Rank
and File.
Foot.
18 43
26 441
49 55
195 102 781
24
CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO
The amount of military force must depend, in some degree, upon the state of affairs in India, and the necessity which may exist for employing a larger or a smaller force upon the Burmese frontier.
Of British troops, the strength of the regiments now serving in China has been increased by sending out the detachments stated in the margin; and an additional regiment, the 98th, has been added to the force, together with a company of Royal Artillery. These reinforcements sailed from hence on the 20th instant, and may confidently be expected to be at Singapore by the middle of April. It is presumed that the Governor-general may be able to detach in aid of this force not less than four native regiments; and Her Majesty's Government hope that a somewhat larger force may, without inconvenience, be spared from India.
I enclose a list of Her Majesty's ships now in the China Seas, in addition to which those mentioned in the Return No. 2 are either now on their passage or will be immediately sent out to relieve those which are placed opposite to them in the corresponding column.
The Governor-general will perceive, by the accompanying copy of a despatch addressed by the Secretary to the Admiralty to Vice-Admiral Sir William Parker, that the Admiral is authorized to detain, for a limited period, any or all of the relieved ships, in case the exigencies of the service should appear to require it.
Your Lordship will, doubtless, cause the Governor-general to be informed of the period, as stated in your letter of this day, at which the Memnon and Acbar steamers may be expected; and as Lord Auckland has found it necessary to recall two of the Honourable Company's steamers to the coast of India, I have directed the Admiralty to replace them by Her Majesty's steam-vessels Vixen and Geyser, which are fitting out with all expedition.
The collective force thus assembled will, it is hoped, be sufficiently formidable to effect, in the course of 1842, the objects which Her Majesty's Government seek to obtain. For the reasons above stated, I forbear to enter into any detail of the course which should be adopted. Her Majesty's Government rely, with entire confidence, upon the Governor-general for giving the directions which will be necessary, in the first instance, for the execution of the objects which I have above indicated, and, with equal confidence, upon the exercise of the discretion with which it is necessary that they should intrust him for modifying the views which they are at present led to take, should unforeseen circumstances render such an alteration of their original plans, in his judgment, necessary or desirable.
I have to request that your Lordship will have the goodness to cause this despatch, with its enclosures, to be communicated in the usual manner to the Governor-general of India.
257
MILITARY OPERATIONS IN CHINA.
25
No. 2.
RETURN of Ships ordered out to the East Indies, with the Names of the Ships they are intended to relieve.
Guns.
36 Cambrian
Guos
44 Druid. 26 Herald.
26 Conway.
26 Calliope.
to relieve
-
42 Thalia
>>
26 North Star
-
37
18 Dido
21
16 Hazard
18 Modeste.
"
16 Siren
18 Favorite.
31
16 Harlequin
-
39
18 Larne.
18 Hyacinth.
Troop-ships.
16 Serpent
Belleisle Apollo Sapphire Vixen Geyser
Steam-vessels intended to be sent.
-No. 16.-
Copy of a LETTER from Sir John Barrow to Vice-Admiral Sir
Sir,
William Parker.
Admiralty, 22 November 1841.
No. 16.
I AM commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint Sir John Barrow to you that, although the several ships their Lordships are sending out to the Sir W. Parker, station under your command are destined as reliefs for the ships mentioned in the 22 November 1841. letters directing you to take the fresh ships under your orders, you are nevertheless, to consider yourself at liberty to detain the relieved ships, should the exigency of the public service, in your opinion, require it; but in such case my Lords direct that you are not to retain the relieved ships longer than such exigency shall make necessary.
(signed)
I have, &c.
John Barrow.
Guns.
Encl. in No. 15-
72 Cornwallis.
72 Wellesley.
72 Blenheim.
44 Endymion.
44 Druid.
42 Blonde.
Enclosure in No. 15.
No. 1.
RETURN of Ships in the Indian and China Seas.
26 Alligator.--Ordered to be fitted as a
receiving ship at Trincomalee.
26 Herald.
26 Conway,
26 Calliope.
20 Nimrod.
18 Pylades.
18 Modeste,
18 Favorite.
Guns.
18 Larne.
18 Hyacinth.
16 Cruizer.
16 Childers.
16 Columbine.
16 Pelican.
16 Clio.
10 Algerine,
10 Camelion.
Sulphur. Surveying vessels ordered home. Starling.J
Jupiter.
Kattlesnake. Troop-ships.
10 Britomart, at Australia.
4 Beagle, Surveying-vessel at Australia.
No. 2.
(No. 79.)
No. 17.
Copy of a LETTER from Rear-Admiral Sir William Parker, K. C. B., to the Secretary to the Admiralty.
Sir,
Wellesley, at Chusan, 19 November 1841.
No. 17.
I BEG to transmit a demand for provisions, which will be required to complete Sir W. Parker Her Majesty's squadron under my command, from the 1st September 1842 to to Sir John Barrow, the 28th February 1843, and I strongly recommend that they should be forwarded from England by freight ships, direct to Hong-Kong; on which island storehouses are now building under the directions of the General in command of the land forces, which will probably be ready for the reception of the supplies by the time they reach China; but it should be stipulated that 21 days be allowed for discharging; and should any unforeseen impediment prevent the completion of the storehouses, that the cargoes shall remain on board upon certain demurrage, to be specified in the charter-party.
I strongly urge this mode of replenishing, from the conviction that the different articles will not only be found of a much better description than those provided in India, of which immense quantities have proved totally unfit for use, and an
596.
D
enormous
...