Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/424

416 them with 150 pieces of cannon; the bomb ketches at the same time plied their mortars, and within ten minutes after the firing bagan, a shell fell into one of Angria's grabs, which set her on fire; the rest being fastened together with her, soon shared the same fate and in less than an hour this fleet, which had for fifty years been the terror of the Malabar coast, was utterly destroyed. In the mean time the cannonade and bombardment continued furiously, and silenced the enemy's fire; but the governor, however, did not surrender when the night set in. Intelligence being received from a deserter that he intended to give up the place the next day to the Morattoes, colonel Clive landed with the troops; and in order to prevent the Morattoes from carrying their scheme into execution, took up his ground between them and the fort. Early in the morning the admiral summoned the place again, declaring that he would renew the attack, and give no quarter if it was not delivered up to him in an hour: in answer to which the governor desired a cessation of hostilities until the next morning, alledging that he only waited for orders from Angria to comply with the summons. The cannonade was therefore renewed at four in the afternoon; and in less than half an hour the garrison hung out a flag of truce, but nevertheless they did not strike their colours, nor consent to admit the English troops; the ships therefore repeated their fire with more vivacity than ever; and the garrison, unable to stand the shock any longer, called out to the advanced guard of the troops on shore that they were ready to surrender: upon which lieutenant-colonel Clive immediately marched up, and took possession of the fort. It was found that notwithstanding the cannonade had destroyed most of the artificial works upon which they fired, the rock remained a natural and almost impregnable bulwark; so that if the enemy had been endowed with courage sufficient to have maintained the place to extremity, it could only have been taken by regular approaches on the land side. There were found in it 200 pieces of cannon, six brass mortars, and a great quantity of ammunition, and military and naval stores of all kinds: the money and effects of other kinds, amounted to 120,000 pounds sterling. All this booty was divided amongst the captors, without any reserve either for the nation or the company. Besides the vessels which were set on fire