ABSTRACT
IhavechoseninthispapertolookattheworkoftheIndian Navyanditspredecessor,theBombayMarine,largelybecausethe charts,mapsandnarrativereportsproducedbyitsofficersduringthe firsthalfofthenineteenthcenturyconstituteabodyofsource materialwhichhasbeenonlypartiallytappedandwhichhas generallybeenovershadowedbythememoirsandaccountsofthe privatetravellersandscholars.Yettheworkof}.R.Wellsted,Charles Constable,S.B.Hainesandtheircontemporariestogetherdeservesas muchattentionasthatoftheearlierNiebuhrorlaterBurton, Doughtyandcompany.Asintheworkoftheindependenttravellers, thewritingsoftheseBritishnavalofficerscontaininvaluable topographicalinformationonArabia,mostofwhich,becauseofthe authors'trainingandtechnicalknowledge,ismoreaccuratethanthat ofmanyoftheprivateindividuals.Norisitlimitedtotopographical descriptions.FromtheearlynineteenthcenturytheBritishGovernmentofBombayandtheHomeGovernmentoftheEastIndia CompanyinLondonwereconcernedtofindoutasmuchaspossible abouttheareassurroundingtheGulfandthepeoplelivingthere.Any strayingfromthestrictlineofdutyonthepartofitsmarineofficers (forexample,excursionsinland)wasgenerallycondonedbythe BombayGovernmentintheinterestsoffurtheringitsownstockof knowledge.Furthermore,theattitudesandperspectivesofthesemen whowenttotheGulf,theRedSeaandthesoutherncoastofArabia aspartoftheirIndianNavyservicewere,inwayswhichIshall outlinebelow,oftenmorefreeoftheracialandclass-based prejudicesoftheirnon-officialcontemporariesandthesubsequent accountstheyproduced-althoughonecouldnotclaimanygreat literarymeritformostofthem-offermoreinformationaboutthe objectofinvestigationandlessabouttheauthorsthemselvesthan thoseofthemorefamousprivatetravellers.
