things considered, my design is to get with the utmost expedition to
England. Supposing I set out in January, I may arrive the beginning of
May; and an answer to my proposals may come to hand the end of the same
year. My intention is to get you fixt in this government, and to have
Forde and Caillaud at the head of the military; and, if possible, to
prevail on the Directors" (for it entirely depends upon them) "to apply to
his Majesty for commissions of Major-Generals for the Governors, for the
time being, of the three Presidencies. If my interest prevails, I flatter
myself I shall have rendered the Company more service by my return to
England than by my stay in Bengal. If a peace should be on the tapis, I
may be of some use likewise; for convinced I am the Directors are not
masters sufficiently of the subject, and will probably conclude a peace in
Europe, which cannot possibly be abided by in the East Indies."
I shall, hereafter, have occasion to show the correctness of his
conjectures, with respect to the benefit which might be derived from his
presence in England on the expected occurrence of a peace with France.
To understand the causes of the contradictory orders from England, which
weakened and distracted the governments in India, it will be necessary to
take a short view of the actual state of the Court of Directors, and of
that of the proprietors at this period.
Mr. Payne was Chairman, and at the head of the majority by whom the
government of rotation was first appointed. To judge from the facts before
us, and, indeed, from his published narratives, we should believe Mr.
Holwell to have been the person who first suggested this expedient. He had
proceeded to England soon after he was released by Suraj-u-Dowlah; and his
claims and sufferings appear to have made a considerable impression upon
many of the Directors. Still he was too young a servant to be nominated
governor; but the plan of the rotation government gave him a share of that
dignity which he could not hope to hold alone; and he himself informs us,
that the Directors, after protracted discussions upon this subject, agreed
unanimously[87] in the scheme of vesting the government of Bengal in four
of their servants, Messrs. Watts, Manningham, Becher, and Holwell; but
this resolution, as stated at the period, was only intended as a temporary
measure.
A general reform of the settlement of Fort William was subsequently taken
into consideration, and a plan was adjusted at various meetings, at which
none were present but the two Chairmen, the Secretary, and Mr.
Holwell.[88]
About this period, violent opposition arose to the Chairman and his
friends, headed by his deputy Mr. Lawrence Sulivan, Mr. Stephen Law, and
several men of talent. This party were indefatigable in their exertions;
and, although they were a minority in the Court of Directors, they had
great influence with the Proprietors. They early declared themselves
decidedly hostile to the continuance of the rotation government; and when
the accounts of Clive's successes led to his nomination, Mr. Sulivan
proposed that a resolution should be added, to the following effect:—
"That the important changes in their affairs in Bengal, made the expedient
of the rotation no longer needful, but that Mr. Watts should be appointed
to succeed the Colonel."
After a debate on this question, in which the opposing parties were very
violent, Colonel Clive was nominated, but to be succeeded, on leaving
India, by the rotation government; and the proposed reforms in the
government of Fort William were directed to be carried into execution. The
minority, undismayed by their defeat, had recourse to the General Court,
and carried by their influence the proposition,—
"That the rotation of four should be abolished, and the government of
Bengal be conducted by a single Governor and Council as heretofore."
The Court of Proprietors, at the same time that it came to this
resolution, declared it had no intention of interfering with the
appointment of the Governor and Council, which belonged wholly to the
Court of Directors; in which this subject gave rise to further
discussions. The names of Mr. Watts and Mr. Holwell were brought forward
as successors to Clive; and the majority being in favour of the latter, he
was elected. This choice was no sooner made than the Chairman read a
letter he had previously received from Mr. Holwell, requesting, should he
be elected, to decline the station in favour of Mr. Manningham, who was
(he stated) senior, and whose claims were so great, that, if he were
superseded, he would in all likelihood retire; and his loss would be
seriously injurious to the public service.
Those who opposed Mr. Holwell's elevation gave him little credit for this
display of self-denial. It was certain, they alleged, that Mr. Manningham
was on the eve of his return to England, and that Mr. Holwell, if
appointed his successor, would have both the station, and the merit of
having waived his own pretensions in favour of a much older and more
deserving public servant. Whatever were his motives, his suggestion was
attended to. Mr. Manningham was (in the event of Clive's leaving India)
nominated Governor; and Mr. Holwell and Mr. Becher were appointed to be,
in their turn, his successors. Affairs continued in this state until the
general election of Directors in April, 1758, when the minority brought
forward a list of Directors in opposition to that of the majority, or
house-list. A violent contest arose, but the ballot terminated in favour
of the late minority; whose friends in the new direction outnumbered their
opponents. From this date, Mr. Sulivan, who became Chairman, acquired an
influence and power in the India House which he long maintained. He was,
at this period, greatly indebted to Clive, who gave him all his support,
believing him, from his talents and his former residence in India, more
fitted than any of his competitors for the management of the affairs of
the Company.
Writing to Mr. S. Law[89] on this subject, he observes:—
"It has given me much pleasure to hear Mr. Sulivan is at the head of the
Direction. Much more may be expected from one who has laid the foundation
of his knowledge in India, than from those who have no experience but what
they have pick't up in the city of London."
Clive, writing to Mr. Smyth King[90], ascribes the fall of Mr. Payne's
party to their "endeavours to keep up that absurd system (as he justly
terms it) of the rotation;" and in the same letter he says, "I have to
request you will support Mr. Sulivan as far as your interest goes; he
shall have all mine, because I am persuaded his endeavours are used for
the good of the service."
In almost all his letters[91] of this period to his friends in England, he
urges the same request, and upon the same grounds. He could, at this time,
have little anticipation, that he was strengthening the man, who was
hereafter to prove the most violent and powerful of all the assailants of
his fame and fortune.
When Mr. Sulivan had gained the ascendancy, his first measure was to stop
the vessels under despatch, and to change the commission of Government,
and indeed to annul all the appointments of his predecessor. Colonel Clive
was re-appointed Governor; Mr. Watts second and successor; after him,
Major Kilpatrick and nine other members of Council, who were to succeed
according to their seniority. Mr. Holwell was no more than fifth on this
list; but, by death and the departure for England of those above him, he
became, when Clive left India, the person to succeed him.
The Directors, in the contests and changes which have been described, were
believed to be as much (if not more) governed by personal attachments and
resentments, as by considerations of duty. The public clamour was loud
against them; and when, after stopping the ships, they applied for convoy,
Lord Anson (then at the head of the Admiralty) told them[92], "that in
place of labouring for the interest of the Company and the nation, their
sole aim seemed to be gratifying their private resentments, distressing
His Majesty's service, and embroiling their constituents' affairs."
The mind of Clive was naturally much occupied in devising the best means
of preserving to his country the valuable possessions in India which he
had been so greatly instrumental in acquiring. After what has been stated
of the conduct of the Court of Directors, it is not surprising that he
should have come to a conclusion, that the India Government in England, in
its actual condition, was incompetent to the large and increasing duties
which it had to perform. With regard to Bengal, while he saw no stability
in the administration of Meer Jaffier, a vision of its future greatness
was before him; and he submitted his thoughts upon this subject in a
letter to Mr. Pitt, whom alone, among the Ministers of England, he
considered competent to comprehend all the points and interests of this
important question. The following is his letter to that great statesman:—
"To the Right Hon. William Pitt,
"One of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State.
"Sir,
"Suffer an admirer of yours at this distance to congratulate
himself on the glory and advantage which are likely to accrue to
the nation by your being at its head, and at the same to return
his most grateful thanks for the distinguished manner you have
been pleased to speak of his successes in these parts, far indeed
beyond his deservings.
"The close attention you bestow on the affairs of the British
nation in general has induced me to trouble you with a few
particulars relative to India, and to lay before you an exact
account of the revenues of this country, the genuineness whereof
you may depend upon, as it has been faithfully extracted from the
Minister's books.
"The great revolution that has been effected here by the success
of the English arms, and the vast advantages gained to the
Company by a treaty concluded in consequence thereof, have, I
observe, in some measure, engaged the public attention; but much
more may yet in time be done, if the Company will exert
themselves in the manner the importance of their present
possessions and future prospects deserves. I have represented to
them in the strongest terms the expediency of sending out and
keeping up constantly such a force as will enable them to embrace
the first opportunity of further aggrandising themselves; and I
dare pronounce, from a thorough knowledge of this country
government[93], and of the genius of the people, acquired by two
years' application and experience, that such an opportunity will
soon offer. The reigning Subah, whom the victory at Plassey
invested with the sovereignty of these provinces, still, it is
true, retains his attachment to us, and probably, while he has no
other support, will continue to do so; but Musselmans are so
little influenced by gratitude, that should he ever think it his
interest to break with us, the obligations he owes us would prove
no restraint: and this is very evident from his having lately
removed his Prime Minister, and cut off two or three principal
officers, all attached to our interest, and who had a share in
his elevation. Moreover, he is advanced in years; and his son is
so cruel, worthless a young fellow, and so apparently an enemy to
the English, that it will be almost unsafe trusting him with the
succession. So small a body as two thousand Europeans will secure
us against any apprehensions from either the one or the other;
and, in case of their daring to be troublesome, enable the
Company to take the sovereignty upon themselves.
"There will be the less difficulty in bringing about such an
event, as the natives themselves have no attachment whatever to
particular princes; and as, under the present Government, they
have no security for their lives or properties, they would
rejoice in so happy an exchange as that of a mild for a despotic
Government: and there is little room to doubt our easily
obtaining the Moghul's sunnud (or grant) in confirmation thereof,
provided we agreed to pay him the stipulated allotment out of the
revenues, viz. fifty lacs annually. This has, of late years, been
very ill-paid, owing to the distractions in the heart of the
Moghul Empire, which have disabled that court from attending to
their concerns in the distant provinces: and the Vizier has
actually wrote to me, desiring I would engage the Nabob to make
the payments agreeable to the former usage; nay, further:
application has been made to me from the Court of Delhi, to take
charge of collecting this payment, the person entrusted with
which is styled the King's Dewan, and is the next person both in
dignity and power to the Subah. But this high office I have been
obliged to decline for the present, as I am unwilling to occasion
any jealousy on the part of the Subah; especially as I see no
likelihood of the Company's providing us with a sufficient force
to support properly so considerable an employ, and which would
open a way for securing the Subahship to ourselves. That this
would be agreeable to the Moghul can hardly be questioned, as it
would be so much to his interest to have these countries under
the dominion of a nation famed for their good faith, rather than
in the hands of people who, a long experience has convinced him,
never will pay him his proportion of the revenues, unless awed
into it by the fear of the Imperial army marching to force them
thereto.
"But so large a sovereignty may possibly be an object too
extensive for a mercantile Company; and it is to be feared they
are not of themselves able, without the nation's assistance, to
maintain so wide a dominion. I have therefore presumed, Sir, to
represent this matter to you, and submit it to your
consideration, whether the execution of a design, that may
hereafter be still carried to greater lengths, be worthy of the
Government's taking it into hand. I flatter myself I have made it
pretty clear to you, that there will be little or no difficulty
in obtaining the absolute possession of these rich kingdoms; and
that with the Moghul's own consent, on condition of paying him
less than a fifth of the revenues thereof. Now I leave you to
judge, whether an income yearly of upwards of two millions
sterling, with the possession of three provinces abounding in the
most valuable productions of nature and of art, be an object
deserving the public attention; and whether it be worth the
nation's while to take the proper measures to secure such an
acquisition,—an acquisition which, under the management of so
able and disinterested a minister, would prove a source of
immense wealth to the kingdom, and might in time be appropriated
in part as a fund towards diminishing the heavy load of debt
under which we at present labour. Add to these advantages the
influence we shall thereby acquire over the several European
nations engaged in the commerce here, which these could no longer
carry on but through our indulgence, and under such limitations
as we should think fit to prescribe. It is well worthy
consideration, that this project may be brought about without
draining the mother country, as has been too much the case with
our possessions in America. A small force from home will be
sufficient, as we always make sure of any number we please of
black troops, who, being both much better paid and treated by us
than by the country powers, will very readily enter into our
service. Mr. Walsh, who will have the honour of delivering you
this, having been my Secretary during the late fortunate
expedition, is a thorough master of the subject, and will be able
to explain to you the whole design, and the facility with which
it may be executed, much more to your satisfaction, and with
greater perspicuity, than can possibly be done in a letter. I
shall therefore only further remark, that I have communicated it
to no other person but yourself; nor should I have troubled you,
Sir, but from a conviction that you will give a favourable
reception to any proposal intended for the public good.
"The greatest part of the troops belonging to this establishment
are now employed in an expedition against the French in the
Deckan; and, by the accounts lately received from thence, I have
great hopes we shall succeed in extirpating them from the
province of Golconda, where they have reigned lords paramount so
long, and from whence they have drawn their principal resources
during the troubles upon the coast.
"Notwithstanding the extraordinary effort made by the French in
sending out M. Lally with a considerable force the last year, I
am confident, before the end of this, they will be near their
last gasp in the Carnatic[94], unless some very unforeseen event
interpose in their favour. The superiority of our squadron, and
the plenty of money and supplies of all kinds which our friends
on the coast will be furnished with from this province, while the
enemy are in total want of every thing, without any visible means
of redress, are such advantages as, if properly attended to,
cannot fail of wholly effecting their ruin in that as well as in
every other part of India.
"May the zeal and the vigorous measures, projected for the
service of the nation, which have so eminently distinguished your
ministry, be crowned with all the success they deserve, is the
most fervent wish of him who is, with the greatest respect,
"Sir,
"Your most devoted humble servant,
(Signed) "ROB^T. CLIVE.
"Calcutta,
"7th January, 1759."
The reader will, no doubt, be curious to learn Mr. Pitt's sentiments on
this very remarkable letter, and fortunately the means are preserved of
gratifying so natural a curiosity. Mr. Walsh, by whom the letter was
sent, on the 26th of November, 1759, gives Clive an account of his
interview with Mr. Pitt. That great minister, while he acknowledged the
practicability of the plan, was aware of the difficulties that attended
its principle and details. "It was not till six days ago that I had
admittance to Mr. Pitt. He had made one or two appointments, but was
obliged by business to postpone them, for certainly he has an infinite
deal on his hands. He received me with the utmost politeness, and we had
a _tête-à-tête_ for an hour and a quarter, of which I will endeavour to
sum up the particulars. He began by mentioning how much he was obliged
to you, for the marks you had given him of your friendship; and then
began on the subject of your letter. I said I was apprehensive, from my
not having had the honour to speak with him before, that he looked upon
the affair as chimerical: he assured me, not at all, but very
practicable; but that it was of a very nice nature. He mentioned the
Company's charter not expiring these twenty years; that upon some late
transactions it had been inquired into, whether the Company's conquests
and acquisitions belonged to them or the Crown, and the Judges seemed to
think to the Company. He spoke this matter a little darkly, and I cannot
write upon it with precision: he said the Company were not proper to
have it, nor the Crown, for such a revenue would endanger our liberties;
and that you had shown your good sense by the application of it to the
public. He said the difficulty of effecting the affair was not great,
under such a genius as Colonel Clive; but the sustaining it was the
point: it was not probable he would be succeeded by persons equal to the
task. He asked how long you proposed continuing there; that by your
letter he might conclude you intended to carry the business into
execution. I answered that no one's zeal for the public service was
greater than yours; but that I believed your ill health would oblige you
to return shortly. I then mentioned Van's abilities, and that he was
upon the point of being made Governor of Bengal. I observed to him that
it was necessary for him to determine whether it was an object for the
Company or the State; for I was persuaded, that, if the State neglected
it, the Company, in process of time, would secure it; that they would
even find themselves under a necessity to do it for their greater quiet
and safety, exclusive of gain. He seemed to weigh that; but, as far as I
could judge by what passed then, it will be left to the Company to do
what they please.
"I took an opportunity of mentioning that the French seemed to direct
their views greatly towards India; spoke of Dupleix's designs, Bussy's
letter, and Lally's armament, which, happily for us, had melted away to
nothing, but that in time of peace, if not somehow restrained, they
would certainly pour men into India, and be formidable in after times.
He asked me about Mauritius; whether the reduction of that would not be
laying the axe to the root, and how far it was practicable. I gave him
what information I was capable of on the subject, and referred him, for
further, to Speke, who I said was a clever officer, and, I believed, had
revolved the matter in his breast for some time past. Before parting, he
hinted to me a supply for this season of four men-of-war, and a thousand
men: these generally are granted pretty late, and we must imagine they
will be so this season, as an invasion has been seriously thought of,
and we are still doubtful as to the destination of Brest fleet. I don't
recollect any thing further, of any consequence, that passed in our
conversation. I might, indeed, acquaint you, that he asked very
particularly if I had any thoughts of returning to India."
The line of policy which subsequently marked our progress in India, is
strongly depicted in this conversation. Mr. Pitt saw, in their infancy,
the difficulties which have so long prevented the final settlement of
that country; and Mr. Walsh, tutored in the school of Clive, already
clearly discovered the future inevitable extension of our dominions and
power.
Clive's letter was written a twelvemonth before he left Calcutta.
Neither the events in India, nor those in England, were calculated to
alter the sentiments it contained, regarding the necessity for the
interference of the legislature of Great Britain in the administration
of the interests of the nation in India. The despatches received from
the Directors immediately before he resigned the Government, appear to
have excited equal disgust in his mind, and in the minds of his ablest
colleagues; and in the concluding paragraphs of a general letter to the
Directors, the Bengal Government expressed their sentiments with a
freedom, which, though becoming their high sense of the duty which they
owed to themselves and to their country, was but little suited to the
temper or constitution of their superiors.
The following are the observations made in this letter upon the conduct
of the Court of Directors.