The Khanderi Expedition

On June 17, 1718, Britain declared war on Kanhoji Angre, though conflict had already started. Attempts to capture Khanderi, Colaba, and Gheria failed. In October 1718, the English sought Portuguese support but failed to secure it.

The Khanderi Expedition
Date November 1718 Location Khanderi Maharashtra, India Result Maratha Empire victory
Belligerents
Maratha Empire Maratha Navy	East India Company
Commanders and leaders
Kanhoji Angre Mankoji Suryawanshi	Charles Boone William Foster Richard Gosfright
Strength
300-500 Maratha troops	20000 troops of British

Governor Boone’s campaign to besiege Vijaydurga failed due to poor planning, leading to a retreat to Bombay on June 18, 1719. Boone was blamed, and Rama Kamath was falsely accused of treachery, imprisoned, and died in 1728.

Boone’s subsequent campaign against Khanderi, starting November 3, 1718, also failed due to difficulties and a failed assault. The English retreated to Kolaba and returned to Bombay by November 24. The blame initially fell on Manuel De Castro and Kamath, but it was later revealed that the letters against Kamath were forgeries, with Boone held responsible for the wrongful accusations. The English and Portuguese efforts against Kanhoji Angre ultimately proved ineffective.

Prelude

<gallery widths="200" heights="200"> File:Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre I.jpg|Grand Sarkhel of Maratha Navy

For eleven years, the Sidi maintained peaceful relations with the Marathas. However, Kanhoji Angre now shifted his focus to the English and the Portuguese. Governor Boon, who took charge of Bombay on December 26, 1715, showed a keen interest in strengthening his fighting fleet.

The treaty between the English and Kanhoji Angre signed in 1713 soon fell apart. The main issue was not about capturing vessels but rather the control of the western coast. In 1715, Kanhoji complained to Governor Boon about the poor treatment he received despite his previous good services.

Kanhoji's capture of three ships and the seizure of timber from English vessels led to strained relations. The English, attempting to evade paying Kanhoji’s passes, began freight-ing their ships with goods from others, causing significant losses for Kanhoji. In response, he captured the English ship "Success." The English claimed the ship belonged to their middleman, but Kanhoji rejected this claim. The English, unwilling to confront Kanhoji, decided to negotiate secretly and eventually agreed to restore the ship in exchange for gifts.

However, the issue remained unresolved, and Kanhoji captured another English ship, "Robert." The Bombay Council disapproved of this action and felt insulted, but they were not in a position to confront Kanhoji. They decided to warn him through a letter. Kanhoji refused to return the "Robert" or release the Englishmen, claiming the ship belonged to Moors. The English, hesitant to retaliate, sought mediation through Rama Kamath to secure the release of the imprisoned Europeans.

Kanhoji then seized another British ship, the "Ottay," prompting the council on April 5, 1716, to advise the Governor to order English frigates to capture and destroy Kanhoji’s vessels if encountered. Despite this, open hostilities did not commence, and the conflict escalated with the confinement of a Shibar at Angre’s port, Alibag. Kanhoji wrote a letter to Governor Boon stating, "Our friendship is now over, and from this day what God gives, I shall take."

The situation further deteriorated when Kanhoji Angre captured three ships, sparking a dispute over their ownership. Although the ships did not belong to the English, their cargo did. Captain Cornwall was negotiating with Kanhoji on behalf of the English. Kanhoji then wrote a letter to Captain Cornwall stating that the ships belonged to Bombay, Bengal, or Madras.

Expedition

On June 17, 1718, the English declared war on Kanhoji Angre, although hostilities had already begun six weeks earlier. English expeditions targeting Khanderi, Colaba, and Gheria were unsuccessful. In October 1718, the English attempted to negotiate a treaty with the Portuguese against Kanhoji, but these efforts proved unfruitful.

Governor Boone decided to reduce Kanhoji's strength by laying siege to Vijaydurga, Kanhoji's stronghold. Despite Clement Downing's account of the expedition, the date he provided was incorrect. During the rainy season, Kanhoji's fleet took refuge in the port, prompting the English to focus on recapturing their ships and destroying a portion of Kanhoji's fleet. Boone and Major Vane, the chief engineer, reviewed the fleet, which included around 2,500 men and newly arrived English merchandise ships.

The squadron reached Gheria after a twelve-hour journey, but the high walls of the fort made a direct assault impractical. Plans to set fire to the Maratha fleet were abandoned because the Marathas had secured their ships inside a creek with a strong boom. Bombardment attempts on Khanderi proved ineffective, as the English ships avoided close range due to the enemy's guns. The English decided to land and set the ships on fire, but this plan was not successful. The English fleet returned to Bombay on June 18, 1719, to repair their frigates and tend to their wounded.

Governor Boone attributed the failure of the expedition to his own rashness, but the actual reasons were poor planning and execution by undisciplined men. To appease public opinion, Rama Kamath was falsely accused of treachery and made a scapegoat. Boone learned that defeating Kanhoji Angre required aid from England. Despite this setback, Boone planned a future campaign to weaken Kanhoji's power, focusing on the island of Khanderi.

Khanderi, also known as Cheul, was strategically important due to its position near Bombay Harbour and the Nagothna River. The Portuguese had noted its significance in 1738. Chhatrapati Shivaji had fortified the island, and Kanhoji Angre acquired it in 1713 through a settlement with Shahu Maharaja and the Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath. This allowed Kanhoji's ships to operate covertly around Bombay.

Boone, undeterred, had a floating fortress named "Phram" constructed. This vessel, with a low draught and armed with twelve 48-pounder guns, was expected to play a crucial role in the next expedition. On November 1, 1718, Boone took command of the expedition on the "Addison," which anchored on November 2.

The bombardment of Khanderi began on November 3, but the English encountered difficulties. They discovered that Kanhoji's gallivats outnumbered them, leading to a strategic shift to attacking from two sides. Despite heavy bombardment on November 4, the English believed the fort's ammunition was critically low. The next day, an attempt to land troops was thwarted, and casualties mounted. The expedition faced further setbacks with reduced manpower and reluctance from English sailors to volunteer for the assault.

A fresh attack planned for November 7 was carried out by a limited force of grenadiers, marines, and a few volunteers. The assault failed to make significant progress, and a council of war decided to retreat to Kolaba, leaving only minimal forces near Khanderi. The English continued sporadic shelling but ultimately returned to Bombay on November 14 and 24, after exhausting their ammunition.

The expedition's failure was initially blamed on the Portuguese officer Manuel De Castro, who was accused of allowing Kanhoji's fleet to resupply. Castro was imprisoned and sent to St. Helena. The English authorities also scapegoated Rama Kamath, a prominent Bombay merchant, accusing him of treachery based on forged letters. Kamath was sentenced to life imprisonment, and his property was confiscated. He died in Bombay jail in 1728.

Years later, it was revealed that the incriminating letters were forgeries, and Boone was held responsible for the wrongful trial of Kamath.

The Portuguese, unable to withstand Kanhoji Angre's power, sought to ally with the English but failed due to mutual competition. Kanhoji eventually ended negotiations with the English when it became clear that the Portuguese would not support them. The ongoing conflict saw both the English and Portuguese using their resources vigorously against Kanhoji.