'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎557] (576/622)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
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be performed on the coasts of India, and in the neighbouring
seas, has been very fully discussed in the correspondence which
has passed between the Government .of India and that of
Bombay. Since the receipt of that correspondence I have had
the great advantage of personal communication upon the
subject with Sir George Clerk and Commodore Wellesley, who
have lately returned to England, and I proceed to communicate
to your Excellency the final instructions of Her Majesty's
Government.
"2. It was stated in my Marine despatch. No. 77, of the
30th of August, 1861, that the defence of India against a
serious attack by sea, as well as the Naval services required in
the Red Sea and upon the Eastern coast of Africa, will be
undertaken by vessels of the Royal Navy. You have repre
sented in the strongest terms that it would not be for the public
advantage to maintain the Indian Navy, with its existing
organization, but reduced into a smaller service, for the purposes
only of protecting the Indian ports, of suppressing the slave
trade and piracy in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and of transporting troops
and stores. I fully appreciate the serious difficulties which
would attend such a change, and I have also before me the
opinion which has been expressed by Commodore Wellesley, and
confirmed by the Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. , that it would be
considered as a degradation, and felt as distasteful by the
officers of the Service themselves. These considerations have
forced upon Her Majesty's Government the conclusion that the
wisest course will be altogether to abolish the Indian Navy as
at present constituted, and to provide otherwise for the per
formance of such duties afloat as cannot advantageously
be undertaken by vessels of the Royal Navy.
" 3. Such services as are required from ships-of-war in the
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. will for the future be performed by the Royal
Navy. Arrangements for this purpose will be made by the
Board of Admiralty, and the Senior Naval officer in the Indian
Seas will be placed in communication with your Excellency's
Government and with that of Bombay, and instructed to meet,
as far as possible, any demands for Naval operations which may
be made upon him by either of those Governments.
" 4. The floating defences of the Indian ports and harbours
remain to be considered, in order to dispose of the purely Naval
portion of the duties for which the Indian Navy was intended
to provide. The only vessels calculated lor harbour defence
which now form part of the Indian Navy are two gunboats. ^ It
may be desirable to add to their number, as well as to provide
iron-plated floating batteries for the defence of Bombay, and
possibly, also, for that of other ports of India. These vessels
in time of peace will be kept in a state of readiness for service,
and, when required, they will be commanded by officers of the
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