'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎192] (211/622)

192
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY.
for general information:— 4 The Red Sea Station, which in
cludes the Gulf of Aden, is of increasing importance, and we
think that the senior Indian Navy officer stationed at Aden may
usefully exercise supervision over the vessels serving in the
Red Sea, and as his duties thereby become more onerous and
responsible, we have resolved that a special allowance be made
to the senior officer employed in command on the Red Sea
Station, under the denomination of table money. We do not,
however, deem it necessary to assign to him the amount drawn
by the Commodore in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , but we desire that the
allowance according to rank appointed in our letter of the 23rd
of April, No. 36, of 1845, for the senior officer in the Gulf when
the Commodore is absent, may be granted to the senior officer sta
tioned at Aden, in addition to the command allowance of his ship.
It must be understood at the same time, that the tour of service
of the senior officer on the Red Sea Station is to be assimilated
with the practice which obtains in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Station." ,
In April, 1847, the 4 Cleopatra' was placed under orders to
convey one hundred convicts to Singapore, although, when
making the passage from Bombay to Aden in the voyage imme
diately preceding her last, she had worked together to such an
extent that Commander Young had actually to secure her
paddle-boxes by chains thrown across the decks and fastened
on Either side. This he officially reported on his return. The
condition of the ship being so unsatisfactory, Commander Young
proceeded to the office of the Superintendent and remonstrated
with him against sending a ship to battle against the approach
ing south-west monsoon in a notoriously unfit condition. Sir
Robert Oliver, who was at no time remarkable for the pos
session of an amiable temper, was furious at a subordinate
officer attempting to remonstrate, no matter how respectfully,
against his orders, and he turned upon the noble seaman before
him, whose whole life had been characterized by unselfish
devotion to duty, with a bitter taunt that he was deficient in
nerve. Commander Young made no reply, but went on board
his ship, which sailed from Bombay on the 14th of April, and
from that day no word was ever heard more of the 4 Cleopatra.
The ill-fated ship had scarcely cleared the coast than one of the
most terrible cyclones on record, swept over the Indian Ocean,
and, it is supposed, engulphed the 'Cleopatra' and the gallant
hearts on board her.*
# Captain T. GL Carless wrote a paper, which appeared in Yol. YIII. of the
Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, entitled il Remarks on e
Course of the Hurricane which occurred on the Malabar Coast, in April, 1847, an
on the probable position of the steam frigate ' Cleopatra' at the time, wlt a
sketch." This Paper, which was drawn up from information derived from e
log-books of the ' Sesostris' and 'Yictoria,' and the ships 4 Buckinghamsinre,
4 Mermaid/ < Faize Rubahny,' and £ Atiet Rohoman,' is a valuable exposition o
the nature of this rotatory storm or cyclone. Allowing 428 miles as the wno