The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-01 00:00:00

INDIA.-BURMESE WAR.

!nest
day.

I have the honour, &c.,
GEORGE R. LAMBERT,
Commodore First-class, Commander-in-Chief.
To the Secretary of the Admiralty, &c., &c.

Enclosure No. 2 in No. 81.
Her Majesty's Ship Winchester's gig, at Prome,
2d Nov., 1852.
Sir,—l have the honour to report to your Excellency,
that this morning I proceeded down the river Irrawaddy,
in the Hon. East India Company's steamer Medusa, for
the purpose of making a combined reconnaissance with
Brigadier Sir John Cheape, K.C.8., of the right bank of
the river from Padangmew to the White Pagoda, a mile
and a half below Prome.
At daylight, Sir John embarked with his personal staff
and the light company of her Majesty's 18th Royal Irish,
80 strong ; at the same time the boats named in the
margin* having joined us, I quitted Prome and steamed
down 'the river. On passing the White Pagoda (from
whence our boats have been frequently annoyed with a
distant fire of jing,alls and musketry) I perceived that a
strong breastwork was in course of construction on its
right, not a vestige of which was perceptible when I
quitted Prome on the 13th instant ; and that some two
and a half or three miles inland the jungle was being
cleared, and two stockades were being built.
Leaving the boats, with the exception of my gig, an-
chored out of musket range of the enemy's shore, we
stood down the river, and at 8 30 a.m. anchored abreast
the Hon. East India Company's steamer Enterprise, off
Padangmew. I directed Captain Niblett to proceed to
the anchorage under the heights of Aboukton, and re-
main there until he received further orders.
I then steamed back to the boats anchored within
three hundred yards above the White Pagoda, and dis-
embarked the brigadier, his escort, and the naval brigade.
Sir John Cheape:ordered an advance, and immediately
on our crowning the terrace beneath the Pagoda, the
enemy's skirmishers who lined the jungle were disco-
vered, evidently expecting that we should have come on
by the lane beneath the Pagoda ; on their being driven
in, a fire was opened by them from the high ground- in-
land, their stockade being unoccupied. They were im-
mediately driven from their different posts with the
utmost expedition, until we attained our object, viz., a
distinct view of the two stockades which they were
throwing up, and a knowledge of the country in the
vicinity.

At this time the enemy were in possession of two com-
manding positions between us and their stockade, which
they were immediately driven out of. The heat was now
so intense, and three men having received strokes from
the sun, I halted under cover of the enemy's look-out
houses for an hour.

Having accomplished our reconnaissance, I caused
the naval brigade to return to the river stockade, Sir
John Cheape recalled the Royal Irish at the same time,
and we burned the greater part of the lower breastwork,
leaving the larger and more valuable timbers on the
beach, to be brought to Prome to-morrow, for the use
of the steamers.

It is with much satisfaction that I have to express my
approbation of the zeal, good conduct, and bravery of
every officer and man of the force employed.
I have to mention the conspicuous zeal and gallantry
displayed by Commander F. Beauchamp Seymour, RN.,
serving with me as a volunteer, from which I received
most useful and ready assistance.
I beg to bring before your Excellency's favourable
notice the zeal and gallant conduct of Lieutenants Hill-
yar and Pearse, of the Winchester, also Lieutenants
Lewis and Windus, of Sesostris ; and I have to notice
the officers named in the margin, all of whom merit my
thanks and approbation.
Lieutenant Hillyar has, while serving in the Irra-
waddy, always shown himself foremost in the perform-
ance of every duty required of him.
lam happy to state that the reconnaissance and de-
struction of the stockades was effected with only the
single casualty of a marine artillerymant of the Medusa wounded badly in the arm.
The loss of the enemy I am unable to state, for they
retreated through thick jungle.--I have, &c.,
(Signed) GRANVILLE G. LOCH,
Captain and Senior Naval Officer in the Irrawaddy.
To his Excellency Commodore G. R. Lambert,
Commander-in-Chief.

Enclosure No. 3 in No. 81.
Her Majesty's ship Winchester's gig, at Prome,
sth Nov., 1852.
Sir,—l have the honour to inform your Excellency
that I landed with the seamen and marines named
in the margin,* stormed the heights of Aboukton, and
captured the five gulp, defended by 350 or 400 men.

* Winchester's boats—gig, Commander F. B. Seymour,
volunteer, Mr. Gregory, naval cadet, 5 men, 3 marines ;
barge, Lieutenant Hillyar, Mr. Round, mate, Mr. Slade,
assistant surgeon, 15 men ; Pinnace, Lieutenant Pearse,
Mr. Bond, mate, 13 men. Sesostris' boats—pinnace, Lieu-
tenant Lewis, Mr. Capel, midshipman, Dr. "Walsh, assist-
ant-surg,eon, 14 men, 11 marine artillerymen ; Ist cutter,
Lieutenant Windus,-11 men ; 2d cutter, Mr. Duval, mate,
11 men. Medusa's cutter, Mr. Hanis, midshipman, 10
men, 6 marine artillerymen. Total force landed, 74.
t Christopher Byrne.
Winchester's boats—gig, Commander F. B. Seymour,
volunteer, Mr. Gregory, naval cadet, 4 men, 3 marines ;
barge, Lieutenant Hillyar, ~• Round, mate, Mr. Slade,
assistant-surgeon, 15 'men ;_ pinnace, Lieutenant Pearse,
Mr. Bond, mate, 13 men •' H. C. steam-frigate Sesostiis,
Lieut. Lewis, Mr. Duval, mate, 22 seamen., 8 marine ar-
tillerymen ; H. C. S. Medusa, mate,TOliai
Harris, midshipman, 15 seamen, 12 artillerymen.
force landed, 82. Mr. Brazier,

(From the London Gazette of yesterday.)
Admiralty, 30th December, 1852.
A dispatch, of which the following is a copy, has
been received at this office from Commodore Lam-
bert, dated the 14th November, 1852 :

No. 81.
OPERATIONS IN THE IRRAWADDY RIVER.
Fox's boat, at Prome, 14th Nov. 1852.
Sir,—l request you may be pleased to info' rm the
Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that, on the
morning of the 2d instant, I left Rangoon for the Irra-
waddy River, but, after proceeding through the Pan-
lang Creek, I found that the steamers I had previously
sent on were not able to cross the bar at Yangensiah,
therefore I transferred the troops they had on board to
the small steamers, which had just then joined me, and
directed the larger ones to return to Rangoon, with
orders to enter the Irrawaddy, by the way of the China
Bukeer, which has been effected.
2. The inclosures numbered from 1 to 5 will place
their lordships in possession of the operations which
have been conducted by Captain Loch, C. 8., of her
Majesty's ship Winchester, and Commander Shadwell,
of her Majesty's steam-sloop Sphynx ; the latter officer's
proceedings have been confined to the lower part of the
Irrawaddy, and latterly entirely to Henzadah.
3. It is my intention that Commander Wainwright,
of the Winchester, shall relieve Commander Shadwell,
who has now been for some time employed in these
arduous duties.
4. I shall not comment on the energy and spirit dis-
played by Captain Loch, for it is apparent that the ser-.
vice he has rendered is brilliant and useful, and my lords
will, I am sure, express their satisfaction at his conduct.
5. I have stationed the Enterprise steamer off Abouk-
ton, and the general has placed sixty men on board her,
to drive away the enemy, should they again make their
appearance.

-a. The navigation of the Irrawaddy is now intricate,
and requires care, owing to the shallowness of the water
in many parts ; but, by proper attention, the small
steamers will find no difficulty in proceeding up and
down the river, and the boats under convoy can at all
times keep up a supply of provisions and stores; though
I have suggested it would be desirable if a small mili-
tary force occupied the two or three stations on the
banks, for the purpose' of protecting the people who
supply the steamers with wood, &c., from the bands of
troops, or Dacoits, which are continually lurking in the
neighbourhood.
7. It is my intention to return to Rangoon tomor-
row.

Inclosure No. 1 in No. 81.
Her Majesty's steam-sloop Sphinx's pinnace,
Henzadah, Ist Nov., 1852.
Sir,—l have the honour to inform you that after the
detachment' of the 40th Bengal Native Infantry under
command of Captain A. Becher, were left at this place on
the 29th ultimo, in pursuance of the arrangements of
Captain Loch, Captain Becher and myself having recon-
noitred the ground in rear of the town, and having col-
lected information from the headman, determined on
removing his men to a Pongi house, nearly in the rear of
the centre of the town, and, according to present infor-
mation, facing the advanced posts of the Dacoits.
On Saturday evening I advanced the marines to the
Pongi house on the left of our position, which had pre-
viously been occupied by the sepoys.
• I may observe, en passant, that a paved road running
"fore and aft" the town, parallel to the bank of the river
in the rear of these two positions, afforded the means of
retreat, if necessary, to the boats.
Arrangements were made with the headman; Moung-
Gon-Glay, to station his armed men in intermediate sta-
tions between these two positions (which are about a
mile and a half apart), so as to keep up the communica-
tion, and also to keep armed parties on our flanks.
This morning at 8.30 a.m., I received a message from
Lieut. Nightingale, Royal Marines, to the effect that
the Dacoits had advanced in force along the banks of
the river, and were burninr, the detached villages on his
left ; I immediately sent tob Captain Becher to acquaint
him, and advanced with all the available seamen to the
support of the marines.

On arrival, I found that the enemy were within long
musket range of the quarters of the marines • after a
sharp fusillade they retirel ; we cautiously advanced
under cover of the growing paddy fields, and ultimately
drove the enemy back into the open country, the sepoys,
under Captain Becher, clearing the ground to our right
and in our front.
As an illustration of their boldness, I may mention
that the Dacoits have burned some houses in a grove
half a mile to the left of our position.
The Henzadah people report only one of their men
wounded, but several of the enemy, and as an earnest
of success they have taken two prisoners, and report five
or six wounded. None of our men were hurt.
It is quite clear that the presence of our small force
here is of great value in giving confidence to the men
of Henzadah to resist the Dacoits and Burmese soldiery,
with whom the remnant of the Bassein army are said to
be making common cause ; but I will not conceal from
your Excellency my opinion, that for the effectual pro-
tection of the valuable crops of rice in its rear, a larger
and more perfect military force than is now assembled
here is essentially necessary. I have, .tc.,
(Signed) CHAS. F. A. SHADWELL, Commander.
To his Excellency Commodore G. R. Lambert,
Commander-in-Chief.