THE INDIAN NAVY.
[To THE EDITOE 07 THE " SPECTLT013."1 SIR,—There are few men connected with our Eastern Dominions who will not most cordially agree with every word written in your article "Underpinning the Empire " of April 9th. Of the many blunders committed by the Home Government in the years 1859-61, none was greater than the abolition of the Indian Navy. In my younger days I was brought into contact with manor officers of this splendid
Service, and can testify that such men as Campbell, Young, Moresby, Dundas, Welsford, Carew, Chitty, and many others did much to keep np the fair fame of England on the sea, from Singapore right up to Suez and Baghdad. My voice in this matter is a small one. I will therefore content myself by showing what a far more influential man thought of the Indian Navy as it existed in the " fifties." I extract the following from Sir Austen Layard's Memoirs, Vol. I., p. 329 :—
" The officers under Colonel Taylor [at Baghdad] were Lieu- tenants Jones, Campbell, Selby, and others whose names I have forgotten. They were young men of enterprise and intelligence, taking a lively interest in all that concerned the country in which they were employed and its inhabitants, employing themselves whilst engaged in their duties in geographical and archaeological researches. They belonged to the Indian Navy, a very valuable branch of the Public Service, which was, in my opinion, unwisely and unnecessarily abolished. By their researches and explora- tions in the country watered by the great rivers of Mesopotamia, and by their careful surveys, they added greatly to our knowledge of it, its topography and ancient history. The most distinguished among them was Captain Felix Jones, afterwards Political Resi- dent at Bushire, where he rendered important services during our
war with Persia in 1857 Dr. Ross was attached as Physician. His reputation as a bairn, his generous disposition, his frequent excursions and influence among wandering tribes, explorations among ruins—all contributed to promote British influence.'
Sir Austen then goes on to say that the effects of placing Indian Navy officers on the Pension List, and replacing them by vessels of the Royal Navy, made themselves very soon
felt. The influence of England diminished, piracy and the slave trade revived, and quarrels began with native rulers, arising from ignorance of their language and customs and disregard of their religious opinions and prejudices.
If corroboration of the above be required, the reader of
this has but to refer to the Memoirs of Sir J. Browne, R.E., and at p. 128 he will find this:— "The English squadron, inadequate in numbers and equipment for the special service, and without the means of obtaining timely information, zealously as its men and officers performed their arduous duties, could do little to check the slave traffic. The captures which they made scarcely compensated for the additional suffering caused to the slaves by the increased crowding and the precautions taken by their masters against capture."
It is devoutly to be hoped that the time is not far distant when this Indian Navy will be reconstituted, due regard being paid to the duties assigned to it. It is outside my province to
enter into this question beyond stating that the Navy should be considered a base point between Suez and Australia and China, and that its administration should be left in the hands of the Indian Government, as in olden days.—I am, Sir, &c., MILES INDICUS.
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