'Précis on naval arrangements in the Persian Gulf, 1862-1905' [‎11] (19/64)

11
CHAPTER III.
Naval arrangements on abolition of the Indian Navy, 1863—1871.
(i) Difficulties experienced in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. for want of a local Navy after the
abolition of the Indian Navy in 1862 : the Shahs desire to have a Navy *
3. On the abolition of the Indian Navy at the end of 1862, it was
nf Qt 0 V 77 ; d r ted 3oth ^ ug rT t ^ 6 !'J rom ? ecretary a £ ree d by the Secretary of State for India
of State, to Government of India (Marine). + U j. jU J r • ... .
No. 3, tod ,8th January .862, from Govern- • , , ° f P r OteCting British Interests
ment of India, to Secretary of state (Marine). in the Indian Seas, and specially of main-
No. 55, dated 28th November 1862, from Secre- taining the maritime peace in the Persian
U, y of Stato, ,0 Government of India (Marine). Gulfi of overawi the s|ave traders the
tast Coast of Africa, and of cruising in the Red Sea. should devolve upon
vessels belonging to the Royal Navy. Practically, however, this change was
not found to work well. The limits of the East India Station were so extensive
the climate in many parts so detrimental to health, and the calls made bv local
authorities upon the Commodore for ships of war were often so numerous that
an efficient supervision was out of the question. There was always more work
than the squadron could undertake, and the shortcomings of the new system
were brought to the notice of the Supreme Government. We may note the
various occasions on which the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. and the Political Ao-ents
under its control were crippled for want of naval means to enforce their orders.
4. In July 1863, Her Majesty's ship Pantaloon, which, under the new
Political Proceedings, March 1864, Nos. 3 -11. arrangement, had been stationed in the
Red was taken away, and for some
months the Commodore was unable tq send a substitute, his squadron havino-
been weakened by the necessity of sending several sloops to the eastward 3
Nothing then remained at the disposal of the Resident at Aden., but the Govern
ment Steamer Victorici and this vessel was under orders in September for the
Mekran Coast to lay out a special survey in accordance with the instructions
of the Secretary of State. Meanwhile the slave trade in the Red Sea was beincr
carried on with increased activity, and the British merchants at Hodeida were
trembling for their safety, in consequence of an anticipated attack by the
Aseers, the most powerful tribe in Yemen, and the knowledge that no vessel
was available for their protection. The absence, too, of a ship of war at Aden
had been severely felt on the occasion of the stranding of the Peninsula and
Oriental Company's Steamer Rangoon, Had there then been a steamer avail
able, it was probable that she could have been tugged into harbour at once, but
as it was, she had to wait till help was forthcoming, to the great risk of her
No. 4, dated 13th January x864. lj P on these grounds the Govern
ment of Bombay urged the Secretary of
State to follow the example by which the Pleiad had been allotted to Zanzibar
and the Clyde and Sir Hugh Rose temporarily to the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and to
No. 46, dated 8th April 1868, to Secretary of allow a similar indulo'enCe for Aden
State (Political). .-p. ^ , c t t ...
1 he Government of India, in brmgino-
these facts to the notice of the Home authorities, contented itself with express
ing a wish that the Admiralty would be speedy in providing for the defence of
No. ae, dated 30th June 1864 (Marine), j] 16 Indian Seas, lo these references the
Secretary of State replied that, by the
separation of the East India and China Stations of the Royal Navy, and by the
union of the latter to the Cape of Good Hope Station, there was every reason to
expect that the Admiral at Bombay would be better able in future to meet the
calls made upon him for the Indian Seas. Should the force at the disposal still
prove to be insufficient, it would be his duty to ask for additional ships from the
Admiralty. Sir Charles Wood, however, saw no reason for giving the local
Residents permanent control of war ships, and therefore not only declined to
accede to the application of the Bombay Government for a steamer at Aden
but recalled the Pleiad from Zanzibar, and ordered that the Clyde and the Sir
Hugh Rose should only be kept in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. so long as their services
were required inlaying the submarine cable.
• Borrowed partly from a note by Mr. Girdlestone, dated a^th February 1869.