"تاريخ البحرية الهندية. (١٦١٣- ١٨٦٣)." [‎٣‎٥‎٢] (٦٢٢/٣٧١)

352
HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
that day, the fleet, with transports in tow, moved up the river
without molestation to the appointed rendezvous, opposite a
tope of trees about three and a-half miles below the forts, where
the final arrangements for the attack were completed. The
river at this point is about 300 yards wide, and the enemy's
position at Mohamra was clearly visible from the decks, though
groups of officers went aloft to the tops, whence they eagerly
scanned the works which they were to attack on the morrow.
That these fortifications were of a truly formidable character
was known from the best sources, as not only were they
familiar to Commander Selby, but Captain Maisonneuve and
the officers of the French fifty-gun frigate 6 Sybille,' who had
just returned from inspecting them, warned the British officers
at Bushire that they were of very great strength, and freely
expressed their opinion that the force then assembled in the
Roads, was inadequate to bombard and capture the works.
Sir James Outram, who was not given to exaggeration, gave
the following description of these fortifications after their capture:
—"For some months past the Persians had been strengthening
their position at Mohamra. Batteries had been erected of great
strength, of solid earth, twenty feet thick, eighteen feet high,
with casemated embrasures, on the northern and southern
points of the banks of the Karoon and Shatt-ul-Arab, where the
two rivers join. These, with other earthworks armed with
heavy ordnance, commanded the entire passage of the latter
river, and were so skilfully and judiciously placed, and so
scientifically formed, as to sweep the whole stream to the
extent of the range, of the guns up and down the river and
across the opposite shore ; indeed, everything that science could
suggest, and labour accomplish in the time, appeared to have
been done by the enemy to effectually prevent any vessel
passing up the river above their position ; the banks, for many
miles, were covered by dense date groves, affording the most
perfect cover for riflemen; and the opposite shore, being neutral
territory (Turkish) was not available for the erection of counter
batteries. The accompanying rough sketch will, I fear, give
your Excellency but a faint idea of the great strength of the
Persian position, and the difficulty of successfully attacking
them in it without very considerable loss. I could have landed my
troops on the island of xlbadan, which was strongly occupied by
the Persians ; and there is no doubt that, after defeating them,
the southern battery would eventually have fallen to us. But
the several batteries on the northern bank of the Karoon com
manded the entire southern bank, as well as the stream of the
Shatt-ul-Arab; and it would have been a serious and an ex-
ressels. I went and reported to Havelock, who had received a similar despatch?
that all the transports were on their way, at which he was pleased, and is
staif commiserated me on losing my dinner."