e greatest gallantry, each ship
taking up her position as close to the enemy's batteries as she could
get. It was the first time that wooden ships were fairly matched
against stone walls; the result proved that, provided the ships can get
close enough, the advantage will be on their side, unless the stone
batteries are of far greater thickness than any that had hitherto been
erected.

Severe as had been the lesson received, scarcely eight years had passed
by before the Algerines had again sent their cruisers to sea. In
consequence of this, Sir Harry B. Neale, then the British admiral in the
Mediterranean, received directions to inflict a fresh punishment on
them. Before proceeding to extremities, however, he despatched the
_Naiad_, Captain Spencer, to destroy a large 16-gun piratical brig,
which had taken shelter under the fortress of Bona. The service was
performed in the most gallant way by Lieutenant Quin, first lieutenant
of the _Naiad_, with her boats, he having pulled in under a tremendous
fire from the fortress, boarded and blown up the brig. Sir Harry then
appeared off the place with his squadron, and the dey, without the
slightest resistance, yielded to all his demands.

Six years after this the French, landing a powerful army, captured the
fortress by attacking it in the rear, and took possession of the
country.

FIRST WAR WITH BURMAH--1826.

England had been at peace for nearly nine years, when the aggressions of
the Burmese on the territories of the East India Company induced the
Government to send an expedition into the Irrawaddy, a deep river which
runs past Ava, the capital of the country, for several hundred miles
into the sea, with many important places on its banks. British troops,
under the command of Sir Archibald Campbell, and a small squadron, under
the command of Commodore Grant in the _Liffey_, sailed for Rangoon. The
other ships were the _Larne_, Commander Frederick Marryat, the _Slaney_,
of 20 guns, and _Sophie_, an 18-gun brig, four of the Company's
cruisers, and a number of small craft to serve as gunboats.

Rangoon having been bombarded by the squadron, the troops landed, and
drove the enemy, after some severe fighting, from their stockades. The
English flotilla was actively engaged in capturing cargo-boats, which,
being cut-down, served well for landing the troops. Captain Marryat,
the celebrated novelist, on all occasions especially distinguished
himself, showing that he cou