"تاريخ البحرية الهندية. (١٦١٣- ١٨٦٣)." [‎٥‎٧] (٦٢٢/٧٦)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY.
57
sighted policy bore, and the reader will then learn that the
Court of Directors, which ordered this course, took no blame to
itself for the evil results, which a little knowledge of naval
affairs, or consideration for the esprit de corps to be found in all
military services, would have obviated.
In the early part of the year 1837,* the Service was again
believed to be almost in articulo mortis, and a state of uncer
tainty prevailed, which had a most detrimental effect on its
discipline. It had long been known that the Court of Directors
were undecided as to its future, and the general belief was that
it would be either abolished, or converted, according to Lord
William Bentinck's plan, into a steam-packet service. A
scheme was sent from Bombay for remodelling the Service,
which betrayed incompetence in its conception; for it was pro
posed, while greatly reducing the to make it into a
steam service with vessels of between 250 and 500 tons,
which were to undertake duties that a very small knowledge
of steam navigation showed could only be performed by ships
* Among important Greneral Orders relating to the Indian Navy, issued by the
G-overnor in Council during the year 1837, was the following, regulating the
appointment of medical officers to the Service, under date March 7, 1837 :—
" All assistant-surgeons who have served not less than one or more than four
years, shall be eligible for duty in the Indian Navy. Such assistant-surgeons
shall be called on to serve in the Indian Navy according to their standing, com
mencing with the juniors. The period of service in the Navy is not to exceed two
years, unless at the desire of the party; but an assistant-surgeon completing four
years' service while attached to the Indian Navy, should be relieved as soon after
as possible provided he wishes it, and shall have served one year on board a
cruiser."
Under date the 30th of November, the pay of assistant-surgeons was fixed at
306 rupees per mensem while afloat, and 206 while on shore, exclusive of house-
rent.
Under date the 3rd of April, 1837, the following rules were published
respecting the engagement of passages on board the ' Hugh Lindsay,' or other
Government steam-vessel:—
" Three lists, one for each Presidency, shall be kept in the office of the Superin
tendent Indian Navy, in which the names of all persons applying for a passage
shall be registered, one third portion of the available accommodation being
allowed for each list; any person desirous of engaging a passage is required to
deposit in the hands of the paymaster, at the Presidency, one-third of the amount
of the regulated passage-money, and on the production at the office of the Super
intendent of the Indian Navy, of a certificate of his having done so, his name will
be registered on the list for the Presidency to which he may belong. The
applicants will stand in their respective Registers, according to the order in
which they pay their deposits, those who stand first will be allowed priority of
choice of accommodation ; the order in which the first in each list shall have
priority of choice, shall be decided by lot. Should any of the three lists not be
full by the tenth day previous to that fixed for the departure of the vessel, the
deficiency shall be made up from either of the other lists, if there are supernu
merary applicants therein, or alternately from both, should there be supernu
meraries in two of the lists. The paymaster of the Presidency is authorized to
receive deposits from persons desirous of eventually securing passage at any period
in anticipation, even though the arrangements for the despatch of the vessel may
not have been officially announced."
On the 11th of August, 1836, some important Orders were issued by Govern
ment for the regulation of the Pay Department of the Indian Navy.