The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-11 00:00:00

CAPTURE OF BASSEIN.

(From the London Gazette of last Evening.)
ADMIRALTY, And. 6, 1852.
Dispatches have been received at this office, from Com-
modore Lambert, of. her Majesty's ship Fox, of which
the Solloviing are copies :
OPERATIONS IN BURMAH.
No. 27.

Fox, at Rangoon, May 11, 1852.
Sir,—l have the honour to request you may be
pleased to inform the Lords of the Admiralty that, on
the 2d instant, I dispatched the Honourable East India
Company's steamer Phlegethon, commanded by Mr. G.
T. Niblett, and the barge of her Majesty's ship Fox, in
charge of Acting Lieutenant John R. Lawrence, to the
great entrance of the Irrawaddy, to try and effect a pas-
sage through the Panlang branch.
2. On the morning of the 11th the barge returned;
and Mr. Lawrence reported that they had advanced as
far as Yangernsiah, where the water shoaled so consider-
ably that the Phlegethon could not cross into the Pan-
kng branch; the barge, however, was enabled to do so,
and proceeded down into the Rangoon river, in order
that I might be acquainted with the result, and the cause
of the steamer's long absence.

It is with much satisfaction I learn that the object of
the exp2dition has been accomplished.
3. I have further to request you miy be pleased to in-
form their Lordships that, on the Phlegethon and the
Fox's barge arriving off Yaagernsiah, they discovered
the Governor at Dalla, retreating with eight armed
boats; abase was immediately given, and on coming up
with them the enemy ran on shore, leaving their boats,
in one of which was the Governor's wife, with her atten-
dants; they also abandoned a quantity of treasure, and
most of their arms.

The treasure captured amounted to eleven thousand
rupees; the arms, which consisted of muskets and swords,
were destroyed; and the boats, with the women, were
allowed to proeeed.—l have, &c.,
GEORGE LANRERT.

A. Stafford, Esq., MX, &c.

CAPTURE OF THE CITY OF BASSEIN.
No. 28.
Her Majesty's Ship Fox's Boat,
at Bassein) May 20, 1852.
sir,—l request you may be pleased to inform the
Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that the Lieute-
nant... General commanding the forces in Burmah, having
communicated his wish to make an attack on the city
of Bassein, I placed a squadron of four, steamers at his
disposal for the service.
2. On the morning of the 17th instant, Lieutenant-
General Godwin, C. 8., the Commander of the Forces,
embarked in a squadron with four hundred of her Ma-
jesty's 51st Regiment, three hundred of the 9th Regiment
Madras Native Infantry, sixty Sappers and Miners, the
Royal Marines, and a detachment of seamen, with a field
gun from her Majesty's ship Fox.
3. I left the naval force at Rangoon in charge of Com-
mander Tarleton, with the Fox, and went with my boat
to the Tenasserim, in which steamer I hoisted my broad
pendant, and put to sea at two o'clock in the afternoon
with the steamers named in the enclosure marked A,
The Lieutenant-General accompanied me in the Tenas-
serim.
of
Negrais
at the enytt:ana_cse.haeo;f
sstemhneatllßhearsseoinn
River, where the Pluto joined us. T
4. On the evening of the ISth we anchored off the
island
a
from Rangoon a day _Pree`neesi
p p with the steam
power
n could not have enabl ed h r to kee
frigates.
5. At daylight on the 19th the squadron weighed,
and proceeded np the river; the Pluto,
from her light
draught, being ahead, showing the soundings. The
Tenasserim led, followed by the Sesostris and Mozuffer
at half a cable's length distant.
6. At a few minutes after four o'clock nom, the fortifications of Bassein in the after-
no, appeared in sight,
consisting of a very extensive mud fort and a long line
of stockade, on the left bank, on which the city stands,
and a strong stockade round the,Paeoda with a brick
parapet fronting the river. Then, in
an admirable posi-
tion on the right bank, stood a very large stockade,
mounting several cannon.
males
Thete enemyd permitted the squadron to approach tin-
7. At half-past four, when abreast the stockades, I
made the signal to anchor; immediately afterwards
Lieutenant-General Godwin expressed his wish to land
the troops, which was effected in perfect order in a very
short period. They had scarcely formed under the
Lieutenant-General's directions, when a heavy fire was
opened both with cannon end musketry from the yeti-
Oat stockades, which was instantly answered by a cheer
from the party landed, who stormed and carried the
Pagoda.
A; soon as the enemy commenced firing, the ships
opened their fire on the different batteries.
Observing the stockade opposite the town had been
silenced, I directed Commander Campbell, of the Seses-
tris, to land with the boats of his own ship, and the Mo-
zufler's, and to storm it, which he effected in gallant
style, driving the Burmese from their guns, with consi-
derable toss to them in killed and wounded.
Commander Campbell has called my special attenti en to
the zeal and activity displayed on this occasion by Lieu-
tenants Robinson and Lewis, of the Indian Navy.
At half-past five I had the satisfaction of hearing
that the last and most formidable of the stockades had
been carried ; but not without considerable loss on our
part from the great resistance shown by the enemy.
Amongst those I have to enumerate as sufferers on this
occasion, I have to name Lieutenant George W.
Rice, of her Majesty's ship rex, who received a
severe and painful wound through the right hand,
whilst gallantly leading his party of seamen into the
stockade: and as this officer has been specially named by
the Commander-in-Chief at the tekieg of Rangoon, I
beg to recommend him most strongly to their Lordships'
eotesideration for promotion.
Ifeei it my duty, also, to mention the steady conduct
of ile 124,1 Marine.: under the command of First Lieu-
tenant John Ediott; and I cannot conclude without ex-
pressing my tent thenke to Commanders Campbell end
Hewett, of the Indian Navy, for the skill and ability with
which they brought their ships up a river, which has
hitherto been but imperfectly surveyed for a distance of
more than sixty miles. Nor can I refrain from ex-
pressing how much I am indebted to Commanders Dicey
and Burbank, of the Bengal Marine, for the assistance I
received from them; wen, I attribute oar being able to
perform this service without accident, to the careful and
judicious manner with which the commander of tho
Plato went in advance and comiannicated the soundings.
My thanks are general to the officers and men who
served under my' orders on this occasion for the steady,
gallant, and cheerful conduct with which they performed
the duty, neither can I omit remarking that the most
perfect unanimity prevailed between the two services.
8. Since my last visit to Negrais, the .old Governor
of Bazein has been removed, and the Government en-
trusted to another officer, who arrived here from Ava, with tour thousand regular troops, which increasedthe
strength of the garrison to six thousand
9. I have the honour to forward
hermewelit.h a list of
killed and wouadaezd_ouinntethletost!oadron. The casualties
onaurdepeimen killed among the troops
°facer; and seventeen men w and five
I also enclose a return of' th'eLnumber of cannon
captured from the enemy.
10. And. I bwg varmission to bring to their Lord-
ships' nonce, Mr. Fredetiek
Mores
sdsei
ds t awni tt-hS
tuhre-
b° a'tteAn
en
eon of her Mejesty's skip Fen,
-We
g '
storming party, and where kindnessu to the wounded on
this o,:casion, as well as his unremitting
numevous sick, eurirg the protracted attontion to the
stay
the Rangoon River, is deserving everyof the Fox in
I have, &o. praise.
(Signed) GEORGE R. ardBERT, Commodore.
A List of tho Naval Force commanded by Commode!.
Lambert, in the action and capture of the 8
Ba,sein en the 19:h of May, 1852. city of
Honourable India Company's steam-sloop Tenasserinl,
Commander Wm. Dicey (broad pendant of com_
modore Lambert)—two 8-inch, four 32-pounders;
total G buns. Officers and crew, 139. Also on board,
Commodore Lambert, of her Majesty's ship pox,
James L. Southey, Eel., Secretary, Mr. G. Digby
anti a boat's crow of the
Moran% Signal Midahipaun,
Fox.

110fiourable India Company's steezn-frigate Sesostris,
Commander C. D. Campbell, I. N.—two 3-inch, two
3t3-pounders, two 12-pounders; total, 6 guns. Officers
and crow, 168.
Honourable India Company's steam-frigate Mozuffer,
Commander H. H. Hewett, I.n—five 8-inch, two
32.poundors; total, 7 guns. Officers and crew, 228.
Hon. India Company's steam-vessel Plato, Commander
C. Burbank—one 32-pounder, four 12-pounders, two
e-pounders; total, 7 guns. Officers and crew, 80.
A party of seamen from her Majesty's ship Fox. Lieu-
tenant Geo. W. Rice in command—one 12-pounder; 1
total,.. 1 gun. Officers and crew, 19. Includes Mr.
-v. M. Lisboa, Midshipman, and Mr. F. Morgan, As-
It:want-Surgeon.
Yal Alarines of her Majesty's ship Fox, First Lieute-
nant JohnseEclortodtt in j
command. Officers and crew, 45.
Includes
Total, n•
Lieutenant Nightingale.
8 inch, 9 32
-pounders, 3--peunders, 7,12. pounders, 2,
6-P°"(lors; total of guns, 27; total of officers and
crews, 679,
(Signed) GEORGE R. LAMBERT, Commodore.
List of Killed aac Wounded ------naraodo in the Squadron under the
the cit of Bassein,
command of
CommodoreheLarnhert, at the capture of
yuughee 19th of Tenaseerun—David May, 1852.
ciihtused wound by a bullet :LLB.' Wounded' slightly;
Boo—Mr. Charles Bolt, purser
contused wound. , wounded, slightly;
Party of seamen from her Majesty's shin 1.
under
mate, killed; shot
Nsh.";
the command of Lieutenant George w.'itrenz,
Woolridge, boatswain's
W. Rice, I,l'
George
through the head. George
wounded, severely; musket ball throu h Lieutenant,
Odgers, AB , woundg hand and
wrist. George • •ed, severe]
,
fleshy part of thigh erei.
raUsket ball through
b' wounded, severel
Thomas Metcalf, A. ~ y; murket
ball through the right shoulder.
Royal Marines of her Maies ,tv' a ship Fox, under the
John Elliott,irst Lieutenant i
command of RoYal
Marine John Elliott, First Lieutenant, wounded,
achtlY ; contused wound by a bullet in right arm.
tiarntiet Gray, private, wounded dangerously; musket
ball through the arm. George Davis, private wounded
slightly; musket ball through finger. George Janes,
private, wounded slightly; bayonet wound in the
g

Her Majesty's Totals ship Fox-1 killed, and 7
Tenasserica-1 wcuuded.
Pluto-1 wounded. wounded.
Grand Total-1 killed, and 9 wounded.
(Signed) GEORGE LAI/BERT, commodore.
A Return of Cannon captured
the city of Bassein, on th® 19th of May, 1852.
in the Fortifications of
On the works round the eity—gtme, 80;
gingais, 6,