Of the former, the principal is the Royal Indian Marine, which consists of a number of armed troopships. Of these the chief are the _Northbrook_, launched at Clydebank in 1907, 5,820 tons, 16 knot speed, and an armament of six 4-inch and six 3-pounders. The _Dufferin_, which was launched in 1904, is of 7,457 tons, has a speed of 19 knots, and an armament of eight 4-inch and eight 3-pounders. The _Hardinge_, launched 1900, is of 6,520 tons, 18 knots speed, and carries six 4.7-inch guns as well as six 3-pounders and 4 Maxims. There are three older troopships, the _Minto_ (1893), the _Elphinstone_ (1887), and the _Dalhousie_ (1886). These are supplemented by ten small steamers and nine small mining vessels. The germ of this fleet was created in the early seventies when the breastwork monitors _Abyssinia_ and _Magdala_ were sent out for the defence of Indian harbours. These were small predecessors of the _Devastation_, very similar to the home coast-defence monitors of the _Cyclops_ class, and carried four 18-ton muzzle-loading guns. About the year 1888 some new torpedo boats (Nos. 100–106) were lent for the Indian Marine service. These, with their names and numbers, were as follows:--_Baluch_ (100), _Ghurka_ (101), _Kahren_ (102), _Pathan_ (103), _Maharatta_ (104), _Sikh_ (105), and _Rajput_ (106). The two earliest numbers were built by Thornycroft, and were of 92 tons; the others were built by White, of Cowes, and were of 95 tons displacement. In the years 1890–91 two torpedo gunboats, _Plassy_ and _Assaye_, of the _Sharpshooter_ class, were launched at Elswick for the Indian Marine, in which they remained until withdrawn in the early years of the present century. On a similar footing to the Royal Indian Marine are the flotillas, mostly consisting of river gunboats, maintained in North and South Nigeria and in Central Africa, and the gunboats on the Nile under the Egyptian Government. The Colonial Navies are on a different standing. First place in their formation belongs to Australia. The monitor _Cerberus_, practically a sister of the _Abyssinia_ and _Magdala_ already mentioned, was launched at Jarrow in 1868 for Victoria. This vessel (which still exists as a drill ship) is of 3,480 tons, armed with four 18-ton muzzle-loaders, and protected with an 8-inch belt. In 1884 Australia’s local defence was re-inforced with four gunboats as follows:--The _Protector_, of 920 tons, carrying one 8-inch and five 6-inch guns, for South Australia. She, as well as the others, was built at Elswick. For Western Australia a similar vessel of 530 tons, named the _Victoria_, was built, armed with one 18-ton muzzle-loader. The _Gayundah_ and _Paluma_, also of the same type, carrying one old 8-inch and one 6-inch, were built for Queensland. Their displacement is 360 tons each. From that time onward the Australian Navy occasionally sent a few officers and men for training in the British Navy.