"تاريخ البحرية الهندية. (١٦١٣- ١٨٦٣)." [‎١] (٦٢٢/٢٠)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY.
CHAPTER 1.
1831—1838.
The Chinese Difficulty of 1831—Ship-building in Bombay Dockyard—Death of
Commodore Sir John Hayes ; his Character and Career—Services of Captains
Crawford and Cogan—Deaths of Commodores Wyndham and Elwon—Com
mittee on the State of Bombay Harbour—Proposed Abolition of the Service by
Lord William Bentinck—Action between the £ Elphinstone' and a Piratical
Beni-Yas Squadron—Affairs in the Persian Grulf—Cruise of the £ Tigris' in
Torres Straits—The 'Benares' and 'Nautilus' at Mocha—Wreck of the
4 Nautilus'—The Euphrates Expedition—Colonel Chesney—The Preliminary
Survey by Lieutenant Ormsby—Lieutenant Lynch's Mission to the Arab
Tribes—The Descent of the Euphrates—Loss of the £ Tigris' steamer—Ascent
of the Euphrates by Lieutenant Campbell—Surveys in Mesopotamia by
Lieutenants Lynch, Campbell, Eelix Jones, Grrounds, and Selby—New
Steamers for the Service—Orders of the Court regarding the Proposed Trans
formation of the Indian Navy into a Steam Service—Retirement of Officers
and other Changes in the personnel of the Service—Retirement of Sir Charles
Malcolm and appointment of Captain Oliver, R.N., as Superintendent of the
Indian Navy.
IN consequence of serious differences having arisen with the
Chinese authorities at Canton, involving not only the
forcible occupation of the British factory, and the demolition
of a wall and quay, but the endangering of the lives of British
merchants. Lord William Bentinck despatched Captain Fre-
mantle, commanding H.M.S. 4 Challenger,' accompanied by the
Hon. Company's ship 'Clive,' Captain Harris, with a letter
addressed to the Viceroy of Canton. The two ships arrived
off Macao on the 4th of December, 1831, and, on the 8th, the
Select Committee of merchants at Canton, with whom Captain
Fremantle communicated, sent a deputation to the Chinese
Governor, to inquire when it would be convenient for him to
grant an audience to Captain Fremantle for the purpose of
receiving the Governor-General's letter of August 27, demand
ing reparation and protection for British interests. Governor
Le refused personally to receive the letter, which, according to
VOL. II. B