'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎465] (484/622)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
465
during the eventful period they were under his orders:—
^ Sir.—The Brigade of the Indian Navy so long quar
tered in Fort William having ceased to exist, I deem it my
duty to convey to you an expression of my opinion with respect
to their conduct during their service in garrison. As regards
the ii\en, considering the frequent changes that occurred
amongst them, it is sufficient for me to say that the cheerful
alacrity with which they performed all the duties, at times
very severe, entrusted to them was deserving of great praise.
With regard to the officers, throughout the entire period of
their stay in Fort William their conduct was such as to afford
me the highest satisfaction. I always found them most atten
tive to their duties, and unwearying in their efforts to main
tain discipline amongst the men under their command, and I
beg that you will tender to them my best thanks for the great
assistance that I invariably received from them in all matters
connected with the performance of their duty."*
In December, 1857, Lieutenant Duval, with Midshipmen An experienced sailor, but not a commissioned officer.
Wray and Scamp, was ordered to proceed to Gya, in Behar,
with one hundred seamen and two guns. For a considerable
time the whole of Behar had been in an unsettled state, and
was the scene of military operations. On the 1st of August,
in obedience to the orders of Mr. Tayler, Commissioner of
Patna, the station of Gya had been abandoned by all the
officials, though Messrs. Money and Hollings returned and
saved the greater portion of the treasure, amounting to seven
lacs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. . On the 16th, Gya was reoccupied without
opposition, the prisoners having all escaped from the jails.
Again, on the 8th and 9th of September, the rebels, after an
action with Captain Rattray's Sikhs, succeeded in breaking
open the jail; but the arrival of a detachment of H.M.'s 53rd
Regiment, on the 22nd of October, restored confidence. Early
in January, 1858, their place was taken by Lieutenant Duval
with No. 5 Detachment, and, at a later period, further parties
of seamen were passed up-country to restore order throughout
the districts under the rule of the Lieutenant-Governor of
Bengal.
Not long after Lieutenant Duval's arrival at Gya, his De
tachment was employed—in conjunction with two companies of
H.M.'s 85th Regiment, which was then passing through Behar,
and was directed to halt at Gya for the purpose—in dis
mantling the neighbouring fort of Tickaree, in which were
# Greneral Cavenagli writes to us, under date the 4t]i of April, 1877, in the
following terms of his estimate of Indian Navy officers, formed under yarying
circumstances :— <c I enjoyed during the Mutiny an opportunity of making myself
acquainted with the zeal and efficiency displayed by many of your late brother
officers, and, subsequently, when Governor of the Straits Settlement, I had somo
of them employed under my orders, who zealously fulfilled the duties of the
different appointments to which they were nominated."
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