adras troops
arrived on the 7th, and the forces of the two presidencies proceeded up
the river and attacked the stockades, which were defended by twenty-five
thousand men.

Early in May, the British resolved upon attacking Bassein, sixty miles
up one of the branches of the Irriwaddy. From that point, the Birmese
commander contemplated an invasion of the British province of Arracan.
After a desperate struggle, a very small number of British succeeded in
storming the stockades and capturing the place.

While the English were engaged capturing Bassein, the Birmese attempted
the reconquest of Martaban, but were repulsed with great slaughter, by a
very small force, with little loss.

On the 5th of July, Prome was attacked: the conquest was easy, but the
conqueror did not deem it necessary to garrison the place; consequently,
as he retired to Rangoon, the enemy re-entered Prome.

The incompetency and inactivity of the British general caused July and
August to pass uselessly. The whole army murmured. All the abuses of
British military official routine prevailed, and the accounts which
arrived in England excited, as tidings from India had so often done,
much popular discontent. A popular writer thus criticised
General Godwin's conduct, and gave the following relation of his
proceedings:--"The expected reinforcements having reached head-quarters,
the force available amounted in the month of September to nearly twenty
thousand men, in the highest state of efficiency, and quite large enough
to have at once swept all before them to the very gates of the emperor's
palace. But this did not appear to be the view taken of the matter by
General Godwin, who now made preparation for once more attacking Prome.
In tire middle of this month, two regiments, a field-battery, with a
detachment of sappers and miners, left Rangoon, followed within a few
days by the general, and a party of artillerymen. They ascended the
river without opposition until the 9th of October, when, as they
approached the stockaded defences of the city, they were fired upon from
many sides. The enemy's gunnery was not of first-rate quality, and in
less than two hours was entirely silenced, the ground being completely
cleared of the opposing force by the shells thrown from the steamers.
The troops were landed towards the evening, and, advancing at once upon
a pagoda and the few remaining defences, carried everything before
them at the point of the bayonet. Night fell