Commodore Charles Grant, C.B. on the 19th of December following.
After touching at Point de Galle, Colombo, Cochin, Tellicherry, Cananore, and Bombay, Captain Marryat was despatched to Madras, Trincomalee, and Calcutta, with directions to take the Sophie sloop under his orders, and to follow the instructions of the Governor-General of India, as to the best means of employing the Lame and her consort, in carrying on the war against Ava. His able, gallant, and zealous cooperation with the expedition under Sir Archibald Campbell, K.C.B., at Rangoon, where he was the senior naval officer from May until the middle of September, 1824, during which period he had to perform duties of no common character; and the very important services he subsequently rendered to the Hon. East India Company, as commander of an armament sent against Bassein, are detailed in a narrative of the naval operations in Ava; which, for the reasons stated in p. 255, we have placed as an appendix to this volume. From it, our readers will find, that Captain Marryat was often thanked for his services, by the Supreme Government and other high authorities in India, every operation which he arranged or conducted having been attended with complete success ; he likewise received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament, in common with his brother officers; his rank alone precluding him from being individually named on that occasion.
On the demise of Commodore Grant, July 25th, 1824, the senior officer of the station promoted Captain Marryat to the command of the Tees 26; but, contrary to the custom during time of war, this appointment to a death vacancy was not confirmed by the Admiralty before July 25th, 1825, upon what grounds we are unable to state; yet we may be permitted to express our surprise at the circumstance, after the unqualified acknowledgment made by the Lords Commissioners, of Captain Marryat’s distinguished services. By reference to the official navy list, it will appear that no less than twenty-four officers now take seniority above him, the whole of whom would otherwise have been his juniors.
