Page 489 - INDIANNAVYV1

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 457
routed the enemy, weighed and proceeded to the China Wharf.
At daylight commenced transporting a reinforcement with the
artillery to Dalla ; at one p.m. left with six boats to make a
diversion on the enemy's left flank. Troops i)roceeded out to
attack them on the right; at three p.m. anchored in shore olT
H.AI.'s ship 'Arachne.'"
In the General Orders of the Governor-General in Council
of the 24:th of December, his lordship paid a tribute of
thanks to the naval portion of the forces engaged in Burmah,
though the manner in which all the oflicers of the Royal Navy
who distinguished themselves, were singled out for commenda-
tion, Vv'hile not one belonging to the Company's Service was
individually mentioned, must have been particularly painful to
the gallant men who had borne equally- with their brethren of
the Navy, the hardships and dangers of the protracted opera-
tions. Probably, as the Supreme Government had no oppor-
tunity of judging for itself as to whether these latter had,
not less honourably than the olHcers of the Royal Service, done
their duty, the General Order was, as is often the case, merely
an echo of the despatches and notifications of the ^lilitary and
Naval chiefs, in which but meagre thanks were rendered to
the Bombay Marine. The following is the extract from
—
Lord Amherst's Orders, alluded to: "The Governor-
General in Council seizes this opportunity of expressing
his warm acknowledgments to Captain Chads, of H.Al.'s
ship 'Arachne,' the senior naval olHcer at Rangoon, and
to Captain Ryves, of ll.M.'s ship 'Sophie,' for their distin-
guished personal exertions, and requests the former to convey
to the officers and crews of H.M's ships, of the Hon. Company's
cruisers, as well as the officers and men of the trans[)orts
who volunteered their services, the sense which Government
entertains of their gallant conduct in the several actions
with the enemy's war-boats, when tiiey so consj)icuuusly
displayed the irresistible and characteristic valour o[' British
seamen."
Notwithstanding his crushing defeat, Maha Bundoola did
not lose heart, but, gathering the dehri-f of his shattered forces,
returned to Kokeen within four miles of the Dagon Pagoila,
and prepared to resume the oifensive. At this time the ad-
vanced i)ost at Kennnendine w;is still held by Major "\ates'
little force, strengthened on the river by 11. M.S. 'Sophie.'
Commander Ryves,* the Hon. Company's cruiser ' Prince ol'
Wales,' Lieutenant W. S. Collinson, the ' I'owerful,' mortar-
vessel, the ' Diana,' steamer, a detachment of seamen under
Lieutenant Kellett, and three gunboats under Mr. Lind(piist.
* Commander Ejves, wlio was left at Rangoon when the !imi_v and flotillft
proceeded up country, was invalided in the following April, aud the 'Sophie'
left Burmah in Mav.