'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎200] (219/622)

200
history of the indian nayy.
to admit the largest steamers, with the usual height at spring
tides of upwards of twenty feet of water at the gates. At the
same time the extensive wood-yard and slips to the east and
south were also formed.
On the 18th of May, 1848, a steam frigate for the Indian
Navy was floated out of Bombay Dock,* and received the name
of the 'Ferooz.' She was a noble ship, 240 feet in length,
64 feet beam, with engines of 550 horse-power, and carried
eight heavy guns. The ceremony of christening the 'Ferooz'
was performed by Lady Falkland, in presence of the Governor,
Lord Falkland—who had arrived in the 4 Sesostris,'Commander
Lowe, from Suez, on the 27th of April, in succession to Mr.
(now Sir) George R. Clerk —and all the elite of Bombay society,
including Sir Willoughby Cotton and Sir Robert Oliver, the
Military and Naval Commanders-in-chief. The 'Ferooz' was of
the same class as the 6 Ajdaha' and 6 Moozuffer/but was in
comparably a stouter ship, being built of teak, under the direc
tions of the Parsee shipbuilder, Cursetjee Rustomjee, who—
like the Wadia family,t during their lengthened connection with
the Indian Navy—never " scamped " his work. The strength of
build of the 'Ferooz' was put to a test not less severe than
that encountered by the ' Salsette ? frigate, constructed by the
same family, which has already been recorded. When the
6 Ferooz/ under command of her first captain. Commander
Frushard, after conveying the Governor-General, Lord Dal-
housie, from Scinde to Bombay, Ceylon, Straits Settlements,
Moulmein and Calcutta, was on her way down the Hooghly,
under charge of a branch pilot, she ran aground on the "James
and Mary," probably the most dangerous quicksands to be found
in any river; she w T as aground six days and five nights, and, even
tually, was carried over them by the action of the " bores," with
which each flood-tide sets in. This marvellous escape from des
truction was, undoubtedly, owing to the excellence and strength
of her build, and the ' Ferooz' came off with slight damage to
her sheathing, and the breakage of her rudder pintles. There
are few recorded instances of vessels having escaped submer-
* On the 6th of February, 1848, H.M.'s brig 4 Nerbudda,' sixteen guns, was
launched from the same dock. She was a beautiful craft, of 420 tons, and lly
feet in length, with 33 feet beam, and being fitted out, sailed, on the 29tli o
February, for England in charge of Commander Pierce, of the ' Cruiser, n" 01 ^
which the spars, masts, and guns had been transferred. The sailing qualities o
the ' Nerbudda' were remarkable, and she arrived at Portsmouth on the 2n o
June, making the passage in ninety-three days. A second brig of the same
class, called the 'Jumna,' was launched on the 3rd of March, and was ^ e
anew throughout; she was, however, not so fortunate as the 4 Nerbudda, or
sailing for England on the 12th of April, under the command of Lieu enan
Kodney, she encountered a hurricane within ten days' sail of Bombay, and wa
dismasted and forced to put into Trincomalee under jurymasts.
f One of the same family of the Wadias, Ardaseer Cursetjee, at tins
filled the office of Superintendent of the Steam Foundry.