The Military System of the Marathas, with a Brief Account of Their Maritime Activities c17.28.1

c17.28.1

This remonstrance shows that English opinion in India was not in those days adverse to the seizure of unlicensed ships but held it as a lawful exercise of sovereignty of the sea. Three years later, on 27 February 1668-69, Captain William Norgrave was given the following instructions: 'Wee have appointed you upon the *Hunter* to transport Mr. George Bowcher to Callicut; to whom wee have given instructions to direct you to examine all vessells for English passes, you shall meet with in your going downe; and such as shall be found to have none, belonging to any port of the Mallabarr coast, to be secured and brought up to Bombay especially such as may belong to Allee Rajah or the Moores of Burgora, Cotta, Durmapatam or Billiapatam, or the natives of Porcat, taking great care in your acts of seizure, you govern yourselfe and men with that moderation, discretion and conduct as to discharge yourselfe with courage and reputation and with that uprightness and faithfulness as to forbeare yourselfe and prevent your men from purloyning or embezzling any of their goods etc., a full return of all things being intended backe to the owners when wee shall receive satisfaction for the severall wrongs done us from those places.'² In this case the English authorities did not intend anything but what they considered just retaliation. The instructions of Sir John Gayer were generally lenient but did not repudiate the principle on which the Portuguese and the Dutch were acting.