'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎375] (394/622)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY.
375
As has invariably been the case when the question of
honours came up for consideration, the services of the Indian
Navy received inadequate recognition. Sir Henry Leeke was
made first a C.B., and then a K.C.B., for the bombardment of
Bushire, though he left the Gulf a few days after that event.
Surely it was too great a reward for such a service, though we
have seen it paralleled more recently in the-Abyssinian War,
when the Eear-Admiral in command was awarded a similar
honour, though he never saw a shot fired. Nelson, we know,
preferred a 44 K.B." to a baronetcy, as a reward for his memor
able conduct as second in command to Sir John Jervis at St.
Vincent, but then in his day, as now, baronetcies were conferred
upon Lord Mayors ethoc genus omne, for entertaining royalty at
civic banquets and similar " services." The Companionship of
the Bath was conferred on Captains Griffith Jenkins and John
W. Young # and, through the good offices of Lords Dalhousie
and Panmure, upon Commander Rennie for Ahwaz and his
general good service throughout the war. The latter officer
retired from the Service of which he was so distinguished an
ornament, on the 4th of March, 1858, when he was appointed
Superintendent of the Bengal Marine in succession to Captain
Rogers, I.N., who had received the appointment as a reward for
his services in the China War of 1840-42. But other deserving
officers of the Indian Navy received no recognition, conspicuous
among whom was Acting-Commander Adams. It was an act
bordering on temerity on the part of this officer, to take a ship of
the length of the' Assay e,' to Mohamra, and manoeuvre her so high
up a rapid stream, but it was worthy of his reputation in the Ser
vice, which was still further enhanced by the skill and gallantry
he displayed on this memorable occasion. Acting-Commander
Adams, however, received no reward, on the ground, as he was
officially informed by the Secretary of State for India, " that
his rank in the Indian Navy was only that of Lieutenant in the
operations against Persia, when he had the good fortune to
distinguish himself by his gallant conduct, and that the statutes
of the Military Order of the Bath do not authorize the grant of
the junior, or Third Class of its honorary distinction, upon any
naval officer below the rank of commander." But the injustice
of thus denying the C.B. to Acting-Commander Adams is
obvious, when we find that the artillery officer in command of
the mortar raft, and two military officers of the same relative
* The following is the Order :—
" War Office, February 24.
" Tlie Queen has been graciously pleased to make and ordain a special statute
of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath for the appointment of Captain
Griffith Jenkins and Captain John Wellington Young, of the Indian Navy, to be
extra members of the Military Division of the 3rd Class, or Companions of the
Most Honourable Order of the Bath."