Star.
London, England, 1810-09-26 00:00:00

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LAST NIGHT'S GAZETTE.

ADMIRALTY OFFICE, SEPTEMBER 25.
Elapatches, of which the following are cop* and extracts, have
been received at this Office from Vice" Admiral Drury, Com-
mander in Chief of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels in the East
Indies.addressed to Jobn Wilson Croker, Esq.
• His Majesty's Ship Caroline, Madrals Roads, April 22.
Sea—Yon will be pleased to acquaint the Right Honourable
the Lord Conunissiopers of the Admiralty, that in consequence
of his Majesty's Order in Council, and their Lordships' directions
to put the island ol Java and the Moluccas under the most rigid
state of blockade, I endeavoured to effect it with the fe* ships
that could be spared from India : but finding it impossible to co-
ver such an extent of coast, was to ansufer the purpose of annoy-
ing or' distressing the enemy to any extent, I judged it would best
be done, by seizing upon the principal settlement in the Eastern
• Islands, securing their shipping and valuable crops of the Moluc-
cas, and thereby fulfilling the intention of the blockade in a great
degree, and at the least risk to the commercial and political inter-
ests of India. This object is materially promote by the taking and
destroyips severs of the enemy's corvettes in the Java and Mo-
lucca Seas, as well as other shipping.to *SOMII e'fient within these
six months.
I selected Captains Tucker, Montague, and Spencer, comman-
ding the ships and vessels named in the margin*, to execute this
service. The squadron being very deficient in Marines, I reques-
ted the Suprethe Government to lend the service oi•two companies
from one of the native regiments, which was immediately atten-
ded to, and they embarked on board the Dover and Cornwallis
- • :
i-:,:p.a;n Tucker has .executed this service with courage and
sound judgment ; and as the inclosed letters upon the subject
convey their own comment and commendation, any praise of
mine upon the conduct of those distinguished officers and . men
would indeed be gilding reined gold; their Lordships knowavell
how to apples:last it.. .1 have the honour to be, &c. (Sisal's])
w. O.

o.,Doiver, Cornwallis, and Saraarang. ; , ,
•' • ; ' Goyeenment Howe, Caine NeW Viettni",
Amboyna, Feb. is0;1810. • ; ' • 1,
Sit —SinCe my letter of the Bth initaot;'icqtfaintt
lice your Excellency nth the, capture of the Dutehr:.
brigs of :,war Rembang- and Hope, by his' Majesty!*.-
ship Dover ender my command, off -the island oft
Amboyiii, the services of the force under my ordets,
and the capture of the said island, require that :IC
should enter into a detail thereof.
I have therefore to inform your Excellency, that
being joined on the 9th by his Majesty's ship Corn-
wallis, and a Dutch. sloop of war (the Mandarin),
which she had taken, I proceeded immediately up
the harbour of Amboyna, and anchored in Lahha
bay, from whence we were enabled to examine toler-
- able well the numerous batteries erected since tie
' English restored the island in- 1803,..0n the different
heights commanding the fort and anchorage of Vic-
toria, as well as the anchorage of Portuguese bay.
These anchorages Are also further protected by the
fort of Victoria, the sea face of which is extremely
strong, a battery close on the beach, well to the right
of the fort, mounting four twelve-pounders, one eight-
pounder, two six-pounders, and one brass thirty-two
pounder, and a heavy battery built upon piles far out
in the sea, mounting nine twelve-pOunders (iron), and
one brass thirty-two poander.
On the morning of the 1611rthe plan of attack was
determined upon, in consultation with Captains Mon-
tagu and Spencer, of the Royal Nally, Captain Ma-
jor Henry Court of the Honourable the East India
Company's Coast Artillery, commanding the troops,
and Captains Philips and Forbes of the Madras Eu-
ropean regiment.
ga The arrangements for the attack .were, that four
70 hundred men, selected as per margin., under the
command of Captain Court, should be landed a little
to the right of Portuguese bay, and advance imme-
diately to the attack of the batteries on the heights
commanding that anchorage, as well as the town and
fort of Victoria, and that at the same time the ships
should commence their attack on the fort and such
batteries as they could be brought to bear upon ;
aLout two P.M. the boats being all out and every
thing in readiness for landing the party selected for
that service, the ships were got under weigh, and
stood across the bay, with the apparent intention of
- working out to sea ; but by keeping the sails lifting
and other manoeuvres, we contrived to drift in to-
wards the spot fixed upon for a landing, at the same
time keeping the boats on the opposite side of the
ship, sh as not to be perceived by the enemy.
Upon a nearer approach the preparative signal was
made to bear up and sail large, the ships bore up to-
:, getherwith a fine breeze, And passing within a ca-
- tile's length of the landing place, slipped all the boats
at the same moment per signal. The troops, seamen,
• and marines were instantly landed, and formed agree-.
ably to the directions issued by Captain Court, to
who 4 report of their further proceedings I beg leave
to refer your Excellency.!.
The ships immediately commenced an attack upon
the fort and surrounding batteries, which was cond.,
hued without intermission for two hours and alialf,
by which time, having drifted very close in, eiposed
to an. extreme heavy fire, particularly from the height&
on the left of the town, with red hot shot, and the
object of the attack being accomplished by the.unexa
ampled intrepidity of the troops; seamen and marines,
in storming, and gaining possession of the beights
. -commanding Portuguese bay, I took advantage oft
a sprit of wind off the land, and ordered the ships to:
author there.
During the night forty men were landed from the
Semarang, and two field-pieces from the Dover,, utt-
(ler the direction of Captain Spencer, who volunteered.
on this occasion, and succeeded in getting the guns
up. the heights, over a very heavy and difficult
ground.
Daylight on the -17th spewed the very great ad....
vantage obtained over the enemy in the attack of the
preceding day, as be had abandoned in the night the
battery on the beach, 44 well as the water battery,
Stith of which being very low, had much annoyed the
shipping. Shortly after some shells were thrown from
the fort at our posit ins on the heights, without doing
any injury, wiiile the shots from our batteries in re-
tura; were seen to have considerable effect. a s-
Thia decided suFritirity, and the ships being ready
to advance again, induced me after landing, and ea-
'aminiag with Captain Court the strength of our po-
sitions, to send in a summons, a copy of which is an,
nexed, and in consequence, terms were submitted by
the Commandant of Amboyna, for the surrender of
the island, and after some alteration the Articles of
,elation accompanying were agreed to.
:cordingly at nisi o'clock on the morning of the
het oreagginally ianded under Captain
possession of fort Vic-
enemy having previously
es or be Dover, 85 ; seamen
; aeaglPn 9419011, and marine l of

194 i