'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎172] (191/622)

172
history of the indian navy.
Siiperintendent,* commissioned officers of the Indian Navy, and,
for the subordinate ranks, acting-masters, and crews, all under
Martial Law. The duties of the Superintendent and his
Assistant were most arduous and responsible, among the suc
cessive occupants of the former post, being Captains Nott,
Ethersey, Daniell, Hamilton, and Balfour; and of that of
Assistant-Superintendent, Lieutenants Hopkins, Holt, James,
and Child.
Early in 1843 Scinde became the scene of stirring events, in
which the flotilla participated. At this time Commander A. H.
Nott was Superintendent, and the vessels under his command,
consisted of the 'Mootnee,' head-quarter vessel, and five
steamers, having European andfNative crews, and armed with
two heavy pivot guns. Having transported Sir Charles Napier
and his army from Sukkurf to the left bank of the Indus,
Commander Nott detached the 4 Satellite'and 'Planet,'vessels
of 335 tons and 60 horse-power, to accompany the army on its
march to Hyderabad, the capital, in order to keep open com
munications and prevent any hostile bands from crossing the
river; and Commander Nott himself followed a few days later
in the 4 Comet,' for the same purpose.
On the 15th of February, 1843, the British Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. at
Hyderabad was treacherously attacked by a force of eight
thousand Belooches, with six guns, commanded by Meer Shah-
dad Khan, one of the principal Ameers. The Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. ,
which was protected, on three sides, by a low wall only four or
five feet high, and, on the fourth side, by the ' Planet,' steamer,
was held by a garrison of one hundred men, the Light Company
* The Assistant-Superintendent also held the appointments of Superintendent
of Boats on the Indus and Grovernment freight-agent, and, as Senior Naval
officer at Mooltan, after its capture in 1849, had charge of the Grovernment stores
and treasure at that important town, and the superintendence of the embarkation
of the troops and passengers to and from the Punjaub and North-West Pro-
V ^ I1Ce3, .
f We cannot resist extracting the following singular G-eneral Order of Sir u
Napier, dated " Sukkur, the 21st of November, 1842," which evinces an eccen
tricity not without example in men of genius :—" Gentlemen, as well as beggars,
may, if they like, ride to the devil when they get on horseback ; but neither gen
tlemen nor beggars have a right to send other people there, which will be the case
if furious riding be allowed in camp or bazaar. The Major-G-eneral recalls the
attention of all in camp to the order of Lieutenant-Colon el Wallace (dated the
18th ultimo), and begs to add that he has placed a detachment of horse at^ Cap
tain Pope^s orders, who will arrest any offender, and Captain Pope will iniiic
such a fine or other punishment as the bazaar regulations permit. This order o
be published through the cantonment by beat of drum for three successive days.
Captain Pope is not empowered to let any one off punishment, because^, en
orders have been repeatedly not obeyed, it is time to enforce them. Wit on
obedience, an army becomes a mob and a cantonment a bear-garden. Ine en
forcement of obedience is like physic, not agreeable, but at times very I1 ^ essar y'
The above can only be matched by an Order of Sir Lionel Smith, the 10
commanded the expedition against the Beni-boo-Ali Arabs in 1821, prohibi mg
" pariah dogs and galloping cadets " from appearing on the Poonahparade-groun
during Divine Service.