[BITList] Midshipman Marriott and the spirit allowance

Thu Dec 12 01:05:02 GMT 2013

http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/untoldlives/2013/12/midshipman-marriott-and-the-indian-navy-spirit-allowance.html
11 December 2013

Midshipman Marriott and the Indian Navy spirit allowance

In December 1843, the Bombay Government wrote to the Court of Directors of the East India Company stating that it had come to their attention that it was common practice in the Indian Navy to give the midshipmen a daily ration of spirits.  This routine had come to the attention of Government because of the conduct of Henry R Marriott, Midshipman of the East India Company's receiving ship Hastings.

Bombay Harbour from James Wales, Bombay views: twelve views of the island of Bombay and its vicinity (London, 1800) 

On the 13th September 1843, while the Hastings was at Bombay, Midshipman Marriott was left as the officer in charge.  The Commanding Officer Lieutenant Montriou had left the ship on an errand at about 2pm.  It was later reported to the Commission of Enquiry, that at 3pm Marriott ordered the Pursers’ Steward and the Master at Arms to issue him with one week’s allowance of spirits.  By 3.30pm Marriott was discovered passed out in the Captain’s bed, and could not be roused.  Joseph Johnston, the acting Quartermaster, carried the unfortunate Marriott down below to the Midshipmen’s berth.  Midshipman Bode reported to the Enquiry that when he came on board the ship in the late afternoon, he was told what had happened and found Marriott 'Lying down on a chest in the Gunroom, quite unable to move'.  On being pressed for a description of Marriott’s condition, Bode stated 'He was in a dead sleep, half naked and had been vomiting'.

In his defence, Marriott submitted a written statement.   He stated that finding himself in charge of the ship he felt free of the normal regulations which constituted the ordinary duties of a Midshipman, and that '…under the impression that I was free from control, and labouring at the time under the influence of depressed spirits…I was in a unlucky moment induced to take advantage of liberty which I conceived my temporary authority imparted, the result of which has been the unfortunate and degraded position in which I now find myself placed'.

The Bombay Government seems to have taken Marriott’s depression into account.  A stern warning was be issued to him regarding his conduct, along with such admonition as the Superintendent of the Indian Navy deemed most suitable and effectual.  However '…as the general character of Mr Marriott is not reported upon very unfavourably, the Governor in Council is not desirous of proceeding any further'.

Perhaps more ominously for the Indian Navy’s Midshipmen was the Bombay Government’s proposal that the allowance of spirits be altogether abolished, and replaced with some other form of compensation.  In reply, the Court of Directors stated that they thought Marriott had been treated too leniently, and that Lieutenant Montriou had been wrong to leave so young an officer in charge. They also agreed that it would be right to abolish the allowance of spirits for Midshipmen of the Indian Navy, and authorised the Bombay Government in all cases to substitute for their spirit ration an equivalent in money.

John O’Brien
Post 1858 India Office Records  

Further Reading:

Proceedings connected with a proposition to abolish the allowance of spirits to the midshipmen of the Indian Navy, September to December 1843 [IOR/F/4/2053/93811]

Despatches to Bombay, August to November 1844 [IOR/E/4/1076 pp.108-110]

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http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/untoldlives/2012/06/what-shall-we-do-with-the-drunken-sailor.html

29 June 2012

What shall we do with the drunken sailor?

On 3 July 1630 a meeting of East India Company Council members was held at Armagon, a trading post situated to the north of Madras.  The ‘consultation’ involving both Company merchants based ashore and officials from the ship Star had been called to discuss the case of Gyles Wadley.  Wadley had been granted leave to go ashore ‘to recreate himselfe in honest Civill manner’. Unfortunately he had become intoxicated and had entered houses, beaten and abused the people there, and set their bedding on fire. One of the houses attacked by Wadley belonged to one of the chief men of the town who informed the Governor.  The Governor ordered that Wadley be put in prison.  A servant from the English house at Armagon saw Wadley being led away and asked that he be handed into his custody to prevent him from doing any more mischief.  Wadley however had other ideas and ran away from the servant.  Later that night, Company merchants Christopher Read and Thomas Tempest went out to bring in some of their people who were absent from the house after the evening curfew.  They found Wadley asleep in the house of a Mestiso soldier and asked him to go to the English house with them, but he escaped as soon as he came out of the door.

In the morning Company officials received a number of complaints about Wadley, including one from the Governor.  It was decided that Wadley should be ‘made fast’ in some convenient place in the Company’s house and there receive 50 lashes upon his bare back for his offence.  He was also ordered to pay for any damage.  This punishment was intended to deter other Englishmen from acting in a like manner.  Fresh regulations were also issued for the better government of the men in the Star: those with shore leave in future ‘shall not dare to lodge out of the Companies howse, or to be forth, after the ringing of the Bell’ on penalty of receiving 50 blows ‘well laid on, uppon their buttocks, with the stocke of a musket’.

This story is just one of the misdemeanours involving men sailing in the Star which are recounted in a volume of the East India Company’s marine records (IOR/L/MAR/C/4).  Other wrongdoers were disciplined for bad language and indiscipline; quarrelling and fighting; theft; and playing cards when supposed to be manning the watch.

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ooroo

The first steps in reforming the learning experiences of young people is to reform the learning experiences of the adults responsible for young people's education."

Roland Barth

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