The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c15.133

c15.133

Of the numerical strength of Kanhoji Angria's fleet, the conditions of his service and the naval strategy of his age, we have no very clear knowledge; but, fortunately, an obscure pamphlet published in 1738 by a friend of Captain Anselm of the *Derby* in defence of the Captain's character throws some light on Sambhaji's tactics, and on the numerical strength of his fleet in 1736, when Captain Anselm was his prisoner. Sambhaji was a hard-working man, as we learn from the Captain, and personally supervised everything. His men, including the gunners among whom there were some Europeans, were very poorly and irregularly paid and had no share in the prizes they seized. A very small fraction of their salary was paid in cash, the highest officers receiving only ‘one month and a half’s pay out of twelve in money’, ‘the rest one month’s pay’, ‘and some but half a month in twelve’. When the *Derby* was captured, the men were in arrears for eighteen months. To meet their daily needs, they received food and clothing from their master. It was he who planned every expedition, and on their return the men were thoroughly searched. None could leave Suvarnadurg without Sambhaji’s knowledge and leave, and everyone was expected to pay his respects to the Chief in the morning so that he could easily discover who was absent.¹