'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎538] (557/622)

538
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
the 4 Zenobia,' as Senior Naval Officer, for Aden, calling on his
way at Muscat, with the Reverend G. P. Badger (the eminent
Arabic scholar, and Persian interpreter to Sir James Outram
dnring the Persian War), one of ,the Muscat-Zanzibar Com
mission, who conveyed to the Imaurn, Seyyid Tooweynee, the
decision of Sir George Clerk, the arbitrator in the dispute
between him and his brother, the ruler of Zanzibar. On the
11th of May, also, the 6 Semiramis,' Commander Worsley,
sailed for Zanzibar, to make known to Seyyid Madjid, the
decision of the Governor of Bombay, by which he was directed
to pay 40,000 dollars yearly to his brother with two years
tribute in arrears. Commander Worsley sailed on his return
to Bombay, on the 1st of July, when he left Seyyid Madjid at
the point of death, and arrived on the 17th of July, after a
very stormy passage. In consequence of the apprehended
demise of the Sultan, the 'Semiramis' again left for Zanzibar
on the 12th of August, with Major Lewis Pelly, (appointed to
officiate for Colonel Bigby, H.M.'s Consul,) and Seyyid Burghash,
whose rebellion against his brother had been overcome by the
gallantry of Commander Adams and the officers and men ot the
6 Assaye,' as already detailed. The 4 Semiramis' was nearly
lost on the 20th of September, when she grounded on one of
the reefs of Pomoni Bay, on the south side of the island ol
Johanna, one of the Comoro group. With the assistance ot
H.M.'s ship 4 Ariel,' she was got off again in about two hours,
but Commander Worsley—finding that she had sprung a bad
leak, which the pumps were unable to keep down, and
the starboard engine being disabled, and the water even
tually putting out the fires—hauled her up on the beach.
Eventually, the 4 Semiramis' was floated off, and her guns were
hoisted out, when the leak was temporarily patched up, after
which, escorted by the 4 Zenobia,' which arrived from Aden to her
assistance, she proceeded first to Zanzibar, and thence to Aden.
Worsley. On the 4th of February, the e Clive, Commander Drought, sailed for
the Persian Grulf, and that officer hoisted his broad pennant as Commodore of
the Persian Grulf Squadron from the 2nd of March, the day on which he received
his promotion to the rank of Captain, on the retirement of Captain Macdonald.
On the 22nd of April, 1861, Commander Cruttenden was appointed Senior Officer at
Aden, and to the command of the ' Zenobia,' thus superseding Lieutenant Chitty,
whose good service was, however, recognised by his appointment to the command
of the ' Victoria.'
The Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. squadron consisted at this time of the < Auckland,' < El-
phinstone,' ' Falkland,' and schooners ' Mahi' and ' Georgiana.' On the 9th of
April, 1861, the ' Falkland,' Commander Cruttenden, arrived at Bombay, and her
Captain, on being appointed senior officer at Aden, took command of the' Zenobia,
and Commander Eraser was appointed to the ' Falkland.' The ' Elphinstone,'
Lieutenant Brooman, arrived at Bombay on the 30th of April, but sailed again
for the Gulf, under the command of Lieutenant Etheridge, on the 8th of June.
The ' Mahi' also returned from the Gulf on the 28th of January, and on Lieu
tenant Whish being appointed to conduct the survey of the Punjaub rivers in
place of Lieutenant C. Forster, Lieutenant Lewis was placed in command
of her.