'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎97] (116/622)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
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was placed an acting second-master. The 4 Victoria,' a steam-
sloop of 800 tons, launched at Bombay in October, 1839, also
temporarily received for her officers an acting master and one or
two acting second-masters. In the following February and
April, two new river steamers, the 'Comet' and 'Planet,' pro
ceeded to the Indus, commanded and officered in the same way,
and others followed in quick succession. A plea of necessity
cannot be urged for this, as there were sixteen passed midship
men serving as such, the junior of whom was of eight years'
standing, and these officers, except when doing duty in steam
packets, received only midshipmen An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer. 's pay. On the other hand,
the mates from the Merchant Service were appointed acting
masters, without having to undergo an examination, testi
monials as to character only being required. While the passed
midshipmen An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer. * serving in the steamers, received the higher scale
of 110 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. a month, these acting masters drew the pay of
a lieutenant, and, when in command, received the higher scale
of 250 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. a month, lieutenants of long service being in
receipt of only their net pay of 145 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. .
It was not until September and October of the year 1840
that passed midshipmen An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer. , in some cases, received the rank and
pay of acting lieutenants, though every vessel was under-
officered owing to the recent retirements. Even the 6 Coote'
was sent to serve on a foreign station with only one lieutenant,
though five or six passed midshipmen An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer. were at head-quarters a
month before she sailed. Now the Service had ever been re
markable for the devotion to duty of its officers, who, from time
immemorial, went uncomplainingly to the worst climates of the
world, in the worst of all possible sailing craft human ingenuity
has devised, the ten-gun brig or " coffin," and the still smaller
schooner, which were less than five feet in height in the 'tween-
decks. What the general discipline of the Service was at this
very time. Sir Frederick Maitland, the British Naval Com
mander-in-chief in India, had attested, and the Service still
further proved, by its gallantry and discipline at Aden, that the
Admiral, with his experience of the officers and seamen of Howe,
St. Vincent and Nelson, was a more reliable j udge than the civilians
who threw, broadcast, aspersions against the Service to which
they owed all their early privileges, nay, their very existence,
when struggling against European rivalry, Mogul exactions,
and piratical depredations. The Company Bahadoor was now
great and powerful, and its standards fluttered from the peaks
# By order dated the 7th. of August, 1835, midshipmen An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer. doing the duties of mate
received.an extra allowance of fifty rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. in addition to their pay of fifty rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. ,
but this was cancelled by a second order dated the 9tli of November, 1855, and
thenceforward midshipmen An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer. keeping watches and doing the duty of lieutenants
only received their ba-re pay, an arrangement to be commended on the score of
economy, but hardly of justice and fair dealing, as the ' Euphrates,' ' Tigris,'
'Constance,' and ' Mahi' were at all times officered by midshipmen An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer. .
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