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290 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.

of the British flag, and to the honour of the Service of which he
was so distinguished an ornament, prepared to cope with a ship
whose immense superiority, as she overshadowed his littlebarque,
gave him nothing to expect short of a speedy annihihxtion.
Then, says Captain Warrington, ' one of the forward guns w^ere
fired at her, which was immediately returned by a broadside
from the brig ; our broadside was then discharged, and his
colours were struck, after having six Lascars killed and seven
or eight wounded.' The Master of the 'Nautilus,' Mr. Joseph
Bartlett, was on board the ' Peacock ' during the action, and
swore positively* ' that two or three broadsides were fired,' and
* The following is the correspondence and evidence referred to by James in
his strictures on Captain Warrington's conduct :
" The Bench of magistrates of Batavia, having appointed a commission, con-
sistuig of the Magistrate, Mr. Turr, and the Magistrate and Acting Bailiff, Mr.
Cassa, these two gentlemen, on Friday morning, the 7th of July, 1815, proceeded
on board of the ' Nautilus,' then lying in Batavia Roads, and received the follow-
ing voluntary deposition of Mr. Bartlett, Master of the cruiser, and now Acting-
Commanding ofEcer. That in the afternoon, about four o'clock, of the 30th of
June, the cruiser ' Nautilus ' was working out to proceed on her passage, when
a strange sail was seen, and he was ordered by the Captain, C. Boyce, to proceed
with the boat and see what ship it was. That on his arrival on board, he was
instantly ordered by the Commander of the vessel to go below, not being allowed
to ask any questions ; that a short time after he heard say, ' Strike your colours,
or I will sink you' and then, that orders were given to fire the bow gun into the
cruiser ' Nautilus,' which did not bear, when a second gun was fired. That
further, two or three broadsides were fired, when he heard that the ' Nautilus
struck her colours ; and after this two heavy guns and some musketry were fired
into the ' Nautilus.' "
Extract from evidence of Mr. McGregor, in reply to interrogations by the
Magistrate, Mr. Turr
" Question.—Did you communicate to the officers of the enemy's ship before
the action between her and the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Nautilus ' took place,
that peace had been concluded between Great Britain and the United States, and
ratified by both parties ? Answer.—I did ; I communicated to the First-Lieute-
nant, on his informing me that I was a prisoner of war ; but I scarce said it,
when the Captain came forward and ordered me to be taken below. I communi-
cated the above also to the purser of the ship, in the ward-room. Question.
What time had you been on board before the commencement of the said action ?
Rather more than a quarter of an hour. Had any reply been made by any of
the ofiicers of the American sloop-of-war on your communication ? Answer.
Yes. Question.—By whom ? Answer.—The Purser. Question.—What was
the reply ? Answer.— I do not know how we can avoid a little brush ; and the
purser ordered me to go out of the way into the side cabin."
The following was the Report addressed by Mr. R. B. Macgregor, Master-
Attendant at Anjier, to Lieutenant-Colonel Yule, Resident at Bantam, dated the
1st of July, 1815.
" I have the honour to report for your information, that I was this afternoon
released, as a prisoner of war, from the United States sloop-of-war ' Peacock,'
Captain Warrington, in consequence of the intelligence forwarded to him by me,
which he deemed perfectly satisfactory, that peace had been ratified between the
United States and Great Britain at Washington by Mr. Madison, on the 18th
February, 1815. Enclosed, I have the honour to transmit a copy of a
letter from Captain Warrington, acquainting me that he would desist from
hostilities."
The following is the Enclosure referred to :
" From Captain Warrington to Mr. Macgregor, Master-Attendant at Anjier.
July 1st, 1815.
" Sir,—In consequence of the information received from you, and the several