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72 HISTORY OF THE L\DIAN NAVY.
Charles Ward, Deputy-Governor, and such members of Council
as were in his interest, and, having annulled the Company's
authority by a proclamation, dated tlie 27th of December, 1683,
secured his own election as Governor by the inhabitants of the
island and the garrison, consisting of one hundred and fifty
European soldiers, and two hundred "topasses," as the native
Portuguese soldiers were then called. He then proclaimed the
authority of the King, to whom and the Duke of York, after-
wards James IL, he addressed letters stating his reasons .for
his conduct, and also seized on the Bombay Marine ships
' Revenge' and ' Hunter.' The President and Council at Surat,
' conscious of their inability to reduce the island by force, sent
three commissioners in three of the Company's ships, with
promises of redress of grievance and a general amnesty. The
conferences, which lasted more than a month, were fruitless,
and, in January, 1684, Mr. Child proceeded to Bombay with
three of the Company's ships ; but Captain Keigvvin and his
adherents were obstinate, for their resentment was mainly
directed against the President and his brother. Sir Josiah Child,
to whose influence they attributed the grievances of which they
complained. As the crews of the Company's ships refused to
act against the mutineers, Mr. Child and his council returned
to the Presidency without having accomplished their object,
though the ship ' Return,' sent to Surat, fell into their hands.
On intelligence being received in England of these events, the
Court of Directors appealed to the King, who issued an order,
under sign manual, to Captain Keigwin and his associates,
directing them to deliver up the island to the Presidency at
Surat, and a commission, under the Great Seal, dated the 25th
of August, 1684, Avas directed to Mr. Child, the members of
Council at Bombay and Surat, and the commanders of the
Company's ships, empowering them to receive the island from
Keigwin and his associates, and to offer a general pardon to all
—except the four ringleaders. Captain Keigwin, commanding
the troops, Captain Alderton, commanding the ' Hunter,' which
had gone over to the rebels, and Lieutenants Thornton and
Fletcher—who should, within twenty-four hours' notice, return
to their duty.
Under these commissions President Child was appointed
Captain-General and Admiral of the Company's sea and land
forces ; Sir Thomas Grantham, a Company's officer, vice-admiral ;
and the senior captain of the Company's ships, rear-admiral.
The fleet, under command of Sir Charles Grantham, whose flag-
ship was the 'Charles H.,' of eighty guns, had proceeded direct
to Surat before the news of the revolt was known in England.
From Surat, Sir Thomas sailed in his flag-ship to the Persian
Gulf; but, finding that the Dutch were in great force off
Gombroon, he returned to Surat, whence he immediately