Page:Royal Naval Biography Marshall v2p1.djvu/136

 of orders given by the late Vice-Admiral Drury, and subsequently confirmed by Commodore Broughton; also,, for neglecting his duty, in not attending to the request of the Bombay government, to afford convoy to the China fleet. It appears, by Vice-Admiral Drury’s orders, that Captain Heathcote was directed to take charge of the western coasts and ports of India, from Cape Comorin to the bottom of the Persian Gulph, acting according to circumstances, for the preservation of the trade, and the general good of his Majesty’s service. Whilst Captain Heathcote was at Bombay, in June 1811, the Hussar frigate arrived there from England with despatches. Captain Heathcote, knowing the impossibility of his receiving any orders from Commodore Broughton, (who was then on his passage to Java,) that might arise out of these despatches, in less than three months, anticipating the detriment that might accrue to the service from his ignorance of them, and the peculiar nature of the operations then going on against Java; he, from these considerations, opened the despatches, that he might issue the necessary instructions to all whom they might concern, and act in conformity thereto himself, should circumstances require it. The despatches disclosed the belief, that eighteen French frigates and from 3 to 4,000 French troops, might reasonably be expected to be on their way to Java, for the purpose of defeating any attack on that settlement; and that they might arrive there before Commodore Broughton. Further, the despatches earnestly expressed to the commander-in-chief in India, the conviction of the Lords of the Admiralty of the great importance of the conquest of Java, to the country at large; and particularly to the interests of the Hon. East India Company, whose trade would, unless the kingdom maintained a very large, and consequently expensive force in India, be in a fair way of annihilation, by the enemy retaining possession of that island, and commanding the eastern straits, which, as their Lordships observed, are the key of the China sea, whence the Hon. Company derive their most lucrative resources. Captain Heathcote, upon possessing himself of this information, instantly proceeded for Java, to put Commodore Broughton in possession of the despatches; who,