this Neutrality but the concluding and signing it in Form, the _French_
themselves overturned it, by avowing that they had no sufficient
Authority to support an Act of that Nature, which might be declared
invalid by their Superiors. Mr. _Watts_ immediately laid hold on and
improved this very unexpected Incident, by representing, in the
strongest Light, to the Suba, the Condescension shewn him by the
_British_ by accepting, and the Indignity offered to him by the _French_
in rejecting, his Expedient. This had so great an Effect, that in the
first Transport of his Resentment he directed a Letter to be written to
Vice-Admiral _Watson_, in which he tacitly permitted the Attack of the
_French_ Factory, by recommending Mercy to the Enemy when it should be
reduced; and desiring the military Operations of the _English_ might be
conducted with as little Prejudice to his Country, or Disturbance to his
People, as it was possible. Mr. _Watts_, who had secured the Suba's
Secretary to our Interest, engaged him to pen this important Epistle in
a proper Stile, so as to permit the Attack immediately, and to dispatch
it without Delay: Precautions, which were of the utmost Consequence, and
which, in the Event, gave us all those Advantages we afterwards reaped,
and which, through the Blessing of Divine Providence, we still possess
in _Bengal_.
As there was great Address used in obtaining this Letter, so it arrived
in the most critical Conjuncture. For, notwithstanding the _French_ had
avowed their Want of Power to conclude an effectual Neutrality, yet so
much were some afraid of recurring again to Arms, that they were still
for accepting of this Expedient, however precarious. Upon this, Admiral
_Watson_ held a Council of War, to consider what was most proper to be
done; and it was while this Council was actually sitting, wherein those
who argued yet for a Neutrality insisted chiefly upon the Suba's
Repugnancy to see the Flame of War, so lately extinguished, again
rekindled in his Dominions, that this Letter was brought, which cut the
Gordian Knot, and put an End to the Debate. How the _French_ came to act
in this Manner, and by so frank a Declaration defeat the Scheme of the
Suba, and run themselves upon Destruction, is not easy to conceive. In
all Probability, they did not imagine, that even, after this, we would
venture to fall upon them, and they were willing to preserve to
themselves, against a proper Season, the Liberty of attacking us; or,
which is yet more probable, depended on the Suba's exerting his whole
Force, in Case of our besieging them, in their Defence; which would have
rendered the Expedition much more difficult. Be this as it will, the
Letter defeated all their Schemes; and the Sequel of the Transaction
shewed how much better Mr. _Watts_ was acquainted with the Disposition
of the _Moors_, and more thoroughly Master of the Suba's Temper, and
Manner of acting, notwithstanding the Intrigues they had been so long
carrying on in his Court, and their having such Connections with his
Favourites and Ministers.——But let us now return from Reflections to
Facts, and having clearly stated this very remarkable Stroke of Policy,
resume the Thread of our Narrative.
Vice-Admiral _Watson_, Colonel _Clive_, and the Select Committee, came
to this final Resolution, in the Beginning of the Month of _March_, and
entered with all the Diligence and Dispatch possible on the necessary
Preparations for this important Expedition, well knowing that the
_French_ were not ignorant of their own Danger, or at all remiss or
careless in providing against it. _Chandenagore_, the chief of their
Settlements in _Bengal_, was a Place very well situated on the Side of
the River, Twenty-seven Miles above _Calcutta_, which is a Branch of the
_Ganges_, at a small distance below _Hughley_. The Director at this
Settlement has under him the _French_ Company's Factories of
_Cassimbuzar_, _Dacca_, _Patna_, _Jeuda_, and _Ballasore_. They
prudently contrived, at the Beginning of the Troubles, to strengthen it
with various Outworks and Batteries, had in it a Garrison of Five
hundred _Europeans_ and Seven hundred _Blacks_, with some Mortars, and
near Two hundred Pieces of Cannon mounted. They took the Precaution also
to send away some of their Merchandize, and the best Part of their
Effects, under Colour of providing the better for their Defence; raised
considerable Magazines, which were well provided; and made such
Dispositions, and kept so good a Countenance, as imposed upon most of
the _Moors_, and perhaps upon some of themselves. As they chiefly feared
the Squadron, they sunk Two Ships, a Ketch, a Hulk, a Snow, and a Vessel
without Masts, directly in the Channel, within Gunshot of the Fort, and
laid Two Booms, moored with Chains, across the River. Besides these,
they sunk and ran on Shore Five large Vessels, above the Fort, that they
might throw every Impediment possible in the Way of our Squadron. In
consequence of these military Operations, which were very judiciously
planned, and the best their Circumstances would admit, they resolved to
stand the Attack; but whether they had any Hopes given them by the Suba
of his Assistance, or whether they relied at all on his Insinuations of
Aid, in case they were given, could not be learned; though he actually
advanced a Corps of Troops, as we shall see hereafter, which might
render such a Conjecture not at all improbable.
A Reinforcement of Three hundred Men from _Bombay_ arriving at
_Calcutta_, Colonel _Clive_ advanced by the River Side, with Seven
hundred Whites, and Sixteen hundred Seapoys, towards the _French_
Settlement; and with very little Loss took Possession of most of the
Out-Posts on the Fourteenth of _March_. On the Fifteenth, the Enemy
abandoned all their Batteries, notwithstanding these were very well
disposed, and in exceeding good Order. He was now possessed of every
Post they had, but the Fort, and a Redoubt seated between the River Side
and the Fort Walls, wherein were mounted Eight Pieces of Cannon,
Twenty-four Pounders, Four of which pointed down the River. The same Day
Admiral _Watson_ sailed with the _Kent_ of Sixty-four, the _Tyger_ and
_Salisbury_, each of Fifty Guns, having previously sent a Twenty-Gun
Ship, and a Sloop, to cover the Boats attending the Camp. On the
Eighteenth, he anchored about Two Miles below _Chandenagore_, and the
Troops on Shore being employed in raising a Battery against the Fort,
the Weather becoming extremely foggy, and the Impediments
before-mentioned being of Necessity to be removed, occasioned some
Delay. The First Thing to be done was clearing the River; and the Booms
being cut, and running adrift, a proper Passage was soon discovered, by
sounding, and without losing Time in weighing the _French_ Vessels.
While this was about, the brave Admiral _Pocock_, who was just arrived
at _Culpee_ in the _Cumberland_, resolving to have a Share in the
Action, came in his Long-Boat, and going on board his Majesty's Ship the
_Tyger_, hoisted his Flag there. On the Twenty-third, at Six in the
Morning, the _Tyger_, _Kent_, and _Salisbury_, weighed. About Ten
Minutes after the Enemy began to fire from the Redoubt, but their
Artillery was soon silenced by the _Tyger_. Before Seven the Ships were
properly stationed, and the Signal being given, the Engagement began;
the Firing continuing very brisk on both Sides, till a Quarter after
Nine, when the Besieged hung out a Flag of Truce, and the Articles of
Capitulation were very quickly settled and signed. In consequence of
this, Captain _Latham_, of the _Tyger_, was dispatched by Vice-Admiral
_Watson_ to receive the Keys of the Fort, into which Colonel _Clive_
marched with the Troops about Five in the Afternoon. Thus
_Chandenagore_, according to the Scheme originally proposed, constantly
insisted upon, and at last rendered practicable by Mr. _Watts_, with all
the _French_ subordinate Settlements in the Province of _Bengal_, were
reduced; and thereby most of the Schemes laid for the future Destruction
of _Calcutta_, and the other _English_ Factories, rendered abortive. An
Expedition, in the first Instance, glorious to the _British_ Arms, and
in its Consequences, as from the Sequel of this Relation will appear, of
the highest Importance.
This signal Advantage was not obtained without some Loss. Admiral
_Pocock_ was wounded, but not dangerously. The gallant Captain _Henry
Speke_, equally distinguished by the Clearness of his Head and the
Warmth of his Heart, who commanded the _Kent_, on board which
Vice-Admiral _Watson_ wore his Flag, received a Wound from a Cannon
Shot, which unhappily carried away the Leg of his Son, who deceased soon
after, a Youth of the most amiable Character, extraordinary Learning,
and admirable Abilities. The first Lieutenant, Mr. _Samuel Perreau_, and
the Master of the _Tyger_, were both killed; the Third and Fourth
Lieutenants were also wounded; and the former died. Of the private Men
there were Thirty-two killed, and One hundred wounded. The Enemy had
Forty killed and Seventy wounded in the Fort. They must be allowed to
have defended themselves with great Spirit and Resolution, and probably
would not have submitted so soon, if they had not suffered severely from
Colonel _Clive_'s Batteries, and been still more galled by the Fire of
his Men, from the flat Roofs of the Houses, which in Truth made it
almost impossible for them to stand to their Guns. A Part of the
_French_ Troops made their Escape, and marched Northwards, after whom
Colonel _Clive_ sent a Detachment of Six hundred Seapoys, and Vice
Admiral _Watson_ ordered several Boats up the River of _Hughley_, to
seize upon whatever was _French_ Property; notwithstanding which, a
great deal of the Company's Effects and Merchandize were concealed and
carried away. This Blow was very decisive in reference to the _French_,
whose Measures it entirely broke, by rendering the Schemes they had
formed, with respect to the Suba, utterly impracticable. On the other
hand, it released the _English_ from the Apprehensions they were under
of being again attacked in _Calcutta_, in case the Squadron had left
them without reducing this Place. These were so far from being
Suspicions lightly founded, that their Danger was so great and so
apparent, considering the Circumstances they were then in, and the
Suba's delaying to restore their Artillery, that, if not encouraged by
this Event, they would have been very slow in re-settling _Calcutta_.
Happy as those immediate Effects were! they were hardly so much as
remembred, after the greater Advantages that followed; which
demonstrated how justly this Resolution was taken, and in what a
critical Conjuncture it was executed.
We have before hinted, that, notwithstanding the Suba had transmitted a
Letter of Permission to Vice-Admiral _Watson_ to act as he thought
proper against the _French_, without which Letter the Admiral and the
Colonel would not have proceeded, nay went farther, and recommended them
to his Mercy, yet he presently changed his Mind. He desired Mr. _Watts_
to write to the Colonel, that he would not have War made in his Country,
by which the People under his Government must suffer, the King's
Revenues be lessened, and the Tranquility of his Dominions disturbed.
The _French_, who had misled him from the Beginning, deceived him to the
very last. They assured him, that, in the first Attack, the _English_
had been repulsed with Loss, and gave him to understand, that they did
not doubt obliging them to retire. The Suba was so much embarrassed by
the contradictory Reports he heard, and looked upon this Transaction to
concern him so nearly, that he wrote Letter after Letter to Colonel
_Clive_, who is said to have received no less than Ten of them in one
Day, and these in very opposite Stiles; which the Colonel answered
punctually, with all the Calmness and Complaisance imaginable,
expressing great Concern at the Impression which the Calumnies of his
Enemies had made on that Prince's Mind, and assuring him of his sincere
Attachment, as long as he adhered to the Treaty. At length the Suba grew
so very uneasy, that he sent _Mutrumul_, in whom he said he placed great
Confidence, to the Colonel, with Orders to act, if there was any room
for it, as a Mediator. But the Situation of Things at his Arrival made
such a Commission visibly impracticable; which _Mutrumul_ perceiving,
extolled the _English_ highly, and threw all the Blame upon the
_French_. To give Weight, however, to this intended Mediation,
_Roydoolub_ advanced, by his Master's Command, at the Head of Six
thousand Men, within a small Distance of _Hughley_. But to prevent this
from giving any Umbrage, _Mutrumul_, when the Attack was made, assured
the Colonel, that _Roydoolub_ had the Suba's Instructions to obey his
Orders, which the Colonel took in exceeding good Part, and returned that
Prince Thanks for this gracious Offer of his Assistance. The Moment the
Place surrendered, he gave Notice of it to the Suba, and ascribed his
Success to the Favour of Heaven and his Excellency's Auspice, under
which his Arms had been so fortunate. A Compliment, which the Suba knew
not how to receive with even a tolerable Grace, or to reject without
giving Offence. In reality, he had brought his Affairs by this time into
a very perplexed Condition, of which he was sensible, now it was too
late; though very probably he might not have Sagacity enough to discern,
that the Whole of these Misfortunes had no other Source than the
Unsteadiness of his Councils, and the Duplicity of his Conduct. What we
have already said will afford Proofs more than sufficient to establish
this; but as the setting it in a clear Light will be the best means of
explaining the Motives to the Transactions that ensued, we hope the
subsequent Remarks will not appear tedious to the Reader.
The Suba, wanting alike in Parts and in Experience, unable to reject bad
Counsels, and prone to pursue his own Notions, as far as they could be
carried by his Power, shewed plainly from the very Beginning, that he
had no formed System; and if he could be stiled so at all, was certainly
a bad Politician. His setting out was by breaking at once with all the
_European_ Nations; which, if their reciprocal Jealousies of each other,
and some other Circumstances, had not hindered, must have united them
all against him, and that Union would have rendered his Scheme abortive.
As this did not happen, it encouraged him to take another wrong Step, by
attacking and destroying the _English_, without having so much as a
plausible Pretence. This Act of arbitrary Violence visibly subverted the
Foundation of his own Scheme, if it ever had any, by proving, in the
strongest Manner, that no _European_ Nation could subsist as Merchants
in his Dominions, without having Places so well fortified, as not to lie
at his Mercy. When, therefore, he was reduced to the Necessity of
concluding a Treaty, the very Basis of that Treaty was his confessing
this last Position to be well founded, and admitting by his own Consent,
as the only practicable Grounds of Peace, what he had before laid down
as the Reason of his taking up Arms. But when he had done this, and
might have been quiet, by adhering constantly to that Treaty, he again
mistook his Point. Uniformity of Conduct was so little in his
Constitution, that he immediately lost all the Advantages he seemed to
have sought by that Measure, and which indeed were clearly asserted to
have been the Objects he had in View, in his Letters to Admiral _Watson_
and Colonel _Clive_, by shewing a visible Repugnance to the Execution of
it in every Step, and doing that slowly and ungracefully, which, if he
had done chearfully and at once, might have procured him the Confidence
of the _English_, and have thoroughly extricated him from those
Difficulties into which his first Errors had plunged him.
His Conduct with regard to the _French_ was to the full as
inconsiderate, and no less inconsistent. His Kindness, Friendship, or
whatever it was towards them, was as fatal as his Aversion or Dislike
had been to the _English_, and productive of the very same Misfortunes.
He was undoubtedly imposed upon and misled by the fake Impressions he
received from them of their Strength: But in this he was inexcusable, as
these Representations were grounded only upon vague and uncertain
Reports of what they had done, and of what Strength they had in other
Parts of the _Indies_, from whence all the Assistance they could give
him was to be hoped, and this against a Power, the Weight of which he
had already felt; and to say nothing of the Obligation he was under to
maintain that Peace he had solemnly confirmed by his Oath, which was
still at his very Doors. If he had really intended, as he seemed very
desirous it should be believed it was his Intention, to preserve Peace
in his Dominions, and to prevent the _English_ and _French_ from
committing Hostilities against each other in them, to the Prejudice of
Commerce, in which he was principally interested, and which was also,
and was allowed to be, the common Concern of all, he might by acting
firmly have carried that Point, by insisting upon a Neutrality under his
Guaranty, and a peremptory Declaration that he would stop the Trade, and
seize the Effects of that Nation, which violated a Neutrality so
concluded; since under this it is certain the _English_ would have
acquiesced, and, without the Encouragement or Assistance of the Suba,
the _French_ durst not have broke it. But his Intrigues with them, or,
as many thought, a Secret Treaty, encouraged their Director to declare,
that he was not vested with Authority to conclude any such Neutrality;
and even this, which he always knew, he did not acknowlege, until the
Time was lost, in which he might have obtained it from _Pondicherry_;
and this plainly put the _English_ under a Necessity of exerting the
Force then in their Hands without Delay, which ended in the taking
_Chandenagore_. Here again, if he had ever had any settled Principle of
Action, would have been his Time to have shewn it; for if, upon Colonel
_Clive_'s marching, he had assisted the _French_ with his whole Force,
he might very probably have saved them. But as he had hitherto been all
along the Dupe of their Politics, so in this Instance they were the
Dupes of his, and were sacrificed to his Want of Steadiness and Spirit.
On the whole, therefore, it became evident, that the Suba was more
dangerous to his Friends than to his Enemies; and the Hazard of being
hurt lay not in opposing, but in placing any Confidence in him. A
Lesson, which, as it had been taught by his first Actions, so, from the
Bent of a stubborn Disposition Events could not correct, he took care to
inculcate it from time to time, as long as it was in his Power to act at
all.
Colonel _Clive_ used repeated Endeavours to extricate him, if he would
have permitted it, out of all his Difficulties. He laboured in his
Letters to convince him, that as the Attack and Reduction of
_Chandenagore_ proceeded entirely from the Behaviour of the _French_
themselves, so it could not be any-way prejudicial to him, or to his
Subjects. He assured him, that the _English_ would not suffer his
Revenue to be impaired, by their being Masters of the Place; but were
disposed, under equitable Conditions, to re-place the Customs paid by
the _French_; and that they were well satisfied with their own
Possessions, and did not desire to enlarge or to extend them. On the
contrary, they were ready to give him whatever Satisfaction he could
demand, of their Willingness to acquiesce under any Terms, and to comply
with such Measures as should appear most expedient for restoring and
preserving the Tranquility of his Country; that their Minds were
entirely set upon Commerce; that they became military merely by Force;
but that they most ardently wished to return to, and be known by him
only in, their old Occupation of Merchants; that, as things stood, their
Interest rendered it absolutely requisite to expel the _French_ out of
_Bengal_, to prevent new Disputes, which was his Interest likewise; and
that, if he would do it himself, they should be well satisfied, and
consider it as a Favour. That he had been exceedingly imposed upon, in
respect to the Conduct of that Nation, on the Coast of _Coromandel_,
where the _Nabobs_ they had espoused were obliged to make exorbitant
Grants, in Acknowledgement for their Assistance; that, in consequence of
this, they had torn away whole Provinces, of which they were in full
Possession; while, on the other hand, the _English_ had lent the
_Nabobs_, with whom they had taken Part, purely on account of their
being the King's Officers, very large Sums of Money; with the Repayment
of which they would be well content, without soliciting, extorting, or
even accepting any Grants whatever. That he might from thence judge of
the Temper of the two Nations and the Difference that he would find in
having either of them for his Allies; and that therefore, if he regarded
his own Welfare, he would adhere strictly to, and punctually fulfil, the
Treaty he had made; which if he did, he might not only rely upon the
Support that had been promised him, but that he might be assured, he
would personally lose the last Drop of his Blood, and sacrifice the last
Man under his Command, in his Service, against any of his real Enemies,
whenever his Occasions might require it. Vice-Admiral _Watson_ wrote
also to him to the same Purpose.
The Suba, who was equally dissatisfied with and disturbed at the State
of his Affairs, and found himself obliged to be at a great Expence in
keeping Troops in the Field, knew not what to say or how to act. He
declared, however, positively, against our reducing the _French_
subordinate Factories; would not hear of making the Remains of their
Forces Prisoners, and delivering them up to the _English_; but, however,
discovered no Scruple at all in seizing upon their Effects, under Colour
of doing it to make Satisfaction to his own Subjects, who were their
Creditors. At the same time he ordered the _French_ to quit his
Dominions, directing them to march towards _Patna_. He likewise paid
farther Sums of Money to the Company's Servants, and gave them Hopes,
that he would both strictly and speedily fulfil his Treaty in every
respect. In regard to the Artillery, which he did not restore, he
alleged, that he was distressed himself for want of Cannon, and was
willing to purchase them. In this manner things went on for a Month or
Six Weeks, during which Space every Method was practised that could
lessen his Apprehensions, or free him from that Terror which he seemed
to have of the _English_ advancing their Forces into the Heart of his
Country. He was even permitted, upon a Rumour that the Garrison of
_Cassimbuzar_ was augmented to Five hundred Men, to send his own
Officers to inspect it, who found and reported, that there was not above
a Tenth Part of the Number. The same Compliances were made in many
Respects.