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412 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.

boats, each carrying one eighteen-pounder carronade in the
how, and the steam vessel ' Diana.'*
The Expedition rendezvoused at Port Cornwallis in the
Andaman Ishmds, and, on the 5th of May, the fleet sailed for
Rangoon, the General detaching a part of his force,t under
Brigadier-General McCreagh, CB., with H.M.S. 'Slaney'and
the Hon. Company's transport ' Ernaad,' against the island of
Cheduba, which was captured on the 19th of May, after some
spirited fighting. Sir A. Campbell also sent on the same day
against the island of Negrais, another detachment.^ under
Major Wahab, with the Hon. Company's ship 'Mercury,' Captain
Goodridge. On the evening of the llth, the 'Mercury' and
transports anchored off Pagoda Point, near Negrais, and, getting
under weigh the following morning, brought to off the middle
of that island at noon. Parties of troops were landed the same
evening, and the British flag hoisted without opposition. As a
supply of provisions was necessary for the troops destined to
garrison the Island, on the 16th of May the 'Mercury ' crossed
over to the mainland with a detachment of troops under Major
Wahab, and sailing up the Bassein river nearly ten Uiiles,
disembarked the troops at a village on an island, the inhabi-
tants of which were given to understand that provisions were
required and would be paid for. On the following evening, a
large number of people, with war-boats, collected opposite the
island about five miles distant, and as their intentions appeared
hostile, and they had thrown up a stockade, six companies
were brought over from the island and proceeded to the attack.
About 4.30 the 'Mercury' anchored off the stockade and
opened fire, and soon the breastwork, which was held by seven
hundred men, was carried with a loss of only two killed and
four wounded. Twentj'-eight boats were captured, some of

* The Hon. Company's steamer 'Diana' was undoubtedly the first vessel pro-
pelled by paddles that floated to the eastward of the Cape of Good Hope. She
was launc-lied on the 12th of July, 1823, at Kyd's Dock, Kidderpore, and the
Calcutta " John Bull," in announcing the event, added, with prophetic foresight,
" She sits well on the water, and is a great ornament to the river. We hail her
as the harbinger of future vessels of her knid who will waft us to our native
shores with speed and pleasure." Up to the time of her purchase by the Bengal
Government, shortly before the Burmese War, she was managed by Mr. Ander-
snn, the Engineer, who, like most of those who originate improvements, derived
little personal advantage. The ' Diana ' was eminently useful on the Irrawaddy,
and it is a remarkable iact that up to March, 1831, when she came to Calcutta
for repairs, the little steamer had run for eight years with only such occasional
repairs to her engines as her engineers could give. The 'Diana' was not a sea-
going ship, but her continued passages, at a period subsequent to the war, from
port to port on the Tenasserim Coast during the south-west mousoon, proved
her to be seaworthy. The gun-brigs and row-boats referred to above, which also
carried lug-sails, were manned by natives with Europeans in charge.
t Detachment, of H.M's. 13th Light Infantry, and seven companies 20th
Regiment Native Infantry, in two transports.
+ 17th Madras Native Infantry, and Detachment of Madras Artillery, in two
transports.