Page 154 - INDIANNAVYV1

—

122 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.

nuitin}^ the men bad laid down their arms and returned to their
duty.
Thus, after a duration of seven hours, ended a revolt which
threatened to check the naval improvements then in progress,
and this happy termination was due to the courage and promp-
titude of Captain Hough. All the crew of the 'Bonihay' were
participators, with the exception of some petty officers, but it
was remarkable that during the whole time not a man touched
a drop of liquor. The Government, without determining whether
the promises made by their officers under restraint were binding,
felt that it would be inconvenient to punish a whole crew, and,
as some captains of men-of-war were anxious to ship men for
England, they fulfilled Captain Hough's engagements and
permitted the mutineers to escape unhurt. Not so, however,
some others. A surgeon named William Wills, having been
tried by a court-martial and found guilty of exciting discontent,
was taken in a boat alongside each of the four Company's ships
then in harbour, and exhibited with a halter round his neck,
whilst the particulars of his crime and sentence were read aloud.
Four seamen, likewise found guilty, suffered the same punish-
ment, and were also flogged.*
One of the consequences of the war with France, and the
representations of the Bombay merchants as to the defenceless
state of the trade, was a small increase of the ]\Tarine. Tiie
enlarged Service, however, only consisted of three ships carrying
twenty-eight guns, a grab of twenty guns (from six to twelve-
pounders) five ketches, carrying from eight to fourteen guns
(from four to six-pounders), eight galivats, and one prahim.
Two other ships were alternatel}' employed as guard ships to
protect the factory at Gombroon. Each ship or grab had a crew
of seventy or fifty Europeans, the ketches thirty or a lesser
number, and the galis'ats a few to work the guns only. To the
list of officers were added two commanders, one first-lieutenant,
six second-lieutenants, and three third-lieutenants. At the sauje
time, the first attempts were made to improve the religious and
moral character of both officers and men, orders being sent from
the Court of Directors for the regular performance of Divine
service on board all the vessels and a strict prohibition of all
gambling, profane swearing, and indecent conversation.f As,
* " Bombay Diary." Letter to the Court, the 23rd of November, 1748.
t Order Book of the Government, August, 1751 :
" General instructions to the commanders of the Honourable Company's
" In the first place you are to take care to keep up the service of God on board
the vessel you command, according to the Liturgy of the Church of England,
that the same may be devoutly and decently performed every Lord's day, and on
all other appointed seasons as often as can he done with convenience : and be
very strict in observing a good decorum and discipline among your ship's com-
pany, severely punishing all profaneness or blasphemies of God's holy name, and