1824	The Burmese War	421

thither the Bengal division had already sailed. Towards the end of April it arrived, and on the 2d of May the Madras division convoyed by the Sophie hove in sight off the harbour of Port Cornwallis. A slight delay took place in the departure of ships for their ultimate destination, Rangoon, which is the principal seaport in the dominions of the King of Ava ; during the interval between the 2d of May and the 5th, on which day the fleet sailed, Commodore Grant, in the Liffey, anchored in Port Cornwallis and took command of the naval department, consisting of the Slaney, 20, Captain Charles Mitchell; Larne, 20, Captain Frederick Marryat ; and Sophie, 18, Captain George Frederick Ryves. To these were added four of the company's cruisers, under Captain Henry Hardy.

The whole force consisting, in addition to those already named, " of 18 brigs, schooners, and other small-craft (formerly pleasure-yachts on the Ganges), each armed with two light carronades and four swivels, and manned with 12 lascars, under the command of an European ; 20 row-boats, lugger rigged (formerly Calcutta pilot-boats), each carrying an 18-pounder in the bow, and manned with from 16 to 20 lascars ; the Diana steam-vessel; and about 40 sail of transports, only one or two of which had English crews. The company's cruisers were manned with British sailors, Hindoos, and Mahometans, and all the row-boats were under the command of Mr. William Lindgu1st of the Bengal pilot-service. The total number of fighting men embarked at Calcutta and Madras in April, 1824, was 8701, of whom 4077 were British." * " On the morning of the 5th of May," says Sir Archibald Campbell in his despatch, " we finally put to sea, detaching a part of my force under Brigadier M'Creagh, in the Ernaâd timber ship, under the escort of H.M. sloop Slaney against the island of Cheduba, and sending another detachment under Major Wahab of the Madras establishment, against Negrais, proceeding myself with the main body for Rangoon river, which we reached on the 10th, and anchored within the bar."

The principal point of attack, in the first instance, was Rangoon. This town stands on the Rangoon or Parnian river, and is situated to the eastward of Bassein or Negrais point ; which latter place may be said to form the eastern point of the bay of Bengal, and is about 420 miles from Calcutta. Rangoon is 140 miles from Bassein point.

The Irrawaddi or Erawadi is a large and, in many places, deep river; it takes its rise about the 27° of north latitude, and 95° of east longitude : it runs nearly due south, gradually, enlarging itself until it reaches Amarapura ; there it turns in a westerly direction, running past the city of Ava, the capital of the country against which hostilities had been determined. It

* Marshall.

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