'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎94] (113/622)

94
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
or the East India Company, more information than was con
tained in a letter from the Secretary of the Company on the
oth of January, 1850, which merely stated that the agent of
the Khan of Khokand was dismissed with all honour from
Peshawur, taking with him letters from Colonel Lawrence to
the Khan and to Lieutenant Wyburd, and that nothing further
had been heard of the messenger up to the 12th of October in
that year, though Colonel Lawrence had expressed his intention
of immediately deputing trustworthy agents to Khokand to
effect the liberation of Lieutenant Wyburd.
In 1851, Mr.Disraeli brought his case before the House of Com
mons, and presented a petition from Wyburd's sisters, in which
these ladies declared that they had no confidence in native
agents, and that they again appealed to the Government and the
East India Company, and offered to send out an officer to inquire
after their brother, provided the Government would invest him
with proper authority. They had received no satisfactory
answer to their former petition, and they therefore appealed to
the House to take steps to have Lieutenant Wyburd formally
recognised as a British subject and servant, and his restoration
demanded. Mr. Disraeli, having stated the facts of the case,
asked the Secretary to the Board of Control Formally known as the Board of Commissioners for the Affairs of India, it was established by an Act of Parliament in 1784 to supervise the activities of the East India Company. , and Sir James
Weir Hogg, Member for Honiton and Deputy-Chairman of the
Court of Directors The London-based directors of the East India Company who dealt with the daily conduct of the Company's affairs. , if they would give any information as to
what had been done, and what steps it was proposed to take in
the matter. In reply, the Secretary to the Board of Control Formally known as the Board of Commissioners for the Affairs of India, it was established by an Act of Parliament in 1784 to supervise the activities of the East India Company. ,
and the Deputy-Chairman of the Company, stated, that every
exertion had been made during the past two years in the way
of inquiry and remonstrance that was possible, but without
effect^ everything had been tried u short of assembling an
army," a measure which they considered was scarcely to be
justified on the score of saving one human life, though they
repeated their doubts as to whether the object of so much
anxious solicitude still lived. Finally, by Government Order
of the 2nd of March, 1852, Mr. Midshipman An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer. J. Sheppard was
promoted to Lieutenant, vice Wyburd, struck off the list of
the Indian Navy, from the 16th of October, 1837. From
that date to this, nothing more was done to effect the release
of this unfortunate officer, who had been sent by Government
on a special mission, or even to ascertain his fate, which is
shrouded in impenetrable obscurity.
^ It is not every Service of the numerical strength of the Indian
Navy, that, besides possessing a galaxy of surveying talent,
could produce at one time, travellers of the distinction and
scientific attainments of Wood and Wyburd, Whitelock and
Wellsted, Ormsby and Barker.