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HISTORY OF THE IXDIAX NAVY. 503

every available man from both ships to attack the town, which
quickly broui^'ht the Governor to his senses; alarmed by this
display of promptitude, the prisoners were given up, and an
ample apology was afforded.
This officer was arraigned before a court-martial in January,
1829, on charges preferred against him by Sir Charles Malcolm,
for disobedience of orders, " in not having taken on board his
ship three months' supply of biscuits, pursuant to a verbal
order given him by the Superintendent in or about the end of
July, 1828." Other charges were for taking on board only
one month's supply ; for asserting in an official letter, that the
biscuit was " such abominable trash, that he could not expect
the ship's company would eat it ;" and for subjecting the
Government to unnecessary expense, by purchasing two months'
supply of biscuit elsewhere, with "the intention of deriving
a private and dishonourable advantage." The Court found
Couunander Betham guilty of all the charges, except as to the
dishonourable intent, and acting under the "penal articles
established by Government," martial law not being granted
until the following April, they recommended that he should be
dismissed the Service, though they expressed a hope that he
vould receive " favourable consideration" from the Governor,
cwing to extenuating circumstances, and " his long and
liieritorious services." Sir John Malcolm, however, confirmed
the sentence, but recommended the Court of Directors to grant
him the pension of his rank. Conmiander Betham, who was an
able writer, and had interest in Leadenhall Street, memorialised
the Court of Directors against this decision, on the ground that
five out of the seven members constituting the coin-t-niartial,
were his juniors, and succeeded in |)i-ocuring a reversal of the
sentence. The decision of the Court inflicted a heavy blow on the
authority of Sir C. Malcolm, but the constitution of the court-
martial was certainly irregular and unjustifiable, as there was
no want of military officers in Bombay to constitute a Court.
The case created much controversy at the time at llomlniy, and
many hard words were bandied about, and uncharitable motives
imputed among those chiefly concerned.
During the year 182'J, the ' Hastings' and ' Antelnjtr' were
employed at Penang, in tiie su])iiressi()n of piracy; the
' Ternate,' and several gunboats, in Bengal, and other vessels in
surveys and the general routine of the Service.
It would seem as if the ]»ond)ay Marine was regarded as a cor-
pus vile, on \y\i'\c\i exi)erinients cotdd bemade, withdut limit, and so
little regard had the authorities for its I'iliciency, which, of course,
could not but be impaired by the frequent changes made in its
constitution, that we lind the new (iovernor-(teneral, Lcinl
AVilliam Bentinck, who luul made reductions in every branch of
the public service, directing the Finance Committee assend>kd