iGo THELIFEOF 



fire by the bombs ; the fire from the caftle and batteries foou 

 flackened, and before the evening fet in, the caflle furrendered., 

 and Gberiah, and all its dependencies, fell into ovir hands. Thus 

 fliortly ended an enterprize, which, for many years, had been 

 in contemplation by the European governments in India, but 

 which was never before attempted, from an idea that no force 

 fufScient could be brought againft the walls of this caftle. Lord 

 Clh-e, at this time a lieutenant-colonel, commanded the land 

 forces. 



On the Malabar coaft, foon after this, he fell in with a 

 French Ihip from Mauritius, very much, his fuperior in men 

 and guns ; fhe was called Vlndienjie : after a fmart action llie 

 ftruck, and Sir William carried her in triumph to Bombay, 



Sir IVilliam James, in an eminent manner, difplayed his 

 nautical abilities, by Ihewing, that ia defpight of a contrary 

 monfoon, a communication between Bombay and the Coro- 

 m a nde I co2.^ may be efFeded in cafes of exigency*. 



This paffage was attempted by Sir William in the firft in- 

 flance, and he accompliflied it in nearly as fliort a time as it 

 ufually was done in the favorable monfoon. It was of the ut- 

 moft moment that he fucceeded at the time he did, for by it, he 

 confirmed to Admiral Wat/on (then in the Gajigcs) the intelli- 

 gence of the war with France, and brought to his affiftance 

 500 troops, by which the Admiral and Colonel Cli'je were ena- 

 bled, in March I'jc^'j, to take Chandenagore, the chief of the 

 French fettleraents in Bengal. 



In elfedting this palTage, the commodore croiTed the equator 



* The tracks are laid down in Air. Arrawimidi's map of the world. 



ill. 



