In the years made George Augustus Frederick Fitzclarence a journey to India. One of the places he visited was Bombay and the yard of the East India Company in that place. This dockyard was famous for her products and the family of shipbuilders which worked there. The yard built ships for the company, the Royal British Navy but also for the sultan of Muscat.
p. 326: “Bombay, 5th February, 1818. YESTERDAY about four o’clock I accompanied Captain Meriton, the superintendant of the marine, over the dock-yard. The docks are of granite, all dovetailed, and are three in number. Their history is curious. Previous to 1735 there were no docks at this place, the principal building station being at Surat. The Company had, as early as 1673, been obliged to build ships of war, to defend their trade against the Malabar pirates. In 1735, on a vessel being built at Surat for the Company, the agent who was sent there was so much pleased with the foreman, a Parsee, of the name of Lowjee Nassarwanjee, that he tried to persuade him to come to Bombay, the government being desirous to establish a yard on that island. The attachment and fidelity of this Parsee to his master would not yield to the advantageous offer made until his permission was procured. A short time after this period, Lowjee, with a few artificers, arrived at Bombay, and selected for the docks part of the ground on which they now stand. Being a thoroughfare, however, they were not very advantageously situated. The scarcity of timber obliged government, the following year, to send Lowjee to the north, to negotiate for a supply from the natives in the forests, and on his return he brought his family, and settled them at Bombay.
p. 327: Indeed, the history of this dock-yard is that (and a most pleasing one it is) of the rise of a respectable, honest, and hard-working family, as through several generations the chief builder has been a descendant from the first settler Lowjee: and so incorruptly and disinterestedly have they all acted in the discharge of their duty, that none of them ever attained to affluence. The frequent use of the dock-yard, particularly by the king's ships, which had formerly to be hove down at Hog Island, rendered it necessary to increase the size of the yard, which was carried into execution after 1767. In the year 1771 Lowjee introduced into the yard his two grandsons, Framjee Manseckjee and Jumpsetjee Bomajee, but, determining they should learn their profession practically, he made them work as carpenters at twelve rupees a month. In 1774 Lowjee Nassarwanjee died, leaving nothing but a house and a sum of money under 30001. He, however, bequeathed the remembrance of his integrity to his grandsons, Mansackjee, who succeeded him as master-builder., and Bomajee as his assistant, and they carried on the business with as much success and credit as the founder of the yard. In 1776 the docks had acquired great reputation, and during the subsequent war in India, and the severe actions between Sir Edward Hughes and Admiral Sufrein, our vessels were docked here: and these two worthy successors of Lowjee built two ships of 900 tons. Bomajee died in 1790, and Manseckjee in 1792; the former in debt, and the latter leaving but a small provision for his family. They were succeeded by their sons, Framjee Manseckjee and Jumpsetjee Bomajee. The success which attended the exertions of the last in building the Cornwallis, a frigate for the East India Company, in 1802, determined the admiralty to order men of war for the king's navy to be constructed at this spot. They intended to have sent out a European builder, but the merits of Jumpsetjee being made known to their lordships, they ordered him to con-
p. 328: tinue as master-builder, without the intervention of European direction or aid. The excellent construction of two frigates and a line-of-battle ship spread the fame of this worthy Parsee over England. Never have the orders or expectations of government been misplaced or disappointed. In 1805 the dock-yard was enlarged and shut up, the thoroughfare being discontinued. Two more docks have since been added, and, for the service of the royal navy alone, the following ships have been constructed at this port: four 74's, two 38's, two 36's, two 18's, and two 10's. And at present I saw the Malabar 74, and a 38-gun frigate building; the latter is to be named the Saranga Pataum, (Seringapatam).
p. 329: Besides these, since the dock-yard was established they have built nine ships above 1000 tons, five above 800 tons, six above 700 tons, five above 600 tons, and thirty-five others of a smaller tonnage. The sons and grandsons of Jumpsetjee are now in the dockyard. Thus five generations have followed each other; and I am happy to say, his son promises as well as any of his ancestors. The Imaum of Muscat, one of our allies on the coast of Arabia, has a vessel of 60 guns building for him at the present time, of a particular construction, as he always takes his women to sea with him. He is almost continually in the personal command of his fleet, as his neighbourhood is infested with the Whehabbee pirates, and his ambition leads him to attempt the reduction of several islands in the Persian Gulf. The dock-yards have lately had a steam-engine added to them, which has greatly facilitated the work in the docks, as the water is pumped out by it in a few hours. Three or more vessels can be taken in during the springs, while formerly one, or at most two, was the number inspected or repaired in each month. It would be advantageous if the power of the engine could be increased so as to draw large masses of timber from the shore into the yard. Beside these docks, there is a building slip near them; and at Massagong, and at Colabah, in the neighbourhood of Bombay, are others. The expense of building the Cornwallis, of 74 guns and 1767 tons, including lower masts and bowsprit, was 60,762l, and that of the Wellesley, 74 guns and 1745 tons, 56,003l. On board the former of these vessels I came out to India, and she is a ship of very fine qualities. The teak timber, of which they are constructed, lasts much longer than any other wood. The worm will not eat it; and it is supposed to be from the same cause that the iron bars do not corrode in it; an oil remaining in the timber, the smell and taste of which the former do not like, while it prevents the rust of iron. I was much delighted with the appearance of the venerable Jumpsetjee Bomajee, and had a long conversation with him. I made the veteran builder promise to give me his picture. He is to call on me to-morrow, and to bring with him a piece of plate the Board of Admiralty presented to him On the arrival in England of the Minden, 74, built in this dock-yard. Captain Meriton shewed me a model of that vessel, which was built piecemeal and at the same time as the vessel itself, and every timber was added as the shipwright placed them on the vessel in the building dock.
Source
George Augustus Frederick Fitzclarence Munster, 1st Earl of. Journal of a route across India, through Egypt, to England, in the latter end of the year 1817, and the beginning of 1818. London, 1819. Digitized by Google.
