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

CHAP. II.] A GOVERNMENT PRESENT. 65

were appointed master-builders im their fathers’ places, and their services to the State were as valuable as those of their predecessors. They were equally appreciated by the Government. In the year 1804 they were each presented by the Honourable the Court of Directors with a silver rule, upon which was engraved a suitable inscription.”

The services of Jamshedji Bamanji proved exceptionally valuable. He was the first of the Parsi master-builders to be entrusted by the Lords of the Admiralty with the building of men-of-war in India. About this time numerous offers were sent to the Admiralty for building line-of-battle ships, but Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Trowbridge, who held at one time the command of His Majesty’s squadron in Indian waters, had a very poor opinion of the people who had to perform the work and also of

1 “ Presented by the Court of Directors of the United East India Company to Framjee Manackjee one of the Master Builders in their Dockyard at Bombay in Testimony of their approbation of his continued Fidelity and long tried services and in encouragement to him and his Family to persevere in that line of conduct which has so often called forth the approbation of his Superiors.

AT LONDON 1804. Tae Hon’sre Wittm. Evpuinstone, Chairman. Cartes Grant Esq., Deputy Chairman. JoyatHan Duncan Esg., Governor of Bombay.” Engraved on the hinges. Briranyia—Sir Epwarp HucHss— Bompay—CorywaLLisMornineton. A similar testimonial was presented to Jamshedji Bamanji.

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