'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎299] (318/622)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
299
the point, as now more than ever desirous of consideration,
with reference to our line of coast on the north-west; but, like
any other force of a similar character, its value must depend
upon the state of efficiency in which it is maintained, and
hence the great anxiety the Court feel in the decisions on the
questions at issued But in what practical form was this
anxiety expressed? The numerous staff appointments, for
merly enjoyed by them, were now almost all swept away.
Honours were denied to the officers on the most hollow pre
texts, while they were lavished upon those of the sister
Services. No matter what their standing and experience,
officers of every grade in the Indian Navy were subordinate to,
and, when acting together, under the control of, the junior of
that grade in the Royal service—an invidious distinction which
had long ceased in the Royal and Indian Armies, The degrada
tion was keenly felt by the Service, and was brought into
prominence during the Burmese War, where officers of great
experience in river service, like Lynch, Campbell, and Hewett,
were passed over in preference for commanders in the Royal
Service, while frequently lieutenants of twenty years' uninter
rupted service afloat, found themselves placed under the orders
of officers far their juniors.
On the question of emoluments, the position of the two
Services was equally anomalous, though, probably, this state
ment will be received with surprise by all those who fancied
that, on this point at least, the Indian officers were in a better
position than their Royal brethren. The captains and com
manders of both Services had about equal emoluments ; but
commanding Royal officers received freight money for carrying
public treasure, a privilege which, though formerly enjoyed by
Indian officers, was now denied to them, and, in addition, the
former received a stipulated allowance from the Company while
employed in Indian waters. But. while the Court gave to all
ranks a lower scale of furlough pay than that granted to officers
of the same grade in their military forces, the lieutenants serv
ing in India had the most cause to complain. Indian Naval
lieutenants received only 145 rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. a month, or c£174 per
annum—from which a considerable reduction was made for the
Service Widow and Orphan Fund—which was a lower scale of
pay than is granted to lieutenants of the British Navy, serving
at home. But this alone did not represent the difference in
favour of the latter, as the ward-room messes of the Royal
Navy on the Indian station, received an additional allowance
from the Court of Directors The London-based directors of the East India Company who dealt with the daily conduct of the Company's affairs. / This anomaly was twice repre-
* Lieutenants R.N. of seven years' standing, doing duty as senior of a ship,
receive £200 yearly pay, and all others £182 ; their duties are lighter as the ships
are fully officered, and their mess stores are obtained at wholesale prices. Also,