French commander of all the English possessions to the northward. Thus concluded the campaign of 1752. Next year both parties received considerable reinforcements; the English by the arrival of admiral Watson with a squadron of ships of war, having on board a regiment commanded by colonel Aldercroon; and the French by M. Gadeheu, commissary and governor-general of all their settlements, on whose arrival M. Dupleix departed for Europe. The new governor made the most friendly proposals, and desired a cessation of arms until the disputes could be adjusted in Europe. These being readily listened to on the part of the British, deputies were sent to Pondicherry, and a provisional treaty and truce were concluded, on condition that neither of the two companies should for the future interfere in any of the differences that might take place in the country. The other articles related to the settlements that should be retained or possessed by the respective companies until fresh orders should arrive from the courts of London and Versailles; and till then it was stipulated, that neither of them should be allowed to procure any new grant or cession, or to build forts in defence of any new establishment; nor should they proceed to any cession, retrocession, or evacuation of what they then possessed; but every thing should remain on the same footing as formerly.

The treaty was published on the 11th of January 1755; at the end of which month admiral Watson returned with his squadron from Bombay; and M. Gadeheu returned to France in the beginning of February, leaving M. Leyrit his successor at Pondicherry. M. Bussy, with the soubahdar Salabat Zing, commanded in the north; and M. de Saussay was left to command the troops at Syringham. Matters, however, did not long continue in a state of tranquillity. Early in the year it appeared that the French were endeavouring to get possession of all the Deccan. M. Bussy demanded the fortress of Golconda from Salabat Zing; and M. Leyrit encouraged the governor who rented Velu to take up arms against the nabob. He even sent 300 French and as many sepoys from Pondicherry to support this rebel, and oppose the English employed by the nabob to collect his revenues from the tributary princes. In this office they had been engaged ever since the cessation of hostilities; one-half of the revenue being paid to the nabob, and the other to the company, which now involved them in military expeditions into the country of the polygars, who had been previously summoned to send agents to settle accounts with the nabob. Four of them obeyed the summons; but one Lachenaig refused, and it was therefore resolved to attack him. The country was very strong, being fortified both by nature and art: it was surrounded by craggy hills, detached from one another, and covered with bushes so as to be impassable for any but the natives. The works, which the natives had thrown up from hill to hill, were indeed very rude, being formed of large stones laid one upon another without any cement, and flanked by round earthen towers; but before the wall was a deep and broad ditch, with

a large hedge of bamboos in front, so thick that it could not be penetrated but by the hatchet or fire. Two lines of this kind were forced, though not without some loss; after which, Lachenaig was obliged to submit. The English army now marched to Madura, a strong Indian town about sixty miles south of Trichinopoli. On their approach it submitted without opposition, and the inhabitants seemed pleased with their change of government. Here a deputation was received from a neighbouring polygar, desiring an alliance, accompanied with an offer of two settlements on the sea coast, opposite to the island of Ceylon. Before this time they could not have reached Tinevelly, but by a circuitous march of 400 or 500 miles; but from the new settlements the distance to that place was only fifty miles, and reinforcements or supplies of any kind might be sent them from Madras or Fort St. David in four or five days. This offer being accepted, colonel Heron, the English commander, marched to attack the governor of Madura, who had fled to Coilgoody. The road was so rugged, that cannon could with difficulty be brought up: and, as the troops were not furnished with scaling ladders, there seemed to be little hope of gaining the place. The colonel, however, determined to make an assault after the Indian manner, by burning down the gates with straw; and eventually the place was taken and plundered, not sparing even the temples. After this exploit the army returned to Madura; where leaving a garrison, they proceeded to Tinevelly, which submitted without opposition, and owned the jurisdiction of the nabob. It afterwards appeared that the revenues collected in this expedition had not been sufficient to defray the expenses of the army; and a report being spread that Salabat Zing was advancing into the Carnatic along with M. Bussy, the French commander, it was thought proper to recal colonel Heron to Trichinopoli. Before this he had been prevailed on by Mazuphe Cawn, the Indian chief who accompanied him, to convey to him an investiture of the countries of Madura and Tinevelly, for an annual rent of £187,500 sterling. In his way he was likewise induced by the same chief to make an attempt on a strong fort named Nellytangaville, situated about thirty miles west of Tinevelly, and belonging to a refractory polygar. This attempt, however, proving unsuccessful for want of cannon, the colonel returned with Mazuphe Cawn to Trichinopoli. The last expedition of this commander was against (a fort named Volsynatim, situated near the entrance of the woods belonging to the Colleries. In their march the English army had to go through the pass of Natam, one of the most dangerous in the peninsula. It begins about twenty miles north of Trichinopoli, and continues for six miles through a wood; being barely sufficient to admit a single carriage, at the same time that a bank running along each side rendered it impossible to widen it. A detachment of pioneers and sepoys were sent to scour the woods before the main body ventured to pass through such a dangerous defile; but the march was after all stopped by one of the heaviest tumbrils sinking in a slough, out of which the oxen were not able

to draw it. This prevented the other tumbrils from moving forward, as well as three field pieces that formed the rear division of artillery, and the whole line of baggage; and in this divided and defenceless state the rear division of the baggage was attacked by the Indians; and the whole would have been destroyed, had it not been for the courage and activity of captain Smith, who here commanded forty Caffres and 200 sepoys, with one six-pounder. Considerable damage, however, was done, and the Indians recovered their gods. Colonel Heron being tried by a court-martial for misconduct in this expedition, and found guilty, was declared incapable of serving the company; soon after which he returned to Europe, and died in Holland.

In the mean time Nanderauze, an Indian prince, formed a scheme to get possession of Trichinopoli; and communicated his design to M. de Saussay, the commander of the French troops but this gentleman communicated this intelligence to the English commander, and the enterprise miscarried. As soon as the company were informed of the acquisitions made by M. Bussy in the Deccan, it was determined to encourage the Mahrattas to attack Salabat Zing, in order to oblige him to dismiss his French auxiliaries. It was necessary therefore to select a commander well experienced in the political systems of the country, as well as in military affairs; and for this purpose Mr. Clive, now governor of Fort St. David's, was invested with a lieutenant-colonel's commission in the king's troops. Three companies of the king's artillery consisting of 100 men each, and 300 recruits, were sent from England on this occasion, and they arrived at Bombay on the 27th of November: when on a sudden the presidency of Madras conceived that this expedition could not be prosecuted without infringing the convention made with the French commander. It was therefore laid aside, and the presidency of Madras directed all their force for the present against Tulagee Angria, who had long been a formidable enemy to the English commerce. The dominions of this pirate consisted of several islands near Bombay, and an extent of land on the continent about 180 miles in length, and from thirty to sixty in breadth. He possessed also several forts that had been taken from the Europeans; the trade of piracy having, it seems, been hereditary in his family, and indeed followed by most of the inhabitants of this coast. His fleet consisted of two kinds of vessels peculiar to this country, named grabs and gallivats; both having generally two masts, and some three; the latter being about 200 tons burden, and the former 150. They had forty or fifty oars, by which they might be moved at the rate of four miles an hour; and were mounted with six or eight pieces of cannon, carrying balls from 6 to 12 lbs. Angria had commonly a fleet of sixty or seventy of these vessels. An unsuccessful attempt had been made in 1717, by the presidency of Bombay, against the forts of Geriah and Kennary, the principal strong holds of Angria. Another was made in 1722, under admiral Matthews, against a fort named Coilabley, about fifteen leagues south of Bombay but this also miscarried, through the "^r. XI.

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cowardice and treachery of the Portuguese, who pretended to assist the English. The Mahrattas having implored the assistance of the English against this common enemy, commodore William James was sent from Bombay on the 22nd of March 1755, with the Protector of forty-four, the Swallow of sixteen guns, and two bomb ketches; but with instructions not to hazard the fleet by attacking any of the pirate's forts, only to blockade the harbours, while the Mahratta army carried on their operations by land. He had scarcely commenced his voyage when he fell in with a considerable fleet of the pirates, which he would have taken, had it not been for the timidity and dilatory behaviour of his allies. They had invested three of the forts, but durst not approach. nearer than two miles, and even there entrenched themselves up to the chin, to be secure against the fire of the fort. The commodore, provoked at this pusillanimous behaviour, determined, for the honor of the British arms, to exceed the orders he had received. Running within 100 yards of a fort named Severndroog, he in a few hours ruined the walls, and set it on fire; a powder magazine also blowing up, the people, to the number of about 1000, abandoned the place. The whole force of the attack being then turned upon Goa, a white flag was soon hung out as a signal of surrender. The governor, however, did not wait the event of a capitulation, but passed over to Severndroog, where he hoped to maintain his ground. The fire was now renewed against this fortress; and, the seamen having cut a passage through one of the gates with their axes, the garrison soon surrendered; at the same time that two other forts besieged by the Mahrattas hung out flags of truce and capitulated, and thus were four of Angria's forts, hitherto deemed impregnable, subdued in one day. These successes were followed by the surrender of Bancoote, a strong fortified island, now called Fort Victoria, which the British retained in possession: the other forts were delivered up to the Mahrattas. On the arrival of admiral Watson in November 1755, it was determined to root out the pirate at once, by attacking Geriah his capital: but it was so long since any Englishmen had seen this place, and the reports of its strength had been so much exaggerated, that it was thought proper to first reconnoitre it. It was then attacked by such a formidable fleet, that Angria, losing courage at their approach, fled to the Mahrattas, leaving Geriah to be defended by his brother. The fort was soon obliged to surrender. All its ramparts were either cut out of the solid rock, or built of stones ten feet long edgeways: in it were found 200 pieces of brass cannon, six brass mortars, and a great quantity of ammunition and military stores, he sides money and effects to the value of £125,000 About 2000 people were made prisoners; among whom were the wife, children, mother, brother, and admiral of the pirate; but they were treated with clemency: and his family, at their own request, continued under the protection of the English at Geriah. The other forts belonging to Angria soon submitted; so that his power on the coast of Malabar was entirely annihilated.

While the affairs of the British went on thus 2 Z

answer till the 13th of June, when he sent a declaration of war. The English council at Calcutta now resolved on the deposition of the nabob; which at this time appeared practicable, by supporting the pretensions of Meer Jaffier Ali Cawn, who had entered into a conspiracy against him. Meer Jaffier had married the sister of Aliverdy Cawn, the predecessor of Surajah; and was now supported in his pretensions by the general of the horse, and by Jugget Seet the nabob's banker, the richest merchant in all India. By these three the design was communicated to Mr. Watts, the English resident at the nabob's court, and by him to colonel Clive and the secret committee at Calcutta. The management of the affair being left to Mr. Watts and Mr. Clive, it was thought proper to communicate it to Omichund, through whom the correspondence that was necessary might be carried on with Meer Jaffier. This agent proved so avaricious, that it was resolved to serve him in his own way; and, by a piece of treachery to him also, to gain their point with both parties. Two treaties were therefore written out; in one of which it was promised to comply with Omichund's demand, but in the other his name was not even mentioned; and both these treaties were signed by all the principal persons concerned, admiral Watson alone excepted, whom no political motives could influence to sign an agreement which he did not mean to keep. These treaties, the same in every other respect, were to the following purport: 1. All the effects and factories belonging to Bengal, Bahar, and Orixa, were to remain in possession of the English, nor should any more of the French ever be allowed to settle in these provinces. 2. In consideration of the losses sustained by the English Company, by the capture and plunder of Calcutta, he agreed to pay one crore of rupees, or £1,250,000 sterling. 3. For the effects plundered from the English at Calcutta, he engaged to pay fifty lacks of rupees, or £625,000. 4. For the effects plundered from the Gentoos, Moors, and other inhabitants of Calcutta, twenty lacks, or £250,000. 5. For the effects plundered from the American merchants, inhabitants of Calcutta, seven lacks, or £87,500. 6. The distribution of all these sums to be left to admiral Watson, colonel Clive, Roger Drake, William Watts, James Kilpatrick, and Richard Becher, esquires, to be disposed of by them to whom they think proper.

Colonel Clive began his march against Surajah Dowla on the 13th of June, the day on which that chief sent off his last letter. The decisive action at Plassey followed, in which the treachery of Meer Jaffier, who commanded part of the nabob's troops, and stood neuter during the engagement, rendered the victory easy. The unfortunate nabob fled to his capital, but left it the following evening, disguised like a faquir, with only two attendants. By these he appears to have been abandoned and even robbed; for on the 3d of July he was found wandering forsaken and almost naked on the road to Patna. Next day he was brought back to Muxadabad; and a few hours after privately beheaded by Meer Jaffier's eldest son.

The usurper took possession of the capital in

triumph; and, off the 29th of June, colonel Clive went to the palace, and in presence of the rajahs and grandees of the court solemnly handed him to the musnud (or carpet) and throne of state, where he was unanimously saluted soubahdah or nabob, and received the submission of all present. While these transactions were going forward, the utmost efforts were used to expel the French entirely from Bengal. By the articles of capitulation at Chandernagore, the whole of that garrison were to continue prisoners of war; but, about the time of signing the treaty, Mr. Law with a small body of troops made his escape out of Cassumbazar, and bent his march towards Patna. There he had been protected by the late nabob; and, on the commencement of fresh hostilities, had collected about 100 French, the only remains of that nation in Bengal. With these he was within two hours' march of Surajah Dowla's camp when the battle of Plassey was fought; on hearing of which he stopped; but afterwards, being informed of the nabob's escape, he marched again to his assistance, and was within a few hours of joining him when he was taken. Three days after he was pursued by Major Eyre Coote at the head of 223 Europeans, three companies of sepoys, fifty Lascars, or Indian sailors, and ten Marmutty men, or pioneers, to clear the roads, together with two pieces of cannon, six-pounders. On this expedition the major exerted his utmost diligence to overtake his antagonist, and spent a very considerable space of time in the pursuit; for, though he set out on the 6th of July, he did not return to Muxadabad till the 1st of September. Mr. Law, however, had the good fortune to escape. Major Coote now obliged Ramnarain, the most powerful rajah in the country, to swear allegiance to Meer Jaffier; and laid open the interior state of the northern provinces. Before his return, admiral Pocock had succeeded to the command of the fleet on the decease of admiral Watson. News were also received, that the French had been very successful on the coast of Coromandel.

Salabat Zing had applied to the English for assistance against the French; but, as they were prevented from performing their agreement by the disaster at Calcutta, he was under the necessity of accommodating the differences with his former friends, and admitting them again into his service. M. Bussy was now reinforced by the troops under Law, who had collected 500 Europeans in his journey. With these he undertook to reduce the English factories of Ingeram, Bandermalanka, and Vizagapatam: but as the latter was garrisoned by 140 Europeans and 420 sepoys, it was supposed that it would make some defence; by the conquest of it, however, the French became masters of all the coasts from Ganjam to Masulipatam. In the southern provinces the like bad success attended the British cause. The rebel polygars, having united their forces against Mazuphe Cawn, obtained a complete victory; after which, the English sepoys being prevailed upon to quit Madura, the conqueror seized upon that city for himself. In the beginning of 1758 the French made au attempt on Trichinopoli. The command was given to M. d'Auteuil, who invested the place

with 900 men in battalion, 4000 sepoys, 100 hussars, and a great body of Indian horse. The place was then in no condition to withstand such a force, as most of the garrison had gone to besiege Madura under captain Caillaud; but hearing of the danger he marched back, and entered the town by a road which the enemy had neglected to guard: when the French general drew off his forces disconcerted, and returned to Pondicherry. Captain Caillaud then laid siege to Madura, but was so vigorously repulsed, that he was obliged to turn the siege into a blockade, and, before any progress could be made in it, Mazuphe Cawn was prevailed upon to resign it for the sum of 170,000 rupees. A large garrison of sepoys was now again therefore put into the place, and Caillaud returned to Trichinopoli. An attempt was next made by colonel Ford on Nellore; but the enterprise proved unsuccessful, through the unheard of cowardice of a body of sepoys, who, having sheltered themselves in a ditch, absolutely refused to stir a step. Several other enterprises of no great moment were undertaken; but the event was on the whole unfavorable to the British, whose force by the end of the campaign was reduced to 1718 men, while that of the French amounted to 3400 Europeans, of whom 1000 were sent to Pondicherry.

Both parties now received considerable reinforcements from Europe; admiral Pocock being joined on the 24th of March by commodore Stevens with a squadron of five men of war, and the French by nine men of war and two frigates, having on board general Lally with a large body of troops. The British admiral went in quest of them, and an engagement took place, in which the French were defeated with the loss of 600 killed and a great number wounded; while the English had only twenty-nine killed and eighty-nine wounded. The former returned to Pondicherry, where they landed their men, money, and troops. After the battle three of the British captains were tried for misbehaviour, and two of them dismissed from the service. As soon as his vessels were refitted, the admiral sailed again in quest of the enemy; but could not bring them to an action before the 3d of August, when the French were defeated a second time, with the loss of 251 killed and 602 wounded. Notwithstanding this success at sea, the British were greatly deficient in land forces; the re-establishment of their affairs in Bengal having almost entirely drained the settlements on the coast of Coromandel. The consequence of this was the loss of Fort St. David, which the French general Lally reduced, destroying the fortifications and villages, and ravaging the country in such a manner as filled the natives with indignation. He proved successful, how ever, in the reduction of Devicottah, but was obliged to retreat with loss from before Tanjore, his army being distressed for want of supplies. From this time, the affairs of the French daily declined. On their retreat from Tanjore, they abandoned the island of Syringham; they took Tripatore, however, but were defeated in their designs on the important post of Chinglapet, about forty-five miles south-west of Madras. Their next enterprises on Fort St. George and

Madras were equally unsuccessful. The latter was besieged from the 12th of December, 1758, to the 27th of February, 1759, when they were obliged to abandon it with great loss. The remainder of the year 1759 proved entirely favorable to the British arms. D'Ache the French admiral, who had been very roughly handled by admiral Pocock on the 3d of August, 1758, having refitted his fleet, and been reinforced by three men of war at the islands of Mauritius and Bourbon, now ventured once more to face his antagonist. A third battle ensued on the 10th of September, 1759, when the French, notwithstanding their superiority both in number of ships and weight of metal, were obliged to retreat with considerable loss; having 1500 men killed and wounded, while those on board the English fleet did not exceed 569. By the 17th of October the British fleet was completely refitted; and admiral Pocock, having been joined by a reinforcement of four men of war, soon after returned to England. All this time the unfortunate general Lally had been employed in unsuccessful endeavours to retrieve the affairs of his countrymen; but his fate was at last decided by laying siege to Wandewash, which had lately been taken by colonel Coote. The advantage in numbers was entirely in favor of the French general; the British army consisting only of 1700 Europeans, including artillery and cavalry, while the French amounted to 2200 Europeans. The auxiliaries on the English side were 3000 black troops, while those of the French amounted to 10,000 black troops, and 300 Caffres; nor was the difference less in proportion in the artillery, the English bringing into the field only fourteen pieces of cannon and one howitzer, while the French had twenty-five pieces in the field and five on their batteries against the fort. The battle began about 11 A. M. on the 22d of January, 1760, and in three hours the whole French army fled towards their camp; but quitted it on finding themselves pursued by the English, who took all their cannon except three small pieces. They collected themselves under the walls of Cheltaput, about eighteen miles from the field of battle, and soon after retired to Pondicherry. Colonel Coote now caused the country to be wasted to the very gates of this fortress, by way of retaliation for what the French had done in the neighbourhood of Madras. Ile then set about the siege of Cheltaput, which surrendered in one day; a considerable detachment of the enemy was intercepted by captain Smith; the fort of Timmery was reduced by major Monson, and the city of Arcot by captain Wood. This last conquest enabled the British to restore the nabob to his dominions, of which he had been deprived by the French; and it greatly weakened both the French force and interest in India. M. Lally, in the mean time, had recalled his forces from Syringham, by which means he auginented his army with 500 Europeans. These were now shut up in Pondicherry, which was become the last hope of the French in India. To complete their misfortunes, admiral Cornish arrived at Madras with six men of war; and, as the French had now no fleet in these parts, the admiral readily engaged to cooperate with the land forces. The consequence