History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

64 HISTORY OF THE PARSTS. (CHAP. II.

of his appreciation of services rendered by them to the vessels of His Majesty’s navy. The Government also, under a “sanad,”* gave them a substantial reward in the shape of a “‘jaghir” in perpetuity in Salsette. These two brothers built twenty-nine ships during their tenure of office, besides repairmg many ships of His Majesty’s squadron visiting Bombay. Bamanji, the younger son of Lavji, died in 1790 at the age of seventy, and the elder son, Manakji, in the year 1792. On their deaths their sons, Framji and Jamshedji,

1 “This is to certify that Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes, K.B., and Commander in Chief of His Majesty’s ships and vessels in the East Indies, having by letter, under date the 10th day of March 1783, pointed out the great services rendered the nation at large, and the United East India Company, by Manackjee Lowjee and Bamanjee Lowjee, the two master builders at this presidency, and having also strongly recommended to us to confer on them a certain portion of ground on this island, which will yield annually 40 morahs of toca batty, this is to certify that the said Manackjee Lowjee and Bamanjee Lowjee have accordingly been put in possession of certain batty grounds in the district of Parell, with their foras and purteneas of the side grounds, which will yield the above quantity of toca batty ; and that they are to be kept in possession of the same, without molestation, until the pleasure of the Honourable the Court of Directors is known.

Given under our hands, in Bombay Castle, this 29th day of December, in the year of our Lord 1783.

(Signed) W. Hornsy. R. H. Boppam. R. GAMBIER. JouNn TORLESSE. RoBerT SPARKS. C. BourcHir, R. CHURCH. James Moruey. ALEX. CALLENDAR.”