vices: he has, since our arrival here, always been employed in the command of the boats belonging to H.M. sloop Sophie, and has always met my warmest approbation; indeed I cannot speak too highly of this meritorious officer; he has passed his examination for a lieutenant nine years and three months; I hope, therefore, you will take the conduct of this deserving officer into your consideration, and recommend him to the favourable notice of Commodore Grant; and I trust it may be the means of procuring for him that promotion he so richly deserves[1].
“I have every reason to be much satisfied with the co-operation of Lieutenant Thomas Fraser, who commanded the Larne’s pinnace, and whose exemplary zeal and gallantry were both conspicuous.
“The zealous conduct of Mr. Charles Scott, who has passed his examination for a lieutenant four years, reflected on him great credit[2].
“At about 3 p.m., the enemy being in great force, the troops were re-embarked; the cruisers and flotilla then weighed, and returned to their former anchorage.”
Previous to this failure, between fifty and sixty large cargo-boats had fallen into the hands of the British; and Sir Archibald Campbell, anxious to prepare water-transport for part of his army, had ordered them to be cut down and made more manageable: they were calculated, on an average, to carry a complement of 60 men each. In a despatch to the Supreme Government, dated June 4th, he reported the arrival of a reinforcement from Madras, consisting of part of H.M. 89th regiment and two battalions of native infantry, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Miles, C.B.
The numerous fire-rafts which the enemy sent down from Kemmendine, had hitherto occasioned to the shipping at Rangoon the most imminent danger of destruction, and kept the naval force in a constant and harassing state of exertion. The incessant annoyance experienced from these attacks rendered it indispensably necessary that the stockades which commanded that part of the river should be occupied by the British forces; and they were accordingly again attacked, and at length carried, on the 10th June. The military force em-
