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HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 297
small to enable liira to attack the fort of Seedgliiir, near
Malvvan, but in March, a portion of H.M. 89th Regiment, bound
by sea for Bancoot, was obliged by adverse winds to put into
Malvvan. Colonel Imlach directed their immediate disembarka-
tion, and with the combined force, renewed the designs he had
formerly been compelled to abandon. On the 15th of ^lurch
he moved to Seedghur, and, on the following day, opened iire
from a battery, which, by noon, produced so great an effect that
the garrison evacuated the fort by the opposite side. On the
28th he proceeded to Bliugwuntghur, and, having driven in the
enemy's outposts, that place was likewise abandoned. Its fall
was followed by that of r>eoghur. which was evacuated, and by
the capitulation ofComptaand Acheera, so that the liritish force
was placed in full occupation of the province of Salsec.* The
last important service of the Bombay Marine in this quarter,
was the dislodgment of the enemy from a position on the banks
of the Dewghur river. The following was the order published
—
by the Bombay Government referring to this service :
" Bombay Castle, 14tli May, 1818.
"The Right Hon. the Governor in Council has much satis-
faction in announcing his approbation of the gallant conduct of
the detachment under Brevet Captain Hughes, assisted by
Captains Robson and Dominicetti,t and a party of the seamen and
marines belonging to the Hon. Company's cruisers, ' Prince of
Wales' and ' Sylph,' on the occas-ion of an attack made on the
advanced posts of the enemy on the banks of the Dewghur river,
when the enemy was surprised with the loss of above twenty-
five killed and wounded and nine prisoners."
The Governor- General was pleased to order three months
full batta as gratuity to be issued to the troops and seamen
employed on service in the Concan.
Among matters of interest connected with the Bombay
Marine, other than its war services, may be mentioned the
launch at Bombay, on the 28th of December, iSlS, from the
* » Memoir of the Operations of the British Arruj in India, (liirinj^ tlio Mnh-
ratta Campaign of 1817, 1818, and 1819." By Lieutenant -Colonol VaU>ntnie
Blacker, C.B. The military results of the bri.-f Maliralta War, wliicli forms
the most salient feature in the eventful administration of Lord Moim, better
known as the JMarquis of Hastings, may besummeil up in a few words. Between
November, 1817, and June, 1818, twenty actions were fought in tlic field, and
one hundred and twenty forts, many scarcely accessible, some dccuud imi>rcg-
iiable, fell by surrender, siege, or stoVm, the distance between tiic most northern
and most southern of these forts being not less than seven liundred mdes. Ihe
forces engaged on cither side cannot well be comjiarcd for want of accurate know-
Colonel Blacker, in his " Memoir of the Openitions," hiws estnnatecl the
ledge.
a^Tcgate strengtli of tlio Mahralta armies at two hundred and seventeen
including tlie aux.hary and
thousand, while the British forces in the field,
irregular troops, amounted to one hunch-ed and sixteen thousand, of whom only
thirteen thousand were Europeans. . .
t This young ofllcer, distinguislu^d both forliis enterprise and scientihc attain-
meuts, was lost to the Service by death early in 1821.