THE ISLAND OF CEYLON, 
' 1 6 
India; and they were at this time pursuing their conquests 
on the Coromandel coast. The station of the Dutch at Ceylon 
proved a principal obstacle to their enterprises, as their enemies 
there found a secure shelter to their fleets at all seasons of 
the year, and could readily transport from thence men and 
military stores to any part of the continent. A fleet under 
the command of Sir Edward Hughes, having on board a de- 
tachment of land forces, commanded by Sir Hector Munro, 
was therefore dispatched towards the commencement of the 
year 1782, to attempt the reduction of this island. On the 
second of January they sailed from Ncgapatnam, a Dutch 
settlement on the Coromandel coast which they had previously 
reduced, and on the fourth they arrived in the bay of Trin- 
comalce. Next day the troops landed without opposition, and 
on the following night, while the Governor of the town was 
considering of terms of capitulation, a company of English 
marines suddenly made their way through one of the gates, 
and made themselves masters of the place without resistance. 
Fort Ostenburg, a strong fort in the neighbourhood, situated 
on the top of a hill, and commanding the harbour, still con- 
tinued to hold out. In a few days, however, it was taken by 
assault ; the garrison, consisting of four hundred Europeans, 
after a feeble resistance, threw down their arms and were 
made prisoners of war. 
Such a prosperous commencement of the enterprise gave the 
happiest prospect of speedily reducing the whole island ; and 
Lord Macartney, then Governor of Madras, determined to 
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