, with which she soon returned as
her prize in tow.

The English vessels, having dispersed or sunk a fleet of war-boats which
came out to meet them, steamed along the shore, pouring in an iron
shower, which tore the stockades to pieces and quickly silenced the
enemy's batteries.

The squadron now took up a position at the mouth of the Rangoon river,
the commodore declaring the rivers of Rangoon, the Bassein, and the
Salween above Maulmain, to be in a state of blockade.

Meanwhile the steamer _Proserpine_, after landing the hostages from
Rangoon at Maulmain, was ordered to proceed to Calcutta with despatches
from the commodore.

On her arrival on the 17th of January, the Governor-general being
absent, the Supreme Council resolved to equip a force to carry on
hostilities against Burmah; while reinforcements were despatched with
unusual promptitude, to strengthen the forts guarding the passes leading
from the Burmese territory.

General Godwin, the commander-in-chief, arrived on the 13th of April;
and the Burmese Emperor having offered no apology, the steamers ran
close in with Martaban, rapidly firing broadside after broadside. The
enemy for some time returned their fire with spirit; but their guns
being silenced, the troops were thrown on shore, and they fled in every
direction. The walls and defences exhibited the terrific effects of the
broadsides poured in on them. Of the English, only eight were wounded.

The squadron was now augmented by twelve East India Company's steamers,
which had, besides marines, 5767 troops on board.

With this formidable force Rangoon was attacked on the 12th of April.
The steamers fired for many hours shot and shell without intermission,
which destroyed and set on fire the enemy's stockades and other
defences. A small naval brigade, commanded by Lieutenant Darville, HMS
_Rattler_, did good service on shore. For three days the Burmese
garrison held out; stockade after stockade was stormed and taken in a
most gallant way by the troops. On the 14th the grand attack was made,
and the great pagoda was stormed, when, after some more severe fighting,
Rangoon fell into the hands of the British. Captain Armstrong and
several other officers and men of the land forces were killed, and many
wounded.

Bassein was captured in the same spirited way on the 19th of May. At
the pagoda here, the Burmese defended themselves with much
determination; but it was stormed by some troops and some o