Part 325

NATIVE Infantry. A body of troops under the immediate direction of the presidency of Bengal, composed of the natives of India. According to the regulations published at Calcutta in 1797, it is directed, that the battalions of native infantry should be formed into regiments of two battalions each, with ten companies in each battalion, the regiment to consist of one colonel, two lieutenant-colonels, two majors, (junior lieutenant-colonel, and junior major, to be without companies) seven captains, 1 captain-lieutenant, 22 lieutenants, 10 ensigns, two serjeants, 20 subidars, 20 jemidars, 100 havildars, 100 naicks, 40 drums and fifes, 1600 privates for Bengal, 1800 privates for Madras and Bombay, 20 puckallies. The staff consists of two adjutants, one paymaster, one surgeon, two mates, one serjeant-major, one quarter-master serjeant, two native doctors, one drum-major, one fife-major, two drill havildars, and two drill naicks.

The peace establishment of these corps was ordered to consist of four regiments, to be commanded by two lieutenant-colonels to the two first, and two majors to the 3d and 4th regiments; a brigade major to be allowed to the cavalry. The whole, when raised, were to be commanded by a colonel commandant. But, at the period mentioned, only two regiments of native cavalry were raised, and twelve regiments of native infantry.

It was further directed, that upon the completion of the native cavalry, the promotions of officers should proceed by seniority in their respective regiments, until they arrived to the rank of captain, and afterwards to rise in the whole corps to the rank of major, and to the command of regiments. The promotion to major, and command of regiments, was subjected to the same principle, as in the infantry, in regard to being unfit. But if field officers of cavalry were superceded in consequence of being unfit to command, they were to be allowed to retire with the pay of lieutenant-colonel of infantry.

The promotions in the native infantry were to take place according to seniority in their respective regiments, to the rank of lieutenant-colonels, and afterwards to colonels, and command of regiments, with the following proviso:

That should the senior lieutenant-colonels appear to the government at the presidency, either upon representation of the commander in chief, or by any other means, to be unfit for the command of regiments, they were to be passed over, and junior officers promoted. But the reasons for such supercession were to be entered on the records, for the information of the court of directors.

The same principle was directed to be applied to the European infantry, to the promotion of officers of artillery to the command of battalions, and of corps; to the chief engineers, to the colonels commandants, and officers to command regiments of cavalry, and to the rank of major-generals from that of colonels.

It was further ordained, that should any captains or subalterns obtain leave from that period to exchange from one regiment to another, they were to come into the regiment to which they were removed as youngest of their respective ranks, according to the practice in the British establishment.

It was also ordered, that each regiment of native cavalry, and native infantry, in the absence of the colonel, should be under the general command of the senior lieutenant-colonel, who was to have the particular command of the 1st battalion, and the junior lieutenant-colonel that of the second battalion.

The same regulation prevails in the Indian, or native corps, with respect to the appointment of paymasters, that exists in the royal service.

About the same period, a very satisfactory regulation took place in favor of the European and native or company’s troops, to prevent the growth of much existing jealousy between them and the king’s troops. To give every officer of the company a king’s commission, of the same date with that which he received from the company, with a retrospect founded on the date of the king’s commission they then held, so as to prevent supercession by the various promotions which had recently taken place by general brevet in the British army.

NATURAL FORTIFICATION, consists in those natural obstacles which are found in some countries, and which impede or prevent the approach of an enemy. Thus a place, the avenues to which are easily closed, or which is surrounded by impassable rivers or marshes, is defended by natural fortification.

NAUAB, Ind. See NABOB.

NAVAL, Fr. This word is used to convey the same meaning among the French that it does with us, viz. armée navale, naval armament; combat naval, sea fight, or naval combat; forces navales, naval forces. It is remarked in the Dictionnaire de l’Academie Francoise, that naval, when used in the masculine gender, is not susceptible of the plural number.

NAVAL armament, the fitting out a fleet, with all kinds of provisions and military stores, for actual service.

NAVAL camp, in military antiquities, a fortification, consisting of a ditch and parapet on the land side, or a wall built in the form of a semi-circle, and extended from one point of the sea to the other. This was beautified with gates, and sometimes defended with towers, through which they issued forth to attack their enemies. Towards the sea, or within it, they fixed great pales of wood, like those in their artificial harbors; before these the vessels of burthen were placed in such order, that they might serve instead of a wall, and gave protection to those without; in which manner Nicias is reported by Thucydides to have encamped himself. When their fortifications were thought strong enough to defend them from the assaults of enemies, the ancients frequently dragged their ships on shore. Around these ships the soldiers disposed their tents as appears every where in Homer: but this seems only to have been practised in winter, when their enemy’s fleet was laid up, and could not assault them; or in long sieges, and when they lay in no danger from their enemies by sea, as in the Trojan war, where the defenders of Troy never once attempted to encounter the Grecians in a sea-fight.

NAVAL crown, in Roman antiquity, a crown conferred, among the Romans, on persons who, in sea engagements, distinguished themselves. A. Gellius says, in general, the naval crown was adorned with prows of ships. Lipsius distinguishes two kinds; the first he supposes plain, and given to the common soldiers; the other rostrated, and only given to generals or admirals, who had gained some important victory at sea.

NAVAL officers, are admirals, captains, lieutenants, masters, boatswains, midshipmen, gunners, &c.

NAVAL engagement, implies, in general, either a sea-fight between single ships, or whole fleets of men of war, or gallies, &c.

NAVAL TACTICS, or the art of war carried on by ships at sea; this being limited to the possibilities of navigation, is therefore much less susceptible of that variety of stratagem which belongs to the hostility of armies on land, and comprehends beside the knowlege of military operation, that of the movement of ships under all circumstances of wind, weather, and also of the structure of ships and rigging.

The tactics of the ancients consisted in the formation of position by which they could bear down upon and pierce the sides, or board vessels, and decide the conflict hand to hand; the invention of gunpowder has had the same effect upon naval as upon land tactics, that they can fight without coming to close quarters.

The Dutch, French, and British have been most distinguished for naval tactics; but they have been principally reduced to fixed rules like the armies of modern times, by the French and English. M. Morogues is the most copious author on the subject in modern times. M. Bourde de Villehuet, in his work called La Manœuvrier, has also published a most valuable treatise. M. Girmoard has treated of the subject as a science.

A Treatise has been published in English by Mr. Clerk, who was not a professional seaman, in which new principles were introduced, and those of the French adopted. The battles of April 1782, and of the Nile and Trafalgar were fought upon the new principles.

NAVE, in gun-carriages, that part of a wheel in which the arms of the axletree move, and in which the spokes are driven and supported. See WHEEL.

NAVE-hoops, are flat iron rings to bind the nave: there are generally three on each nave.

NAVE-boxes, were formerly made of brass; but experience has shewn that those of cast iron cause less friction, and are much cheaper: there are two, one at each end, to diminish the friction of the axletree against the nave.

NAVIGATION, the theory and art of conducting a ship by sea, from one port to another, or of disposing and influencing her machinery, by the force of the wind, so as to begin and continue her motion at sea.

NAVIRE de guerre, a man of war.

NAVIRE Merchand, Fr. a merchantman. It is likewise called vaisseau marchand.