conduce to their own safety or happiness. In the case of the Hermione, which happened in the following year, there was not the slightest analogy; the crew of that ship, while sailing under the colours of a free and unanimous nation, having murdered all the officers, and deserted with the ship to an enemy, committed an act of piracy, which it was the duty of every civilized nation to punish: the Spaniards, most basely affording protection to them, participated in a crime which it is hoped will never be repeated; or, should it unfortunately happen, it is devoutly to be hoped that every belligerent will feel itself bound by international law to give up the perpetrators to the justice of their country.

CHAPTER XI.

State of the East India command in 1784-Shameful corruption-Piracy -Sailing of Commodore Cornwallis-His force-Arrival at Rio Janeiro-Remarks-Departure-Arrival in India-Object of his voyage-Trincomalee-Andaman islands-Contention with the savages -War with Tippoo-Affair of Phoenix and Résolue-Observations -Return of Commodore Cornwallis-Hostilities in Indian seasCaptain Newcome and Sechelle islands-Cape of Good Hope attacked by Sir George Elphinstone and General Craig-Arrival of General Alured Clark-Surrender of the settlement-Terms too mild-Further reduction-Capture of Dutch squadron in Saldanha Bay-List of Dutch and British ships-Correspondence between the two AdmiralsClaim of the Lords of the Admiralty for capture of Cape-ResistedAlso that of army to share with fleet in Saldanha Bay-Arrival of Admiral Rainier in India-Capture of all the Dutch settlementsAction of the Pigot Indiaman with French Privateers-Gallant and successful conduct of Captain Mitchell against a French squadron-Of Captain Charles Lenox against De Sercey.

No sooner had the news of the definitive treaty of peace reached Madras in the year 1784, than Commodore King, agreeably to his orders, returned to England with the ships of war on that station, leaving the Bombay marine to contend against the pirates, and protect the extensive coast and trade of India.

There is frequently a singular contrast between the extravagance of Great Britain in war and her penurious economy in peace; of this the present is one of the most glaring instances on record: half a million had been recently squandered away in an abortive attempt to blow up some rocks in Bombay Harbour,-while, under the eyes of the executive authorities abroad, immense fortunes had been amassed by individuals, and the most shameful corruption of the public servants countenanced, and supported, with greater effrontery than in America, in the

same proportion as the distance was exceeded from the seat of government at home.

Our naval hospitals, if such they could be called, were disgraceful to the name, and served only to enrich the contractors, and to disgust the seamen with a service in which no encouragement or kindness was shown them, nor compassion for their sufferings, to compensate the numerous privations and hardships under which they laboured in defence of their country.*

Since the above was published I have received a letter from Rearadmiral Tomlinson, in which he not only confirms all that I have stated, but adds the following observations:

"As there are but three officers besides myself now living who served in the East Indies under Sir Edward Hughes, I take this opportunity to bear witness to the truth and justice of the remarks made in your Naval History, vol. i. pp. 200 and 201, relative to the shameful state of the sick and wounded seamen at Madras Hospital-more like bullock sheds than a hospital-the supplying of bad provisions to the fleet, and the peculation carried on by furnishing the ships with provisions and other articles which had been condemned as unfit for use. Being first lieutenant and commanding officer of the Bristol, when some of these provisions were sent on board, I ordered a survey to be held on them, agreeably to the 16th article of the old Naval Instructions, under the head of Provisions. For this, I was ordered to the Admiral's house at Madras, where I was threatened with a court-martial. The Admiral and his secretary, Cuthbert, began their lecture, four or five captains being present; I justified my conduct by showing that I considered the 16th article was meant to prevent bad provisions being received from contractors as good, and charged to Government as such. This had the effect of raising their ire, and I was told to prepare for a court-martial for daring to order a survey in the presence of the Commander-in-chief. The late Sir Andrew Mitchell, thinking, I suppose, that my defence was good, took the Naval Instructions from Mr. Cuthbert, the secretary, (who came home with near half a million of plunder,) and read the 16th article. I was then dismissed, under an impression that I was to be tried forthwith; but the affair ended there, and I believe it had the effect of checking those abuses, as they were too bad to bear investigation in open court.

"The master of the Bristol was one of those you speak of as employed to condemn all stores put before him for that purpose. He had been a common sailor, and spoke of the “job” as a good thing, as he had so many rupees a day, and good quarters at the store-keeper's house.

"What follows will show the wretched state of the poor sailors in Madras Hospital at that time.

"Soon after the last action with the French fleet, I observed a wounded man, who had lost part of his hand by a shot, climbing up the side with one hand, and holding his empty bread bag in his teeth. I asked why he had left the hospital; he answered that they were so much in want of provisions, that he had come on board to beg some biscuit (which was full of maggots) from his messmates.

The surveys on the public stores of the navy were held by three masters of ships of the line, well known to have been in the interest and confidence of the secretary to the Commander-in-chief: they condemned every article* which was brought before them; and, while the Government was charged with the purchase of a fresh supply, the old stores were left to answer the purposes for which they had been declared unfit. By these and other means equally fraudulent, one person returned home with £500,000, nor did I ever hear that any inquiry on the part of the Attorney-general disturbed him in the enjoyment of his ill-gotten wealth.

Left to its own resources, the trade of India became in some measure a prey to the pirates which infested the coast of Malabar; their principal rendezvous was the fort of Mulwhan, to the southward of Bombay; nor could the Company's marine contend against them with a certainty of success: their attacks, either on ships of war or merchant vessels, were always conducted with spirit and skill, and the regular succession of calms during the fine weather monsoon afforded them every facility to manage their gun-boats to the best advantage. These were

"At that time I understood Government was charged a rupee a day, 28. 4d., for every man in the hospital-there were from 1000 to 1500but I believe seven or eight pence was all it cost the contractor for each man, and it was reported that he was obliged to share the profits, about £70 or £80 a day, with the Admiral and his secretary.

"The daily allowance at the hospital I understood was
One pound of lean mutton (4 sheep for a pagoda or 8s.,) say
One pound of black bread, with plenty of sand in it, say
Two ounces of burnt rice for coffee and two ounces of sugar, say
Vegetables, if any, say.
Sundries .

12221

1001

"When the sick and wounded were sent to the hospital, their hammocks were slung under the sheds with the same bedding they had on board, without sheets, or any attention, that I saw, to their cleanliness and comfort."

In corroboration of the above, I have heard officers say, who served in India at that time, that British sick and wounded sailors were seen coming out of the hospital at Madras, and begging their bread in the streets: so much for the good old times.-AUTHOR.

* Instances could be given (if required) which would scarcely be believed by the greatest enemy to corruption. ;

proas or undecked vessels of about sixty feet in length, carrying one twenty-four pound gun in the bow, upon a non-recoil principle. On one occasion they ventured to attack the Asia of sixty-four guns, and did her very considerable injury. Merchant vessels were frequently taken by them, and the crews put to death; and we had instances of very bloody actions between them and the Company's cruisers. Six or eight of our best frigates would have found ample employment on the coast, to resist and control the ravages of these barbarians: but, until the arrival of Commodore Cornwallis in the year 1789, we had no ship of war between the gulf of Persia and the straits of Malacca, or, more comprehensively speaking, not a pendant flying to the eastward of the Cape of Good Hope.

In the month of October, 1788, it was determined to send out a squadron of ships of war to protect these long neglected possessions. This squadron sailed from England in February, 1789 the ships were the Crown, of 64 guns, Commodore the Honourable William Cornwallis, James Cornwallis, Captain; the Phoenix, 36 guns, George Anson Byron, father of the present Lord Byron, who is also a Captain in his Majesty's Navy; the Perseverance, 36 guns, Isaac Smith; the Ariel, 16 guns, Robert Moorsom; and the Atalanta, 16 guns, Maurice Delgarno. Little occurred deserving of historical notice on the passage out. At Teneriffe the Governor sent off to desire the Commodore would not fire the morning and evening gun. The Commodore replied that it was the custom of the British navy, and he should continue it. At Rio Janeiro, we were received by our allies, the Portuguese, with every outward mark of respect, and watched during our continuance in port with the most careful and jealous circumspection: perhaps the Viceroy felt himself incapable of resisting any attack on our part, as the force which we brought might have been more than sufficient to have laid the town of St. Sebastian in ruins ; but the act of perfidy, though suspected by the Portuguese, was never contemplated by the British government. The wants of the squadron were relieved, and a timely check given to that dreadful disorder, the sea scurvy, which had already begun to make its ravages among the men, owing to the quality of the provisions put on board in England: these