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From: "Nicholas Balmer" <>
Subject: Re: [INDIA] Burma History
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2006 21:08:51 +0100
References: <20060922061049.28537.qmail@web34112.mail.mud.yahoo.com>


Hello Tom,

The Dutch and English were trading to Burma at least as far back as 1630.
Often relations broke down, and fights, massacres and reprisals took place,
but trade continued on or off until the 1820's when really serious campaigns
were mounted by the British.

These were mounted by amphibious assaults up the rivers.

Some really good accounts of these battles are contained in the "The History
of the Indian Navy, 1613 - 1863" by C R Low. published originally in 1877.
Reprints have been published recently by Naval & Military Press.

These actions were very fierce with small boat crews rowing up to stockades
on muddy river banks under covering fire from Bombay Marine and RN ships.

Commander Marrayat who later became a famous author took part in these
campaigns.

The campaign was probably the very first in which steam powered warships
were used. The Honourable East India Company ship Diana, a paddle steamer
had been launched at Kyd's Docks in Kidderpore on the 12th of July 1823. She
often towed strings of brigs and HEICS Cruisers into place to commencing
battering down the teak stockages that the Burmese forces used.

As in 1941 to 1943 disease was actually far more fatal that the actual
battles, although these were very fiercely fought.

Regards

Nick Balmer


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