'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎233] (252/622)

4
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
233
that the Service was gradually robbed of the few shore appoint
ments to which its officers were eligible.
The total cost of the Indian Navy, including the pay of the
officers and men, was only £300,000 per annum, or, including
wear and tear of ships, losses and renewals, nearly ^400,000;
not an extraordinary outlay, when their utility is considered as
a war marine, their surveying duties, the services of the Indus
flotilla, and the saving to the Company effected by their carry
ing the mails between Bombay and Suez.
In June, 1849, under instructions from the Court of Directors The London-based directors of the East India Company who dealt with the daily conduct of the Company's affairs. ,
the Bombay government issued certain rules for the appoint
ment of officers as interpreters in the Indian Navy, the lan
guages to be " studied and recognised " as qualifying for the
office, being Hindostanee, Persian, Arabic, Malay, and Sindee.
There were to be three interpreterships, namely, one for the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , one for the Aden station, and a third " for any
squadron or vessel proceeding on special service." The allow
ance was to be 100 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. a month—a very insufficient
remuneration, when it is considered that an officer must have
passed in Hindostanee and Persian, and at least one of the
other three languages, before he could be held qualified for
the appointment. The Service had always produced officers
competent for such duties, and, at this time, Captain
Lynch was examiner at Bombay for Oriental languages.
Under the administration of Commodores Hawkins and
Lushington the Indian Navy was so popular, that great num
bers of European seamen from the merchant ships in Bombay
harbour, took the bounty of 50 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. on entering for the usual
period of three years. More volunteers came forward than
were required to man the ships, so that the commanding
officers had the pick of the seamen, and generally found old
men-of-wars' men in sufficient numbers to fill vacancies. A
Bombay paper, commenting on this plethora of seamen, said :—
44 Jack willingly submits to a month's imprisonment for leaving
his ship, if he has only a chance of being 4 passed' at the
Marine Office."
On the 1st of November, 1850, a meeting of officers was held,
for the purpose of taking into consideration the expediency of
establishing a fund for the purchasing out of officers willing to
retire from the Service; and steps were taken and rules formu
lated having this object in view.
In the following year Lieutenant Manners, commanding the
6 Victoria,' was instrumental in saving the crew of a Spanish
vessel, which was wrecked on the east coast of Africa, for
which he received, from the Madrid government, the Order
of Marino della Diadema, and the thanks of the Bombay
government.
A valuable addition was made to the Indian Navy during the
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