliament for trying that experiment with the least possible delay. HISTORY OF THE IXDIAX NAVY. 529 is due to Commander Wilson, but the experiment would, in all probability, have long borne no fruit as regards the establish- ment of the overland route, but for the unbounded energy of Mr. Waghorn. As soon as he became convinced of the superiority of the Suez route — which was not until some time after he left Calcutta, where it appears he still advocated the Cape route, notwithstanding Commander Wilson's successful voyage — he threw into his adv^ocacy of the new line all the admirable energy and perseverance for which he was so conspicuous. Turning his attention to the speedy mail com- munication afforded by the overland route, he felt that nothing could compensate for the loss of time caused by the Cape voyage. Early in 1831, he resigned the Company's service, as he says in his pamphlet, "the better to further the object of steam navigation between England and India." lie returned to Bombay on the 12th of July, 1883, and again pi-oceeded to England, and, after giving evidence before a Parliamentary Committee, went out to Egypt in October, 1835, and, after many years of arduous labour, in which means and health were sacrificed, succeeded in establishing the overland connnunicatiou through Egypt.* * Mr. Wagliom proceeded to Egypt uot only without ofllcial recommendations , but, as lie says, " with a sort of otlicial stigma upon his sanity." Tiie Govern- ment officials pronounced tl>e Red Sea unnavigable ; tlie East India Company laid documents before Parliament, showing tlr.vt the scheme was impracticable, because coals cost £20 a ton at Suez, and took Uftecn months to get there. Waghorn soon removed this objection, by carrying coals on camels' backs to Suez at £!• 3s. 6d. a ton. At the outset of his endeavours to carry his point, which occupied many weary years, his attention was directed to that extraordinary man, Mehcmet Ali, whom, above all otiiers, it was necessary to concilitate, as his will and iileasure were supreme in Egypt. IMr. Waghorn having entered the service of the Pasha, conciliated liis esteem, and then, knowing that a regular traffic could not be carried on across the desert between Cairo and Suez witliout the permission of tlie Arab tribes, lived in their tents fur tiiree j-ears, and induced them to exercise forbearance, and ]iermit the jiassage througli llieir midst, of tiuit mysterious tiling, the overlanil letter-bag. Ilis next step was to prevail u])i)n I lie Pasha to open a house of agency at Suez, and to cstablisli caravanserai^ at points between that dreary locality and Cairo. Mr. Waghorn subsequently built houses at the latter city and Alexandria for the reception and safe deposit of tlie letters. On tlie completion of his arrangenuMits he had the gratilication of conducting from Jlombay the f)arl of Munster and a party ofolliccrs, by the new route aerosM the desert, and througli France to London. Mehenu't Ali was so jileaseil with what had been eHeetcd, that he continued to permit every existing facility during his war with this country in 1810, and for the protection thus alloriied to tlie Indian mail, he received on its conclusion tiie thanks of the merchants of tliis country. The result of Mr. Wagliorn's exertions was the estahlislunent of n communication from India, by Egypt and Marseilles, to Kngland, occu]ning about tliirty-live davs. This was the route used for letters, and available forlnr. also,"with the alternative of the steamer viti Gibraltar. Unfortunately, tin 1 were at this time animated by hostile feelings to England, the two co; having taken diU'erent sides in the Syrian war. Ini Mazagon Dockyard. On Furlougli. ( Connnodore, Persian Gulf, I ' Tcrnate.' Manickapat4im. Senior Otlicer, Surnt. Commanding ' Amherst.' „ ' Kipliinstono.' Survey of Red Sea, ' Bcnaree.' t)n K\irlough. Commanding ' Coote.' 534 APPENDIX. Bank. Names. Date of Commission. Remarks. Lieutenant Richard Kinchant April 22, 1823 On Furlough. Robert Cogan . . . May 4, ,, First Assist, to Superintendent. William Macdonald . „ 4, J, Master Attendant, Mangalore. Edward Wm. Harris. ,, 9, 93 Timber Agent, ' Malabar.' John Sawyer . . . 9, 5» Commanding 'Tigris.' William Rose . . . July 10, On Furlough. Samuel Richardson . Mar. 1, 1824 )3 John Henry Wilson , 1, „ Fitting out ' Hugh Lindsay.' J. Croft Hawkins . . May 23, 5, Commanding ' Clive.' William Denton . . June 21, )) ,, ' Euphrates.' / Secretary and Accountant to John Houghton . . Aug. 19, JJ 1 Marine Board, Marine Judge- ' Advocate, and Draughtsman. John McDowall . . Not. 10, ,, On Furlough. Robert Moresby . . Dec. 10, )) ( Survey of Red Sea, 'Pali- > nurus.' Richard Lloyd . , . July 9, 1825 Survey Department, Calcutta. Robert Lowe . . . Sept. 2, ,, On Furlough. William Lowe . . . April 24, 1826 ' Coote.' John Harrison . . . June 10, 5) Comma,nding ' Antelope.' Charles Wells . . . „ 19, „ ' Ternate.' Jos. H. Rowband . . Jan. 2, 1827 Commanding Flotilla in Arracan William Igglesden Mar. 11, >> On Furlough. Stafford B. Haines . „ 18, )) Superintendent of Quarantine. George B. Harrison . May 10, » ' Coote.' Thomas E. Rogers . June 21, 3> Assistant-Surveyor, ' PaUnurus.* William Bryon . . J» 3J J> On Furlough. George Laughton . . Sept. 2, Survey Department, Calcutta. Edward B. Squire Feb. 21, 1828 ' Amherst.' Curtis Clark . . . May 31, )) ' Ternate.' Thomas Clendon . . Nov. 10, 1824 Signal Officer, Lighthouse. George Pilcher . . Dec. 10, „ On Furlough. Henry Warry . . . May 27, 1825 ' Coote.' H. N. T. E. Pinching July 6, }> Assistant-Surveyor, ' Benares.' Edward Wyburd . . » 9, )j ' Euphrates.' Hugh Rose .... May 10, » ' Coote.' George Harvey . . „ 15, „ ' Nautilus.' W. Rigden Hayman . Sept. 2, » ' Antelope.' Anthony H. Nott . . Oct. 29, ») ' Amherst.' William Hodges . . April 18, 1826 ' Ternate.' Alfred S. Williams . „ 24, J) Survey Department, Calcutta. Plidip Lewis Powell . May 8, >) On Furlough. Chas. R. Richardson . June 19, » Charles Sharp . . . Jan. 2, 1827 'Clive.' John P. Porter . . Mar. 11, 3) ' Thetis.' Henry H. Whitelock ,, 27, )) ' Nautilus.' Stephen Newnham . Sept. 2, On Furlough. Hen. Nelson Poole . Feb. 21, 1828 ' Amherst.' William Bowater . . May 31, „ ' Elphinstone.' George Boscawen . . Mar. 24, 1829 Survey Department, Calcutta. Thomas G. Carless . May 1, )) >) )> )) George Peters . . . July 20, )» ' Clive.' James R. Wellsted . Dec. 10, ), Survey of Red Sea. Henry B. Lynch . . „ 18, « Persian Interpreter, Persian 1 Gulf. APPENDIX. 535 Rank. Xames. Date of Appointment Remarks. Midshipman J. P. Sanders . . . May 27, 1823 ' Elphinstone.' W. H. Wyburd . . » 27, >> On Furlough. Henry A. Orinsby June 7, » ' Amherst.' Fred.'Tlios. Powell . July 8, >) ' Benares.' George Robinson . . „ 8, ' Elphinstone.' J. Langford Prueu . June 7, 1824 On Furlough. F. D. W. Winn . . 7, n ' Benares.' Richard Ethersey . . Oct. 6, ' Coote.' E. Shepherd Smith . June 5, 1825 ' Nautilus.' Jas. Anthony Young May 3, 1826 ' Benares.' Charles Parbury . . 3, ,, On Furlough. G-. B. Kempthorno . June 4, „ ' Euphrates.' John Jas. Frushard . „ 4, ,9 ' Antelope.' Richard Harrison . . ' Amherst.' Hen. C. Boulderson . Aug. 31, .> ' Nautilus.' Fred. Parry Webb Feb. 17, 1827 ' Elphinstone.' Grriffith Jenkins . . May 11, ,j ' Coote.' " Sergisou Nott . . . » 11, ,, ' Chve.' „ Rt. Dalgleish Swan . June 13, )> ' Euphrates.' John Wood . . . „ 13, }, ' Clive.' Chas. Wm. Down „ 13, ,, ' Coote.' Charles Montriou . . April 11, J, Survey Department. Calcutta. John Glen Johnston June 2, 1, ' Benares.' Francis Whitelock .. 12, » ' Ternate.' Frederick Jones . . ,» ' Antelope.' John Jas. Bowring . Aug. 29, ,) ' Ternate.' James F. Prentice Oct. 26, » ' Euphrates.' Thomas Beahen . . Dec. 24., ' Clivc.' George Quanbrough . May 25, 1828 ' Coote.' Jolin W. Young . . „ 25, >, ' Elphinstone.' Jolin Buckle . . . ,. 25, ,, „ C. Francis Warden . June 5, 9, ,, Thos. W. Pitcher . . July 1, ' Clive.' Alex. Hen. Gordon . 1, ,1 ' Nautilus.' Walter Jardine . , 1, » ' Euphrates.' Chas. D. Campbell . „ 1, ' Benares.' Edw. W. S. Daniell . » 1. ,, ' Amherst.' Thos. Wm. Dent . . » 1, >» ' Coote.' James Felix Jones „ 14. ., ' Palinnrus.' Harry H. He wet t „ 11-, 'Amherst.' John Shaw Grieve Sept. 2, ), ' Eujihrat-es.' John Stephens . . Oct. 21, ' Clivo." Wm. Chas. Barker . „ 13. >' ' Euphrates.' Arch. Macdonald . . „ 20, ' CUve.' W. Christopher . . Jan. 1. 1829 ' Benares.' Hen. A. M. Drought Mar. 8. 1, ' Amherst.' Wm. E. L. Campboll May 19, ' Elphinstone.' Arthur Whitburn „ 10, » ,, Robert Riddell . . » 11. )i ' Benares.' William Fell . . . „ 19. ,, ' Ternate.' Alfred OfTer . . . Juno 6. >, >> Alan Hyde Gardner . 2, „ Joseph 8. ]")raper . . July 3, I) ' Tigris.' Henry Green . . . 3, » „ James Ronnie . Dec. 10, „ ' Clivc.' Benjamin Hamilton . Aug. 26, ,1 ' Amherst.' Rodk. McKenzie . . Sept. 6, i> ' Elphinstone' Tlionnis Roid . . . „ 6. ' Euphrntos.' John HoUis . . . „ 6, ,, — » Christie Hewctt . . 6. „ — 536 APPENDIX. VOLUNTEERS, PILOT SERVICE, DOING DUTY AS MIDSHIPMEN, SUBSEQUENTLY TEANSPEBEED TO THE SERVICE. Names. Remarks. Names. Remarks. John Bird .... Sid. Ham. Buckler . . Wm. John Garrett Robert Waller . . . Eichard Walker . . ' Thetis.' ' Elphinstone.' ' Palinurus.' ' Amherst.' John Sheppard . . . J. Samuel Thacker . . Michael Wm. Lynch . George Hitchings . . ' Amherst.' ' Benares.' ' Ternate.' LIST OF THE HON. COMPANY'S MARINE VESSELS ON THIS ESTABLISHMENT. Names. Description. Guns. Names. Description. Guns. ' Amherst ' . . Ship 18 ' Hastings ' , . Erigate 32 ' Antelope ' . . Brig 14 ' Nautilus ' . . Brig 10 ' Benares ' . . Ship ]4 ' Palinurus ' . . 4 'Clive' . .. . ,, 18 ' Royal Tiger ' . Schooner 6 ' Coote ' . . . 18 ' Ternate ' . . Ship 14 ' Elphinstone ' . 18 'Thetis' . . . Brig 10 ' Euphrates ' Brig 10 'Tigris' . . . 10 CO CO oo r— ( o 02 Q <:o D CO o i-— CC »-H p:3 ^—1 a ^ w o H 2:3 o P^ c^ <^ • C5 rr> r^ -^ p >- « o X M O h- H CJ) H fP ^ o P^ ^ ^ H 1— ( M o iJ ^"^ ^ Q PP 1— 1 « P^ C/2 1^ ^ o tq o cy: CO P=3 t^ q I q q q q I | | q q | q | | | | I ! 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O l>. to 73 p^ .a o is = ^ H ^ ■p o J S iJ. i u 538 APPENDIX. Q Q q d I q cj Q I q | q q q | | q X'^jo WMMW WWW W WWW W" WW I I I I I I I Qoa5c»cDiraoi>iocDioi>cDi>oifflcococo COiHt-ICOrHr-l i>r-li-l(MiMCOOCOMCO t^ 1> 05 t^ i-l CO IM I lO ^ '^ ?0 CD 'Sj* |> i>l>iHI>«0 I 1> ■* rH 1^3^ I I 1°° IS I is?n IS I IS I I I I 1 I I I o-'-'^o dii vi-'-T^ £i a J ^ I g -fc 3 J I -g 2h^ g-5 S MS: l^-gfr^ S^ g^ 2^ g.^ g i|iuj|^-l isltl^l III iim^l i i^l CO ■^ K5 t^ 00 Oi o T-\ (M CO -:f eS 05 rs ^ #^ -Oi -.C5 03 05 „ .^Ci „ ^ -vO ^O „ „ r.O O ^ ^ ^ „ -O ►^ " " " "l^t^t^ •^ "1^ *» •■' -^OO •^00 *» •^ '^00 00 " •^ " " -QT) "^ 1—1 I— 1 r-i 1— 1 rH r-1 1— 1 !— ) 1—1 I— i I— 1 o "5 I oQ zn m v^ m Txi zfi r/i ui lA q I I I qqqqq | <5_ 00 X •# X T— I t^ r-l I I CO lO (M CO 05 05 S I I 133^:33 I I I I 13 I 13 I I I I I i I I I CL, S O '^a mm o o ^ T O O c .& r;2 ?* a. o 1 1 1 , 1 1 ri OJ 1 ri 1 "*"! a 1 .a o f? ■^ & 1 ■S S o 1 ^ -S o w 03 r- ;_J c -^ ^ fl "^ m-^mmw o S.:^-^ ggo.P.a. fc"a S O 3 I t£ oo -5 '^ § " i § S S g i S 'E^-s' £i fe ? 1^ g g;2 fl S ^ c3 ■ o 'a J ^ CO J> - M X 00 o ,x X -1^ 1- O N "1^ t> APPENDIX. 539 g § =3 ^ d q d cj g :^ S I 6 S S o d S S S S 5 o * rt 30 5» 73 ^ ^ r. ^ ^ O ,r?; ,rf5 XXXt>-^XCO It^cOCO-rO^tCt-Hira O M Ci -f « t>- t- I X o o r-l I ri ^ rH M CO o ,CD IS^ 1 tc ■•: to U) i.-J U O s ^ ^ 'I I i'-' Ti-f S a' ? £V-. ~ -o -2 P ^- ."^ -5 eS -=. -- pHd o - tc^ =i s s &■ :i: o-3_=*jSasio'o.= 'a'S =s stcSsa- !>S!aiK-?HC-'<5WHHi«=;rH<^a2 j-" i-.-'Sara^z ^ lO CO t^ X Oi o <-* (N ^ , ^ .. „ .. ^,-A .. -rH rH - -»1 w -(N - iJ 00 •^ •^ •^ -^GO ** •* -X " " " -X •■ -X X - -X X -X ' '^ ^ r-l rH __ __ ^__ r^ '-' r^ •"• . CO ^ 32 x' a: oi ^ o) 72 !K x" oi x ;» a; ^o 7J ^f yq yf v: x x x dNddddgddddddddSd |d | |d I I \ 'J/^.'Jo^i W S 3 i-H i-H rH iI5 f-i HH H^ f-H rn f^ 1-1 ^-1 a 1-1 W W rn „ rn — h-i XlMlD».OXOW5COC5COI>OOOlOrHCOlOXl>X05C5 ^iCV^^it^fjooc^x^^incoxxxoxxioxi^io (NXrHXW(NrHrHrHrHCC'^OiN''J'l'»Ci:rass;S! t-xxt-eoxc^x^^incoxxxoxxioxi^o lacoxcio 1 o •^ CD -* ■* X -^ CO rH CO rH rH rH CO 1 1 li^SSSSS MM 1 1 1 1 M tt M 1 a "£. o g 1 S5 a ' Prince of Wales'— 8loop-of-^ ' Pitt' — frigate 'Mercury' — sloop-of-war ' Kautihis' — brig . ^ o o o 'Z J a Cm ? O It 2 9 ' Bombay' — ship . ' Thomas Grcnville' — sh ' Charles Grant' — ship . ' Aurora' — sloop-of-war 'Yestal'— brig 'Ariel' — brig ' Psyche' — brig 'Thetis' — brig ' Miiiden' — sliip . ' BalcaiTUs' — sliip 'Minerva' — ship . ' Abercronibie' — ship 'Hannah' — shin . 'Ann' . ' Uerefordsliire' ' Bull'alo'— luggage boat 5b 1 .5 'Ta]>tee' — brig ' Kriiaad' — timber-ship ' C'lirnwallis' ' Eliza' — pilot vessel ' Cecilia' — pilot vessel ' Thames' — bomb-kctcli 9081 S08I : 1 = 1808 1809 1810 1811 1812 1813 ', 1814 540 APPENDIX. mmmmmmm W H M M M M a I I q q o I q q q q | q q q q q q M a iij H M w a w S W W H w vOt^I>OrHCOt^(M(MO;C5tDiMiM-iO'#CD(M(M'#l>t^OO-*COiNrHOOOOOOQOT}(ioOO'#C3WeO I I I I I i I I I i I ■* (M iM (N (M CO o '5? I o &- o •Sf- • tf^ ^.>; iPQ -t; tr^ ? b CD •-t>.'-^ CD C3 O |Ji| ■ „' o I. I o ^ 3 -n i ^ !K ^ r^^ s "" Ph iS cs o T? in .CO CO ~Q0 ao ^ ^CO CO - ^ " "00 QO " " •^ -g ^a^% I iddodi'gS |ddddg | |dddSgd (M?01>01 (MOOOOOQOO ClCOOOOO^tMiMOOOOiM rHlOC0(Ml>C0'<#i-(i-l'# i-IOOO»0»Okffll>CDi-IOOOtD001>^ T-HlMTflminOOlfflCOrHlOtMCDCJJOOO CD'# (MCQO'^(Mi-lrH(M OS bO"S M ■3 o r;d .5 cs c.S^„ S m ,-5 V I J Ti § '« £ ^ .2 c •;- £ n Vh Ph & 1 O o m oj 1 g '© CD t- g o ^ s H.^ a 2 bc 9.^ O ^ pMpq I -^ pq 1^ g sc-i . s^o o ^- 3 S^oS' M pq W JB W H P^ 00 oi -00 00 - - - " -OO APPENDIX. 541 q qdqqodQqqQJdddq 02 m ZT! rrt :n -n t: co OC5-*r-( lOOOOi-liftiMO'N r-lTJ' r-llOOOO M iHlft O O rf< rt CO O O O O O CO O CO CO CO iH I O O ' I l-H r-l I I I I 3 i- s^ ■M ■I'll -4- O I a i O O -? S3 A o ^ ^ o *j =-- ~ U ^H :2 I ■a -^^ (> 1=3 C' -= O i, ' -t: I - = I -5 § M s^ o 5 "o i- -^ "~ ^ a 3 ^ I -ri I* .» ~ -— r"- ^ ii-:ipR ? ^ •: ^ ^ y. 9 WW -e^roa^i £. 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