whose death he was then uninformed, Captain Marryat says:
“The gallantry of the officers employed in this expedition, viz. Lieutenant Fraser, Mr. Atherton, and Messrs. Duffill, Winsor, and [J. H.] Norcock, deserves the highest encomiums. I am sorry that our list of kllled and wounded is so heavy[1], but it will be accounted for when I state, that in these attacks the Lascars, who man the other boats, will not pull into the fire unless they are led by the officers and men of H.M. sloop the Larne. The conduct of Mr. Maw, midshipman of the Liffey, has, during the whole period of his service here, been a series of gallantry. I have great pleasure in transmitting a letter from Sir Archibald Campbell, relative to his conduct, and adding my testimony to that of the commander-in-chief.”
“I regret,” says Sir Archibald, “the severe wound received by Mr. Maw. Of this young man’s gallantry of conduct and merit I cannot speak too highly: he has repeatedly distinguished himself by the most conspicuous and forward bravery .”
At this period, H.M. squadron on the East India station consisted of the following ships and vessels; – Tees 26, Captain Thomas Coe (senior officer), on her return from New South Wales and Manilla; Alligator 28, Captain Thomas Alexander, C.B., proceeding to Calcutta, after landing specie at Rangoon; Slaney 20, Captain Charles Mitchell, lying in the river Hooghly; Arachne 18, Captain Henry Ducie Chads, recently arrived from England, and on her way from Trincomalee to Madras; Larne 20, Captain Frederick Marryat, at Rangoon; Sophie 18, Captain George F. Ryves, daily expected there from Bengal; and the Liffey 50, commanded pro tempore by Lieutenant George Tincombe, still at Pulo-Penang.
In the impossibility that existed of engaging in any active operations in the direction of Ava, it was now judged advisable to employ part of the combined force, at Rangoon, in reducing some of the maritime provinces of the Burman empire. The district of Tenasserim, comprising the divisions of Tavoy and Mergui, was that selected for attack, as containing a valuable tract of sea coast, as well as being likely to afford supplies of cattle and grain. Accordingly, an ex-
- ↑ Four men killed, and 15, including Messrs. Maw and Norcock, wounded.
