1759.]

SIEGE OF MADRAS BY LALLY.

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contented and irascible, treated his lieutenant with illdissembled scorn. The siege of Madras had been resolved upon, but means were wanting; and although Lally strove to procure resources by seizing Arcot, he found that the wealthy inhabitants had removed both themselves and their treasures upon tidings of his approach.

At length, after the most arduous exertions, the French expedition against Madras departed from Pondicherry. Their military chest contained about 9407., the two chief leaders were hostile, and the officers generally complained of Lally's proceedings. On the other hand, the English garrison, amounting to about 4,000 men under the command of Colonel Lawrence, were well supplied with stores, and expected shortly to be reinforced by a large detachment from England. The Council sent also pressing missives to Clive, urging his return to Madras, but feeling that there was no immediate necessity for his leaving the more important affairs in which he was then engaged, he took no notice of their importunities.

The French easily succeeded in forcing an entrance into Black Town, the native suburb of the city, in the vicinity of Fort St. George. Their excesses, and the confusion produced in the ranks by those who dispersed themselves throughout the narrow streets with a view to plunder, provoked a sortie, but the English were overwhelmed by numbers; and had Bussy and his superior in command co-operated cordially together, very few of their assailants would have returned in safety. But Bussy continued motionless, alleging want of orders as his excuse, and the English were thus enabled to effect their retreat, bearing off with them the Count d'Estaing as a prisoner.

It soon became evident that the siege could not be protracted for any length of time. An English squadron shortly hove in sight, and Lally learned with dismay that it conveyed 600 fresh troops from England, whos

landing he found himself unable to prevent. His army grew mutinous and insubordinate; provisions, money, even gunpowder, failed; and finally, being convinced of the hopeless nature of his undertaking, he broke up his camp in the night and retreated towards Pondicherry, harassed during his march by the attacks of the natives, whom his insults and extortions had excited to unwonted hostility.

At Conjeveram Lally halted, for the purpose of copcentrating his scattered troops. Hither Colonel Lawrence followed him; and feigning an attack on Wandewash, induced the French to abandon their position, while by a dextrously executed flank movement, the English succeeded in possessing themselves of the strong fort of Conjeveram. The rainy season prevented any more important operations; and soon after its close the French Council at Pondicherry received some large supplies in money and diamonds, which had been recently captured by one of the cruisers belonging to M. d'Aché's squadron from an English vessel.

During this period the French were losing ground in the provinces termed the Northern Circars, that had been first acquired by the brave and sagacious Bussy. When applied to from Madras for succour, Clive determined upon effecting a diversion by attacking the French and their allies in Hyderabad. He knew that Fort St. George was capable of resisting for some months the efforts of Lally, while he foresaw that by occupying the Northern Circars, a wider and more extended influence might be eventually obtained. Colonel Forde, an able and trustworthy officer, was therefore despatched from Bengal with an army of 500 British troops, and about 2,000 natives, accompanied by a small park of artillery. The detachment landed at Vizagapatam, and Forde immediately opened a communication with the Rajah of that place, who hoped through the medium of the English to obtain the sovereignty of the Deccan.

1759.]

VICTORIES OF FORDE IN THE CIRCARS.

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He promised both men and money, but the former were worthless; and the latter, when the hour of payment came, he withheld most tenaciously, thus obliging Forde to rely mainly upon his own resources. But the English commander did not despair. Shortly after his landing he encountered the army of M. de Conflans, at Peddapore, and gained a complete victory over them, the baggage, ammunition, and artillery of the French falling into the hands of the conquerors. The vanquished general threw himself into Masulipatam, and invoked the assistance of Salibut Jung; but after a siege of twelve days the town capitulated to Forde, and the Nizam, finding that the star of his ancient allies was no longer in the ascendant, changed sides with prudent rapidity, and made overtures to the English. The latter obtained from him the perpetual expulsion of the French, with the surrender of a large tract of country in the vicinity of Masulipatam, while Forde promised to aid. Salibut Jung against his insurgent chiefs. He soon claimed the fulfilment of this latter article, but the English commander preferred employing his force in strengthening and re-establishing the factories and settlements on the coast, the greater portion of which had been destroyed by Bussy.

The victories of Forde afforded Clive the liveliest satisfaction. Whatever were his other defects, jealousy could not be numbered among them; and the warm commendations bestowed by him upon his gallant subordinate, proved how deep an interest he had taken in his successes. Having now leisure for the affairs of Madras, he directed Forde to send thither a reinforcement, and to return himself with the remainder of the troops to Bengal, after his conquests in the Circars had been placed on a secure footing. Before the arrival of Forde, however, Clive was called upon to encounter a potentate whose once mighty name seemed now become but a mere shadow. This prince, the Shah Zadé or heir

That

apparent of the Emperor of Delhi, being persecuted by his father's ministers, took refuge in the region of Rohilcund, where he surrounded himself with an army composed of men drawn from the predatory tribes inhabiting those elevated table-lands. He was soon induced by the Nabob of Oude to advance against Moorshedabad; and Meer Jaffier, terrified for his throne, lost no time in communicating his fears to the Council at Calcutta. Experience had taught Clive to despise a prestige existing only in titles; he and his countrymen were no longer the timid merchants who trembled at the lowest satrap of the court of Delhi; and the intrepid commander marched boldly forth with a small though disciplined body, to meet in conflict the 40,000 troops enlisted under the banners of the Shah Zadé. personage thought fit to address the hero of Plassey in one of those inflated epistles which have always proved so soothing to the vanity of Oriental princes. The contents of this missive presented a singular mixture of arrogance and flattery; Clive is entitled the "High and Mighty Protector of the Great," but he is reminded of his duty as a faithful servant, and exhorted to yield obedience to the Prince's firman. The reply was brief, though respectful. As an officer of the Mogul, Colonel Clive denied having received any orders respecting the Shah Zade's coming from Delhi, and expressed the intention of the English to support their ally, Meer Jaffier. The writer continued his advance towards Moorshedabad, and from thence was proceeding to Patna, when merely the news of his coming sufficed to disperse the enemy, who at once broke up their ranks and abandoned their leader. The Shah Zadé retired to Oude, but the governor of that province, and the instigator of the war, endeavoured to make his peace with the English by betraying his guest. Under these circumstances the Mogul prince thought it best to appeal to the victor himself: his letters were now couched in the humblest,

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HOSTILITY OF THE DUTCH.

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not to say the most servile terms, and Clive, who had no wish to harm him, despatched a present with a letter counselling immediate flight. Overjoyed at his humiliation, the enemies of the prince in Delhi loaded Clive with commendations and honours. By a special firman of the Mogul the English were for the first time allowed to establish a factory in the imperial city of Delhi, a position which rendered them intimately acquainted with the weakness and degeneracy of the unworthy descendants of Timour.

Meer Jaffier proved himself still more grateful, by conferring upon Clive the annual rent, amounting to 30,000%., that was paid to him by the Company for their territory near Calcutta. But while this weak prince. seemed to court most eagerly the English alliance, which had given him his throne, and still enabled him to maintain his precarious seat upon it, he vainly attempted to render himself independent of their support. For this purpose he applied to the officers of a power which of late years had not specially distinguished itself in the Indian continent by any action worthy of record. The Dutch possessed indeed flourishing settlements in Batavia and Ceylon, but their dépôts along the coasts of India never aspired to any character above that of places of traffic. They held aloof from politics, and during the contests between the English and French, their chief aim had been to remain neutral. The Dutch settlement of Chinchura, not far from Chandernagore, escaped therefore unmolested by the English, when Clive captured the latter; and its governor, M. Bisdom, always exhibited a most friendly feeling towards the Council of Calcutta. It was then with no small surprise that Clive heard of the intrigues set on foot between his old acquaintance and Meer Jaffier. A rumour that Great Britain and Holland would speedily be at war, excited still more men's minds, and gave rise in the Council to various discussions as to the propriety of taking some step against