The conflagration will circumscribe our defences, and render necessary a new arrangement of them; but it is my intention to hold the British factory, as I have hitherto done the larger area on which the houses have been destroyed. I write this hurried despatch to go by a private steam vessel, which is likely to overtake the packet at Singapore. I have, &c., Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief. The Secretary of the Admiralty. India Board, January, 29, 1857. THE following despatches have been this day received at the East India House : From the Governor of Bombay in Council to the Secret Committee of the East India Company, Bombay, December 31, 1856. (Extract.) We have the highest satisfaction in reporting that the island of Karrack in the Persian Gulf was, without opposition, occupied by our troops on the 4th instant, and that Bushire was surrendered to the British forces on the 10th instant, after a bombardment of about five hours. We have the honor to inclose a copy of a Government Gazette Extraordinary, which we caused to be issued on the 27th instant, giving publicity to three despatches from Major-General Stalker, C.B., commanding the expedition to the Persian Gulf, from Rear-Admiral Sir H. Leeke, K.H., R.N., commanding the Naval force recently sent to that quarter, and from Commander Felix Jones, I. N., Political Agent with the Field Force, reporting the particulars connected with the surrender of Bushire. We also beg to forward a copy of a supplement of our Official Gazette, pnblished yesterday, containing a return of the killed and wounded of the Field Force, under the command of Major-General Stalker, in an attack made on the 9th instant, on Reshire, situated at a short distance from Bushire, and a list of the ordnance found in the fort at the latter place on its surrender on the day following. At Bushire itself there were no casualties on our side. We have felt it a pleasing duty to draw the at tention of the Right Honorable the GovernorGeneral of India in Council to the gallantry, in carrying out these important operations, evinced by Major-General Stalker, Rear-Admiral Sir Henry Leeke, and by the officers and men under their command, and we now feel the highest pleasure in bringing the services rendered on this occasion prominently to the notice of your Honorable Committee. We beg to state that three prisoners at war, who surrendered themselves at Bushire, and respectively holding the ranks mentioned in the margin,* have arrived in Bombay, in the steamer "Assaye," and we contemplate removing them to the Deccan, as soon as the requisite arrangements can be made. 1. Mirza Hassan Ali Khan. Title: Derrya Beggee (Lord of the Sea). Decorated with 2nd Class Order of the Lion and Sun of Persia. A civilian, ranking with a Colonel, and Governor of the town of Bushire. 2. Mehdy Khan. Rank: Sirhang, or Lieutenant-Colonel, commanded the Nihawed regiment, and garrison of Bushire. On the death of the Sirteep, or Colonel of the Azerbijan Regiment, he assumed the chief command of the regular and irregular troops of the Shah in the town and district. 3. Mirza Mahomed Reza, a civilian of the tribe of the Prime Minister of Persia; Agent for Foreign Affairs at Bashire. NOTIFICATION. Political Department, Bombay Castle, The Right Honorable the Governor in Council has the highest gratification in publishing for general information the following despatches received from Major-General Stalker, C.B., commanding the expedition to the Persian Gulf, from RearAdmiral Sir H. Leeke, K.H., R.N., and from Commander Jones, I.N., Political Agent with the field force, announcing the surrender of Bushire on the 10th instant. The Island of Karrack was occupied by the British forces on the 4th instant, without opposition. The Right Honorable the Governor in Council will feel most sincere pleasure in drawing the attention of the Right Honorable the Governor-General of India in Council, to the gallantry displayed by Major-General Stalker, C.B., and Rear-Admiral Sir H. Leeke, K.H., and by the officers and men under their command during these important operations. The Right Honorable the Governor in Council is pleased to direct that a Royal salute be fired, at noon this day, in honor of the capture of Bushire and the occupation of Karrack. By order of the Right Honorable the H. L. ANDERSON, Secretary to Government. Major-General F. Stalker, C.B., commanding the Expeditionary Field Force, to H. L. Anderson, Esq., Secretary to the Government, Bombay. Head Quarters, Field Force, Bushire, SIR, I have the satisfaction of reporting to you, for the information of the Right Honorable the Governor in Council, that the British flag has been hoisted on the walls of Bushire, which, as well as the Island of Karrack, is garrisoned by our troops. I have the honor, at the same time, to forward a copy of my letter of this day's date to the Adjutant-General, and I trust that the amount of duty of all kinds with which I am overwhelmed will plead my excuse for any deficiency of detail. I have the honor to be, &c., FOSTER STALKER, Major-General, Force. Major-General F. Stalker, C.B., to the Adjutant- Head Quarters, Field Force, Bushire, The SIR,-I have the honor to report, for the information of his Excellency the Commander-in-chief, the complete success which, under the protection of Almighty God, has attended our arms. British flag waves over the walls of Bushire. The place, infinitely stronger than I had any reason to believe from the information I had received, surrendered on the appearance of our troops before it on the 10th instant. The previous day we had a smart affair in dislodging the enemy from a strong position they occupied in the old Dutch fort of 1857. N Reshire. The casualties on this occasion, though numerically small, were principally among the officers, and, I regret to say, included Brigadier Stopford, and Lieutenant-Colonel Malet, 3rd Light Cavalry, killed; Captain Wood, Lieutenants Utterson and Warren, 20th Regiment, wounded, the two latter since dead. Captain Wood, though severely wounded, is doing well. The lesson the enemy received on this occasion, together with the bombarding of the works, the imposing appearance of the troops in line, and of the fleet, was doubtless the cause of their want of spirit in surrendering the strongly fortified town of Bushire, in which we have found 59 guns,* with large quantities of ammunition and warlike stores. The Governor of the place, and the Commander of the troops, came out and gave up their swords. They, and one of the principal officials, are now in my camp, and will be sent to Bombay. The garrison, to the number of 1,500 or 2,000 men (a large number having previously effected their escape, and very many others having been drowned in attempting to do so), grounded their arms in front of our line, and were next morning escorted by the cavalry some distance into the country, and set free. Every assistance and cooperation has been rendered by the fleet; a heavy fire was opened in the early morning, and kept up spiritedly for some hours, till the place surrendered. At Reshire also, the previous day, all the cooperation possible was rendered by the fleet. And my very best thanks are due to Sir Henry Leeke, the officers and seamen, for their unwearied exertions in landing the troops, which, owing to the absence of any other boats than those of the fleet, was a work of much labour, occupying the greater part of three days and two nights. The force landed at Hallila Bay, about twelve or Six others have since been discovered. |