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Leader (1850-1860), 5th June 1852, Edition Town of 2, Page 526

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      norbed ; " compositors cannot begot at wages at the rate of fifteen-pence a thousand ; water carriers earn 101 . a week ; flockmastqrs j | g cjjj ^ p ^ lled ty ^ put up with native cooks anft ^ i ^ i ^;;| tiepherd £ | £ and ballet girls finish Highland -. 4 (|| s . ' amid ashower , not of nosegays , they are ^ expensive , but , like so many Danaeg * piecej gjjf ' . gold and silver ! - ; : . |

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      PARLIAMENT . Both Houses sat on Thursday- — -the Lords for twenty minutes , and the Commons for ten hours . The Lords presented petitions and read an insignificant bill a second time . The Commons did a variety of business , and assisted at one dramatic incident which occurred at the beginning of the sitting . The order of the day was for a Committee of Supply , and before the Speaker left the chair , the Chancei / IOr of the Exchequer appeared in his place , and alleging the convenience of Irish members , further put off the

      Maynooth debate until Tuesday . In doing so , he endeavoured to impress upon the House the urgency of tbe bills before it ; represented that despatch was of the utmost importance ; while Ministers would submit nothing but measures of " urgent and paramount necessity , ^ they hoped independent members would be actuated b y the same feelings . In short , he described the nptices members had prefixed to the Committee of Supply in flattering terms , as deserving the fullest attention from Government in ordinary times , and he besought the "forbearance and abnegation" of the House .

      Sir James Geaham replied in a strain of measured gravity , which must have made the gentlemen on the Treasury benches rather uncomfortable . He , on the part of honourable members generally , did think they were entitled to some forbearance on the part of the Government in respect to the measures pressed immediately on their consideration . Then he called the attention of the House to the fact that there were no less than twenty-seven " orders of the day" upon the paper for that night ; and after giving a masterly de ? tail of the whole business before the House , which would compel labour of the most arduous kind to get through , he wound up in a mapner very damaging to

      the newrblown reputation of the leader of the House . " " vFe are on the 3 rd of June ; it is announced that there ig the utmost desire on . the part of the Government and of the House to bring our labours to a clpse . ( Hear , hear . ) But though I will not weary the Jlouse with further details , I have not yet exhausted the list of subjects which wait for our consideration . Surely , the time has arriyed when it is not unreasonable to ask the Government £ p consider and state on an earl y day—perhaps they would do it on Monday- — -what are the measures they will still press on our consideration , and jn what order they will take them . ( Loud cries of ' Hear , hear . ' ) I feel strongly upon the matter . I have the greatest apprehension , that if

      wo do not take care , we shall bring representative govornment itself into disrepute . ( Cries of ' Hear , hear . ' ) It will appear that we cannot transact business ( hear , hear ) , and that even the business which is before us , and under debate , wo cannot close so as to come to a decision . ( Hear , hear , ) I allude esppcially now to that motion whjch has been twice before us , and tor which the Government has just proposed a day —the motion relating to Maynooth . ( Hear , hoar . ) The hon . member who has made that motion avows that for any practical purpose it is useless , ( hear , hoar ) , that any inquiry in the present session is impossible ( hear , hoar ); so that a proposition for an inquiry which must be fruitless , and the discussion of which , as I beliovo , being fruitless , is fraught with tho

      greatest ovil to the peace , ' tranquillity , and concord of the country ( hear , hear ) , is kept open , with tho consent of Her Majesty ' s Government ( hoar , hoar ) , and jn that state of affairs is still allowed to occupy our attention . ( Hoar , bear . ) I will not spoak with disrespect of any rogulation which tho House has adopted , but as for taking a question of that sort at a morning sitting , it appears to ino that if you wished to como to no decision tins is tho exact course you would take ( hoar ); and tho evil is greatly aggravated by jbho regulation , adoptod tho other day , that at four o ' clock the Speaker closes the morning pitting , and tho Imsinoss not then disposed of is to bo put at tho bottom of tho list of orders of tho day ; in point of faofc , an adjournment , in tho present state of tho session , sine die . ( Hoar . ) If w , o arc- to liavo a dobato upon tho Maynooth question , and to como to a decision upon it—and I do not doprocato

      euch a docision— 'hut what I would deprecate is ondloas discussion , without a decision ( hoar , hoar)—I concoivo that it can novor , in tho present state of ' tho session , bo determined at a morning Hitting . ( Hoar , hoar . ) It will occupy morning after morning' ; , tho excitement created by it , and tho ( disqord , . wiul ( fO 0 pf and bo aggravated } the public wjjl puffer > from it , and no possible cood can arise from it . ( Hear , hoar . ) If nor Majesty's Government think it is for tho public good -tha , t ( ih »(; quootioji should l > o diecuE ( Hod and decided , I should say lot them , ovon in the present state ox public businbss , givo an ovoning sitting for the purpose ( Hoar , hoar . ) I am vory sorry to . hayo occupied tho J # ou $ o at . this lpngUi ( hvpp ) \ but , with tho utmost respect and regard Jforlhp roputution o \ thisroproBcntativo assembly , T . 'do fool that in tho courso wluoh wo are now pursuing , if wo can como to no decision upon a question of tho gr © ate » t public interest , this assembly , which lias boon tho

      ' ¦ ¦ ¦ ' ¦ ' ' ' ' " ' W $ ¦ ' ¦ "' ¦ : ^ \ - ¦ ¦ . }¦; ¦ ¦ ¦ ' ¦ ' ¦ ¦ ¦ :: ¦ ' ¦ : ¦ ' ¦ . great landmark of ^ presentatw ' eigovernment and the great example of rajjpesehtative assemblies throughout the jyorld . will be jgp ^ ht into disrepute . ( Loud cries j $ '¦ f jfr . Spo § j 0 r wg jjjf l be con ^ at wji-h * ' ay 0 ^* 10 " xt ium the qaj ^ tion- ^ fljd the sygtep pursued at M ^ yng ^ i dem ^ gjinquira * ? Lord JpSCN QpssELX denied ^^\ fchat \ f ^; the g ^ tion befcp the flfeuse . What pay had to ^^^ vipM' ^^^^ ^ K . ^^ ' ^ l ^ 1 $ select committee . > He should sfcate iii ^ jviews on Tueg * day . The Chancei / lor of the Exchequer said he had intended to state on Monday the views of the

      Government with respect to public business . Thei House " went ' , into Committee of Supply soon after , and voted a great many items of the Miscellaneous Estimates . The only discussion of importance arose on the Educational Vote for Ireland . Sir < FAip ! 8 Gbaham attempted to wring from Mr . Walpole some avowal of the intentions of Ministers respecting the mixed system of education ; but all he > could extract was the information that Mr . Walpole personally thought that it was worth consideration whether the grant mi ^ ht not be differently distributed . After the Committee of Supply , the House forwarded several measures , and adjourned at two o'clock .

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      WAR IN BURMAH . A London Gazette Extraordinary was published on Monday , containing the official account of the capture of Martaban and Rangoon . Admiral Austen , oh board the Battler , arrived off the mouth of the Rangoon river on the 1 st of April * and on the 3 nd , General Godwin , with the trpops ijiader his command . Immediately on their arrival , a flag of truce was sent up the Rangoon river , in the steamer Proserpine , with the intention pf inquiring at Dalla , on the rig ht bank of the river , whether any letter had been received from the Burmese Government . Captain Latter , in command of the Proserpine , was allowed to pass two stockades , but a third fired on him . He re ? turned the fi * e , blowing " up a stockade , and ably reached the anchorage . .

      As the Madras contingent had not reached the scene of action , General Gqdwin and Admiral Austen saijed to Moulmein , a garrison in the possession of the East India Company , and embarking 1600 men on the 4 th , there proceeded to attack Martaban on the 6 thT ?? Martaban , " says General Godwin , " stands pna noble sheet of wa | er , with a river line pf defences pf abpuj ; § 00 yards . Inland lies a large pagoda , a wall running along the whole front , with an ascent from the water ' s edge of about 500 feet , on the top of which small pagodas stand , the slope being partially covered with fine trees and close jungle . " By daybreak the preparations for the attack were completed ; the five steamers

      bearing up among shoals and violent currents , led by the Mattler , to coyer the landing of tho troops . About six o ' clock , General Godwin left the Rattler to superintend the landing on board the Proserpine ; at halfpast six the steamers opened fire , the Battler running up within 200 yards , and doing " tremendous execution ; " at seven the troops were in the boats , a smart fire being kept up from the shore , under which they landed . Colonel Reignolds , pf the l £ } tl > Royal Irish , who appear tp have fought admirably , commanded the storming party , wl » ich , with thp dashing Jead" of Captain Gillespie > who was first on the walls , soon captured the plaflt At eight o ' clock in tho morning , Martaban was nTour hands , with the loss of only eight

      wounded men . Meanwhile , Commodore Lambert , in tho Fox , accompanied by th p sloop 8 , evpeiit and two steamers , wpnt up the Rangoon river on tho same day , burning and destroying stockades . General Godwin and . Admiral Austen returned to tho hoad-quartors , in the Rangoon river , on tho 8 th of April , and found awaiting them the Madras contingent of tho army . Tho troops now numbered 6767 . No time was now lost in preparing to attack Rangoon . April the 9 fch was deyotcd tp making every disposition for tho landing of ^ ho troops , wl f ich by the evening worp completed . Tho np * t day , Adinir » d Austen prpceoded up tho river , cloao off Rangoon ; and on tho

      11 th , n « he was getting into position , intending to bombard the whole lino of stockades on both banks of tho river next day , some of the flotilla got within range of tho Burmese , who fired on them , and brought on a general pnjragoinont , whiehonded in about a in Ho of ahoro defences bping cleared jvway . " On Monday , the Jl 2 th , at daybreak , " writcH General Godwin , "t ) io froops wcrp roady , and by about upvon I hud landed her Majesty ' s ( 51 st Light Inflintry , the 18 th Royal Irish , the diOlih Bengal Native Infantry , and part of my artillery . The Bengal guns , under Mi \ jor Reid , wero ordered to rnovo in iwlvancp , covered by four companies of the 61 st Ligl $ Infantry . They had not proceeded for , ljowoveiy wb , en , on opening some rising ground to our

      right , gtin | ten ^| jn : us , and shortly after skirmish showedthems ^ gi £ he jungle . This / ' he notes « Zl a ne ^^^ mode ^ f ^ acting m $ i the Burmese , no instanp | iaving ^ occu | T (| d %£ t wgy pf their attacking our flank ? gr leaytog | hejr ffio | kad ( Bs , that I remember ever to | iave taten p 4 ^ , ; | make this remark as they ar ^ Ow ngtyonly goc ^ ^ ots , b ^ bold in their operation , jjwd , cley § F i |; p 6 ctiH »;| heir ground and covering them selves . ^» f- ca ^ ual ^ ps for the gast three - days wiU prove it ^ -our d fe ss exposing us , and then : garb and colour concealing ; them . ' * ' . _

      The stockade turned out to be a strong place , called in the last war , the " White House Picket , " standing right in the line of their advance . Of course , to take it was a necessity ; and after the fire of four guns had done execution ba the work $ , a stormjng party of four companies , under Lieutenant-Colpnel St . Maur and Major Fraser , dashed through the jungle in the face of a heavy fire , and succeeded in taking the stockade by assault . Major Eraser Carrying the ladders and mounting alone . He was speedify followed by his comrades . The heat of the sun . was . 80 gjssafc that Major Pakes was struck down b y it at his battery ; Major fGfriflith died carrying an order , Lieutenant-Colon el Foord , commanding the artillery , wa ?^^ qblig ; ed / to leave the field , and two other ^ ^ p fiicers suffered very seyerelv .

      The consequence was , that General Godwin found it necessary to concentrate where he wagj , the enemy hpverjng around until night . / jPhe next day the heayy guns could not be landed ; and . he wps forced $ o renjain until the 14 th . During the conflict which ended in . the capture of the White rfouse . Captain Ijynch , cominanding the steamers of the Indian navy , had been actively engaged on the river . The stockades on the right or Dalla bank had been burnt , a pow ^ ej ? magazine exploded , the great Pagoda at Rangoon itself twice shelled with great effect , and stockades above the town taken and destroyed . ,

      RangQou is buijt on t \\ e left bank of the river , lying about a mile and a quarter from the shore . It is nearly square , surrounded by a mud wall * , sixteen feet high , and eight thick , a ditch running along each side ; The Fagoda , which served as a citadel , is situated on the nQrthpMjuside , or the farthest from the river . The old road to , the Pagoda led up from the river to thp SPuth gj ^ and thence throiigh the town . Ij ; was , here the Burmese had elaborated their ^ defences , having aboye

      100 pieces of camion in pbsi < , ion and a garrison of at least 10 , 000 men . General Godwin saw , of course , tjie plan of the enemy and arranged his accordingly . The men were under arms by five o ' clock in the morning < m the 14 tb , The position occupied by General Godwin' was , abput a mijp andi a J ^ alf tp the sputh-ejwtward of the town ; consequently , in order to evade thp wiain defences and outflank the Burmese position , the line of march lay to the north-west , through a thick jungle .

      " The advance , " says General Godwin ' s despatch , ' was formed of four light guns , Q-pounders , their flanks protected by two companies of , her Majesty's 80 th B « gime » t » tho rest of tho wing of that corps following , with two more guns , and the lgthTtoyal Irish and the 40 th Bengal Native Infantry , formed the advance . Tho 61 st light Infantry and the 35 th Madras Native Infantry were in reserve ; the 9 th Madras Native Infantry keeping open the communication with the shipping . Wo proceeded in tins order for about a mile , when we opened tho Great _ ragoaa , and ita fire was turned on us . An excpllent position ipr two guns was taken by Major Turton to our left JIwik : of Montgomery

      these wero left under the command Major , pf the Madras Artillery , who served them well . Aae ground to tho front getting very difficult , barely adMuwea of tho 80 th and Royal Irish opcupying it in close order . Wo had now completely turned tho enemy 8 P ? " "' haying passed their atopkadod town , and got opppeito vw east sido of the Groat Pagoda , our main object . Jviftjw Turton informed mo that ho had a favourable position « place in battery his heavy rupsj but it took some time w bring them up , a service in wtyich ftp navy b WPffiV aboul 120 men , under tho command of Xioutonant JJor villo , of her Majesty ' s frigate Fox , assisted by ™ ° £ 1 ™ * uoavjr

      lery , rendered tjloir invaluablo jwri , undor a « - guns and wall pieces frpm tho GroatPagada and towj , from which they suffered severely . Wlnte t-his waajgoin on , tho onomy ' s ' artillery had got tho ™» g « of ^^ Sn posj ^ iop , and > pir skirmjahep had Bomowhat dofled ujw uz , ln < L ' itTtpok 500 men to keen down thw ^ fijo . + JJ praotico of tho heavy battery , under Major B ^ iok , WMJ J effective . My intention was to have St 6 rmod tho - ^ % _ at nopn , but at a little after ployon , Pa ptaiw Ijft TO ° > * n . Bengal Army , ni y interprptor , assurod Wip he > W ^ donC li-om . what ho could sco of tho cast entrance oi i T » 3 .. ~_ ... ll :,. l . „ .. _ U » Jin » .. nrna TllnVUlCf . tllft" * '' ' ..

      trance was clear , and that ho was proPF ° f ^ w 0 stood , way . As our peoplo wore dropping fast wiicro y jng I tfoterminod on an immediate assault , laci s * " p party wa $ fprmud of tho wing of her ¥ » & * & » ^ uoytA mont , under Major Lookhart , two companies P "' " j / of Irish , under Lioutonant Hewitt , and of two compfti » t the < W ) th Bengal Native Infantry , under ^ fm ^ Ze ot tho whole qpmrnandpd by ; tfo uto » an { i-C > olono » uo ™ > tholfitli Koy « a IrU , Captain Lattflr accompang party to show the road . The advance to thp eaet oti ra of tho l * agodft woe of about 800 yards , wluob «>» « ^ crpwsod in u , moat steady manner , under W « W f

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  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), June 5, 1852, page 526, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1938/page/2/