Page:History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce (Volume 2).djvu/603

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

millions, and the revenue on the tea alone amounted to upwards of three millions sterling. Commodore Dance was knighted, and various rewards were distributed among the captains, officers, and seamen. In that year the Company's ships Lord Castlereagh and Lady Castlereagh were fitted out and cruised in the Bay of Bengal for the protection of trade. In that year also the Company's ship Preston acted as guard-*ship at Kedjaree. During 1804 the Hughes sailed from Bombay by request of the Government, cruising in company with H.M.S. Concord to intercept French frigates expected off the coast. In 1805 the Company's ships Camden and Wexford were fitted out in Bombay Harbour, and cruised in the Indian seas for the protection of trade, whilst the Cumberland, Captain Farrer, under convoy of Sir Thomas Troubridge, received and returned several broadsides, within pistol-shot, from the French line-of-battle ship Marengo, and from a large frigate, her consort. In 1806 the Company's ship Warren Hastings fought a most gallant action against the French frigate Piedmontese, and although at last captured, the enemy hauled off several times during the action, which lasted for four hours. In 1810 the Company's ships and seamen were employed at the taking of the Isle of France; and in 1812 the Company's ship Astell was gallantly defended against a very superior force, and escaped, in consequence of the crippled state of her opponents. APPENDIX No. 12, Vol. ii. p. 467. List of Wages of the East India Company's Ships.

                                          By the Month.
                                         £ s. d.
        1 Commander 10 0 0
        1 Chief Mate 5 0 0
        1 Second Mate 4 0 0
        1 Third Mate 3 10 0
        1 Fourth Mate 2 10 0
        1 Fifth Mate 2 0 0
        1 Sixth Mate 1 15 0
        1 Surgeon 5 0 0
      —-
Forwd 8