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302 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
acquainting the local authorities of his fixed determination not
to land again till the Dowlah was forthcoming. Captain Bruce
warned all the vessels in the roads, that the port was blockaded,
and that if any of them remained on the arrival of the squadron,
they would be destroyed. The Expedition arrived on the 2nd
of December from Bombay, after a passage of fourteen days.
It consisted of H.M.S. ' Topaze,' Captain J. R. Lumley, Senior
Naval Officer ; the Hon. Company's cruisers ' Benares,' Com-
mander Faithful, and ' Antelope,' Lieutenant Robson
;
' Thames,' mortar-vessel, Lieutenant Elwon ; storeship 'Ernaad,'
Lieutenant Jones. On board the mortar-vessel was embarked
a detachment of the Bombay Artillery, under Lieutenant
William Jacob of that corps.
Captain Lumley, on being informed of Captain Bruce's
proceedings, immediately resolved to bombard the place. A
previous messenger had been received from the Dowlah,
requesting a further reference to Sanaa, which was refused
;
and, during the course of the day, a flag of truce came ofi" with
a message to the effect that, if hostile operations were delayed
for eighteen days, the British demands would either be complied
with or the place would be evacuated. An hour and a-half was
allowed by the Commodore for the authorities to send off
hostages, who should remain on board for three days, to allow
time for the production and punishment of Haji Futteh. No
reply having been received within the time specified, the vessels
were ordered to open fire.
The operations commenced on the 4th of December, by a
general cannonading and bombardment by the cruisers and
mortar vessels, which had been warped up to the South Fort,
the ' Topaze' meanwhile firing on the town. The South Fort
being silenced, the cruisers and mortar vessels took up a fresh
position against the North Fort, a detached work near the town.
At length the fort appearing to be silenced and abandoned,
although no practicable breach had been made, boats were sent
to take possession of and destroy it. The assaulting party
consisted of all the seamen who could be spared, together with
a party of artillerymen and marines. On their being about
to land, it was discovered that the garrison, if they had
abandoned the fort, had now reoccupied it, for a large body
issued thence and rushed down to the beach to prevent the
landing ; they were, however, beaten back with loss, but, before
the assaulting party could reach the fort, the Arabs had shut the
gate, which being in a very narrow passage, could not be blown
open by the 3-pounder brass gun brought for that purpose.
The enemy bravely contested the ground, and, when driven
in, threw down 32-pound shot and quicklime on the heads of
the assailants, which blinded their eyes, while their fire proved
more destructive. After vainly attempting for a quarter of an