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HISTORY OF THE IXDIAX NAVY. 485
the collier, some difference of accoinniodation was allotted to
the persons serving on board ; but the Superintendent, to give
a death-blow to the Service, thought to confound all ranks; he
therefore ordered that the berth allotted to the midshipmen of
the 'Vestal' should be taken away, and the midshipmen put
into the lieutenants' cabin. Now the lieutenants' cabin on
board the ' Vestal ' was only nine feet by seven feet, and as
there was no other, the surgeon was necessarily obliged to live
and sleep in it also. Such was the wretched den into which
the Superinterident ordered the midshi{)nien to be crammed
also, putting health and comfort out of the question. Their
Marine officers had no remedy; and if the pigs had been
ordered to be put there also, they must have submitted or
resigned the Service. It happened, however, that the surgeon
belonged to the Army, and was protected by its rules and
regulations from such abominable injustice; and he wrote to
Government, complaining that the accommodation allotted to
him in the 'Vestal' was worse than that provided by Act of
Parliament for slaves during the slave trade. The Super-
intendent took fire at the reflection, and preferred charges
against him ; but as a military officer could not be punished
without sufficient groinids, a court-martial saved him, and very
properly remarked on the conduct and evidence of the Super-
intendent. This conduct, however, obtained approbation and
support, and he continued in office as long as he pleased. The
Directors could not plead ignorance of the facts he had related,
nnless they were guilty of neglecting to read the papers sent
to this country. Hut sui)posing that in the multiplicity of
business and the incessant application to foster private claims,
no time was found to attend to their insigniticant .Marine, still
the executive body could not deny that they were almost knee-
deep in Marine memorials, not one of which they ever con-
descended to answer, or probably even to consider. He iieUl
the ])ublic corresi)ondence in his hand, ami abstainetl from
reading it merely to save time; it was. however, on their
records, and could not be denied.
" It might be siipj)()sed by some utterly ignorant of the
merits or claims of the Bond)ay ^larine, tliat it deserved such
treatment, or that it had forfeited all claims to attention; it
was therefore with reluctance that he was comjielled to advert
to its conduct as a ])ul)lic body, of which he was probably one
of the least worthy members. First, then, on the score of
fidelity and attachment to their country, the Marine were emi-
nently conspicuous; and it could not be denied that when the
Company's Army, with arms in their hamls, urged their claims
to equal rank with ll.M.'s troops. ;uid invited the Marine to
follow their example and join them, the hitter declined so doing.
The Army obtained the most liberal consideration, while the