The barbarians have had the audacity to sail up, with a great fleet of ships, to Rangoon.

They had vessels of war with them and, though our forts fired upon them, they had so many cannon that we could not resist them, and they have captured the town.

This happened a fortnight since." The officer stood thunderstruck at what appeared, to him, to be an act of audacious insolence.

However, after a moment's pause, he said wrathfully: "It is of little matter.

The town was weak, and in no position for defence; but a force will soon go down to sweep these barbarians away.