Page 336 - INDIANNAVYV1

304 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.

Upwards of four thousand 18, 24, and 32-pound shot had
been vainly expended in endeavouring to effect a breach in the
sun-dried brick, or mud, walls of whicli the whole of the defences
were constructed, as the projectiles either passed through or
buried themselves, without cracking the walls. Mining was
out of the question, for there were neither tools nor implements,
and all hope of making a breach by the ordinary methods failed.
It was then proposed by Lieutenant Jacob, to effect a breach
by firing spherical case loaded with powder only,* fired, with
reduced charges, point blank from the 18 pounders. This was
done, and, in less than four hours, an excellent practicable breach
was formed ; a strong party was now landed from the ships,
and, by two p.m., the fort was taken possession of and blown
up, the guns were spiked, and the barracks burnt.
On the 27th of December, the ' Topaze moved up abreast of
'
the town, and the two cruisers commenced warping up to the
right, on the north side of the Abdouroof, or the " Protector," a
fort of nine guns, with a citadel, and somewhat stronger than
" Taire." The work of warping was very heavy, owing to
its blowing a gale of wind. The firing was intermittent on
both sides, and the boats of the squadron were much annoyed
by a galling fire of matchlocks, while employed laying out warps
for hauling the cruisers and the bomb-ketch close into position
under this fort. On the following day, the violence of the wind
almost stopped the progress of the laborious duty of warping
into position, and, at the urgent solicitation of the Iinaum's
Vakeel, a truce was granted for one day. On the 30th of
December, at six a.m., the two cruisers and bomb-ketch, having
taken up their stations in the coil of the bight, on the north
side of the fort, at a distance of 500 and 350 yards respectively,
and the frigate in her draught, opposite the town, a general
bombardment was opened. " The effect of our fire," says a
correspondent, in a letter which appeared in the "Bombay Gazette'
of the 21st of March, "was again equal to our most sanguine
expectations ; in a few hours we had the satisfaction of seeing
this strong fort crumbled to the dust ; like the former one, the
shot andi shells from the cruisers tumbled it down piecemeal.
By nine o'clock the citadel was breached and the work unten-
come again, we will make them bite the dust, we will show them that
we can fight and conquer still, or lay down our lives under the Holy
Banner."
* It has generally been stated that common shell was used on this occasion,
but tliJs would appear to be incorrect from the following letter addressed to us by
:—
Captain Campbell, I.N. " It was William Jacob's idea about firing spherical
case, loaded with powder only, at the Mocha forts, for he told me of it himself,
and I carried out the idea in Eurmah against the teak stockades, and it answered
admirably. It was not common shell, but spherical case, or shrapnel, with the
lead balls all shaken out and filled with powder, and fired with a reduced charge.
Of course it needed much care not to burst them in or at the muzzle of the
gun."