1825	The Burmese War	452

house. On the part of the British, Colonel Tidy and Lieutenant Smith were sent for the same purpose to the Kee-wongee ; the first day was spent in useless compliments about the state of the king's health, and on the following day six officers, Sir Archibald Campbell, Sir James Brisbane, Brigadier-general Cotton, Captain Alexander, R.N., Brigadier M'Creagh, Lieutenant-colonel Tidy, and Captain John James Snodgrass, again met the Burman deputies. The principal objection, urged on the part of the Burmese, was the cession of territory, and much conversation took place upon the subject. The day finished by an extension of the armistice until the 2d of November, when the determination of the court of Ava was to be made known. In the mean time all American and English subjects detained at Ava were to be liberated, the British, on their part, liberating all Burmese then confined in Bengal. On the 3d of November Sir Archibald was informed that the court of Ava refused to listen to the terms ; neither the cession of one inch of territory, nor the payment of the slightest pecuniary indemnity could be entertained. The answer given was, " If you wish for peace you may go away ; but if you ask either money or territory no friendship can exist between us. This is Burman custom ! " The armistice was finished, and both parties proceeded immediately to active and offensive operations, which commenced on the 15th of November on the side of the Burmese, and which gave them some confidence from the success of the enterprise. A division of the enemy having advanced within 48 miles of Prome in a north-easterly direction, four regiments of native infantry, under Lieutenant-colonel Robert M'Dowall, of the Madras establishment, were despatched to dislodge them. This was attempted in vain. The Burmese outnumbered their opponents by more than six to one, and Lieutenant-colonel M'Dowall, with 53 men, were killed, 110 wounded, and the remaining force obliged to withdraw. .

That the Burmese had not been idle during the long and fruitless negotiation, is evident from the fact that shortly after the recommencement of hostilities, Prome was surrounded by 50,000 men, and the centre of the active force began to stockade and fortify the height of Napadee. On the opposite side of the river the enemy were equally active, and pushed a strong detachment forward in the hopes of regaining possession of Padoung-mew, a town on the western side of the Irrawaddi, which was bravely defended by 200 troops and a division of the flotilla under Lieutenant Kellett. The enemy made their attempt on the 25th of November but were repulsed with some loss, whilst the casualties of both army and navy amounted to one man being slightly grazed by a musket-ball.

In the naval department some changes had occurred. On the 7th of November Captain Alexander died, and was succeeded in command of the Alligator by Captain Chads; and on

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