While the parties were interchanging distant cannon-shots, some ships were descried nearing the coast, which proved to be the long-looked for English fleet. Fort St. David was immediately reinforced, and the fleet passed on to Madras, where a French ship of sixty guns lying there was destroyed; The fleet but the approach of the monsoon rendered any opera- returns to tions against the place impossible, and the squadron returned to Ceylon. Ceylon. Lawrence. Before another season opened, Major Stringer Lawrence, a distinguished officer, arrived at Fort St. David as com- Arrival of mander of all the forces of the company in India, and Major some treacherous communications from natives were detected and punished, which events added to the security of the place. On June 7, the French fleet again attacked the settlement, but without effect. The enemy suffered heavy loss in an assault upon Cuddalore, the native town, and retreated precipitately; and on July 29, a large fleet from England made its appearance, Arrival of and being joined by the squadron under Admiral Griffin, English fleet. amounted to thirty sail of ships. The land forces at Fort St. David now amounted to 3,700 Europeans, and about 2,500 natives, partly disciplined. fails. With this force, the siege of Pondicherry was decided upon, and the Nawab, emboldened by the new exhibition of power siege of and resources, promised co-operation. But the siege, Pondicherry from many causes-principally the unskilful direction of the engineer officers-proved an utter failure. It had lasted fifty days, the monsoon was commencing, and upwards of 1,000 Europeans had died from casualties and the effects of climate. It was therefore raised, and the troops returned to Fort St. David. Dupleix made the most of his success: writing to every native court in India, including that of the emperor, that the English were cowards, who, with overwhelming forces, had been unable to recover their losses, or retrieve their honour. Another campaign would, there is little doubt, have had a far different termination. The English were all powerful at sea; succours to the French could not approach them, and Madras Peace would have been recovered. Meanwhile peace had between been concluded between the nations of Europe, and France. Madras was given up. England and It was now that the real ambition of Dupleix began to show itself. The war with the English had been confined to Policy and purely local affairs; but during its continuance he had aims of already witnessed the ease with which his handful of Europeans had overthrown a host of Moghul soldiers; he had already made some progress in disciplining natives; and if Dupleix, to he cast his military means into any of the disputes between native authorities, there could be no question of success, and of the foundation of a military power in India, far transcending in national glory and advantage anything to be derived from trade. The same thoughts, at the same time, seem to have influenced the Proposals of English, who, with a fine force at their command, were Sanhojee of lying inactive at Fort St. David. Sanhojee, a relative the English. of the Mahratta Rajah of Tanjore, made offers, as a claimant to the throne-of which he had been dispossessed by an illegitimate brother-of immense sums and territorial cessions, if he were assisted by a force; and his offers were accepted. The first expedition, under Captain Cope, set out in March 1749; but a furious storm, which overtook it in April, so completely disorganised the equipments, causing also the loss of a ship of sixty guns, that it was abandoned. It was renewed under Major Lawrence, who captured Dévicotta, an operation rendered memorable by the conduct of Clive, who had recently joined the army, and whose brilliant services will be hereafter detailed. Sanhojee gained a pension by the movement, and the further progress of the English was stayed by the cession of Dévicotta by the Rajah of Tanjore, with a small territory, and payment of the expenses of the war. Thus concluded the first insignificant attempt, in India, of English interference in native affairs; but that of Dupleix was of a far different character. Expedition of Captain Cope. Major Lawrence takes the field. Adjustment of the dispute. It will be remembered that Chunda Sahib, on his surrender of the fort of Trichinopoly to the Mahrattas in 1741, had been sent prisoner to Sattara, and that his wife and family had been committed by him to the charge of Dupleix, who had afforded them a secure retreat in Pondicherry. Madame Dupleix, though of pure French parentage, had been born and educated in Pondicherry, and consequently spoke the vernacular languages as her mother-tongue. She appears also to have been of an intriguing spirit; for it was she who managed the traitorous correspondence with the native troops of the English at Fort St. David, which was detected and punished. Madame Dupleix grew to be on terms of intimacy with the wife of Chunda Sahib, and readily listened to her schemes for obtaining her husband's liberty, to which want of money to bribe the court at Sattara seemed to be the only obstacle. Could he be released, there was no doubt, as he was a popular prince, and Anwur-ooddeen, the Nawáb, was much the reverse, that the people would declare for him; and, supported by Dupleix's armynow idle would quickly give him the ascendant in the Madame Dupleix's political intrigue. the transac Carnatic. This was the opportunity for establishing the poli tical influence of his nation, for which Dupleix had Dupleix long thirsted, and he eagerly embraced it. Seven lacs enters into of rupees-70,000l.—were advanced by Dupleix, and tion. remitted by Chunda Sahib's wife secretly to her husband, and he was at once set at liberty. Nizam-ool death. Mozuffer co-operates. Anwur-ood deen prepares Early in 1748 Chunda Sahib left Sattara, accompanied by a few tried friends, and being a well-known leader, was engaged by the Rajah of Chittledroog, then at war with Bednore. In Chunda Sahib an action which ensued, however, he was taken prisoner released, and thus delayed; but at this juncture Nizam-ool-Moolk died, and Anwur-ood-deen, deprived of the aid of his master and patron, might not be able to resist. Consequent on Molk's Nizam-ool-Moolk's death, a contest now ensued between his second son, Nasir Jung, and his nephew, Mozuffer Jung, the son of Nizam-ool-Moolk's daughter. Mo- Chunda Sahib zuffer Jung was in no position to contest the Deccan, ins but he was joined by Chunda Sahib, who disclosed to Jung. him his connection with the French; and at the head of a respectable force they marched towards the Carnatic, being A French joined by a French detachment of 400 Europeans and detachment 2,000 disciplined Sepoys, under M. d'Auteuil. Anwurood-deen prepared to meet the invasion with spirit; but it is somewhat unaccountable why he did not apply for assistance from the English. It is probable, perhaps, the that their ill-success in the Tanjore affair had caused invasion. them to fall in his estimation as soldiers, or he may have deprecated any assistance from foreigners, which could only be obtained by great sacrifices. Be this as it may, he met the invaders at Amboor, where he had posted his army, and was defeated and slain in the combat. His two fented and sons, however, escaped. The war was, for the present, at an end; the conquerors entered Arcot with great pomp; Mozuffer Jung was proclaimed Soobahdar of the Deccan, and Chunda Sahib Nawab of the Carnatic. Thence the The allies at allies proceeded to Pondicherry, where Dupleix enter- Pondicherry. tained his guests with regal magnificence, and received from them a grant of eighty-one villages near the town. Dupleix now urged his allies to complete their conquest of the villages to province; but Chunda Sahib turned into Tanjore, from the rajah of which he hoped to exact a heavy sum of money, if not to dispossess him of his kingdom. The rajah made little resistance, and engaged ultimately to pay seventy lacs of rupees -700,000l.-by instalments. While the allies were occupied in these inconsequent operations, they received news from He is de slain. Grant of the French. Dupleix that Nasir Jung had arrived from the Deccan with an immense army, and was already in possession of Arcot. Thereupon they retired at once to Pondicherry. Meanwhile the Council of Madras had fallen into great perPerplexity at plexity as to what course they should pursue. Was it Madras. preferable to remain neutral, or to take a part in the war? This question was in some degree decided by the impetuosity of Mahomed Ally, son of Anwur-ood-deen, who, after his father's death, had fled to Trichinopoly, where the family and treasure were deposited, and urgently besought assistance; 120 European soldiers were sent to him, but at the same time, by a strange inconsistency, of Admiral Boscawen was permitted to depart for The Council were, however, committed in their policy by the succour of Mahomed Ally; and as Nasir Jung, with his huge army of 300,000 men, advanced upon Pondicherry, they sent to his camp 600 Europeans under Major Lawrence, and Mahomed Ally also joined it with 6,000 horse. On the other hand, Dupleix augmented his force, with his allies, to 2,000 Europeans; but some disagreement, the cause of which has never transpired, existed between the French officers and Dupleix; they refused to fight, and with their men were sent to Pondicherry. On this, Mozuffer Jung surrendered himself to his uncle; but Chunda Sahib, fighting bravely, escaped. It might be supposed that the French combination was now broken up. Nasir Jung returned to Arcot, and Major Lawrence, unable to effect any object favourable to the English interests, returned to Madras. Dupleix, however, was as active in intrigue as ever. He discovered, through an agent, that there was great discontent in the camp of Nasir Jung, and that the Patán chiefs of Kurnool, Cuddapa, and Savanoor, were in secret mutiny. He attacks He now sent an expedition by sea to Masulipatam, Masulipatam. which was carried by assault. Mahomed Ally, with whom was an English detachment under Captain Cope, after some desultory movements, refused to pay its expenses, and it was withdrawn to Madras; upon which the French, in company with Chunda Sahib, attacked and routed him with great slaughter, and the reduction of Ginjee followed. Nasir Jung, now alarmed by these active movements and successes, sought to treat with Dupleix; but the French were now again masters of the situation, and Dupleix's demands rose in proportion. Mozuffer Jung was to be set at liberty, Masulipatam and its dependencies His demands ceded to the French, and Chunda Sahib invested as Nawab of the Carnatic. Nasir Jung would have resisted The Council assists the son of Anwur-ood deen. the fleet Advance of Dupleix's intrigues. The French and allies defeat Mahomed Ally. Nasir Jung negotiates with Dupleix. accepted. these hard terms, and ordered his army to fight; but it was one thing to order and another to execute. The army was wellnigh immovable, and Nasir Jung, having in vain tried Dupleix's to advance for the recovery of Giujee, was obliged to demands accept the demands, heavy as they were, and to draw up the treaty. But there had been delay: and delay was intolerable to M. Dupleix. He had no assurance that the treaty would be executed, and he ordered an advance of his forces at Ginjee to enforce it; they amounted only to 800 Europeans and 3,000 Sepoys, who marched from Ginjee on December 4, to the attack of an army believed to be upwards of 300,000 strong, with 100 guns. When they neared the camp, which Dupleix extended for eighteen miles, they were led, by a guide attacks the from their confederates, to the division occupied by Nasir Jung. Nasir Jung, and attacked it at night. Early in the morning Nasir Jung mounted his elephant to ascertain the progress of the fight, and soon discovered he was betrayed. Upbraiding Nastr Jung the Nawab of Kurnool with his treachery, he was shot shot. dead by that chieftain as he spoke, and the conflict was at an end. army of Mozuffer Jung was at once proclaimed Soobahdar of the Deccan; and accompanied by M. de la Touche, the French commander, proceeded to Pondicherry, where M. Dupleix, more than ever triumphant, and Chunda Sahib, gave Duplex's him a magnificent reception. While it lasted, indeed, success. the result of his policy was more magnificent than Dupleix, in his wildest dreams, had ever perhaps contemplated. He had Is appointed not only created a Nawab of the Carnatic, but a Soobahdar of the Deccan. He was appointed governor India. of all the Moghul territory south of the Krishna; Chunda Sahib was to be subject to him; the coinage was to be struck at Pondicherry, and to the French nation was ceded Masulipatam and its dependencies, with other portions, yielding probably five lacs, or 50,000l., per year. For his own share of Nasir Jung's treasure he was to receive twenty lacs, or 200,000l., and the expenses of the war; and gratuities to the officers were provided for on equally liberal terms. But these were not the only claims Demands of which Mozuffer Jung had to satisfy. The three traitor the Patan Nawabs made their own demands. The territories they had usurped were to be confirmed; they were to be exempt from payment of tribute, and half the treasury of Nasir Jung was to be bestowed upon them. Mozuffer Jung, as well he might be, was afraid of these turbulent feudatories, and would not trust himself with them without a French escort. Bussy, therefore, the ablest officer at Dupleix's posal, was detached with him in command of Nawabs. governor of Southern M. Bussy M. detached with Mozuffer dis- |