ese
sea-cunnies, a proportion of Lascars, and a proportion of Hindoo Bombay
marines. It requires two or three languages to carry on the duty;
custom; religions, provisions, all different, and all living and messing
separate. How is it possible that any officer can discipline a ship's
company of this incongruous description, so as to make them "pull
together?" In short, the vessels and the crews are equally
contemptible, and the officers, in cases of difficulty, must be
sacrificed to the pride and meanness of the Company. My reason for
taking notice of the "Bombay Marine" arises from an order lately
promulgated, in which the officers of this service were to take rank and
precedence with those of the navy. Now, as far as the officers
themselves are concerned, so far from having any objection to it, I
wish, for their own merits and the good-will that I bear them, that they
were incorporated into our navy-list; but as long as they command
vessels of the above description, in the event of a war, I will put a
case, to prove the absurdity and danger which may result. There is not
one vessel at this present time in their service which would not be sunk
by one well-directed broadside from a large frigate; yet, as many of
their officers are of long standing, it is very probable that a squadron
of English frigates may fall in with one of these vessels, the captain
of which would be authorised by his seniority to take the command of the
whole of them. We will suppose that this squadron falls in with the
enemy, of equal or superior force; can the officer in command lead on
the attack? If so, he will be sent down by the first broadside. If he
does not, from whom are the orders to proceed during the action? The
consequences would be as injurious as the arrangement is ridiculous.

The charter of the East India Company will soon expire; and if it is to
be renewed, the country ought to have some indemnification for the three
millions which this colony or conquest (which you please) annually draws
from it. Now there is one point which deserves consideration: the
constitutional protection of all property is by the nation, and as a
naval force is required in India, that force should be supplied by the
armaments of the nation, at the expense of the Company. I have already
proved that the Bombay Marine is a useless and incompetent service: let
it be abolished altogether, and men-of-war be sent out to supply their
place. It is mos