The annihilation of the Dutch naval force in the Indian seas is thus described by Sir Edward Pellew, in a letter to the Madras government, dated Dec. 15, 1807:
“Having sailed from Malacca on the 20th ult., we arrived with the squadron named in the margin[1] off Point Panka, at the eastern extremity of Java, on the 6th instant, with the troops embarked on board them. The Fox reconnoitred Batavia on the passage, where a brig only was lying in the roads. The shoal water prevented the line-of-battle ships from proceeding beyond Sedaye, about 10 miles up the harbour on the right, from whence, in conjunction with Lieutenant-Colonel Lockhart, commanding the troops, I sent a commission under a flag of truce, consisting of Captain Fleetwood Pellew, Captain Sir Charles Burdett, of H.M. 30th regiment, and Mr. Locker, my secretary, to treat with the commandant of the Dutch naval force for the surrender of the men of war, lying at Griessee in a dismantled state. On their arrival at that place, Mr. Cowell, the Dutch Commodore, thought fit to detain the boat, and place them in arrest, contrary to the established law of nations, sending information to that purport by one of his own officers, and absolutely refusing to accept of any conditions for the surrender of the ships. The following morning, having lightened the Culloden and Powerful, the whole squadron proceeded up to Griessee, cannonading a battery of twelve 9 and 18-pounders, at Sambelangan, on the island of Madura, the hot shot from which hulled several of the ships, but providentially struck no person on board them, and was soon silenced. The battery of Griessee fired but a few shot, also without effect. On the approach of our squadron, the gentlemen of the commission were removed to Souraybaya, about 15 miles distant; but having represented to the governor and council of that settlement, to which Griessee is subordinate, the unjustifiable conduct of the Dutch commodore, they were released the following day, and accompanied by a deputation on their return, to express the concern of that government (disclaiming all concurrence in this violent measure), and to receive the terms upon which a final arrangement should be made.
“The affair being thus settled without further difficulty, the men of war named in the margin were burnt on the evening of the 11th instant; they having been scuttled previous to the Dutch commodore’s desertion of Griessee[2]. The two former were very fine ships, but by great neglect were- ↑ Culloden 74 (flag-ship). Captain George Bell; Powerful 74, Captain F. B. R. Pellew; Caroline 36, Captain Henry Hart; Fox 32, Captain the Hon. Archibald Cochrane ; Victor 18, Captain Thomas Groube; Samarang 18, Captain Richard Buck; Seaflower 14, Lieutenant William FitzWilliam Owen; and Jaseur 12, Lieutenant Thomas Laugharne.
- ↑ Revolutie, 70-gun ship; Plato, of similar force; Kortenaar, sheer-
