'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎210] (229/622)

210
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY.
want of tact, to use a mild expression, by treating some of the
older and more distinguished officers of the Service with scant
respect. For instance, he issued an order directing, amongst
others, Captain Ross, the Master-Attendant, a surveyor of world
wide repute, which was acknowledged by his being elected
a Fellow of the Royal Society, and President of the Bombay
Geographical Society, and his senior in years and service, to
appear at stated hours at the Marine Office, and make his
report. The order so closely resembled a proceeding of the
schoolmaster of Dotheboy's Hall, immortalised by the genius of
Dickens, that the name of Squeers was not inaptly applied to
Sir Robert Oliver, and clung to him to the last. Of course the
weapon, ridicule, gave the death-blow to the obnoxious order,
which gradually fell into disuse. Sir Robert, on the other
hand, entitled himself to the gratitude of the officers, par
ticularly the juniors, whose means were limited to their scanty
pay, by the establishment, in 1846, of a Sanatarium at Golaba,
adjoining Bombay, in a healthy situation and well furnished.
Hitherto, officers, when sent on shore sick, were obliged to have
recourse to the alternative of either residing on shore with
their friends, if they had any, or resorting to the European
Hospital.
A brief review of the surveys undertaken during the admi
nistration of Sir Robert Oliver, will fitly close this notice of his
character and career.
Commander A. Dundas Taylor says, in a "Memorandum on the
Marine Surveys of India," submitted to the Indian Government
on the 10th of March, 1871, that " the successor to Sir Charles
Malcolm, unfortunately for the commercial interests of India,
took no concern in accurate Marine Surveying, because he
neither knew the value nor had any experience of it. One of
the first acts of his official career put a sudden stop to aU sur
veys. This was followed by the almost simultaneous resigna
tion of many superior officers and clever surveyors, Captains
Robert Cogan, Michael Houghton, Robert Moresby, Richard
Lloyd, and Lieutenants Wellsted and John Wood, all names
known to fame." He continues:—" In 1844 two surveying
vessels were employed, one on the coast of India south of Bom
bay, the other on the south-east of Arabia, but the same par
simony that had so long suppressed all surveys, now grudged
the vessels an efficient outfit, and when the rainy season hin
dered active operations, the surveyors were packed off to other
duty before the charts and sailing directions had been com
pleted and sent in. The resumption of Marine Surveys in
1844, was most opportune, but there was no head capable o
organising a system, and subordinates were not allowed to oner
suggestions, indeed, applications for necessary instruments were