'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎224] (243/622)

224
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
to Lieutenant Newall of the Bengal Artillery. The following
version of the incident is given us by the late Commander
Heathcote, of the Indian Navy, who was present throughout
the siege, and who, by his smartness and readiness of resource,
gave early promise of the professional ability and energy for
which he was distinguished in the Service:—" Commander
Powell was one of the few men who had been in the citadal at
alL The magazine was not, as it is sometimes said, in the
great Mosque, but in a building near it, which had been con
structed at great expense for the special purpose, and was con
sidered bomb-proof. Powell had been with the General and
Chief Engineer, pointing out what he believed to be the position,
and had laid a mortar two or three times, but with no effect.
He then turned away, saying that he was sure that the
direction was the right one, and recommended that the shells
be pitched a little farther, and then a little nearer, in the same
line. The officer in charge of the mortars then laid another as
directed, and the explosion immediately took place, and a mag
nificent and appalling sight it was. It is one of the largest
explosions on record, if not the largest, as happening in the
course of a siege, and its effect, especially, on the result of the
operations, was most valuable."
The Indian Navy battery played with great effect on the
Delhi gate itself, being assisted by a second battery, the fire of
which was directed on the third curtain from the gateway, and
a Bengal battery of 5|-inch mortars. On the morning of the
2nd of January, Major Siddons, to whose valuable paper on the
Siege of Mooltan, in the " Corps Papers of the Royal Engi
neers," we are indebted, reported that the breach of the Khonee
Bhoorj was " practicable, although steep," and that of the Delhi
gate " sufficiently good to allow of an attempt being made upon
it as a diversion.". Accordingly, about noon, two columns were
told off for the assault, the Bengal troops on the Delhi gate, and
the Bombay troops on the Khonee Bhoorj, and advanced
under a salute of all the batteries. The latter column, con
sisting of three companies of the 1st (now the 103rd) Bombay
Fusiliers, under Captain Leith, carried all before them, and the
British colours soon waved on the crest of the breach, where it
was planted by Colour-Sergeant Bennet; but the former were
not equally successful. Moving out under protection of the fire
of the Indian Navy and other batteries, the storming party, led
by Captain Smyth of the 32nd Regiment, 44 discovered that the
mines did not form a practicable breach, there still remaining a
perpendicular drop of seven or eight feet above the rubbish,
that did not promise a good footing for the ladders which the
sappers were carrying behind." This had escaped the notice oi
the Engineers. Captain Smyth, accordingly, retired to the pro
tection of the Indian Navy battery, and soon repaired to the