1824	The Burmese War	428

fire of musketry which kept the British always on the alert, until the 5th of September, when they made a resolute attack on the shore side with about 1800 men, at the same moment that their war-boats endeavoured to board the Kitty gun-brig, which was stationed off the stockade. The signal for more assistance having been made, Captain Marryat, with the boats of the Larne, arrived in time to give most effectual aid, and to turn the scale of victory which at that moment seemed trembling in the balance. The enemy, seeing the reinforcement, instantly retired ; Captain Marryat as speedily followed, and five vessels, which from their shattered state were unable to escape, fell into the possession of the boats' crews of the Larne.

In this affair the commander of the Kitty, Mr. Robert Crawford, behaved with uncommon bravery, and beat off the war-boats. " The spear," says Marshall, " remaining in her sides, the ladders attached to her rigging, and the boarding-nettings cut through in many places, proved the severe contest which had been maintained, and induced Captain Marryat to recommend the very meritorious conduct of Mr. Crawfurd to the favourable consideration of the governor-general in council." For the opinion of Sir Archibald Campbell upon this affair, and likewise on the general exertions of Captain Marryat and the officers and seamen under his command, we refer our readers to Nos. 8 and 9 in the Appendix. It will be seen by the letter of Sir Archibald Campbell, that, in consequence of the scurvy having broken out on board the Larne, Captain Marryat, knowing that active operations would be deferred for six weeks, had requested permission to remove his ship to Penang.

" At this period," says Marshall, " the European portion of the army, fit for active service in the field, was reduced to less than 1500 ; 749 British soldiers had fallen victims to the climate and upwards of 1000 were in the hospitals. Nearly one fourth of the Sophie's crew had died, and as many more were sick. On the death of Commodore Grant, Captain Coe assumed the command of the Liffey, and Captain Marryat was promoted into the Tees." *

On the 28th of August Captain Chads received the first intimation of the death of Commodore Grant. The former being then at Madras, he sailed with money for the use of the army on the 3d of September, and, on the 15th, arrived at Rangoon, and took command of the naval forces.

Offensive operations began on the 19th of September against Penang, a point on which the enemy had established themselves, and from which they meditated, by fire-rafts, the destruction of the English naval force. Captain Chads commanded the naval department, consisting of nine gun-vessels and 16 row-boats, the boats of the Arachne and Sophie, and the Diana steam-vessel:

* Appendix, No. 10.

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