for the intended attack; but they were rendered unnecessary by the arrival of a flag of truce from General de Caen, offering to capitulate upon terms. This brought hostilities to a sudden and unexpected close. The island was delivered up; but one of the conditions granted to the French – namely, that their troops and seamen should be sent to France – excited very general reprobation both at home and abroad. The conquest placed in our possession a large quantity of ordnance and shipping, some of the latter of great value, it having long been the depôt for the prizes made by the French privateers in the Indian seas; and the island was justly regarded as a most valuable acquisition.
The next important service in which the Anglo-Indian Army was employed was the conquest of the colonial possessions of the Dutch, especially the Molucca islands and the settlements in Java. The subjection of Holland having placed these possessions in the hands of the French, the British Cabinet directed them to be blockaded; but Lord Minto, then Governor-General, with a more vigorous policy, planned and directed their conquest.
Amboyna was the first place that fell to a small naval and military force; and to this succeeded the capture of Banda Neira, the principal of the Spice islands; leaving now to the enemy, of all their possessions in the East, only the Island of Java and its dependencies. Upon these settlements an extraordinary value had been placed by the Dutch, who used to call Java the most precious jewel in the diadem of the Company, and its capital, Batavia, the Queen of the East.
The preparations for the reduction of Java were upon a scale commensurate with the object to be attained. The army, which was under the command of Sir Samuel Auchmuty, was divided into four brigades – one forming the advance, two the line, and one the reserve. Nominally, the force employed on this expedition amounted to twelve thousand, of which number nearly one-half were Europeans; but so many of the troops were disabled by
