eared us of the Gut of Gibraltar by
noon; and I can now look forward with confidence to meeting my beloved
Kate in about two weeks' time."

From 1832 to 1837 Maitland was Admiral Superintendent of the dockyard
at Portsmouth. In July 1837 he was appointed commander-in-chief in the
East Indies and China. He hoisted his flag on his own old ship the
_Wellesley_, now commanded by Captain Thomas Maitland, afterwards Earl
of Lauderdale, and sailed for Bombay on the 11th of October. Lady
Maitland accompanied him to the East.

When the advance from Bombay towards Afghanistan was made in 1838, it
was decided that a naval force should proceed along the coast to
co-operate with the troops. In January 1839, Maitland, in the
_Wellesley_, joined the squadron in the Indus, and was requested by
Sir John Keane, the military commander-in-chief, to "proceed to
Kurrachee and take it." He arrived with his squadron before Kurrachee
the 1st of February, and sent a flag of truce, summoning the fort of
Manora, which formed the chief defence of the town. The Baluchi
garrison refused all terms, and fired on the boats of the squadron,
which were engaged in landing troops. The _Wellesley_ accordingly
opened fire, and soon reduced the fort to ruins and brought the
commandant to terms. The British flag was hoisted on the fort by
Lieutenant Jenkins of the _Wellesley_. The town also surrendered, and
was occupied by the 40th Regiment and the 2nd Bombay Native Infantry.
The British Government thus easily obtained possession of the chief
port of the Punjab.

After the capture of Kurrachee, Maitland returned to Bombay, and
thence proceeded to Bushire, where difficulties had arisen with the
Persian authorities. At an interview with the Governor, the Admiral
demanded permission for himself and his officers to land and
communicate freely with the British Resident. The Governor agreed to
this, but refused to allow the Admiral to embark from the
landing-place opposite the Residency. Next morning, March 25, all the
boats of the squadron, manned and armed, proceeded to the shore to
protect the embarkation of the Admiral and other officers. The
following account by an eyewitness of what then took place is given in
Low's _History of the Indian Navy_:--

"The Persians had assembled to the number of several hundreds, and the
Governor, with his body-guard, was determined to prevent, if possible,
the property being shipped before the Residency. The first boat which