Page 509 - INDIANNAVYV1
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HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.           477

     four eightoen-gun ships already mentioned, which were added
     to the Service between the years 1824-27, a iine ten-giiii brioj
     of 255 tons, called the  ' Euphrates,' was launched  in Bombay
     dockyard, on the 30th of June, 1828.
       Oil  the 22nd  of  September,  1825,  the Hon. Company's
     sloop-of-war, 'Amherst,' eighteen guns, and brig  ' Palinin-us,'
     eight guns, proceeded to Mandavie, accompanied by four tran-
     sports taken up to convej'' troops for the suppression of the
     predatory bands of Meyanas  in Cutch, and on the borders of
     Guzerat.  The "Cutch  Field Force,"  as  the  division was
     designated, numbered seven thousand men of all arms, includ-
     ing lI.M.'s Gth Regiment, the whole being under the command
     of Brigadier M. Napier of that Regiment.  Trouble was appre-
     hended with the Scinde princes, and hence the strength of the
     force, but the demonstration was sufficient to avert a collision,
     and the only losses experienced by the Expedition were due to
     an outbreak of cholera.
       During the year 1826 a flotilla of gunboats was maintained
     on the coasts of Arracan and Tennasserim, under the connnand
     of  Lieutenant  J.  H. Rowband, who was  first  stationed at
     Rangoon until  its evacuation by the British troops, after pay-
     ment of the second instalment of the indemnity, in the terms
     of the treaty.  This  flotilla was divided  into two divisions,
     respectively commanded by Lieutenants C. Sharp and A. H.
     Nott.*  The former  officer, witli the first division, which was
     stationed on the Tennasserim coast, was  actively employed on
     the Salweiu, protecting the villages on the Moulmein, or Britisii,
     side, from the attacks of bands of Dacoits acting in conjunc-
     tion with a rebel chief, Oozenah by name, whose stockade was
     situated inland.  Lieutenant Sharp then proceeded  to Tavoy
     and Mergui, and was engaged in making a cursory survey of
     the coast as far as the St. Martin's River.  Lieutenant Sharp,
     who was authorised to proceed by land to Siam. and exph)re
     the intervening  country,  surveyed  the  St.  Martin's  liiver
     for a distance of about fifty miles, but, being miabh- to obtain
     guides, was  forced to return  without accomplishing  his self-
     imposed task.  Dm-ing this service, this energetic young ollieer
     made a rough survey of many hundreds of mik's, taking sound-
     ings, bearings, and  latitudes, which was  all the nn-ans  at his
     disposal permitted, and a copy of this survey, with remarks,
      * These two officers, with Capdiin  G-. Robinson, who served throui;Iiout the
     war as midshipmim and lieuteniint under the orders  of Conunodore Haves, in
     the 'Vestal,'  ' Research,' and  ' Jlastin^js,' are  tlic onk three surviving,' ollicera
     of tlie Bombay Marine wlio pari ieipated  in the nurmeso War.  Cn))lnin Sliiirp
     retired from tlie service in July, 1831), witli aeoniniander's pension, and proeceded
     to New Zealand, wliere lie served the Government  for seventeen years, in tho
     several capacities of sub-treasurer, jjostinasler of a district, harbour-master, col-
     lector of customs and emigration otticer, and finally retired in IHIiti on a pension.
     Of Captains Nott and Robiudon we shall have occasion to speak again.
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