'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎303] (322/622)

HISTORY OF THE INDIA.N NAYT.
303
Board was aided in Marine matters by a naval officer or
secretary, but that appointment was abolished, notwith
standing strenuous opposition on the part of Commodore
Lushington.
The Court of Directors The London-based directors of the East India Company who dealt with the daily conduct of the Company's affairs. had always reserved to themselves
the entire patronage and management of the Marine, and there
was so much maladministration in consequence, that, says a
writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. , in the 64 Deccan Herald " of the 8th of May, 1863, " bills
occurred for stores sent out from home amounting to between
<£80,000 and <£90,000, and so carelessly were these selected
that from <£20,000 to <£30,000 worth were sold annually in
Bombay "
The evil policy of employing the ships of war as packet and
passenger vessels was abandoned with the happiest results in
the improved discipline and efficiency of the Service, but the
anomalies as to pay and supervision of accounts, were continued
to the last, and were only abrogated with the abolition of the
Indian Navy.
In the year 1854, the French steam frigate 6 Cayman' was
lost off Zeyla, on the Soomali coast, when Captain Frushard,
commanding the 4 Semiramis,' with praiseworthy alacrity pro
ceeded to her assistance, and conveyed the officers, crew, and
stores to Aden.^
his established allowance for so many months ; and he was sorely puzzled how to
account for the deficiency, when one of his messmates, on a sudden thought, sug
gested that he should expend the articles he was short of as follows, viz.—forty
fathoms of 3-inch rope for twiddling lines, and twenty feet of 3-inch plank for
tommy noddies, as he was quite certain, if his sage advice was only adhered to,
that the Military Board would not notice it. The Master took the hint; the
entry as above was made in the books, and they were duly forwarded. It will
scarcely be believed that the accounts were passed by the Board without a single
question being asked as to what was meant by twiddling lines and tommy
noddies. As to the latter, it would have been a puzzle for the master himself to
explain what that article was, such a thing never having been heard of. The
former is well known to be a sort of twine or cord used generally for man-ropes,
boats' yoke-lines, and other similar purposes, but it is made of white line, and not
of junk.
The above incidents, we believe, actually took place, though we do not per
sonally vouch for them; certainly, as the Italians say, " se non e vero e ben
trovato."
* Captain Frushard writes to us ;—
" I had arrived with the mails from India during the night, and in the fore
noon saw a Native craft coming in, and my glass soon told me there was an officer
in her. He came on board the c Semiramis' at once, and reported his vessel a
wreck off Zeyla. I sent word to Commander Montriou (the senior officer at
Aden), and as soon as I had taken on board coal enough, started for Zeyla, and
there I found the ' Cayman,' high and dry upon one of the inner reefs. Fortu
nate it was for them that the wreck was there, for a few miles away on either
side, and the Soomalies would have considered her a godsend. Old Shirmakhi,
the Sheikh of Zeyla, was an old and proved friend of ours, and had given some
nuts m the town for the use of the c Cayman's' crew, and assisted in sending
tie news to Aden. I received on board and conveyed to Aden the captain,
omcers, crew, sails, arms, ammunition, tanks, hammocks, and a vast amount
8alva S e '. deluding even a lot of the fittings of her cabins. The
phmstone' arrived at Zeyla before I left, and brought over chains, anchors,