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HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 140
hundred and fifty European troops and fifteen hundred Sepoys.
The whole was placed under the command of Commodore \Vat-
son, of the Bombay Marine, an officer of remarkable skill and
tried ability, under whose orders the officers and men of ho
Service had upheld the reputation they had earned under Sir
AVilliara James.
The armament sailed on the 9th of February, 1750, and tlu;
troops were landed at Dentilowr,y, about nine miles from Surat,
where they encamped for three days. The first operation was
against the " French garden," where theSeedee had phiced some of
his troops, which were dislodged. A battery was then erected,
on which were mounted two 24-pounders and a 13-inch mortar;
and, for three days, a heavy fire was maintained against the
walls, but without effect. A council of war, composed of mili-
tary and naval officers, was then convened, at which it was
decided that the following plan of operations should be put into
execution. " The plan was," says Grose, a contemporary writer
and traveller, '• that the Company's grab of twenty guns and
four bomb-ketches, should warp up the river in the niglit, and
anchor in a line of battle opposite the Seedee's bundar, one of
the strongest fortified places they had got. This they did, and
a general attack began from the vessels and battery at the
appointed time on the 1st of March. The Captain's intentions
in this, were to drive the enemy from their batteries, and to
facilitate the landing of the infantry at the bundar, whom he
had embarked in boats for their transportation. The bomb-
ketches made a continual fire until half-past eight, when a
signal was made for the boats to put off and land under cover
of the vessels. This proved very successful by the prudent
conduct and gallant behaviour of Captain Watson, who landed
the troops with the loss of only one man. They attacked the
Seedee's bundar and soon put his troops to flight, with the loss
of Captain Robert Inglish, mortally wounded, Lieutenant Pep-
perell wounded in the shoulder, and some privates killed and
wounded. Having gained this point and getting possession of
the town with its fortifications, thii next thing to be done was
to attack the inner town and castle, for which purpose the i;}
and 12-incli mortars were planted on the Seedee's bundar, and
began firing as soon as possible at the distance of seven hun-
dred yards from the castle and five hundred from the inner
town. About six in the evening the mortars began to play
very briskly, and continued their fire until half-past two the
next morning, which unusual attack put the castle and town
into such a consternation that they never returned a gnn."
Negotiations were now ojjcned by the enemy ; but the friends
of Pharres Khan, the " naib." or deputy of the Nawab. who was
very popular with the inhabitants on account of his justice
and integrity, now seemed inclined to continue Meer Atchund