'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎64] (83/622)

64
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
the abolition of the Service, Mr. C. Bannerman being his
assistant.* The duties of the department were to keep the
vessels of the Indian Navy in efficient order, place machinery
from England into vessels built in the dockyard, make boilers
for the different ships, to replace those worn out, and put
together the iron river steamers sent from England in sections.
In 1841, the number of European engineervS, boiler makers,
and others employed afloat and on shore, was about one hun
dred and fifty, and between four and five hundred Native
artificers; but these numbers increased yearly, especially the
Native portion. The steam factory An East India Company trading post. was also a training school
for engineer apprentices, and others, and did good service in
training up skilled labour for all the Presidencies of India, as
well as for the Mercantile Steam marine, for mills, dockyards,
and railway companies.
Not the least important change in the transformation of the
Service, now in progress, was the retirement in July, 1838, of
Sir Charles Malcolm from the post of Superintendent, which he
had held for a period of ten years, and the appointment, as his
successor, on a reduced salary of £2,500 a year, with house
allowance, of Captain Robert Oliver, R.N. Sir Charles Malcolm
attained the rank of rear-admiral in 1837, and when the Court
of Directors decided upon their new scheme for the conversion
of the Indian Navy into a steam marine, irrespective of con
siderations arising from his rank, it became necessary that an
officer should be appointed who possessed special knowledge of
the new motive power which was destined to revolutionise the
navies and mercantile marines of the world. Sir Charles
Malcolm accordingly retired on a pension of £200 a year, and
was succeeded by Captain Oliver, who was an officer of the old
school, a first-rate seaman, and zealous in his public duties, but
somewhat rough and deficient in tact or temper. Thus it hap
pened that, though he was a good 64 steam-officer"—a rare quali
fication in those days—and had commanded more than one
of His Majesty's steamers, the selection was not a very wise
one for the responsible and difficult post of Superintendent,
particularly in this period of transition and uncertainty.
The following estimate of the public character of Sir Charles
Malcolm is by an old and distinguished officer of the Indian
Navy, who served throughout his administration, on whose
judgment and impartiality we can place strict reliance;— u In
* The following is the length of service of the heads of the Steam Depart
ment :—
Mr. Ardaseer Cursetjee (retired in 1857), Builders , Department, nineteen
years ; Steam Branch, seventeen years ; total, thirty-six years.
Mr. McLaren (retired in 1862), twenty-four years.
Mr. Mackinlay (retired in 1871), twenty-two years (and eight years in Bombay
Marine after the abolition of the Service). v & j
Marine ^ aUnerinan ^ re ^ reC ^ ^ -^67;, twenty-two years (and four years in Bombay