1811	Colonial Expeditions - East Indies	32

to land immediately, then hoisted out his boats, tripped his anchor, and dropped the Caroline nearer to the shore. No time was occupied in arranging the order of the boats, they being ordered to shove off when manned and filled with troops. His example being followed by Captains Elliot and Pelley, and the boats of the other men of war being sent to assist in conveying the troops, about 8000 soldiers, with their guns, ammunition, and provisions, were landed in safety by half-past six o'clock. Soon after dark the British advanced guard had a skirmish with the enemy's patroles, who, but for Captain Cole's alacrity and promptitude in making the above signal, without waiting to complete the arrangement of boats, &c., as usual in such cases, would have taken post in a wood at the back of the beach, and might have occasioned great loss to the invading army. *

General Daendels, the late governor-general of Java had recently been superseded by General Jansens ; and the latter, who had only been apprized of the intended attack since the 1st or 2d of the month, was now with his army, amounting to between 8000 and 10,090 effective troops, native and European, shut up in the strong hold of Meester-Cornelis, an intrenched camp, situated about nine miles from the city of Batavia, and defended by two rivers, one on the east, the other on the west, with a number of redoubts and batteries guarding each pass. The circumference of these fortified lines was nearly five miles, and there were mounted in different parts of it 280 pieces of cannon.

On the 6th the Leda and small cruisers proceeded off the entrance of the river Anjole, or Antziol, distant about two miles from the capital ; and the fleet anchored off Tonjong-Prioch ; where, in the course of the day, the advance of the British army, under the command of Colonel Gillespie, took post. On the 7th in the night, the advance crossed the river Anjole on a bridge of flat boats, prepared by the navy, under the direction of Captains Sager, Maunsell, and Reynolds. On the 8th, in the morning, a flag of truce was sent into the city of Batavia, and a deputation came out from the inhabitants, requesting to surrender at discretion, and put themselves under the protection of the British. The lieutenant-general and commodore having agreed to respect private property, the advance under Colonel Gillespie took immediate possession of the city ; and the men of war and transports removed to the anchorage before it.

On the 9th Rear-admiral the Honourable Robert Stopford joined the expedition, and superseded Commodore Broughton in the command of the fleet, which now consisted of the

* Marshall, vol. ii., p. 515.

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