The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c16.30

c16.30

The civil administration of the fleet was at first vested in certain hereditary officers commonly styled Darakhdars. They were clerks by profession, and although the muster-rolls and the accounts of the navy demanded little technical knowledge, the purchase of provisions for the navy and the repair of old and damaged ships in particular could not be satisfactorily performed by civil servants, who had no knowledge of the needs of the fleet. In 1765-66, therefore, a Karbhari and an Amin were appointed to supervise the civil administration of the fleet and the Admiral was also associated with them in this work.⁴ The Amin was generally responsible for the accounts, muster-rolls, purchase of provision, etc. Even this arrangement did not prove entirely satisfactory, and in 1781-82 the Darakhdars were recalled and Anand Rao Dhulap became the undisputed civil and military head of the Peshwa's fleet. He was directed to fit out a fleet of three Pals, three Ghurabs and thirteen Gallivats, and to meet the expenses of the fleet from the revenue of the Mahals granted for the purpose as well as from the income derived from prizes taken at sea. The Admiral was further empowered to impress the services of carpenters, blacksmiths and cobblers living in the districts granted to him.¹