'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎294] (313/622)

294
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
before sunset. Next morning, the 19th, after having committed
the bodies of the two men who had been killed the day before
to the deep, the vessels weighed, and arrived at Labnan on the
28th, where the steamers were left behind to coal; This small
cruise will teach these pirates that they are not safe in their
own strongholds, and that they are liable to be attacked by our
vessels at any time." From Singapore the 6 Semiramis' pro
ceeded to Hong Kong, where she arrived on the 30th of March,
with twelve of the crew of the late ship 4 Herald,' who were all
tried for piracy at the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court,
and were executed on the 3rd of May. The 4 Semiramis' sailed
on the 8th of April for the northern ports, and, after some
further service, proceeded to Bombay, where she arrived on the
13th of April, 1853. Sir Henry Leeke complimented Com
mander Stephens, in General Orders, for the good service ren
dered by him during the three years' commission in the China
Seas.
About this time the rumours regarding the projected amalga
mation of the Bengal Marine with the Indian Navy, gathered
increased consistency. On the conclusion of the Burmese war,
the Supreme Government, which had always regarded with
jealousy the control exercised over the Indian Navy by the
Bombay Government, a control inseparable from the circum
stance of the noble harbour of that Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. being the head
quarters of the Service, proposed to raise the Bengal Marine to
the position of a Navy, and to give the officers fixed emolu
ments and rank corresponding with the grades of the Indian
Navy. The Court of Directors The London-based directors of the East India Company who dealt with the daily conduct of the Company's affairs. , however, considered it was
more expedient to amalgamate the two services, offering to the
commanders of the Bengal Marine commissions as masters in
the Indian Navy, and, to the junior officers, a gratuity. The
commanders, who received 500 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. a month, memorialized
against the injustice, and, as the Governor-General in Coun
cil supported their Memorial, in the end, the two services
remained distinct. At this time the two ships of the Indian
Navy employed to the eastward, w 7 ere the 4 Zenobia' and the
' Berenice,' and the Bengal Marine consisted of the following
steamers .—' Sesostris,' 4 Tenasserim,' 6 Fire Queen,' 'Hooghly,'
'Nemesis,' 4 Pluto,' 'Proserpine,' and 4 Phlegethon.'
During the year 1852, an order relating to the uniform of
the Service was issued by Sir Henry Leeke. #
# The following is the Government Greneral Order :—
" Commodore's Office, Bombay, July 29,
" In consequence of a communication from the H on. Court of Directors The London-based directors of the East India Company who dealt with the daily conduct of the Company's affairs. , and by
direction of the Eight Hon. the Grovernor in Council, and to prevent any mistake
in the future arrangements of the uniform of the officers of the Indian Navy;
hereby order the following changes to take place:— . rr U
" Commodores of 2nd Class and captains of three years' standing: i wo go
epaulettes with forty bullions each, a bonnet and crescent, and edging to ie