The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-30 00:00:00

THE ISLE OF CHERDION.
(From the Gazette of last night.)
ADMIRALTY, SEPT. 28, 1846.—Dispatches have been
received, at this office, from Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas
Cochrane, C. 8., addressed to the Secretary of the Admi-
ralty, of which the following are copies :
Spiteful, off the city of Brune, Borneo Proper,
July 9, 1846.
Sir,—l request you will inform my Lords Commis-
sioners of the Admiralty, that, for the reason assigned
in a separate dispatch, 'I determined with a competent
force to ascend to the city of Brune, and call upon the
Sultan for an explanation of his conduct with regard to
the atrocities attributed to him.
Neither the Dwdalas nor Pluto having joined me from
Hong-Kong, I made the necessary dispositions of the
force at my command, as more fully detailed in the ac-
companying programme.
I had received information that the approach to the
island of Cherimon was defended by two batteries, and
that five others were planted at the narrows formed by
the island of Bungore and the right bank of the river,
and that three heavy batteries roteeto the city.
While the arrageinents for the expedition were in pro-
gress, I. accompanied by Mr. Brooke, reconnoitred the
isle of Cherimon, and roil d that, although there was one
battery of five guns es.ablished on it., and four guns on
Palo Coin Arrang, admirably placed for enfilading the
approach over the bar, which lies immediately in front
of and close to them ; they were, however, not perfected,
and both islands were abandoned ; and as I had no dis-
tinct authority for considering that those batteries were
intended to act hostilely towards us. I in no manner in-
terfered with them, either by spiking or otherwise in-
juring the guns.
On my return on board, I received a letter from the
Sultan, of which the accompanying is a translation,
having attached to it the seals of Pangeran Muda Maho-
med. legitimate son of the late Sultan, and that of Pange-
ran Moutnien, in addition to his own. These seals Mr.
Broke believed to be forgeries ; the letter, however,
neither proi-dhit, d an approach by an armed force, nor
threatens d resiswince if it did so.
On the 7th instaikt, I hoisted my flag on board this
ship, commanded 'by Commander William Maitland, and
taking in tow the Hazard and Royalist, and preceded by
the Phlegethon, ascended tile river to Cherimon ; but it
was not till yesterday morning I was enabled to over-
come the difficulties of the bar, and was then obliged to
leave the Hazard aground upon it.
Having my whole available force collected, I proceeded
towards the city, which lies about nine miles up a very
picturesque river. The Phlegethon led, for the purpose
of sounding its intricate approaches, having in tow the
gun-boats ; the Spiteful followed, towing the Royalist ;
and astern of her the boats intended for landing the
seamen and marines.
On approaching Pulo Bungore, five forts opened to
view, admirably placed for denying a passage beyond
them, two were erected on our right hand, one on the
left shore over the narrow forrow formed by Palo Bua -
gore and the main, and the largest of the whole on the
side of a hill, elevated about one hundred feet (imme-
diately in front of the narrows), and which sandbanks
compel you to stand directly for, and to pass within from
seventy to eighty yards ; the fifth battery was further
up the river on the same side.
Shortly after we were discovered, the fifth battery
fired a gun, and within a few minutes the largest hoisted
a flag, which Mr. Brooke informed me was the flag of
our friend, Muda Hassin, who had been murdered ; and
we were in doubt whether this was not intended as an
intimation that we should be received as friends ; we
were not however left long in suspense upon this subect,
as the moment the Phlegethon had passed the narrows,
the battery commenced a spirited fire, which was
promptly returned ; the gun-boats, commanded by
Captain Mundy, of the Iris, and assisted by Lieutenant
G. E. Patey, First Lieutenant of the Agincourt, with
rapidity cast off from the steamer, formed in a line, and
opened their fire, and so soon as the enemy's fire had
slackened, pushed for the shore, and gallantly mounted
the steep ascent to the fort, but from whence'the garrison
retreated precipitately, leaving the Sultan's flag to be
hauled down by the assailants.
Being anxious to proceed to the city and finish my
operations against it before dark, I only gave Captain
Mundy time to spike the guns and throw them over the
walls and blow up the magazine, when I proceeded to
my main object.
Aware that the Sultan had a heavy battery, a fleur
d'eau, pointing directly down to a bend of the river,
from which it was distant about eight hundred yards,
and round which we must turn, and understanding that
he had heavy works on the hills not far in the rear, I
anchored immediately behind the point that protected
us from them, to make my final arrangements for
landing, &c. &c. These arrangements were, however,
overturned by the violence of the ebb tide, which set
down the river with a rapidity against which a row
boat could with difficulty contend. I was therefore
under the necessity of towing both gun boats and divi-
sion for landing; the former by the Phlegethon, and the
latter by the Spiteful.
Having given the people their dinners, I again
weighed, and no sooner did the ships open the point,
than the batteries commenced a sharp and extremely
well directed fire, and at the same time a play of
musketry from the woods on our right, and to which the
Spiteful was obliged to submit without retaliation ; the
critical situation in which she was placed (with the
beach but a few yards beyond her paddle boxes, the
Royalist in tow, and the boats filled with the whole of
the landing force), requiring the utmost silence and
attention to prevent the whoe being thrown on shore.
But the Phlegethon very promptly returned the fire from
her own guns, which, with the battery of field pieces
placed round her bows, and the admirable fire from the
brigade of rockets planted upon her bridge (both field
pieces and rockets under the immediate command
of Lieutenant Poynter), together with the now rapid
progress of the whole force directly up the river, so
astonished and dismayed the enemy, that they fled
before the steamer could reach their works, or the
storming party carry out the service intended for it.
As quickly as possible the landing was effected, and the
marines, under Captain Hawkins, immediately took pos-
session of the heights which command the town.
The battery, fleur cream, was found to consist of eight
brass and two iron guns, from sixty-eight to nine poun-
ders, as more particularly detailed is the accompanying
schedule. The one upon the heights immediately above
it, of four guns, nine and six pounders, and four more
upon another height commanding the latter, and a hun-
dred yards in the rear of it ; the whole are now in course
of embarkation.
I much regret to add, that this service was not ac-
complished without loss, two men being killed and seven
wounded ' - and the Phlegethon received several shots
through her hull, and other damages in her paddle box,
cooking boilers, &c., and which are now in the course of
repair.

So soon as the preliminary arrangements were made
for the security of the city, I dispatched Capta'n Mundy
with the gun boats to destroy the five torts we had
passed, and which he effected the same evening, having
disabled seventeen iron, and brought away three brass
guns. _

The Sultan, I am informed, has fled into the interior
with a large body of men, and many guns. lam now
preparing a force to send in pursuit of him, so soon as I
have accurate information of his place of retreat.
The gratifying duty now devolves on me, of assuring
their Lordships of the zeal and devotion to the service
of every individual I had the honour to have under my
command. I have already mentioned the name of Lieu-
tenant Patey, the First Lieutenant of the Agincourt, as
second in command under Captain Monday in the gun
boats, and of whom Captain Mundy speaks in the highest
terms ; and I must bring to their Lordships' notice
Lieutenant Payr.ter, the gunnery Lieutenant of the same
ship. He was Adjutant of the landing party, and also
commanded the rocket brigade at Malloodoo Bay last
year, and the field piece and rocket brigades on the pre-
sent expedition. On every occasion that his services
have been required, I have remarked his zeal and intel-
ligence, and to his assiduity and attention is mainly to
be attributed the present state of gunnery discipline of
the Agincourt; and the precision with which the field
pieces, and particularly the rockets, were fired, affords a
practical proof of the value of his instructions.
Upon two former services., Captain Hawkins has com-
manded the marines, amounting on this. occasion to
nearly 200 men, and the same zeal and attention has
marked his conduct in the present, as in every former
instance ; and I have invested him with the charge of
the protection of the town.
I must not omit to mention the care and assiduity dis-
played by Mr. J. E. Elliott, the Master of the Agin-
court, in sounding the various intricacies of our ap•
preach, and preparing himself for the responsibilities of
a pilot in a part hitherto unknown to him.
Although I have thus extremely limited the list of
officers brought prominently before their Lordships, I
trust their Lordship* will not for an instant believe that
such restriction arises from insensibility to the merits of
all engaged ; but where zeal has been general and
equal, I feel a delicacy in drawing attention to one to
the e :elusion of another. Their Lordships will have
bef ,re them the programme already referred to, con-
taining the name of every officer employed, and the
duties assigned him; and I have the authority of the cap-
tains and officers under whom they served, for-assuring
their Lordships, that one principle of zeal and devotion
influenced the whole.
The Phlegethon, Honourable East India Company's
steamer, commanded by Mr. It. S. Ross, was placed
under my command, as their Lordships are already
aware, by the Governor of the Streights ; and it is a
pleasing duty to perform, in assuring their Lordships
that the good opinion I had already formed of this officer,
when formerly under my orders in China, has,
through his great zeal and activity, been fully main-
tained on the present occasion ; and that it is my in-
tention to make a similar communication to the Gover-
nor-General of India.
I may not close this dispatch without conveying to
Mr. Brooke, through its medium, my best thanks for
the solicitude he has manifested for the success of the
expedition, and the kind and important assistance I
have received from him towards securing its favourable
result ; and I feel persuaded I shall not be disappointed
in my expectation, that he will cheerfully permit me
to draw still further upon his services.
I have the honour, &c.
THOMAS COCHRANE,
Rear- Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.

ItEAR.ADMIIIAL AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, COMPLI.

RENTS, &C.
This letter is from Sultan Omar Ali Saffudee, who is
sitting upon the throne of the kingdom of Borneo and
its dependencies, together with the under-mentioned
nobilities belonging to the said kingdom, viz., Pangeran
Muds Mahomed, Pangeran Moumein, Pangeran,
Tuzzoodim, Pangeran Hassim, Pangeran Mat Sallay,
Pangeran Rhahar, Pangeran Bahar and all his sons,
Pangeran Sora, Pangeran 'Sariam, Pangeran Deduru-
deen, Pangeran Hassim, and all the Rajahs under them.
We are happy to learn that our friend has arrived,
and in consequence we send a small boat to meet our
friend James Brooker Esq.; Pangeran Muda, Atahorned