OF TH E 
 
 REVOLUTION 
 
 I N 
 
 I 
 
 ~t
 
 (MEMOIRS 
 
 V - 
 
 O F TH E 
 
 REVOLUTION 
 
 / 
 
 I N 
 
 BENGAL, 
 
 ANNO. DOM. 1757. 
 
 By which MEER JAFFEIR was raifed to the 
 Government of that Province, together with 
 thofc of Babar and Orixa. 
 
 INCLUDING 
 
 The Motives to this Enterprize ; the Method in which it 
 was accomplifhed ; and the Benefits that have accrued 
 from thence to that Country, our United Company 
 trading to the Eaft Indies, and to the Britijb Nation. 
 
 LONDON: 
 Printed for A. M i L L A R, in the Strand* 
 M.DCC.LX. t. . IT-
 
 I 
 
 r: 
 
 .
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 TH E Succefs that has every 
 where attended the Efforts of 
 the Britifh Arms, during the Courfe 
 of this juft and neceffary War, will 
 render this Period of our Hiftory re- 
 fplendent, even to lateft Ages. It 
 feems, therefore, requisite to give the 
 moft accurate and diftincl Accounts 
 that can be obtained of thefe Suc- 
 cefies in the remoter Parts of the 
 Globe, that the Nature and Confe- 
 quences of them may be the better 
 
 under-
 
 vi PREFACE. 
 
 understood here. The People of 
 Britain are as well entitled to know, 
 and will with equal Pleafure read, 
 what has been efTe&ed for their Ser- 
 vice at Bengal, as at Goree ; and ac- 
 cept as kindly the Laurels brought 
 them from Afia> as thofe that come 
 from Afrlc or America. 
 
 In this we follow only the Cuftom 
 of other Nations. The Portuguefe and 
 the Dutch have not only general 
 Hiftories of their Atchievements in 
 the Indies^ and feparate Accounts of 
 their refpeclive Settlements, but nu- 
 merous Memoirs of particular Expe- 
 ditions, in which they have been 
 exceeded by the French. We fhould 
 therefore be wanting to ourfelves, if, 
 having performed as great Things as 
 they, and having as authentic Vouch- 
 ers, we fliould willfully fuffer the 
 
 Memory
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 Vll 
 
 Memory of them to be loft, and the 
 Merits of our deferving Countrymen 
 fwallowed up in Oblivion. 
 
 The following Pages will flhew, 
 how one of our fineft Settlements in 
 the Eaft. Indies was fuddenly facked 
 and fubverted by the Impetuofity of 
 ,a young Man, intoxicated with So- 
 vereign Power ; in what Manner it 
 was recovered and reftored ; the 
 Peril to which it was again expofed 
 from the fame Perfon ; and the Means 
 by which it was not only refcued 
 from a Second Definition, but the 
 Caufes of thefe Calamities removed ; 
 the Britijfj Intereft placed on a more 
 fold Balis than ever ; with additional 
 Advantages that were never hoped ; 
 fo that Stability may be truly faid to 
 have been extracted from inteftine 
 Troubles, and Public Miferies ren- 
 dered
 
 viii PREFACE. 
 
 dered the Source of Public Safety and 
 Public Benefits. 
 
 But as thefe Wonders could never 
 have been performed but by the Af- 
 fiftance of his Majefty's Fleets and 
 
 Forces, and as this was derived from 
 the conftant and laudable Concern 
 of the Adminiftration, for the Fate 
 of Britijh Subje&s wherever difpofed, 
 it is but a juft Tribute of Gratitude 
 to fhew how Meafures fo wifely taken, 
 proved fo fuccefsful in the Event, 
 that Pofterity may profit by the Ex- 
 ample, and our Trade ever meet 
 with the like Support, under Officers 
 (if they are to be found) of equal 
 Abilities. 
 
 Laftly, it will appear how far the 
 Nation has reaped the Fruits of thefe 
 fignal Events. The Settlement at
 
 PREFACE. ix 
 
 Calcutta being not only effectually 
 reftored, but, as far as the Nature of 
 Things will admit, its future Safety 
 as effectually fecured, the Honour 
 of the Britijh Name repaired, and 
 the Terror of her Arms diffufed 
 throughout the Eaft. The Fortunes 
 of Britijh Subjects, ruined in the firft 
 Calamity, unprovided for in the firft 
 Treaty, entirely recovered by the 
 Second ; many of which being now 
 brought over, are actually vefted in the 
 Funds or Lands of Great-Britain. 
 
 MEMOIRS
 
 [ I] 
 
 MEMOIRS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 REVOLUTION in BENGAL, 
 
 THE late Revolution in Bengal is fo 
 extraordinary in its Nature, of fuch 
 immediate Confequence to the Eajl 
 India Company, and may poffibly be of fuch 
 Importance to the Nation, that a fhort and 
 perfpicuous Relation of this memorable Tranf- 
 action cannot but be acceptable to the Public. 
 Such a Relation will give a diftincl Idea of 
 Things, as to which the World has hitherto had 
 but confufed Notions j difpofe all Events re- 
 lating thereto in their proper Places, fo that 
 their Motives and Confequences may be clear- 
 ly understood ; and fupply thole Chafms, that 
 difturb the Order and deftroy the Connection 
 between the Narratives which have been writ- 
 
 B ten
 
 2 M E M O I R CJ 
 
 ten occafionally of particular Points of Fa&. 
 Befides, it will explain the Conduct of thofe 
 who have been chiefly instrumental in bring- 
 ing fuch an hazardous, as well as arduous 
 Attempt as this to a happy Conclufion ; will 
 fhew why it was thought neceffary, and on 
 what Account it was originally undertaken ; 
 the many, and fome of them formidable, Ob- 
 ftacles that were in the Way ; and how thefe 
 were either gradually removed, or glorioufly 
 overcome. In a Word, when thoroughly and 
 circumftantially explained, it will open as 
 iingular and furprizing a Scene to the View of 
 the inquifitive and judicious Reader, as per- 
 haps he will find in any Hiftory refpecling our 
 own Times, which, let me have Leave to fay, 
 are thofe that concern us moil. 
 
 But previous to the Narrative, it will be 
 expedient to give a concile Account of the 
 Inhabitants, and the State of the Govern- 
 ment in that Country, where this furprizing 
 Political Cataftrophe fell out ; and without 
 being well acquainted with which, thefe fuc- 
 cincl: Memoirs would not only be Icfs intelli- 
 
 j . 
 
 gible, but, which is yet worfe, would become 
 alfo very liable to bemifunderflood. The Nature 
 
 of
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 3 
 of Things depends on their Properties, alike 
 difcernable by all who will examine them 
 with equal Care, and with the fame Degree of 
 Attention. But the Nature of Facls is deter- 
 mined by the Circumftances that attend them; 
 and if thefe be not fairly and fully reprefent- 
 cd, they muft be falfely, or at leafl imperfecl> 
 ly apprehended. In Cafes relative to the 
 Alteration of States, a bare Recital of Events 
 eftablifhes only what Alteration they .pro- 
 duced, and does not at all inform us to what 
 the Change was owing ; gives us no Grounds 
 to conclude, "as to the Advantages or Difad- 
 vantages flowing from fuch a Mutation, and 
 does not furnim us with the Means of fram- 
 ing any probable Conjecture as to the Stability 
 or Inflability of the New Government. 
 
 The two great Nations, inhabiting this Part 
 of the Indies^ differ widely from each other in 
 their Complexions, Language, Manners, Dil- 
 pofition, and Religion. The Moguls (Moghuls) 
 who are commonly called Moors or Moormen^ 
 are a robuft, ftately, and, in refpect to the 
 original Natives, a fair People. They fpeak 
 what the EngUjh in India commonly call the 
 Moors Tongue, which is in truth the Perfian, 
 B a or
 
 4 M E M O I R S of 
 
 or at lead a Dialed of the Perfian. They 
 are naturally vain, affect Shew and Pomp in 
 every thing, are much addicted to Luxury, 
 fierce, oppreffive, and, for the moil part, very 
 rapacious. In refpect to Religion, they are 
 Mohammedans , the common Sort of the Seel: 
 of Omar (in which they agree with the Turks) , 
 but thofe of Superior Rank are moilly of the 
 Seel: of Ali( which is followed by the Per/tans), 
 and fome affect to be very devout. Thefe 
 have the Dominion, and are pofTeffed of all 
 the Offices of Truft and Power, in virtue of 
 their Defcent from the Moguls, whofe Empire 
 was eflablimed by Timur, commonly called 
 famerlane in this Country j but they are now 
 a very mixed People, compofed of Tartars, 
 Arabs, .and Perftans ; more efpecially of the 
 laft mentioned Nation ; who for various Rea- 
 fons have quitted their own Country, but 
 chiefly for the Sake of that Favour and Pre- 
 ferment, which for many Ages they have met 
 with at the Court of (Debit} Deify. The 
 Gcntoows, or Native Indians, are of a fwarthy 
 Afpect, as their proper Appellation Hindu 
 implies ; lefs warlike but more active and 
 induftrious than the Moors. They are a 
 mild, fubtle, frugal Race of Men, exceedingly 
 
 fuper-
 
 the Revolution /^BENGAL. 5 
 
 iuperflitious, fubmiflive in appearance, but 
 naturally jealous, fufpicious, and perfidious ; 
 which is principally owing to that abject Sla- 
 very they are kept in by the Moors j and their 
 Vices are fuch as innate Cunning, of which 
 they have a great deal, fuggeils to counteract 
 thofe of their Mafters. They are divided into 
 feveral Cafts or Tribes, of which the mod 
 noble is that of the Bramins, and there are alfo 
 feveral Cafts of thefe. Their Religion is Pa- 
 ganifm, grofs and abfurd among the Vulgar, 
 but not ib amongft the wifer and better Sort. 
 Thefe Characters are not drawn through any 
 Spirit of Prejudice or Partiality, but from Ex- 
 perience and Obfervation ; and the Faults of 
 both do not fo much arife from any Want of 
 Parts, or Defect in their natural Talents, as 
 from their refpective Conditions, and the bar- 
 barous Severity and perpetual Instability of 
 their Governments. 
 
 The Mogul, or, as we commonly call him, 
 the Great Mogul, is, according to the Con- 
 ftitution of Indoftan, if Defpotiim can with 
 any Propriety be ftiled a Conftitution, as ab- 
 folute as a Monarch can be. He is the fole 
 Pofleflbr of Property, the fingle Fountain of 
 B 3 Honour,
 
 6 ME M o i R s c/" 
 
 Honour, and the fupreme Oracle of Jufticc. 
 The whole Country belongs to himj all 
 Honours are Perfonal, are beftowed by his 
 Bounty, and refumed at his Pleafurej his 
 Subjects having no other Laws than the Dic- 
 tates of his Will. The Omrahs, or Great 
 Lords of his Court, who difcharge the high 
 Offices in his Houfhold, exercife the Functions 
 of Miniflers of State, or hold fuperior Com- 
 mands in his Armies, are all Creatures of his 
 own, and fo are the Governors of Pro- 
 vinces, filled in the Language of the Country 
 Nabobs, who have again lefler Governments, 
 to which they appoint, called P boundaries. 
 Thus things actually flood under the long 
 Reign of Aurengzebe, and under the mort one 
 of his Son ; but fince the Days of his unfortu- 
 nate Grandfon, Mohammed Shah, who was 
 dethroned, and reflored by Thamas Kouli 
 Khan, the Moguls are no more than Shadows 
 of what they were ; and their Prerogatives 
 become rather Sounds than SuWlance. Thofe 
 Emirs or Nabobs, who govern great Provin- 
 ces, are fliled Subahs, which imports the 
 fame as Lord-Lieutenants or Vice-Roys. 
 Thefe Vice-Roys have ever held their Pro- 
 vinces of the Mogul, by rendering him a 
 
 yearly
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 7 
 
 yearly Tribute, and furnifhing their Contin- 
 gent of Troops, when demanded for his Ser- 
 vice } each of them exacting the like Services 
 from their fubordinate Governments; in both 
 the Nabobs and Phoufdars were fupreme, and 
 executed a kind of Sovereign Authority, fub- 
 jecl only to thofe from whom it was delegated, 
 and by whom it might be again taken away 
 when they thought fit. But now they affect a 
 kind of Independence, fend their Tribute to 
 Court when they efteem it convenient, and 
 that is but feldom : and devolve their Em- 
 ployments on their Heirs, who having imme- 
 diate PofTeiTion of the Means, find no great 
 Difficulty in getting themfelves confirmed, by 
 making proper Prcfents at Defy. If the Mo- 
 gul attempts to depofe any of them, the 
 Perlbn to whom he gives the Cqmmiflion 
 muft raife an Army, and force a Pafiage to 
 the Government bellowed upon him with his 
 Sword. The fame thing happens with re- 
 gard to the Phoufdars, removed by the JJu- 
 ba's ; and hence the Confufions that cnfuc, 
 whenever the Pretenders to the flimc Poll 
 (who are alfo fometimes fupported, as their 
 Intereft leads them, by the different trading 
 Nations upon the Coaft) to gratify their Ambi- 
 13 4 lion.
 
 S MEMOIRS of 
 
 tion, create implacable, ruinous, and endlefs 
 civil Wars. 
 
 As to the Gentoows, though Multitudes of 
 them live in the Cities and Provinces govern- 
 ed by the Officers of the Mogul, yet in the 
 mountainous Countries, and in fome others, 
 there are many who fr.il! maintain their Free- 
 dom, or rather are Slaves to Princes of their 
 own, {tiled Rajahs, amongfl whom the Ma- 
 hah Rajah, or King of the Marattes, is the 
 moft powerful. His Subjects inhabit the 
 Mountains to the South-Eail: of Goa, and he 
 has fometimes brought Armies of one Hun- 
 dred, and fometimes of two Hundred Thou- 
 fand Men into the Field, compofed moftly of 
 Horfe. Thefe, as well as the Troops of the 
 lefler Rajahs, of whom there are many, are 
 employed chiefly in predatory Expeditions, 
 and by making very rapid Incurfions, and no 
 lefs rapid Retreats, do a great deal of Mifchief 
 in a very little time. This has induced fome 
 of the wifeft amongft the Mogul Governors 
 to confent to the Payment of an annual 
 Tribute, ftiled the Chout, amounting to a 
 fourth Part of the Revenue of the Province, 
 to prevent thefe Inroads. The Nabobs like- 
 
 wife
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. y 
 
 wife frequently entertain the Troops of thefe 
 Rajahs in Pay, in order to increafe the Strength 
 of their own Armies. From this concife Ac- 
 count of Things, it will fufficiently appear, 
 that the Power of the Mogul is rather nomi- 
 nal than real j that a kind of Anarchy reigns 
 through the Country ; and that where there 
 is any Thing that refembles ever fo imper- 
 fectly a Form of Government, it has Force 
 for its Bafis, is fupported by Fraud, and that 
 in Fact there is hardly any fuch thing as legal 
 Authority fubfifting in any Part of the Em- 
 pire j io that to meafure the Rectitude of 
 Men's Actions in fuch a Country as this, and in 
 relation to fuch Governors as thefe, by the 
 fame Rules that take Place under regular 
 Eftablimments, where Laws are fettled and 
 known, and where Juflice is duly adminiftred, 
 is not at all founded either in Reafon or 
 Equity. 
 
 The Englim eftablifhed their Prefidency at 
 Calcutta^ towards the Clofe of the laft Cen- 
 tury, in virtue of a Phirmaund (Firman) 
 from the famous Aurengzebe, who much ex- 
 tended the Bounds of the Empire on this Side. 
 His Firman was confirmed, and the Privileges 
 
 of
 
 lo MEMOIRS^/ 
 
 of the Eajl 'India Company much augmented 
 by his great Grandfon Mohammed Furrukszr. 
 It is therefore indubitable, that having thefe 
 Conceflions made to them in the moft ample 
 and honourable Manner, and when the Mo- 
 gul Empire was in its moft flourifhing Con- 
 dition, the Englifo Nation had as firm and 
 folid a Right to their Pofleffions and Immu- 
 nities as that Conftitution could give. They 
 were not therefore certainly to be difturbed 
 or controuled by the Governor of the Pro- 
 vince, while they behaved themfelves peace- 
 ably and properly towards him. 
 
 The Company and the Servants of the 
 Company had ftricHy obferved the Terms up- 
 on which they were beftowed, and were ib 
 modeft, or rather fo cautious, as to keep much 
 within the Bounds of thofe Conceflions, and 
 chofe rather to wave fome of their Rights than 
 run the Hazard, under fo unfettled a Govern- 
 ment, of affording any Colour of Complaint. 
 The fame Spirit prevailed 5 the fame Care was 
 taken in all the Factories fubordinate to this 
 Prefidency. When Injuries were done them, 
 they applied to the Suba's for Relief; when 
 the Officers of thofe Vice-Roys, either with 
 
 or 
 
 4
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. n 
 
 or without their Knowlege, ventured upon 
 Exactions, they proceeded by Remonftrance. 
 If this had its Effect, they thought themfelves 
 happy j if not, they bore it with Patience, of 
 which many Inftances might be given. They 
 knew very well that Trade was their Bufinefs, 
 and that Difputes with the Country Govern- 
 ment muft be detrimental to their Interefts ; 
 and therefore fludied to avoid them. That 
 this was really the Cafe, that they had no ambi- 
 tious Views, that they had not the fmalleft In- 
 tention to perplex or to interfere with the late 
 Suba, appears to Demonftration, from his not 
 attempting to fix any fuch thing upon them ; 
 and frill more fo, from the Condition in which 
 he found them. 
 
 The old Suba of the three Provinces of 
 "Bengal^ Baber, and Orixa, who had advan- 
 ced himielf, and leized that Dignity in the 
 ufual Way, by a fortunate Audacity, flicking 
 at nothing to gratify his Thirft for Power, 
 Aliverdy Caivn, died much advanced in Years, 
 April the gth, I75<>> and was fucceeded by 
 his adopted Son Sure] a Doivlat (Sur Rajah al 
 Dowlat) who began his Adminiflration with 
 Ads of Violence, and Breach of Faith to feme 
 
 of
 
 ii MEMOIRS of 
 
 of his own Family ; and by that time he had 
 been a Month in PofTefficn of the high Office 
 he aflumed, manifefted his Averfion to the 
 'Englijb. 
 
 On what his Refentment to the Britifo 
 Nation was founded, he was himfelf at a Lofs 
 to fay ; and the trivial, inconfiftent, and in 
 various refpects ill-grounded Pretences, he 
 afterwards fuggefted, as the Motives to his 
 Conduct, evidently fhew they were contrived 
 rather to hide, than to declare the Intentions 
 from which he really acted. It has been af- 
 ferted, and very probably not without fuffi- 
 cient Foundation, that fome who knew his 
 violent and rapacious Difpofition, made their 
 Court to him, by reprefenting, that the Euro- 
 peans fettled in the Provinces he poflerTed 
 were immenfely rich ; that he might well ex- 
 pect confiderable Sums from them to merit his 
 Favour and Protection upon his Acceffion to 
 the Government j that he had a Force much 
 more than was adequate to the cruming them 
 abfolutely, if he fo pleafed -, that by compell- 
 ing them, under Colour of their coming as 
 Merchants only into Indo/lan, to defift from 
 raifmg any new Fortifications, he would have 
 
 them
 
 the Revolution /# BENGAL. 15 
 them always at his Mercy; and that in order 
 to fucceed effectually, and with little Trouble, 
 he mould, to prevent their making it a com- 
 mon Caufe, break only with one Nation at 
 a time ; and firft with the Britiflj, who could 
 pay him beft, and whofe Submiffion -would 
 prove an effectual Precedent to the French and 
 Dutch. It is not unlikely, that the Authors 
 of this Advice might alfo undertake to nego- 
 tiate a Compromife at a proper Juncture. 
 This, however, is certain ; that, before he pro- 
 ceeded to Hostilities, he had determined to 
 reduce Calcutta, and had taken all his Mea- 
 fures for that Purpofe, and difpofed his In- 
 ftruments properly with that View. 
 
 Caffimbuzar being fituated, as it were, at 
 his Door, was of courfe the firft attacked. 
 He caufed the Place to be inverted on the 
 Twenty-fecond of May, by a numerous Body 
 of Troops, and then invited Mr. Watts, who 
 was Chief of the Factory, to a Conference, 
 upon a Safe-Conduct. As the Place (in the 
 Opinion of the beft Judges) was indefenfible, 
 and if it had been defenfible, was without a 
 Garrifon j as in point of Ceremony it was the 
 ufual Cuftom for the Chief of that Factory to 
 
 com-
 
 14, MEMOIRS^" 
 
 compliment every new Suba on his afluming 
 that Office, and Mr. Watts had all imaginable 
 Reafon to hope a good Reception, he accepted 
 that Invitation, and went to the Suba's Camp, 
 where, contrary to his Faith, and in Breach of 
 thofe Engagements which are in that Country 
 held facred, he feized and detained him, till 
 by purfuing the fame Conduct, and intermix- 
 ing Fraud and Force againft thofe who had 
 cot the Means, and perhaps were doubtful 
 whether they Jiad any Authority to refifr, he 
 pofTefTed himfelf of Cafjimbuzar^ on the fourth 
 of June, and then made no farther Secret of 
 his Defign to deprive the Englijh of all their 
 Settlements, to which, according to the Con- 
 flitution of the Mogul Empire, they had a 
 much better Right than he had to his Domi- 
 nions. Thus the Troubles of Bengal were be- 
 gun by him in whofe Ruin they ended. 
 
 This Step taken, his next Enterprise was 
 directly againft Calcutta ; to reduce which, 
 the Suba marched with an Army of Seventy 
 thoufand Men, and, when he became Mafter 
 of it, acted with a Degree of infolent Cruelty, 
 of which the World is too well apprized al- 
 ready, to need any Detail of it here. Let it 
 
 fuffice
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 17 
 
 fuffice then to fay, that the Suba wreaked his 
 Malice, for Vengeance it could not be ftiled, 
 upon a Multitude of innocent People, who 
 had never given him the fmalleft Offence. 
 Having deftroyed the Place, recalled, and then 
 again difperfed the Inhabitants, and with the 
 fame lawlefs Violence extorted large Sums 
 from the French and Dutch Factories, that he 
 might feem to manifeft a general Diftafte to 
 Europeans, he returned to Muxadpvad in 
 Triumph. 
 
 He had full five Months from this Period 
 to recollect himfelf, and to confider the Effects 
 of thefe bold and arbitrary Proceedings, and 
 in which he might have concerted either the 
 Means of reftoring the Peace of the Province, 
 or of fortifying his own Strength in fuch a man- 
 ner as to be able to make Head againfr. all his 
 Enemies j for he began to find, that befides 
 thofe this wanton Exercife of his Power had 
 excited, he had feveral amongft fuch as ( had 
 been fubject to the Authority, and even fin- 
 cereiy attached to the Perfon of his Predecef- 
 for. But his extreme Haughtinefs, and his 
 perpetual Sufpicions, joined to the natural 
 Mutability of his Temper, and Want of Ex- 
 perience,
 
 16 MEMOIRS^/ 
 
 perience, being a very young Man, rendered 
 him equally incapable of correcting paft Er- 
 rors, or of digefting any well-conne&ed Plan, 
 and fupporting it with that Firmnefs, without 
 which Succefsis not to be expected. Sometimes 
 obftinate, moftly irrefolute, he forfeited equally 
 the Efteem of Foreigners and Neighbours; and 
 by an unaccountable Compound of Ficklenefs 
 and Severity, loft the Confidence of all, and 
 excited the Secret Hatred of moft of thofe 
 who were about him. 
 
 On the Fifth of December Admiral Watjon 
 anchored with his Squadron in BaHaforeR.oa.d 
 to which Place Mr. Watts and Mr. Becher y 
 both Gentlemen of the Council, were fent to 
 congratulate his Arrival, and to acquaint him 
 with the Situation of their Affairs j Mr. Watts 
 having been releafed by the Nabob in July. 
 Ten Days after the Squadron arrived at Fulfa, 
 where, without Lofs of Time, Meafures were 
 concerted for retrieving the Honour of the 
 Engli/b Nation, and reftoring the Affairs of 
 the Company. The Force was not great, but 
 it was directed by Men of determined Cou- 
 rage, and of diftinguiflicd Capacities. Admi- 
 ral Watfon, and the Commander in Chief of 
 
 the
 
 the "Revolution in B E N G A L. 17 
 trie Land Forces, Colonel C/ive, who, after 
 performing Wonders in other Parts of the 
 Indies^ came to perform flill greater Wonders 
 here, and brought With him a Reputation 
 that abundantly fupplied the Want of Num- 
 bers. Ori the Twenty-eighth, the Fleet pro- 
 deeded up the River. On the Twenty-ninth, 
 Colonel CHve landed j and the very next Day, 
 with the Afliftance of the Squadron, made 
 himfelf Matter of the Fort of Bujbudgia-, 
 which, though a Place of great Strength, if it 
 had been well defended, was taken with lit- 
 tle Lofs, and proved the happy Omen of all 
 the mighty Things which afterwards followed. 
 
 On New- Year's- Day, 1757, fome of his 
 Majefty's Ships cannonaded the Batteries, 
 which had been ccnftrucled by the Enemy 
 for the Defence of Calcutta -, where they had 
 a confiderable Force ; and this with fuch 
 Succefs, that when the Troops debarked, they 
 were abandoned. On the Second, the Eng- 
 glffb re-poffefied themfelves of their demolifh- 
 ed Settlement; finding in the Fort, as they 
 had done on the Batteries, a numerous Artil- 
 lery left behind, by thofc, who had not either 
 Skill or Courage to ufc them. After this Suc- 
 C cefs 5
 
 18 MEMOIRSO/* 
 
 cefs, it was refolved to proceed up the River 
 to Hugbley, a very populous Town, full of 
 Warehoufes and Magazines j and in that, as 
 well as other refpects, a Place of Confe- 
 quence ; and fo much the fafer from our 
 Naval Force, as it could not be reached by 
 large Ships. On the Fifth, Captain Smith in 
 the Bridgewater t and the Sloop of War, an- 
 chored within Reach, and fired warmly upon 
 the Town j and being feconded by all the 
 armed Boats in the Fleet, it was very foon re- 
 duced. The better to diflrefs the Enemy, 
 the more to alarm the Province, and to work 
 upon the Suba's governing Paffion, Fear j Or- 
 ders were given, though with much Reluct- 
 ance, for burning the Houfes, and for de- 
 ftroying, particularly, all the Magazines on 
 both Sides of the River j which Orders were 
 very punctually executed, and thereby Ipeedily 
 produced the defired Effects. 
 
 Both Vice-Admiral Watfon and Colonel 
 CUve had written, towards the Clofe of the 
 preceding Year, in as civil and polite Terms 
 to the Suba, as the Circumftances of Things 
 would allow, with a View to bring about a 
 Treaty. But that Prince, who had an Army 
 
 about
 
 tfo Revolution in BENGAL. 19 
 about him, and vvhofe Reftntments ran as 
 high as ever, was either not inclined, or did 
 not care to (hew an Inclination, to come 
 to any Terms. It was this, that made the 
 Expedition to Hugbley requifite j and up- 
 on the Lofs of that, and the Supplies he 
 had there, his Confidence immediately a- 
 bated, and he condefcended to anfwer the 
 Letters, affirming that he had already writ- 
 ten, but that he had Reafon to believe, thofe 
 Letters had not been delivered. Yet even 
 now, when he found it was necefTary to offer 
 a Negotiation, and to exprefs a Willingnefs to 
 reinstate the Company in their Factories, he 
 added, as if requifite to fupport his Character, 
 that if the Englifo thought they could reap 
 greater Benefits by purfuing the War, they 
 might ftill proceed in their military Opera- 
 tions j as if, by this Appearance of Indifference, 
 he could conceal the Terror he was under, 
 from what had already happened. To fup- 
 port this Air of Intrepidity, he made, at the 
 fame Time, a Motion with his Army towards 
 Calcutta* 
 
 Colonel Clive having communicated thefe 
 
 Propofals to the Select Committee, entrufled 
 
 C 2 with
 
 ao MEMOIRS of 
 
 with the Management of the Affairs of the FaO 
 tory, they fent MefTieurs Waljh and Scrafton, 
 as Deputies, to the Camp of the Suba, who, 
 either deceived by this into an Opinion that 
 he was ftill formidable to the EngUfo^ or de- 
 firous of impofing upon the Deputies, behaved 
 towards them with fuch a Mixture of Haugh- 
 tinefs and Contempt, as gave little Hopes of 
 their making any great Progrefs in their Bufi- 
 nefs ; and therefore, after fome Delay, the 
 Vice-Admiral and the Colonel were obliged 
 to refume their former Meafures, and to think 
 of making a frem ImprefTion on the Suba, 
 that might convince him, he had as much to 
 dread from the Land-Forces as the Fleet. In 
 order to this, it . was concerted, that a De- 
 tachment of Seamen, commanded by Captain 
 Warwick, mould land and join the Army, 
 and that Colonel dive mould then force the 
 Nabob's Camp. The Captain accordingly de- 
 barked, upon the Fifth of February, about 
 One in the Morning : At Two they came up 
 with the Forces, which were under Arms. 
 By Three, every Thing was in Order, and 
 they began to move towards the Enemy j the 
 Sailors attending the Train, which confifted 
 of Six Field Pieces, and one Haubitzer. About
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 21 
 Five, the Action began, and the Artillery 
 playing on the Right and Left, Colonel Ctive 
 marched his Troops directly through the 
 Camp of the Suba ; though he had between 
 Forty and Fifty thoufand Men, and obliged 
 him, with great Lofs, to diilodge, and even 
 to abandon fome of the Ports that he took 
 after his Retreat j and this, with very little 
 Detriment to his very fmall Army, not above 
 Forty Men being killed, and not fo many as 
 Seventy wounded. This briik Attack, fe- 
 conded by a Letter from Vice-Admiral Wat- 
 Jon, intimating, that this was a Specimen 
 only of what the Britijh Arms, when pro- 
 voked, could perform, anfwered the Intention 
 perfectly. The Suba immediately defired to 
 renew the Negotiation, which went on with 
 fuch Alacrity, that it was concluded and 
 figned upon the Ninth, by which an end was 
 put to a War, that had fubfifted about Nine 
 JVIonths. This Treaty was conceived in the 
 following Terms. 
 
 I. Whatever Rights and Privileges the King 
 
 has granted the EngUfo Company, in their 
 
 fhirmaund, and the Hufhulhoorums fent 
 
 C 3 from
 
 24 MEMOIRS 0/* 
 
 from Deify, fhall not be difputed, or taken 
 from them j and the Immunities therein 
 mentioned, be acknowledged and ftand good. 
 Whatever Villages are given the Company by 
 the Phirmaund, fhall like wife be granted, 
 notwithstanding they have been denied by 
 former Subahs. The Zemindars of thofe Vil- 
 lages not to be hurt qr difplaced, without 
 Caufe. 
 
 Signed by the Nabob, in his own Hand. 
 I agree to the Terms of the Phirmaund. 
 
 II. All Goods pafling and repafiing through 
 the Country, by Land or Water, with Eng- 
 l'ijh Duflicks, fhall be exempt from any Tax, 
 Fee, or Impofition whatever. 
 
 I agree to this. 
 
 III. All the Company's Factories, feized 
 by the Nabob, fhall be returned. Ail Mor 
 nies, Goods, and Effe&s, belonging to the 
 Company, their Servants and Tenants, and 
 yvhich have been feized and taken by the 
 
 Nabob,
 
 tie 'Revolution in BENGAL. 23 
 Nabob, (hall be reftored ; what has been 
 plundered and pillaged by his People, made 
 good by the Payment of fuch a Sum of Mo- 
 ney, as his Juftice fhall think reafonable. 
 
 I agree to rejlore whatever has been feized 
 and taken by my Orders, and accounted for 
 in my Sincary. 
 
 IV. That we have Permiflion to fortify 
 Calcutta, in fuch Manner as we may think 
 proper, without Interruption. 
 
 I confint to this. 
 
 V. That we fliall have Liberty to coin 
 Siccas, both of Gold and Silver, of .equal 
 Weight and Finenefs with thofe of Muxada- 
 vad, which fhall. pafs in the Provinces. 
 
 / confent to the Englilh Company's coining 
 their own Imports of Bullion and Gold into 
 Siccas. 
 
 VI. That a Treaty fliall be ratified, by 
 Signing and Sealing, and fwearing to abide 
 by the Articles therein contained; not only 
 
 C 4 ly
 
 24 MEMOIRS^ 
 
 by the Nabob, but his principal Officers and 
 
 Minifters. 
 
 J have fealed and figned the Articles, 
 before the Prejence of God. 
 
 VII. That Admiral Watfon and Colonel 
 Clive, on the Part and Behalf of the EngliJIj 
 Nation, and of the Company, do agree to 
 Jive in a good Underflanding with the Nabob, 
 to put an End to thefe Troubles, and to be 
 in Friendmip with him, while thefe Articles 
 are performed and obferved by the Nabob. 
 
 I have fealed and figned the foregoing 
 Articles^ upon thefe Terms, that if the Go- 
 vernor and Council will fign and feal them* 
 'with the Company 's Sea/, and will fivear to 
 the Performance on their Party 1 then con? 
 fent and agree to them. 
 
 Jn this Treaty, the intelligent {leader will 
 fee, there were Three great Points furHciently 
 explained, to fhew the Injuftice and Oppref- 
 fion of the Suba, in his Attack upon the 
 Englijh Settlement?, even upon Reflexion in 
 his own Opinion, tho* far from being as pon r 
 
 clufive
 
 the Revolution in B E tf G A L . 25 
 
 in refpeft to the Remedies and In- 
 demnifications, that, in confequence of fo full 
 a Declaration, were to be procured. The Firft 
 regarded the PofTefTions, Immunities, and 
 Privileges, conceded to the Eaft India Com- 
 pany, by the Royal Phirmaund, which Suraja 
 Dowlat acknowleged to have violated, pro- 
 rnifed Restitution, and undertook, in the 
 mofl folemn Manner, not to invade them 
 again. But as this was conceived only in 
 general Terms, thefe Rights, and the Limits 
 of their refpeclive Pofleffions, required a 
 thorough DifcufTion. The next was, as to 
 the Fortifications of Calcutta; the Legality 
 and Expediency of which he now admitted in 
 their utmoft Extent, as being plainly necef- 
 fary to the Security of the Place, the Britijh 
 Inhabitants, and even of the Mogul\ Sub- 
 jects, living under its Protection j and to this 
 was added, the Coinage of their own Im- 
 ports, in Gold and Silver, to which they had 
 always a Right, though it had not been ex- 
 erciied. The lafl was, the full and imme- 
 diate Compenfation, which he flipulatcd, for 
 all the Damages the Company, and thofe 
 dependent upon it, had fuftained ; but which 
 Jie contracted only to make, fo far as the 
 
 Produce
 
 26 MEMOIRS of 
 
 Produce of the PJ under fhould appear to 
 have come into his Hands. It was evident, 
 therefore, that, though in Words and in Ap- 
 pearance much had been obtained by the 
 Peace, this flill depended, in a great Mea- 
 fure, as to the moft material Part, the Per- 
 formance, on the proper Settling of thefe Ar- 
 ticles, and the Liquidation of the Damages, 
 in reference to which, the Sincerity of the 
 Suba's Intention, and his Readinefs to execute 
 what he had undertaken, was almoft the 
 fole Security. In order to adjuft thefe Points, 
 without which the Treaty was of very little 
 Confequence to thofe ruined and undone by 
 the War, the Select Committee very pro- 
 perly made choice of Mr. William Watts, 
 who had been their Chief at Caffimbuzar, who 
 was one of the Members of that Committee, 
 a Perfon well known to the Nabob, and who 
 had been, as the Suba himfelf owned, the firft 
 innocent and caufelefs Victim to his Refent- 
 ment, or rather Caprice. His Acceptance of 
 this CommifTion, by which he was again to 
 put himfelf into the Power of this unfleady 
 Prince, in fo critical a Conjuncture, and 
 charged with fo troublefome and intricate a 
 Negotiation, was a very full Proof of his 
 
 Fide-
 
 tie Revolution in BENGAL. 27 
 Fidelity to, and Zeal for, the Interefts of the 
 Company ; as it likewife was an evident Tef- 
 timony of the good Opinion of his Afibciates ; 
 who, upon mature Deliberation, invefted him 
 folely with fo great a Truft, 
 
 He was, indeed, in every refpect, fitted 
 for this Employment (had there been any 
 Competitor) ; an Employment, by far the 
 weightieft, and of the mod Confequence, of 
 any in Bengal. He had been many Years in the 
 Country j was well acquainted with the Lan- 
 guage, as well as accuftomed to the Manners 
 and Difpofition of the Inhabitants ; was much 
 efteemed, and had many Connections with 
 them. He underftood their Politics alfo, at 
 leaft as much as fuch fluctuating Politics as 
 theirs could be underftood j the true Intereft 
 of the Province, and the Conftitution of In- 
 dojlan in general, and the State of the neigh- 
 bouring Governments in particular. Befides, 
 he was perforially known to all the Mini- 
 fters, and had received very fingular Marks 
 of Efteem from the Suba himfelf. Add to 
 all this, that the Company, in cafe of the 
 Death or Refignation of Mr. Drake, had 
 Appointed this Gentleman to the Govern- 
 
 ment
 
 8 M E M o i fc s of 
 
 ment of Calcutta, which, taken together, 
 proves, that this Choice was not the Work 
 of Chance or Favour, but proceeded from 
 mature Deliberation, and a juft Regard to 
 the Confequence of that Negotiation, in 
 which he was to be employed. 
 
 The Perplexities fpringing from fuch a Va- 
 riety and Complication of Matters that were 
 to be adjufted, the Mutability of the Suba's 
 Nature, and his Want of Judgment and Ex- 
 perience, and the Difficulties naturally ariling 
 in fettling the Concemons, which had been juft 
 extorted from him by Treaty, were not the 
 only Circumftances that embar railed this Ne- 
 gotiation. The French, perfectly well in-r 
 formed of every Step taken or intended, and 
 no lefs fkilled in the Art of Intrigue, had mod 
 effectually retained feveral of thole whom 
 the Suba frequently confulted, or chiefly 
 trufled, in their Interefl by gratifying them 
 with Prefents. They had flill a more power- 
 ful Tie on them than this, being in Debt 
 Thirteen Lack of Rupees, or upwards of One 
 hundred and Sixty thoufand Pounds Sterling, 
 to Juggut Seat, the greateft Banker in the 
 Empire of Indoftan> and the Second in Power
 
 the Revolution in B E N G A L. 2p 
 
 in Bengal; to whofe Advice for many Years 
 pafl the Subas paid the greatefl Attention. 
 They very well knew, that Men might be 
 falfe to their Benefactors ; but they rightly 
 judged, that even the word of Men, more 
 efpecially when avaricious, would be true, 
 where they could not poffibly be falfe, with- 
 out betraying their own Intereft. Under 
 Circumftances like thefe, there was no Pro- 
 bability, indeed there was no Poflibility, of fo 
 much as attempting any Thing, but in the 
 Mode of the Court ; that is, by oppofing Cor- 
 ruption to Corruption, making Friends of the 
 Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs, and getting up- 
 on even Ground with thofe, with whom they 
 were obliged to contend. 
 
 But in order to underftand the whole of 
 this Matter thoroughly, we muft confider the 
 State that Affairs were then in, with refpet 
 to the two contending Nations. Advice of the 
 breaking out of the War, between Great 
 Britain and France, arrived in India > the 
 very Day after the Treaty was concluded with 
 the Suba; and of courfe opened a new Scene. 
 From being commercial and political Rivals, 
 we were now become open Enemies j a Cir- 
 
 '"mftance
 
 b MEMOIRS*?/* 
 
 cumftance which we were very fure the* 
 French would improve, and which therefore 
 it was our Duty not to neglect. We had at 
 prefent a Fleet and an Army 5 for however 
 fmali they might be, as Matters flood, they 
 both deferved thofe Titles, and this gave us 
 great Advantages. On the other Hand, the 
 former was foon to quit the Coaft, and per- 
 haps Part of the latter, which was a great 
 Difadvantage. The capital Point, therefore, 
 vvas to avail ourfelves of them, while they re- 
 mained, fo as to fettle Things upon a ftable 
 Foundation, with regard to the French, as 
 well as to the Nabob, before the Seafon 
 came in which the Fleet was to return. In 
 fefpecl: to the former, the Admiral and Co- 
 lonel CUve, with the Afliflance of the Select 
 Committee, were to take the beft Meafures 
 -they could j and Mr. Watts was to regulate 
 the latter ; and his Succefs, or Want of Suc- 
 cefs, muft have apparently had fuch an In- 
 fluence upon the whole, that the Reader mofl 
 certainly needs not be informed, how much 
 depended upon his Courage, Conduct, and 
 Capacity. 
 
 The Intereft the French had in the Court 
 
 of
 
 ike Revolution in BENGAL. 31 
 
 of the Suba, and their Method of acquiring 
 it, have been already dated. This they 
 would have underftood'to be barely for their 
 own Support and Security ; but however, 
 there were fbme Surmifes, that it was alfo, 
 and had ever been, not a little to our Preju- 
 dice. It was whifpered, that the Favour 
 mewn them, in Comparifon of the Dutch., 
 after the Deftruction of our Settlements, when 
 he affected to fine both Nations for aug- 
 menting the Works about their refpeclive 
 Factories, was, in Confideration of their 
 having fecretly furnifhed Artillery, when he 
 marched againft Calcutta. This was a Suf- 
 picion in the Indies^ and as fuch only is men- 
 tioned j but it is very certain, that the Letters 
 wrote Home to Europe were entirely in 
 Suraja Dowlafs Favour, containing a very un- 
 fair, and, which was much worfe, a very 
 plaufible, but utterly falfe Reprefentation of 
 the Grounds of the Quarrel, which was pub- 
 limed to our Prejudice in all the foreign 
 Gazettes. 
 
 When Mr. Watts fet out for tbe Suba's 
 Refidence, he was accompanied by Omicbund> 
 an eminent Merchant of Calcutta, ' who was 
 
 well
 
 jl MEMOIRS e/* 
 
 well knowrt to the Suba, and his Miniflers.' 
 This Merchant, Mr. Watts fent to Hughley, 
 to difcover, as far as he could, what were 
 the real Intentions of the Mbors, in cafe we 
 attacked Chandenagcre. He returned the next 
 Day, February the Eighteenth, with a very 
 diftind~l Account. He had been informed by 
 Nuncomar, the Phoufdar, 6r Governor of 
 Hughley, that the very Day before, Two Per- 
 fons, Seen Bawboo and Montrd Mullj arrived 
 from the Nabob, with a Lack of Rupees; a3 
 a Prefent to the French Factory; and alfo 
 with Orders to the Phoufdar, to affift the 
 French, if attacked ; or if they were the Ag- 
 greflbrs, to affift the EngliJJj. Mr. Watts 
 was too well acquainted with the Genius of 
 the Moors, and the Temper of the Suba, to 
 be deceived by this Shew of Impartiality. He 
 confidered the Prefent as a Declaration in 
 Favour of the French ; and the Stile of his 
 Orders as calculated to amufe the Englifo. 
 Omicbund was entirely of the fame Opinion. 
 Mr. Watts, therefore, advifcd the Select Com- 
 mittee to attack Chandenagore without Delay, 
 afluring them, that they had nothing to ap- 
 prehend from the Refentment of the Suba ; 
 that if once the two Nations were engaged 
 
 in
 
 the Revolution /# BENGAL. 33 
 in Hoftilities, the Moors would not come to 
 the Succour of either ; and that after all, there 
 were but Three hundred Matchlock Men in 
 Uughley. He faw from the Beginning the 
 Michief that was to be feared ; and the only 
 Remedy that could be applied. He therefore 
 very freely pointed out the one, and very 
 warmly recommended the other. It had beea 
 a very happy Event, if his Counfel had been 
 then taken. 
 
 On the Twenty-firft of February^ in the 
 Evening, Mr. Watts arrived in the Camp, and 
 had his Audience of the Suba, who embraced 
 him, gave him the ftrongeft Aflurances that 
 every thing fhould be adjufted fpeedily, and 
 to his Satisfaction ; adding a Promife of the 
 Surpau, (Sirrapah) or Veft of Honour, which, 
 however, Mr. Watts declined receiving, till 
 they came to Muxadavad. He was very foon 
 fenfible of the Difficulty of his Tafk, the 
 Pains he mufl be at in tracing the Goods *a- 
 ken from their feveral Factories, the procur- 
 ing actual Reftitution in fome Cafes, an equi- 
 table Equivalent in others ; the restoring a free 
 Commerce, which had been flopped, by ex- 
 prefs Orders, from the very Beginning of die 
 D Trou-
 
 34 MEMO IRS o/* 
 
 Troubles; and in doing all this, of the almofl 
 infurmountable Obftacles that the Mutabi- 
 lity of the Suba's Inclinations, the Intrigues 
 of the French^ the Iniinuations of Minifters, 
 fwayed folely by their own Interefts, would 
 throw in his Way. But he faw, that the 
 true Source of all thefe Embarraffments was 
 the Suba's Infmcerity, and the Scheme he had 
 formed of refuming his Defpotifm, in regard 
 to the Europeans, by borrowing their own 
 Afliftance, and playing one Nation againft 
 another, till, by the weakening of their Forces 
 in fuch Difputes, he became too ilrong for 
 both. His Project was too great for his Ca- 
 pacity; he did what he could to execute it, 
 but it was beyond his Force, and his very 
 manner of managing it defeated his Defign. 
 
 The public Declarations of this irrefolute 
 Prince, were diametrically oppofite to the 
 whole Tenor of his Conduct. He had no 
 focner concluded the Treaty with Us, than 
 he wrote to Admiral Watfon in the warmeft 
 Terms of Friendship, and in a very remark- 
 able Letter to Colonel Ch've affurcs him, that 
 our Enemies fhould be his, as he expected 
 tliat we mould look upon his Enemies as 
 
 ours i
 
 the Revolution in B E N G A L. 35 
 
 ours ; and that he depended upon the Affift- 
 ance of the EngHJh for maintaining the future 
 Tranquility of his Dominions. But when 
 Mr. Watts communicated to him at large the 
 Reafons that might induce us to reduce the 
 French Settlement at Chandencigore^ he made 
 no Scruple of altering his Language. He 
 then faid, he would not fuffer the Peace of 
 his Territories to be violated by either Na- 
 tion ; that he would protect both, while they 
 remained quiet; that he would affift the 
 French with all his Forces, if we, after this, 
 ever attacked them ; and that he would join 
 us in like Manner, if we were attacked by 
 the French. All this, however, was far from 
 impofing on thofe who were at the Head of 
 our Affairs. Mr. Watts framed his Precau- 
 tions fo well, that he knew exactly the 
 Meafures which the Suba took, or was in- 
 clined to take, and gave the mofl early In- 
 telligence of them to the Select Committee, 
 who, from thence, were well enabled to take 
 their own ; by which his Schemes were 
 difappointed without Noife, and withont fo 
 much as fufpecling their having any fuch In- 
 formations ; though thefc came chiefly from 
 his own Head-Spy, who, by an Application 
 D i thcfe
 
 $6 M E M O I R S of 
 
 thefe Sort of People rarely can refift, Mr. 
 Watts had brought over entirely to the Com- 
 pany's Interefts. 
 
 By comparing his private Intrigues with 
 fome of his more public Tranfactions, there 
 could not be a Shadow of Doubt left as to 
 his real Intentions, though he always dilTem- 
 bled, and often difavowed them. Immediate- 
 ly after his Treaty with Us, and confequently 
 after he knew that they were our Enemies, 
 he beftowed upon them very confpicuous 
 Marks of Kindnefs, and fuch as could- not 
 fail of affording Umbrage to the EngUJh. He 
 made them, as has been before-mentioned, a 
 Prefent of a Lack of Rupees in ready Mo- 
 ney; he cancelled an Obligation they had 
 given him for twice that Sum j he promifed 
 them the Privileges of a Mint ; he propofed 
 granting them a very confiderable Augmen- 
 tation of Territory ; and even went fo far, as 
 to offer them the Pofleffion of the City of 
 
 * 
 
 Ilughley. Thefe were Circumftances that 
 indicated their landing much in his good 
 Graces, or that he expected from them Ser- 
 vices equivalent to thefe fubflantial and ex- 
 traordinary Benefits. The Truth, as far as it 
 
 could
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 37 
 could ever be discovered, was this. They, and 
 his Minifters in their Intereft, made him be- 
 lieve their Strength in his Dominions to be 
 very far beyond what it really was. Befides 
 this, they magnified their Succefles in other 
 Parts, and took a great deal of Pains to per- 
 fuade him, that Mr. Biiffy, with a very nu- 
 merous Army, was within a little Diftance 
 of his Territories, and might either fall up- 
 on, or come to his Support againft, any Ene- 
 my, according as he fhould behave towards 
 them. Thefe Reprcfentations, the Nature of 
 the Suba confidered, may in ibme meafure, 
 and only in fome meafure, account for the 
 Part that he acted. 
 
 As Mr. Watts was upon the Spot, watch- 
 ed every Motion of the Suba, knew exactly 
 the Character of his Courtiers and principal 
 Ministers, and had the mod certain Intelli- 
 gence of every thing that pailed, he con- 
 tinued to reprefent the Neceflity of attacking 
 Cbandenagore. He faw that, as far as his Ti- 
 midity would furler him to go, the Suba was 
 already united to the French. He was fatis- 
 fied that he dealt deceitfully wiih the Eug- 
 lijb -, more efpecially after Mr. Watts pyevail- 
 D 3 td
 
 38 M E M O I R S of 
 
 ed on Colonel CKve to write to the Suba, in 
 the ftrongeft Terms, that he might confide 
 in him on every Occafion , and that on any 
 Emergency he would march at his Re- 
 queft to his Affiftance, againft all his Ene- 
 mies. After this, the Suba never mentioned 
 any Defire or Thoughts of demanding Aid 
 from the Britijb Nation. Mr. Watts was 
 therefore convinced that we could never 
 gain him ; and that, though now he tempo- 
 rized, he waited only a fit Seafon to act 
 againft us, in Conjunction with the French, 
 upon whom he was daily heaping Favours, 
 while it was with much Difficulty, and in 
 confequencc of repeated Soliicitations, he was 
 ever brought to do common Juftice to us. In 
 this Situation Mr. Watts exhorted the Ad- 
 miral, the Colonel, and the Select Commit- 
 tee, not to let flip this favourable Opportunity, 
 and to apprehend nothing from the Suba's 
 Refentment, who would never venture to 
 give them any Succours, or take an open Part 
 in their Favour, or to our Prejudice. But if 
 the Fleet was once gone, and a fair Occafion 
 offered, he would .as certainly embrace it, 
 and begin a new War, with as little Scruple 
 as he had done the laft, with more Advan- 
 tage
 
 the Revolution ///BENGAL. 39 
 
 tage on his Side, and lefs on ours : Argu- 
 ments, which, though ftrong and felf-evident, 
 did not meet with general Acceptance. 
 
 The Select Committee, though they paid 
 great Deference to the Advice, and had a 
 very juft Senfe of the Zeal, of Mr. Watts, 
 for the Nation and the Company's Service ; 
 yet they were very unwilling to venture again 
 upon Hostilities, from a ftrong Sufpicion that 
 the Suba, whether he actually joined the 
 Enemy or not, would fufpend the Execu- 
 cution of the Treaty, renew the Interruption 
 of their Trade, and by that Means hinder 
 their Inveftments for another Year. They 
 knew fo well, and dreaded fo much, the Con- 
 .fequences that would have inevitably attend- 
 ed fuch an Event, that, in fpite of all Mr. 
 Watts could allege, they inclined to a Neu- 
 trality. This was an Expedient the Suba had 
 propofed, and was another vifible Indication 
 of what were his fecret and fettled Intentions. 
 The Sentiments, or rather the Solicitations 
 of the Select Committee, prevailed upon the 
 Admiral and the Colonel to acquiefce in this 
 Plan j infomuch that the latter wrote in very 
 ftrong and pathetic Terms to the Suba, in- 
 D 4 formin
 
 4O MEMOIRS o/" 
 
 forming him, that whatever Reprefentations 
 of a contrary Nature he might have received, 
 yet himfelf was very confident, that his Forces 
 were able to reduce Chandenagore in Two 
 days j neverthelefs, in confideration of the 
 great Repugnancy he mewed to the difturb- 
 ing the Tranquility of the Province, he 
 would, out of pure Regard to the Suba's 
 Friendfhip, confent to fuch a Neutrality as 
 he propofed, provided it was guarantied by 
 him, and he folemnly undertook to act with 
 all his Forces againft that Nation by which 
 it was firft infringed. 
 
 When Mr. Watts faw, that after all he had 
 offered againfl it, this Point was driven thus 
 far, and that in all Probability it would be 
 fpeedily concluded, he turned his Thoughts 
 to the giving it flill greater Security, and with 
 that View advifed, that Juggut Seat mould 
 undertake for the due Performance of what- 
 ever mould be agreed upon by the French ; 
 which, confidering the Influence that his Debt 
 gave him over them, and the high Credit 
 in which he ftood with the Suba and his 
 Minifters, appeared to be the only Method of 
 giving to this Meafure the utmofl Confifl- 
 
 ency
 
 the Revolution in B E N G A L. 41 
 
 ency of which it was capable. This mews 
 how perfectly well-difpofed Mr. Watts was 
 to facilitate any Step taken for the Company's 
 Service, though ever fo contrary to his own 
 Opinion ; and at the fame Time affords a 
 Proof of his thorough Knowlege of Men and 
 Things in that Country, by which he was 
 enabled to devife the Means of rendering this 
 Convention more fafe and more effectual, than 
 any that had been propofed by fuch as had 
 originally planned, and now preiTed its Exe- 
 cution. But though he difcovercd fo much 
 Integrity, and fo much Abilities in fuggefting 
 this additional Strength to a Neutrality, he 
 flill looked upon it as diametrically oppofite 
 to the Company's true Intereft, and as the 
 fingle Step that could ever put it in the Power 
 of the Suba and the French , to bring their 
 deep and dangerous Defigns to bear. 
 
 But when all fecmed to be abfolutcly fet- 
 tled, and nothing wanting to this Neutrality but 
 the concluding and iigning it in Form, the 
 French themfelves overturned it, by avowing 
 that they had no furHcicnt Authority to lup- 
 port an Aft of that Nature, which might be 
 declared invalid by their Superiors. Mr. Watts 
 
 im-
 
 42 MEMOIRS^/" 
 
 immediately laid hold on and improved this 
 very unexpected Incident, by reprefenting, in 
 the ftrongeft Light, to the Suba, the Con- 
 defcenfion fhewn him by the Eritijh by ac- 
 cepting, and the Indignity offered to him by 
 the French in rejecting, his Expedient. This 
 had fo great an Effect, that in the firfl 
 Tranfport of his Refentment he directed a 
 Letter to be written to Vice-Admiral Watfon, 
 in which he tacitly permitted the Attack of 
 the French Factory, by recommending Mercy 
 to the Enemy when it mould be reduced ; 
 and defiring the military Operations of the 
 Englijh might be conducted with as little 
 Prejudice to his Country, or Difturbance to 
 his People, as it was poffible. Mr. Watts, 
 who had fecured the Suba's Secretary to our 
 Intereft, engaged him to pen this important 
 Epiflle in a proper Stile, fo as to permit the 
 Attack immediately, and to difpatch it with- 
 out Delay : Precautions, which were of the 
 utmofl Confequence, and which, in the Event, 
 gave us ail thofe Advantages we afterwards 
 reaped, and which, through the Blefling of 
 Divine Providence, we ftill poffefs in Bengal. 
 
 As there was great Addrefs ufed in ob- 
 taining
 
 tie Revolution in BENGAL. 4.3 
 taining this Letter, fo it arrived in the moft 
 critical Conjuncture. For, notwithftanding 
 the French had avowed their Want of Power 
 to conclude an effectual Neutrality, yet fb 
 much were fome afraid of recurring again to 
 Arms, that they were ftill for accepting of 
 this Expedient, however precarious. Upon 
 this, Admiral Watjbn held a Council of War, 
 to conlider what was moft proper to be done ; 
 and it was while this Council was actually 
 fitting, wherein thofe who argued yet for a 
 Neutrality infifted chiefly upon the Suba's 
 Repugnancy to fee the Flame of War, fo 
 lately extinguished, again rekindled in his 
 Dominions, that this Letter was brought, 
 which cut die Gordian Knot, and put an End 
 to the Debate. How the French came to act 
 in this Manner, and by fo frank a Declara- 
 tion defeat the Scheme of the Suba, and run 
 themfelves upon Deftru&ion, is not eafy to 
 conceive. In all Probability, they did not 
 imagine, that even, after this, we would ven- 
 ture to fall upon them, and they were wil- 
 ling to preferve to themfclves, againft a pro- 
 per Seafon, the Liberty of attacking us ; or, 
 which is yet more probable, depended on the 
 Suba's exerting his whole Force, in Cafe of 
 
 our
 
 44 ME MO i R s of 
 
 our befieging 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 Tranfaction mewed how much better 
 Mr. Watts was acquainted with the Difpofition 
 of the Moors, and more thoroughly Ma- 
 fler of the Suba's Temper, and Manner of 
 acting, notwithftanding the Intrigues they had 
 been fo long carrying on in his Court, and 
 their having fuch Connections with his Fa- 
 vourites and Minifters.' But let us now 
 return from Reflections to Facts, and having 
 clearly ftated this very remarkable Stroke of 
 Policy, refume the Thread of our Narrative. 
 
 Vice-Admiral Watfon, Colonel Give, and 
 the Select Committee, came to this final Re- 
 folution, in the Beginning of the Month of 
 Marc/j y and entered with all the Diligence 
 and Difpatch pofiible on the neceflary Pre- 
 parations for this important Expedition, well 
 knowing that the French were not ignorant 
 of their own Danger, or at all remifs or care- 
 lefs in providing againft it. Chandenagcre> the 
 chief of their Settlements in Bengal, was a 
 Place very well fituated on the Side of the 
 
 River
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 45 
 River, Twenty-feven Miles above Calcutta, 
 which is a Branch of the Ganges, at a fmali 
 diftancc below Hughley. The Director at this 
 Settlement has under him the French Com- 
 pany's Factories otCaffimbuzar, Dacca, Patna y 
 Jeuda t and Eallajbre. They prudently con- 
 trived, at the Beginning of the Troubles, to 
 flrengthen it with various Outworks and Bat- 
 teries, had in it a Garrifon of -Five hundred 
 Europeans and Seven hundred Blacks, with 
 fome Mortars, and near Two hundred Pieces 
 of Cannon mounted. They took the Precau- 
 tion allb to fend away fome of their Mer- 
 chandize, and the beft Part of their Effects, 
 under Colour of providing the better for their 
 Defence; raifcd confiderable Magazines, which 
 were well provided ; and made fuch Difpofi- 
 tions, and kept fo good a Countenance, as 
 impofed upon moft of the Moors, and per- 
 haps upon fome of themfelves. As they chiefly 
 feared the Squadron, they funk Two Ships, 
 a Ketch, a Hulk, a Snow, and a VefTel with- 
 out Marts, directly in the Channel, within 
 Gunfhot of the Fort, and laid Two Booms, 
 moored with Chains, acrofs the River. Be- 
 fides thcfe, they funk and ran on Shore Five 
 large Veffels, above the Fort, that they might 
 
 throw
 
 46 ME M OIRS of 
 
 throw every Impediment poffible in the Way 
 of our Squadron. In confequence of thefe 
 military Operations, which were very judici- 
 oufly planned, and the beft their Circumftances 
 would admit, they refolved to ftand the At- 
 tack j but whether they had any Hopes 
 given them by the Suba of his Affiftance, or 
 whether they relied at all on his Infinuations 
 of Aid, in cafe they were given, could not 
 be learned j though he actually advanced a 
 Corps of Troops, as we mall fee hereafter, 
 which might render fuch a Conjecture not at 
 all improbable. 
 
 A Reinforcement of Three hundred Men 
 from Bombay arriving at Calcutta, Colonel 
 dive advanced by the River Side, with Seven 
 hundred Whites, and Sixteen hundred Sea- 
 poys, towards the French Settlement; and 
 with very little Lofs took PolTeffion of moft 
 of the Out-Pofts on the Fourteenth of March. 
 On the Fifteenth, the Enemy abandoned all 
 their Batteries, notwithstanding thefe were 
 very well difpofed, and in exceeding good Or- 
 der. He was now poflefled of every Poft 
 they had, but the Fort, and a Redoubt feated 
 between the River Side andrthe Fort Walls, 
 
 where-
 
 the Revolution ///BENGAL. 47 
 wherein were mounted Eight Pieces of Can- 
 non, Twenty-four Pounders, Four of which 
 pointed down the River. The fame Day Ad- 
 miral Watfon failed with the Kent of Sixty- 
 four, the tyger and Salijbury, each of Fifty 
 Guns, having previoufly fent a Twenty-Gun 
 Ship, and a Sloop, to cover the Boats attend- 
 ing the Camp. On the Eighteenth, he an- 
 chored about Two Miles below Cbandenagore, 
 and the Troops on Shore being employed in 
 railing a Battery againft the Fort, the Wea- 
 ther becoming extremely foggy, and the 
 Impediments before-mentioned being of Ne- 
 ceffity to be removed, occafioncd fome De- 
 lay. The Firft Thing to be done was clear- 
 ing the River ; and the Booms being cut, and 
 running adrift, a proper Pafiage was foon 
 difcovered, by founding, and without lofing 
 Time in weighing the French VeiTcls. While 
 this was about, the brave Admiral Pocock y 
 who was juft arrived at Culpce in the Cumber- 
 land, refolving to have a Share in the Action, 
 came in his Long-Boat, and going on board 
 his Majefty's Ship the Tyger, hoifted his Flag 
 there. On the Twenty- third, at Six in the 
 Morning, the Tyger> Kent, and Satiflury, 
 
 weighed.
 
 4,3 M E M o i R s of 
 
 weighed. About Ten Minutes after the Ene- 
 my began to fire from the Redoubt, but their 
 Artillery was foon filenced by the Tyger. Be- 
 fore Seven the Ships were properly ftation- 
 ed, and the Signal being given, the Engage- 
 ment began j the Firing continuing very brifk 
 on both Sides, till a Quarter after Nine, when 
 the Befieged hung out a Flag of Truce, and 
 the Articles of Capitulation were very quick- 
 ly fettled and figned. In confequence of 
 this, Captain Latham, of the T^yger^ was dif- 
 patched by Vice- Admiral WatJ'on to receive 
 the Keys of the Fort, into which Colonel 
 CUve marched with the Troops about Five 
 in the Afternoon. Thus Chandenagore, ac- 
 cording to the Scheme originally propofed, 
 conftantly infifted upon, and at laft render- 
 ed practicable by Mr. Watts > with all the 
 French fubordinate Settlements in the Pro- 
 vince of Bengal^ were reduced -, and thereby 
 moft of the Schemes laid for the future De- 
 ftruclion of Calcutta^ and the other EngKJb 
 Factories, rendered abortive. An Expedition, 
 in the firft Inftance, glorious to the Brittjh 
 Arms, and in its Confequences, as from the 
 Sequel of this Relation will appear, of the 
 highcft Importance. 
 
 This
 
 be Resolution in B E tf G A L. 49 
 This fignal Advantage was not obtained 
 without fome Lofs. Admiral Pocock was 
 wounded, but not dangeroufly. The gallant 
 Captain Henry Speke, equally diftinguifhed 
 by the Clearnefs of his Head and the Warmth 
 of his Heart, who commanded the Kent, on 
 board which Vice-Admiral Watfon wore his 
 Flag, received a Wound from a Cannon Shot, 
 which unhappily carried away the Leg of his 
 Son, who deceafed fbon after, a Youth of the 
 moft amiable Character, extraordinary Learn- 
 ing, and admirable Abilities. The firft Lieu- 
 tenant, Mr. Samuel Per reau, and the Mafter 
 of the Tyger, were both killed ; the Third 
 and Fourth Lieutenants were alfo wounded -, 
 and the former died. Of the private Men 
 there were Thirty-two killed, and One hun- 
 dred wounded. The Enemy had Forty kil- 
 led and Seventy wounded in the Fort. 
 They muft be allowed to have defended 
 themfelves with great Spirit and Refolution, 
 and probably would not have fubmitted fo 
 foon, if they had not fuffered feverely from 
 Colonel dive's Batteries, and been ftill more 
 galled by the Fire of his Men, from the flat 
 Roofs of the Houfes, which in Truth made it 
 almoft impoffibie for them to (land to their 
 
 E Guns.
 
 50 MEMOIRS o/* 
 
 Guns. A Part of the French Troops made 
 their Efcape, and marched Northwards, after 
 whom Colonel CKve fent a Detachment of 
 Six hundred Seapoys, and Vice Admiral 
 Watfon ordered feveral Boats up the River of 
 Hughley^ to feize upon whatever was French 
 Property j notwithstanding which, a great 
 deal of the Company's Effects and Merchan- 
 dize were concealed and carried away. This 
 Blow was very deciiive in reference to the 
 French y whofe Meafures it entirely broke, by 
 rendering the Schemes they had formed, with 
 f efpect to the Suba, utterly impracticable. On 
 the other hand, it releafed the Englifo from 
 the Apprehenfions they were under of being 
 again attacked in Calcutta, in cafe the Squa- 
 dron had left them without reducing this 
 Place. Thefe were fo far from being Suf- 
 picions lightly founded, that their Danger 
 was fo great and fo apparent, confidering the 
 Circumftances they were then in, and the 
 Suba's delaying to reftore their Artillery, that, 
 if not encouraged by this Event, they would 
 have been very (low in re-fettling Calcutta. 
 Happy as thofe immediate Effects were ! they 
 were hardly fo much as remembred, after the 
 greater Advantages that followed j which de- 
 mon-
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 51 
 monftrated how juftly this Refdution was 
 taken, and in what a critical Conjuncture it 
 was executed. 
 
 We have before hinted, that, notwithftand- 
 ing the Suba had transmitted a Letter of Per- 
 miflion to Vice-Admiral Watjon to act as he 
 thought proper againft 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 
 prefently changed his Mind. He defired Mr. 
 Watts to write to the Colonel, that he would 
 not have War made in his Country, by which 
 the People under his Government muft fuf- 
 fer, the King's Revenues be leflened, and 
 the Tranquility of his Dominions difturbed. 
 The French, who had milled him from the 
 Beginning, deceived him to the very laft. 
 They allured him, that, in the firft Attack, 
 the Englijh had been repulfed with Lofs, and 
 gave him to undcrftand, that they did DOC 
 doubt oblitfinz them to retire. The Suba 
 
 o O 
 
 was fo much cmbarraffed by the contradic- 
 tory Reports he heard, and looked upon 
 this Tranfaction to concern him fo nearly, 
 that he wrote Letter after Letter to Colonel 
 E 2 Ch've,
 
 j2 MEMOIRS 0^ 
 
 CKve, who is faid to have received no lefs 
 than Ten of them in one Day, and thefe in 
 very oppofite Stiles j which the Colonel an- 
 fwered punctually, with all the Calmnefs and 
 Complaifance imaginable, expreffing great 
 Concern at the Imprefllon which the Calum- 
 nies of his Enemies had made on that Prince's 
 Mind, and affuring him of his fincere At- 
 tachment, as long as he adhered to the Treaty. 
 At length the Suba grew fo very uneafy, that 
 he fent Mutrumul, in whom he faid he placed 
 great Confidence, to the Colonel, with Or- 
 ders to a<5l, if there was any room for it, as 
 a Mediator. But the Situation of Things at 
 his Arrival made fuch a Commiflion vifibly 
 impracticable ; which Mutrumid perceiving, 
 extolled the Englifo highly, and threw all 
 the Blame upon the French. To give Weight, 
 however, to this intended Mediation, Roydoo- 
 lub advanced, by his Matter's Command, at 
 the Head of Six thoufand Men, within a fmall 
 Diftance of Hughtey. But to prevent this from 
 giving any Umbrage, Mutrumid^ when the 
 Attack was made, allured the Colonel, that 
 RoydooJub had the Suba's Inftructions to obey 
 his Orders, which the Colonel took in ex- 
 ceeding good Part, and returned that Prince 
 
 Thanks
 
 the Revolution in B E N G A L. 53 
 Thanks for this gracious Offer of his Aflift- 
 ance. The Moment the Place furrendered, 
 he gave Notice of it to the Suba, and afcribed 
 his Succefs to the Favour of Heaven and his 
 Excellency's Aufpice, under which hi s Arms 
 had been fo 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 Af- 
 fairs by this time into a very perplexed Con- 
 dition, of which he was fenfible, now it Was 
 too late j though very probably he might not 
 have Sagacity enough to difcern, that the 
 Whole of thefe Misfortunes had no other 
 Source than the Unfteadinefs of his Councils, 
 ancl the Duplicity of his Conduct. What we 
 have already faid will afford Proofs more 
 than fufficient to eftablifh this ; but as the 
 letting it in a clear Light will be the beft 
 means of explaining the Motives to the Tranf- 
 actions that enfucd, we hope the fubfcqucnt 
 Remarks will not appear tedious to the 
 Reader. 
 
 The Suba, wanting alike in Parts and in 
 
 Experience, unable to reject bad Counfels, 
 
 and prone to purfue his own Notions, as far 
 
 3 as
 
 54 MEMOIRS of 
 
 as they could be carried by his Power, fhewed 
 plainly from the very Beginning, that he had 
 no formed Syftem ; and if he could be ftiled 
 fo at all, was certainly a bad Politician. His 
 fetting out was by breaking at once with all 
 the European Nations j which, if their reci- 
 procal Jealoufies of each other, and feme 
 other Circumftances, had not hindered, mufl 
 have united them all againft him, and that 
 Union would have rendered his Scheme abor- 
 tive. As thig did pot happen, it encouraged 
 him to take another wrong Step, by attack- 
 ing and deflroying the EngHJh, without hav- 
 ing fo much as a plaufible Pretence. This 
 Act of arbitrary Violence viiibly fubverted 
 the Foundation of his own Scheme, if it ever 
 had any, by proving, in the ftrongeft Manner, 
 that no European Nation could fubfift as Mer- 
 chants in his Dominions, without having 
 Places fo well fortified, as not to lie at his 
 Mercy. When, therefore, he was reduced to 
 the Necemty of concluding a Treaty, the very 
 Bafis of that Treaty was his confeffing this 
 laft Pofition to be well founded, and admit- 
 ting by his own Confent, as the only practi- 
 cable Grounds of Peace, what he had before 
 laid down as the Reafon of his taking up 
 
 Arms.
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 
 Arms. But when he had done this, an.d, 
 might have been quiet, by adhering con flan t- 
 ly to that Treaty, he again miftook his Point. 
 Uniformity of Conduct was fo little in his 
 Conftitution, that he immediately loft all the 
 Advantages he feemed to have fought by that 
 Meafure, and which indeed were clearly al- 
 iened to have been the Objects he had in 
 View, in his Letters to Admiral Watfon and 
 Colonel Give, by flawing a viiible Repug- 
 nance to the Execution of it in every Step, 
 and doing that flowly and ungracefully, 
 which, if he had done chearfully and at once, 
 might have procured him the Confidence of 
 the Englijby and have thoroughly extricated 
 him from thofe Difficulties into which his 
 firft Errors had plunged him. 
 
 His Conduct with regard to the French 
 
 was to die full as inconfiderate, and no lefs 
 
 
 
 inconfiflent. His Kindnefs, Friendfhip, or 
 whatever it was towards them, was as latal 
 as his Averfion or DiUikc had been to the 
 Engtiflj, and productive of th" very fame Mis- 
 fortunes. He was undoubtedly impoied ;ip- 
 on and ^mifled by the lalic Imprefiions h>- 
 received from them of their Strength: L'J: 
 4 i.
 
 ^6 MEMO IRS o/" 
 
 in this he was inexcufable, as thefe Repre- 
 fentations 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 Affiftance 
 they could give him was to be hoped, and 
 this againft a Power, the Weight of which 
 he had already felt ; and to fay nothing of the 
 Obligation he was under to maintain that 
 Peace he had folemnly confirmed by his Oath, 
 which was ftill at his very Doors. If he had 
 really intended, as he feemed very defirbus 
 it mould be believed it was his Intention, to 
 preferve Peace in his Dominions, and to pre- 
 vent the Englijh and French from committing 
 Hoftilities againft each other in them, to the 
 Prejudice of Commerce, in which he was 
 principally interefted, and which was alfo, 
 and was allowed to be, the common Concern 
 of all, he might by acting firmly have car- 
 ried that Point, by infifting upon a Neutra- 
 lity under his Guaranty, and a peremptory 
 Declaration that he would ftop the Trade, 
 and feize the Effects of that Nation, which 
 violated a Neutrality fo concluded ; fince un- 
 der this it is certain the Engli/h would have 
 acquiefced, and, without the Encouragement 
 
 or
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 57 
 
 or Afliftance of the Suba, the French durft 
 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 vefted with Authority to conclude 
 any fuch Neutrality ; and even this, which he 
 always knew, he did not acknowlege, until 
 the Time was loft, in which he might have 
 obtained it from Pondicherry ; and this plain- 
 ly put the EngUjh under a Neceflity of ex- 
 erting the Force then in their Hands without 
 Delay, which ended in the taking Cbandcna- 
 gore. Here again, if he had ever had any 
 fettled Principle of Action, would have been 
 his Time to have (hewn it j for if, upon Co- 
 lonel C/fafs marching, he had aflifted the 
 French with his whole Force, he might very 
 probably have faved them. But as he had 
 hitherto been all along the Dupe of their 
 Politics, fo in this Inftance they were the 
 Dupes of his, and were facrifked to his Want 
 of Steadinefs 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 oppofing, but in placing any Con- 
 fidence in him. A Leflbn, which, as it had 
 
 been
 
 j8 MEMO IRS of 
 
 been taught by his firft Actions, fo, from the 
 Bent of a ftubborn Difpofition 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 dive ufed 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 
 themfelves, fo it could not be any-way pre- 
 judicial to him, or to his Subjects. He af- 
 fured him, that the Englifh would not fuffer 
 his Revenue to be impaired, by their being 
 Matters of the Place 5 but were difpofed, under 
 equitable Conditions, to re-place the Cufloms 
 paid by the French ; and that they were well 
 iatisfied with their own PofTeffions, and did not 
 defire to enlarge or to extend them. On the 
 contrary, they were ready to give him what- 
 ever Satisfaction he could demand, of their 
 Willingnefs to acquiefce under any Terms, 
 and to comply with fuch Meafures as mould 
 appear moft expedient for reftoring and pre- 
 ferving the Tranquility of his Country 5 that 
 
 their
 
 tie Revolution /# BENGAL. 59 
 their Minds were entkety fet upon. Com/-, 
 merce ; that they became military merely by? 
 Force ; but that they mart: ardently wulied ta 
 retura to, and be known by him , only in, 
 their old Occupation of Merchants; that, as* 
 things flood, their Intereft rendered it abfo- 
 lutely requifite to expel the French out o 
 Bengal* to prevent new Difputes, which was 
 his Intereft likewife ; and that, if he- would do 
 it himfelf, they {hould be well fatisfied, and 
 confider it as a Favour. That he had been 
 exceedingly impofed upon, in refpect to the 
 Conduit of that Nation, on the Coait of Co- 
 romandely where the Nabobs they had eipouf- 
 ed were obliged to make exorbitant Grants, 
 in Acknowlegement fot their Afllftancc; that, 
 in confequence of this r they had torn away 
 whole Provinces, of which they were in full 
 Poffeflion ; while, on the other hand, the 
 Englijh had lent the Nabeln y 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 
 iblliciting, extorting, or even accepting any 
 Grants whatever. That he might from 
 thence judge of the Temper of die two Na- 
 tions,
 
 60 MEMOIRS*?/ 
 
 and the Difference that he would find in 
 having either of them for his Allies 3 and 
 that therefore, if he regarded his own Wel- 
 fare, he would adhere ftrictly to, and punc- 
 tually fulfil, the Treaty he had made j which 
 if he did, he might not only rely upon the 
 Support that had been promifed him, but 
 that he might be affured, he would perfon- 
 ally lofe the laft Drop of his Blood, and fa- 
 crifice the laft Man under his Command, in 
 his Service, againft any of his real Ene- 
 mies x whenever his Occafions might require 
 it. Vice-Admiral Watfon wrote alfo to him 
 to the fame Purpofe. 
 
 The Suba, who was equally diffatisfied with 
 and difturbed at the State of his Affairs, and 
 found himfelf obliged to be at a great Ex- 
 pence in keeping Troops in the Field, knew 
 not what to fay or how to act. He declar- 
 ed, however, pofitively, againft our reducing 
 the French fubordinate Factories ; would not 
 hear of making the Remains of their Forces 
 Prifoners, and delivering them up to the 
 Englijh j but, however, difcovered no Scruple 
 at all in feizing upon their Effects, under 
 Colour of doing it to make Satisfaction to his 
 
 own
 
 the Revolution //* BENGAL. 61 
 
 own Subjects, who were their Creditors. At 
 the fame time he ordered the French to quit 
 his Dominions, directing them to march to- 
 wards Patna. He likewife paid farther Sums 
 of Money to the Company's Servants, and 
 gave them Hopes, that he would both ftrict- 
 ly and fpeedily fulfil his Treaty in every re- 
 fpeft. In regard to the Artillery, which he 
 did not 'reftore, he alleged, that he was dif- 
 trefled himfelf for want of Cannon, and was 
 willing to purchafe them. In this manner 
 things went on for a Month or Six Weeks, 
 during which Space every Method was prac- 
 tifed that could leflen his Apprehenfions, or 
 free him from that Terror which he feemed 
 to have of the Englijh advancing their Forces 
 into the Heart of his Country. He was 
 even permitted, upon a Rumour that the Gar- 
 rifon of Cajpmbuzar was augmented to Five 
 hundred Men, to fend his own Officers to in- 
 fpeft it, who found and reported, that there 
 was not above a Tenth Part of the Number. 
 The fame Compliances were made in many 
 RefpecU 
 
 But in the midft of thefc Compliances and 
 Concefiions, inftead of growing milder and 
 
 better
 
 tfi MEMOIRS of 
 
 better difpdfed, the Siiba fhewed very evident 
 Marks of his being more and more exafpe- 
 rated againfft thofe who gave them. He 
 fell again to caballing with the French ; and 
 inftead -of compelling thofe who had efcaped 
 to quit his 'Country, as he engaged exprefsly, 
 he took that' little Body of Men, which were 
 about Patnciy into his Pay, at the Rate of 
 Ten thoufand Rupees a Month, of which 
 Mr. Watts procured the Intelligence, and 
 communicated it to the Committee. He 
 turned all his Attention towards Mr. Bitffy, 
 who, as he was made to believe, had an 
 Avrny of Twenty thoufand Men, and with 
 which he might march fpeedily into his Do- 
 minions. When thefe Rumours at any time 
 iiink, he was more tractable ; but as foon as 
 they revived, he became as imperious and as 
 much out of Humour as ever. Vice- Admiral 
 'Watfon having fent him feveral preffing Let- 
 ters, exhorting him to aft fuitable to his Dig- 
 nity, agreeable to his own Interefts, for the 
 Good of his Subjects, to give no Ear to idle 
 Reports, to accomplifh his Promifes, and 
 fulfil the feverai Articles of his Treaty, he 
 gave no Anfwers to them, but complained that 
 they wrote in fo fevere a Stile, that he knew 
 
 not
 
 tie Revolution in BENGAL. 63 
 not how to reply to them. At length his 
 Uneafmeffes, Jealoufies, and Sufpicions, rofe 
 fo high, that he ordered all the Boats to be 
 fearched that came up to Cajfimbuzar, and 
 publickly declared, that if any Powder or 
 Ammunition was found aboard, that he 
 would order the Nofes and Ears of the Wa- 
 termen to be cut off, which was a direct 
 Breach of his Treaty. He could not help 
 knowing, that this Method of acting muft 
 have a very difadvantageous Effect upon the 
 Affairs of the EngUJIj in his Dominions, and 
 impede and perplex their Commercial Tranf- 
 adtions exceedingly. He could not be igno- 
 rant that this would diminim his own In- 
 come, diftrefs his Subjects, and leffen both 
 their Subfiftence and their Induftry. But 
 alas ! he was fo much under the Dominion 
 of his Paflions, that he coniidered only gra- 
 tifying his Caprice j and acting from no Mo- 
 tive, could difccrn no Confequences. Hap- 
 lefs as a Man ! more haplefs as a Prince ! he 
 had as little Fear of falling into Difficulties, 
 as, when fallen, he had Skill to get out of 
 them. 
 
 An Attempt has been already made to 
 
 give
 
 64 MEMOIRS 0/* 
 
 give the Reader fome Idea of the melancholy 
 and mortifying Situation of Mr. Watts^ who 
 refided on the Part of the Company at the 
 Suba's Court, whofe Perplexities daily in- 
 creafed, and whofe Anxieties hourly multi- 
 plied, though they had not yet reached to 
 thofe Circumftances of Difguft and Diftrefs 
 that they afterwards did. He faw himfelf 
 almoft conftantly on bad Terms with that 
 Prince, and of courfe upon no good ones 
 with his Minifters and Favourites. The Suba 
 never forgave him extracting that important, 
 and, as he conceived it, fatal Letter of Per- 
 miffion to Admiral Watfon j to which, with- 
 out much Injuftice, he afcribed folely the at- 
 tacking and taking Chandenagore. It was from 
 Mr. Watts he received, from Day to Day, 
 thofc grating Remonftrances that fo much 
 difpleafed him, and thofe admonitory Letters 
 that made (till a deeper Impreffion. He 
 ought, in Striclnefs, to have confidered 
 him, on thefe Occafions, as the Inftru- 
 ment only of the Company ; but his Warmth 
 and Afliduity in all thefe frequent Applica- 
 tions, made the Suba look no farther than 
 himfelf He was obliged to confer with him 
 daily, and, if he was abfent, called for him, 
 
 as
 
 the Resolution in BENGAL. 65 
 
 Ss being uneafy if he mi/Ted him, whence 
 of courfe he beheld him often, and yet but 
 very feldom with a gracious Eye. Mr. Watts 
 faw, felt, and underftood thefe numberlefs 
 Inconveniencies, to which he was expofed, 
 and which, as we have obferved, heightened 
 upon him every Hour. But the Confolation 
 he derived from the kind Letters of Admirp.l 
 Watfon and Colonel C7/W, who had a true 
 and lively Senfe of his Services and Sufferings, 
 kept up his Spirits, and enabled him to pur- 
 fue his Bufinefs with a Vivacity that entirely 
 Concealed, though it could not remove, but 
 rather augmented, his interior Chagrin. Befides 1 
 this, he had another Satisfaction, which was 
 getting moft Part of the Treaty executed, tho' 
 with infinite Trouble j and this procured him 
 the hearty Approbation of the Select Com- 
 mittee, who were now convinced, that he not 
 only did all that could be done, but more 
 than moft Men could have done in his Sta- 
 tion. As ill as he was treated by him, he 
 continued to render the Suba many good 
 Offices ; giving the Committee to understand, 
 that, in all human Probability, they fhould 
 gradually obtain all that they defired, and 
 that therefore they mould not be impatient. 
 F He
 
 66 M E M o i R s of 
 
 He prevailed alfo upon Colonel Clfoe to pro- 
 mife the Suba from time to time his Affiil- 
 ance ; and he laboured more inceffantly to 
 convince that Prince, that, if he would con- 
 fide in the JLngHJh> he had no Reafon to 
 fear either foreign or domeftic Enemies, with 
 which, when he thought himfelf in Danger, 
 he was well enough pleafed ; but when that 
 was in any Degree over, he mewed a vifible 
 Uneafinefs at his having confeiTed that he 
 flood in need of fuch Afliflance, 
 
 The Storm, that had been gathering from 
 the Beginning of Marcb 3 began to burft 
 about the latter End of April^ and in the 
 Opening of the Month of May -, when the 
 Suba, in fudden Starts of Pamon, mewed the 
 Rancour of his Heart, and teftified fufficient- 
 ly, that he waited only for an Opportunity 
 to make the Englifo feel a fecond Time the 
 heavy Weight of his Refentmcnt. As he 
 never affigncd any Caufes himfelf, but on 
 the contrary, even in this Interval, and in the 
 miuil of Actions inconiiitent with thofe De- 
 clarations, afTerted his Intention to fulfil 
 his Treaty, and appealed to God and his Pro- 
 phet for the Truth of it 5 we muft own it is 
 
 extremely
 
 the "Revolution in B E N G A L. 67 
 
 extremely difficult to guefs at his Reafons. 
 They appear, however, to have been chiefly 
 Three ; Firft, the perpetual Infmuations of 
 the "French^ that Mr. Bu/Jy might be brought 
 to his Affiftance ; and that, by a Junction 
 with his Troops, he would be greatly fu- 
 perior to the Englift - y and to this Meafure he 
 was fo much inclined, that he actually wrote 
 a Letter to that Officer, in which he pro- 
 mifed him Twenty Lack of Rupees, if he 
 would march directly into his Dominions, 
 of which Mr. Watts alib gave the Intelligence. 
 The next Thing was, the Compliances that 
 had been made with a View of gaining hirn, 
 the recalling moft of the Troops from Cban- 
 denagore, the permitting him to keep the 
 Cannon, to fcarch the Factory of Caflim 
 buzar^ and the warm and tender Expreffions 
 of Friendfhip in Colonel C//Ws Letters, with 
 the high Teflimonies of Reverence and Re- 
 fpect paid him, whenever he was pleaied to 
 be in a good Temper, or to profefs his Dif- 
 pofition of adhering to his Engagements. 
 The laft was, the Retreat of the Patans, who 
 had fhewn an Intention to invade his Terri- 
 tories, and the putting an End to the Trou- 
 bles cccafioned by the My Raj ah > by which 
 F 2 ' hs
 
 68 M E M O I R S of 
 
 he thought himfelf in a Condition to employ 
 all his Forces, and was likewife fecure of 
 having the French to manage. his Artillery, 
 tvith which they made him believe they could 
 perform Wonders. In thefe Circumftances 
 he was fo very elate, as not to make any 
 Scruple (though a direct Breach of his Faith) 
 of interrupting the Engtijh Commerce, keep- 
 ing his Army in the Field, though he had 
 moft folemnly promifed the contrary, and 
 fometimes expreffing a formal Defign of 
 fending back the Treaty that had been fign- 
 ed with him, and demanding his own. In 
 fuch a State of Things it was evident, that 
 the Company could not rely upon him, or 
 confider themfelves in any Degree of Security, 
 farther than as they were fupported by the 
 King's Squadron and Forces ; and as their pre- 
 fent Condition was very precarious, fo their 
 future Profpecl was ilill more gloomy and 
 alarming ; and though as yet they were not 
 in a flate of War, they could not, however, 
 with any Propriety, be faid to be in Peace. 
 
 The Vice-Admiral and Colonel Ctive 
 were exceedingly embarraficd, and found it 
 very (liilicult to judge what Meafures they 
 
 were
 
 tlx Revolution /^BENGAL. 6p 
 were to take. If they advanced their Forces, 
 or refumed their military Preparations, it 
 might, in Appearance, juftify the Suba's Be- 
 haviour; and befides, Mr. Watts and the 
 Select Committee both difluaded any Steps 
 of this kind, as inconiiftent with the Com- 
 pany's Concerns, at leaft till they had fecured 
 the Money and Effects of the fevcral Subordi- 
 nates. On the other hand, they faw that Com- 
 pliances did more Harm than Gocd, and that 
 their Profeffions of adhering inviolably to the 
 Peace, and their repeated Promifes of Friend- 
 ^fhip aad Afiiftance, only flattered the Suba's 
 Pride, heightened his Notions of his own 
 Power, and encouraged him to act with greater 
 Violence and Infolence, of which they had 
 but too many, and thofe flagrant Inftances. 
 Colonel C/ive, however, took on one Side 
 every Method that was neceflary to dcrnon- 
 ftrate his pacific Inclination, and how fmcere 
 his Intentions were to reilore and preferve the 
 Tranquility of the Provinces, defifting from 
 his Demands that the French mould be de- 
 livered up, from the repairing the Fortifica- 
 tions at Caffimbuxar, or reinforcing the Gar- 
 rifon. At the fame time, he wrote in 
 F 3 very
 
 70 MEMOIRS of 
 
 very plain Terms to the Suba, told him his 
 Thoughts of his Proceedings, the Concern 
 they gave him, and the Determination he 
 had taken, to recur to open Force^ whenever 
 he found, from his Manner of acting, that 
 no other Remedy was left, and that it was 
 entirely in his Power to have him for a Friend 
 or an Enemy. In the very Height of thefe 
 Difputes, the Suba demanded an ample Ac- 
 quittance, under the Seal of the Governor 
 and Select Committee, and thofe alfo of the 
 Vice- Admiral and Colonel. To this the lat- 
 ter wrote him for Anfwer, that it was ftrange 
 he fliould demand, or expect fuch an Ac- 
 quittance, when he very well knew, that fe- 
 veral of the Articles were ftill unperformed ; 
 that many Lacks of Rupees were due to the 
 Company, in Satisfaction of their LofTes ; 
 that the Reftitution of Thirty-eight Villa- 
 ges, which they claimed, had not yet been 
 made; and that their Commerce in general 
 was dill interrupted. But as his Demand 
 might irply a Refolution to fettle all thefe 
 Points, and as it was hoped this was really 
 the Cafe, fuch an Acquittance mould be 
 immediately prepared, and tranfmitted to 
 
 Mr,
 
 tbe Revolution in BENGAL. 71 
 Mr. Watts, with exprefs Orders to deliver 
 it, as foon as the Articles hitherto unadjufted 
 were once thoroughly fettled. 
 
 This, however reafonable in itfelf, was 
 by no means acceptable to the Suba, who, 
 in Proportion as he loft all feeming Regard, 
 though really he never had any for the Vice- 
 Admiral and the Colonel, towards both of 
 whom he had once profefTcd fo much Efleem, 
 kept no longer any Mcafures towards Mr. 
 WattS) whom he looked upon as a Man he 
 could not deceive, as a Man whom he hated 
 for that Reafon, and, which was an additional 
 Motive to his Refentment, though it mould, 
 if his Mind had corrcfponded with his Rank, 
 have reftrained it, as a Man abfolutely in his 
 Power. In order to execute the various 
 Commiffions with which he was charged 
 
 O 
 
 more punctually, Mr. JPaffs y according to the 
 Cuftom of Indoflan, had employed a Pcrfon 
 to act as his Agent, in the Language of the 
 Country, a VaquccL Him, in the firft Fit 
 of his Fury, the Suba forbid his Court. An 
 Affront very grofs in India, though in Ap- 
 pearance, and to us, unacquainted with their 
 Cuftoms, a very flight Thing, but it was quick- 
 
 F + ly
 
 72 MEMOIRS o/" 
 
 ly followed by perfonal Infults, and thofe of 
 the moft ferious Nature. At laft, forgetting 
 the Refpect due to the Britifo Crown, to Mr, 
 Watts' s Character as Refident from the Eaft 
 India Company, and his own Dignity, he told 
 feveral of his principal Miniflers, with a View 
 that they mould, as they really did, tell it 
 Mr. Watts again, that, upon the firil Intelli- 
 gence he had of the Motion of the Englijh 
 Troops, he would cut off that Gentleman's 
 Head, or caufe him to be impaled. This 
 was fuch an Outrage on the Law of Nations 
 as was inconfiftent with the Rank of a Prince, 
 and mull:, by the Rules of common Senfe, 
 leave any Man in his Circumftances at Li- 
 berty to take the Methods that appeared to 
 him fafeft for his own Prefervation. Upon 
 this Occafjon Mr. Watts acted with a Degree 
 of Temper and Calmnefs that muft furprize 
 the Reader. He wrote an Account of the 
 facts to the Governor, without any Exaggera-^ 
 tion, adding, that he defpifed the Suba's 
 Threatenings, and defned the Select Com-* 
 mittee would proceed as the Company's In- 
 tereft directed, and without putting themfelves 
 in Pain for his Safety. A Circumftance that 
 would not have been infrrted in thefe Me-, 
 
 'moirs,
 
 the Revolution in B E N G A L . 73 
 jnoirs, if the Perfon was not alive to whom 
 that Letter was addreffed. 
 
 The Gentlemen entrufted with the Direc- 
 tion of Affairs, faw plainly the Tendency of 
 the Suba's Proceedings. Indeed they were fo 
 evident, as to fill all the Inhabitants of Cal- 
 cutta with Alarms, that were but too well 
 founded. Experience had already taught 
 them, how far the Caprice of the Suba might 
 go j and it was no way improbable, that if 
 they were fo unhappy as to fall again under 
 his Power, they might, if pofTible, meet with 
 flill worfe Treatment, which induced them 
 to make the beft Provifion they could for 
 their Defence j and to put the Troops into 
 fuch Condition, as that, whenever Neceffity 
 required, they might be able to repel Force 
 by Force. At the fame time, however, it 
 was refolved, not to precipitate any thing, to 
 act with the utmoft Caution, and to lay hold 
 of any favourable Opportunity that might 
 offer, towards furniming Means to extricate 
 them from thefe Perplexities. 
 
 Calcutta was not the only Place where 
 Doubts and Apprehenfions reigned. They 
 
 were
 
 74 MEMOIRS 0f 
 
 were to the full as ftrong in Muxadavad^ witli 
 this additional and diftinguifhing Circum- 
 ftance, that Difcord fpread itfelf through the 
 Suba's Court, where the only Oracle that 
 every Man confulted was his own Intereft. 
 Reverfes of Fortune were equally fudden and 
 frequent. The Courtiers that were in the 
 higheft Favour To-day, were To-morrow in 
 the very Depth of Difgrace. No Man was 
 fecure, and therefore no Man was contented ; 
 and which is, and will be always the Cafe in 
 corrupt Courts, the worft Men had the beft 
 Chance. Thofe who had nothing to lofe, 
 had all Things to expect ; and by flattering 
 their Prince's Humour, and complying blind- 
 ly with all his Commands, the meanefl and 
 bafeft People about him grew quickly the 
 moft confidcrable. Thofe who had been in 
 the Old Suba's Councils and Confidence, who 
 were Men of Rank and Family, and who 
 had both Eftates and Reputations to rifque 
 were, from thofe very Circumflances, Male- 
 contents. They faw that this Syflem could 
 not laft long j that a general Confufion mull 
 cnfue ; and that a Man, governed entirely by 
 his Pailions, could never carry on public Af- 
 fairs with any Degree of Succefs, But thefe 
 
 Re-
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 75 
 Reflections, which their own good Senfe and 
 long Experience fuggefted to them, ferved 
 only to difturb and to diffract, without afford- 
 fording them the leaft Glance of extricating 
 either him or themfelves from that impending 
 Ruin, which his rafh and raw Meafures 
 rendered inevitable. They perceived plainly 
 enough each other's Sentiments, from that 
 Tincture which they naturally gave to every 
 One's Language and Behaviour j but they had 
 no Confidence at all amongft themfelves, and 
 every Man was afraid of battening his own 
 particular Fall, by difclofing or lamenting the 
 Approach of that common Deftruction, which, 
 however vilible to their Underftandings, was 
 by no means a fit Subject for their Conver- 
 fation. 
 
 But in the midft of thefe Perplexities a 
 Ray of Hope very unexpectedly appeared. 
 The Suba had flicwn the Severity of his 
 Nature, in fo many Inftances, as to ftrike 
 a univerfal Terror ; more efpecially as the 
 Ficklenefs of his Difpofition fuftcrcd no Man 
 who was near him, and in his Power, to 
 think himfclf fafc. In luch a State of gene- 
 ral Danger, there occurcd to every One, ca- 
 pable
 
 yd MEM o IRS of 
 
 pable of thinking freely (the only Species of 
 Liberty that even Tyrants Favourites retain) 
 but one fingle Mode of Security, which con- 
 fifted in depriving him of his Power, who 
 fo constantly, as well as egregioufly abufed it. 
 The Conception of this availed little, iince 
 the Attempt was equally difficult and dan- 
 gerous; and the failing in it fure to be at- 
 tended with fudden and certain Deftruction. 
 There was alfo but one way to move, or ra- 
 ther to leflen the Rifk ; and this alfo was 
 very eafily difcovered. It was procuring the 
 Countenance and the Affiftance of the Eng- 
 lijh. Such as were in the Suba's Confidence, 
 and from that very Circumftance moft afraid 
 of him, were perfuaded they could merit 
 very much from the Company's Servants, by 
 laying open his Secrets, and thereby mewing 
 them, what thefe People thought they did 
 not in the leaft fufpect, the Danger to which 
 they flood expofed. Amongft feveral who 
 reafoned thus in their own Breads, there was 
 one who had a confiderable fhare of Intereft 
 and Authority. His Name was Godar Tar 
 Caivn Laitty> who, when he had for fome 
 time meditated, and in his own Mind tho- 
 roughly digefted his Scheme, thought it wore 
 
 fa
 
 the Revolution in B E K o A L. 77 
 
 Ib fair an Appearance, that he fent feveral 
 Meflages to Mr. Watts, fignifying that he had 
 fomething to communicate to him of great 
 Importance : But the Suba kept fo many Spies 
 upon that Gentleman, and thofe Spies watch- 
 ed him fb very clofely, that it was limply 
 impofiible to comply with Godar Tar Cawn 
 Laittys Requeil of having an Interview with 
 him, becaufe it was evidently rifking the ut- 
 ter Ruin of both. Some Days, therefore, 
 elapfed, before an Expedient could be found 
 to remove this troublefome Obftacle, and to 
 give Mr. Watts the necefTary Information of 
 what were this Perfon's real Intentions, and 
 what the Means by which he propofed to 
 carry them into Execution. 
 
 He at length thought proper to fend to 
 him Omicbund, who has been mentioned be- 
 fore, in order to draw what Lights he could 
 from this difcontented Confident of the Suba, 
 who, after he had conferred with him, re- 
 ported, that he knew with Certainty his Ma- 
 fler's fettled Intentions were to break with 
 and to attack the E?igtiJJ:, as foon as lie had 
 a favourable Opportunity j that he likewifc 
 knew the Suba had retained the French, who 
 
 had
 
 jS MEMOIRS 0f 
 
 had efcaped from Chandenagore, and in the 
 fubordinate Factories, in his Service, who were 
 to remain at Patna in his Pay, till an Occa- 
 fion could be found for employing them ; 
 that the EngKJh had no Method of prevent- 
 ing this threatening Tempeft from breaking 
 upon their Eftablifhments, but by providing 
 in Time a Force fufficient to refill: it ; that 
 he was willing, whenever the Suba mould 
 recur to open Hoftilities, to join Us, and act 
 againil him, provided we would affifl him in 
 afTuming the Government of the Province ; 
 that in return for this, he would, as foon as 
 he was fixed in that Office, grant, by way of 
 Recompence, a large Extent of Lands to the 
 Company, and would like wife pay down a 
 Sum in ready Money, fufficient to indemnify 
 the People of Calcutta for all the Loiles they 
 had fuftained. Thefe were Communications 
 of fo dangerous as well as fo delicate a Na- 
 ture, that they would infallibly have turned 
 a weak Head, or distracted a timid Mind. 
 They were received calmly and cooliy, as 
 Points of Information, in regard to which 
 Mr. Watts could take no Step of himfelf, but 
 from which the Perfons who had communi- 
 cated them had nothing to fear; and with 
 
 thefe
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 757 
 thefe Affurances, fuch was their Opinion of 
 his Secrecy, Sagacity, and Steadinefs, that they 
 remained perfectly fatisfied and eafy, leaving 
 him fufficient Leifure to confider and reflect 
 upon thefe very extraordinary Overtures, and 
 to review and digeft the Thoughts that muft 
 naturally arife upon fo important a Subject. 
 But, however, retrained him within the Com- 
 pafs of Six Days, to procure for this Moorijf) 
 Officer an Anfwer, from thofe who were en- 
 trufted with the Management of the Com- 
 pany's Affairs at Calcutta. 
 
 The Situation of Mr. Watts in this Con- 
 juncture, is much more eafy to conceive than 
 to defcribe. He was opprefied with Cares, 
 environed with Perils, and had not fo much 
 as a fingle Perfon with whom to communi- 
 cate or to confult. His own Safety, the Wei- 
 fare, and even the Being of the Britifo Set- 
 tlements, and indeed the future Fate of thefe 
 Provinces, depended, at lead in the firft In- 
 flance, on his Capacity, Penetration, and Dif- 
 crction. It was a very arduous Tafk to form 
 any clear Opinion upon this Offer ; it de- 
 manded much Skill to fet the Motives upon 
 which fuch an Opinion muft be founded in 
 
 their
 
 8o MEMOIRS^ 
 
 their proper Light; and,when all this Was dorie^ 
 it appeared infinitely hazardous to tranfrhit 
 Proportions of this Nature, together with his 
 Thoughts upon them, to Calcutta, while a 
 jealous Prince, in a Country where the Cha- 
 racter of a Spy is not dishonourable, had 
 Multitudes of fuch State Implements about 
 him, all filled with the Hopes of rifing upon 
 his Ruin. But though perfectly fenfible of 
 all this, as he muft have been to counteract 
 their Vigilance, he boldly undertook, and as 
 happily performed, all that the Confidence 
 repofed in him, or his Duty to the Company 
 could demand. He flated fully the Nature 
 
 rf 
 
 of thefe Overtures, the Suba's Difpofition at 
 the Time, the Characters and Credit of the 
 principal Officers about him, their Tempers, 
 Circumftances, and Connections, the Proba- 
 bility that fuch a Defign might be carried 
 into Execution, the Hazards to which it mail 
 be expofed, and the Methods moft proper 
 to avoid them. But when he had done all 
 this, he added no direct Judgment of his 
 
 own. He contented himfelf with giving 
 Lights, without venturing to pronounce 
 what Meafure ought to be taken. He had 
 frequent Experience of the Regard paid by 
 
 them
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 81 
 them to his Sentiments, from his having com- 
 monly fent them the Draughts of the Letters 
 to the Suba, which being tranfmitted back to 
 him, he prefented to that Prince ; but he 
 held this to be a Matter too difficult, as well as 
 too delicate for him to determine. He knew 
 very well there was no fmall Danger in De- 
 lay; but he likewife knew, that there was ftiU 
 more Danger in a rafh Decifion, and there- 
 fore he gave none. The Select Committee 
 concurred with him in this ; they entertained 
 the Morion, commended his Caution, fug- 
 gefted that he fhould continue to keep Things 
 in Sufpenfc, but directed him by all Means to 
 avoid concluding any Thing, till he mould 
 receive their future Directions in a Thing of 
 fo great Weight. 
 
 It was not long after this, that Meer Jaf- 
 
 fclr Aly Caivn, a Perfon of great Diftinction, 
 
 who had married the Sifter of Al'werdy Cawn, 
 
 the Suba's Grandfather and Predeccfibr, fent 
 
 one in whom he could perfectly confide to 
 
 Mr. Watts, to difclofe what were his real 
 
 Opinions, and how very fhort a Space he 
 
 thought was like to intervene, before 
 
 the Suba took the Field once more, 
 
 G agaiufl
 
 82 MEMOIRS c/" 
 
 againft the Engtijh. This Perfon had it far- 
 ther in Commiffion to reprefent, that the 
 Difaffedtion of the principal Officers, Civil 
 and Military, was in a manner general j that 
 Meer Jaffeir never appeared in the Suba's 
 Prefence, without Fear of being affaffinated j 
 and that for this Reafon, whenever he was 
 conftrained to go, he always caufed his Forces 
 to be drawn out, under Arms, with his Son 
 at their Head. In the Clofe of his Dif- 
 courfe, he added, that a Determination was 
 already taken, to depofe, for their own Sakes, 
 Suraja Dowlat; and that if the Engtijh would 
 engage with, and promife to fupport, another 
 Perfon, in afTuming the Dignity of Suba, 
 Rahim Caivn, Roydoolub, and BahadarAly Caivn, 
 were ready to join Mcer Jaffa'?*, in removing 
 Suraja Dow/at, whofe Affairs would be then 
 in a very defperate Situation. Mr. Watts 
 tranfmitted the Detail of this Converfation 
 alfo to Colonel dive, and gave it as his own, 
 Opinion, that Meer 'Jaffeir was by far the 
 propereft Perfon to be elevated to that Rank, 
 as his Abilities were greater, his Reputation 
 better, and his Connections more extenfive 
 than thofe of Laitty. He at the fame time 
 acquainted the Colonel, that if this Change 
 
 was
 
 tie Revolution in B E N G A L. 83 
 
 to be accerhplimed by their Forces, as 
 he much doubted, whether, after all, the 
 Moors had Spirit enough to attempt fo extra- 
 ordinary an Enterprize themfelves, it would 
 be right to form the Outlines of a new 
 Agreement, of which the old one ought to 
 be the Ban's ; and to frame fuch additional 
 Articles, as might effectually indemnify the 
 Company for the Rifk they ran, and procure 
 an ample Satisfaction for the Loffes private 
 Perfons had fuftained, in the Devaftation of 
 'Calcutta, of which no Care had been taken 
 in the former Treaty; and that, in fhort, 
 nothing fhould now be omitted, that might 
 put their Affairs for the future upon a firm 
 and (table Eftablimmcnt ; fo that, in cafe of 
 Difturbances in the Country, the Servants of 
 the Company, and thofe who depended on 
 it, might be in a Condition to protect them- 
 felves. 
 
 As thefe Tranfactions were of a very deli- 
 cate Nature, and were to be conducted with 
 much Difcretion, and of courfc with fome 
 Delay, the Suba had a Seafon of Recefs, in 
 which, by a Change of Meafurcs, he might 
 have recovered his Authority, have relettledhis 
 G 2 diflradcd
 
 84 MEMOIRS of 
 
 diftracled Government, and repaired all big 
 paft Errors. He not only neglected this en- 
 tirely, but continued acting, in every refpect, 
 as if he had aimed at his own Destruction. 
 He endeavoured to negotiate Succours from 
 fome of his Neighbours, who, though they 
 knew not the Weaknefs of his Condition, and 
 therefore civilly entertained his Propofals, had 
 however fuch an Opinion of the Weaknefs 
 of his Conduct, that nothing could induce 
 them to enter into his Meafures. He con- 
 tinued correfponding with Mr. Bujfy, from 
 whom he received Letters, which ferved to 
 Support and increafe his Delufion, and to flat- 
 ter him with the Hopes of feeing an Army 
 of Twenty thoufand Men in his Dominions, 
 which, could he have brought them, would 
 have tended only to have impoverished his 
 Subjects, and to have given him new Ma- 
 flers, under the Title of old Allies. He 
 was courted all this time by Colonel Clive 
 to lay down his Arms, to fettle the few re- 
 remaining unaccomplished Articles in the 
 Treaty, and, above all, to put the Trade of 
 his Territories into its ufual Channel, for 
 the common Benefit of the Europeans and 
 .the Natives, To thefe Solicitations he gave 
 
 no
 
 the Revolution in B E N G A L. 85- 
 ho Anfwers, or fuch as afforded no fort of 
 Satisfaction j but, on the contrary, indicated 
 very plainly, by every Step he took, that he 
 meditated new Diflurbances, and waited for 
 what (hould appear to him a favourable Oc- 
 cafion for renewing the War. In reference 
 on the other hand, to his own People, he 
 grew every Day more and more intolerable, 
 removing, difgracing, infulting, thofe whom 
 he had formerly treated with the greateft 
 Marks of Favour and Refpect, and of whom 
 feveral fled privately and in Difguifc to feek 
 Shelter in the Englijh Territories, and parti- 
 cularly in that of Cajflmbuzar. By this Be- 
 haviour he not only augmented the Difaffec- 
 tion that had already fpread fo far amongft 
 his Servants, but likewifc furnifhed fo many 
 and fuch authentic Proofs of his having flill 
 the fame Points in V r iew, that he had at his 
 Entrance on the Adminiftration, and of the 
 Obftinacy of his Averfion to the JLnglijl^ fo 
 contrary to the Mutability of his Temper in 
 every thing elfe, that it contributed exceed- 
 ingly to fortify the Sentiments of thofc, who 
 maintained, that* the Peace of that Part of 
 India could never be effectually rcflored, fo 
 long as he held the Supreme Power. 
 
 G 3" After
 
 $6 M E M O I S of 
 
 After the Propofitions made by Mr. Watt* 
 had been duly canvaffed, and their Impor- 
 tance maturely confidered, by the Select 
 Committee, who upon this Occafion framed 
 and took an Oath of Secrecy, they were 
 unanimoufly approved, and the Project or 
 Draught of a new Treaty was tranfmitted to 
 him. But at the fame time there was great 
 Latitude left, in cafe of Objections; and he 
 was requefted to procure as many and as 
 large Conceffions as might be, in cafe he 
 found it impracticable to obtain every one of 
 the Conditions in the full Extent that they 
 defired. Indeed they relied fo entirely upon 
 him, that a Blank was left for the Company's 
 Demand in their Draught of the Treaty for 
 him to fill up j and how it was filled up, 
 \vill appear from the Treaty itfelf. This 
 was not only expedient but neceflary, as he 
 was upon the Spot, knew the Perfons with 
 whom he was treating, their Connections 
 and Circumftances, and the Motives which 
 might render any of thefe Demands agree- 
 able or difagreeable. The ufe Mr. Watts. 
 made of this Confidence was fuch as it de- 
 ferved, and turned not a little to the Advantage 
 of thofe who gave it. He was himfelf per- 
 3 fectty
 
 the Revolution in B E N G A L. 87 
 jfe&Iy fenfible, and took all imaginable Pains 
 to make thofe he dealt with no lefs fenfiblc, 
 that, notwithftanding this Change was for 
 their mutual Benefit, yet the Weight, the 
 Hazard, and the Expence, would fall prin- 
 cipally at leaft, very probably wholly, upon 
 the Engtijh. He reprefented, therefore, 
 effectually, that for fuch extraordinary Aflift- 
 ance, which alone could put the Means of 
 making it into their Power, a proper Satif- 
 faction ought in Juftice to be made, and that 
 this fuitable Satisfaction mould be made like- 
 wife in a proper Manner. He was appre- 
 henfive alfo, upon this Head, that-a.falfe De- 
 licacy might produce future Difputes, and 
 therefore very prudently provided, that the 
 unliquidated Demands in the Sketch mould 
 be reduced to a Certainty. He alfo enlarged 
 the Sums ftipulatcd for the Lofles of private 
 Perfons, "and diftinguimed them under Na- 
 tional Heads ; that, if poflible, no Jealoufies 
 or Heart-burnings might arife in the Colony, 
 when they came to be actually paid. 
 
 The fureft as well as the fhortcft Method 
 
 of fetting this Matter in a true Light, and 
 
 G 4 that
 
 88 MEMOIRS of 
 
 that will at once place it in the ftrongeft, is to 
 infert the original Plan of the new Alliance, 
 as tranfmitted to Mr. Watts, and then the 
 Project fettled by that Gentleman, which the 
 Reader will hereafter have an Opportunity of 
 comparing with the Alliance concluded. 
 
 Copy of the ARTICLES of Agreement 
 fent by Colonel Clive to William 
 WattSy Efq; May 2, 1757. 
 
 AN Alliance offenfive and defenfive againft 
 all Enemies : The French Fugitives to be 
 taken and delivered up to us ; all their Fac- 
 tories to be delivered up to us, in order to 
 be deftroyed; the French never to be per- 
 mitted to re-fettle in this Subafhip; in Confi- 
 deration of which, the EngKJh Company will 
 annually pay the Amount of Duties ufually 
 paid into the King's Treafury on the French 
 Trade, or a Sum not exceeding Fifty thou- 
 fand Rupees annually. 
 
 Pveftitution of the Company's Lofs, by the 
 
 taking of Calcutta, and their Out Settlements ; 
 
 alfo Reftitution for the LolTes of all Europeans 
 
 z by
 
 'the Revolution in B E N G A L. 89 
 by Ditto, as may be ftated fairly by Admiral 
 Watfon, the Governor, Colonel C/ive, William 
 Watts, Efq; Major Kilpatrick, and Mr. Becber. 
 
 Blacks and Armenians are not included. 
 
 That the whole of our Phirmaund b 
 complied with, and all other Grants made to 
 us, particularly in the Treaty with Suraja 
 
 Dowlat. 
 
 That the Bounds of Calcutta are to extend 
 the whole Circle of Ditcbdug, upon the In- 
 vafion of the Marattes ; alfo Six hundred 
 Yards without it, for an Efplanade. 
 
 The Inhabitants within our Bounds to be 
 entirely fubject to the TLnglifo Laws and Go- 
 vernment. 
 
 That we have Liberty to fortify and gar- 
 rifon our Factories of Caffimbuzar and Dacca^ 
 as we think proper, and a fufficient Efplanade 
 be granted us round each. 
 
 That Convoys to and from one of our 
 Settlements to another, be permitted to pals 
 without Interruption or Moleftation. 
 
 That
 
 go MEMOIR s' of 
 
 That the Moors (hall erecfc no Fortifica- 
 tions wifhin Twenty Miles of the River 
 Side, from Hughley to Ingeke. 
 
 That a Tr a& of Land- be made over to the 
 ILnglifo Company, whofe Revenues mall be 
 fiifficient to maintain a proper Force of Euro- 
 peans and Seapoys, to keep out the "French-* 
 and affiil the Government againft all Enemies. 
 
 That whenever the Englifo Troops are 
 called to the afliftance of the Government, 
 that the extraordinary Expences of the Cam- 
 paign, be made good by the Government. 
 
 That an Englifo Gentleman, in Quality of 
 Envoy, be permitted to refide at Court, and 
 he treated with due Refpect. 
 
 Minutes of the Treaty, by Mr. Watts ^ 
 May 14, 1757. 
 
 I. That he will confirm all the Grants the 
 
 former Nabob made us, 
 
 II. He will make an Alliance with the Eng- 
 
 lijhj offenfive and defenfive, againft all 
 Enemies, either Natives or Europeans 
 
 III. What-
 
 the Revolution In BENGAL. 91 
 
 III. Whatever French are in his Provinces of 
 
 Bengal \ Babar, or Orixa, to be de- 
 livered up with all their Houfcs and 
 Factories, and they never permitted 
 to fettle more in either of thofe 
 Provinces. 
 
 IV, On Account of the Company's? 
 
 Lofs* I lCrorc ' 
 
 *, The Rupee is a Silver Coin, ftruck in the Mcghol's 
 Mints, with an Infcription of his Name and Titles, the 
 Year of his Reign, and the Pkce at which it was ftruck. 
 It weighs from 7 dw. 10 j gr. to 7 dw. 1 1 gr. and the 
 Proportion of Allay to fine Silver, is as I or 2 to 100. 
 One hundred thoufand Rupees make a Lack, One hundred 
 Lacks a Coroe or Crore, One hundred Crores an Arrib. 
 
 TABLE of RUPEES.
 
 2 M E M O I R $ of 
 
 V. On Account of the Lofles of? T T 
 
 Europeans _po Lack. 
 
 VI. Ditto Jentooivs 30 D. 
 
 VII. Ditto Armenians - ioD. 
 
 VIII. Ditto for Omichund 30 D. 
 
 IX. Whatever Ground there is within the Cal- 
 
 cutta Ditch, belonging to the Zemin- 
 dars, to be given to the EngHJJj, and 
 Six hundred Yards without the Ditch 
 all round. 
 
 X. A Tract of Land, whofe Rents in the 
 
 King's Books amounts to 100,000 
 Rupees Yearly, to be bought at a rea- 
 fonable Value, from the Zemindary } 
 and the Nabob to afllfl us in the 
 Purchafe, we paying the annual Pif- 
 ca(h or Revenue, as ufual, to the Na- 
 bob. Whatever Profit may arife from 
 this Zemindary, is to go towards 
 paying our Military. 
 
 XI. Whenever the Nabob wants the Aflift- 
 
 ance.
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. pj 
 ance of our Troops, the extraordi- 
 nary Expence to be paid by him. 
 
 His Plan of the Treaty was returned, with 
 Alterations : Some of the Articles were mo- 
 dified, and a Blank left for the Company's 
 Demand, that in cafe Meer Jaffcir fhould 
 think it too extravagant, Mr. Watts might 
 have Liberty to moderate it, and he was 
 defired to get it carried into Execution ; but 
 it will appear in the Treaty itfclf, which will 
 be hereafter given, that Mr. Waits got the 
 Treaty executed, without any Deduction or 
 Modification. This was a Work equally ar- 
 duous and hazardous, as Tilings then flood, 
 when every Look, every Word, every Motion of 
 his was fufpccled, and which at the fame time 
 rendered the procuring its Conclufion cxpc- 
 ditioufly a Circumftance of the utmod Con- 
 fequence. In all this, the Rilk might be 
 truly faid to fall entirely upon himfcif; fo 
 that it is not eafy to imagine, how any Man's 
 Circumftances could be more critical than his 
 actually were in this Conjuncture. We lhall 
 however fee, that they 'really became fo af- 
 terwards, and this in a very high Degree, and 
 in very many Refpects, from Caufcs that could 
 
 not
 
 MEMOIRS*/* 
 not be avoided, and which produced a Train 
 of unforefeen Events. 
 
 It was pretty early known, that Meer 
 Jaffeir had entertained no very favourable 
 Notion of Omichund, but there was a Necef- 
 lity of employing and trufting him notwith- 
 ftanding, of which though the former did 
 not complain, yet he did not diflike him the 
 lefs. In the midft of thefe arduous Tranf- 
 adtions, and when every one elfe had their 
 Hands and their Hearts full, it came into 
 Ofaickand's Head to pradlife a little upon 
 Suraja Dow/af, probably that he might be 
 fure of fomewhat, however Things went. He 
 mentioned to Mr. Watts this very fine-fpun 
 Project, to which, that it appeared wild and 
 ftrange, was by no means the ftrongeft Ob- 
 jection. It was, however, in vain to make 
 any: there was Money he thought to be got, 
 and, if it was poffible, he was refolved to get 
 it. On the Sixteenth of May he went to 
 the Palace, where, exerting his admirable 
 Faculty of magnifying the Utility and exalt- 
 ing the Credit of the Advice he had to give^ 
 and having firft alarmed the Suba's timid 
 Mind, by touching many Subjects he knew 
 
 were
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 9$ 
 
 were difagreeable, and in the Clofe, when 
 he faw him fufficiently amazed, condefcended 
 to hint, that he had found means, with great 
 Difficulty, to come at a Secret of the laft Con- 
 fequence, and for the revealing of which 
 he was fure to loie his Life, if it was fo much 
 as fufpected that he had penetrated and dif- 
 clofed it. Promifes of every kind were made, 
 and at length out it came, that the Englijh 
 had difcovered all his Negotiations with Mr. 
 Bujfy, fome Circumftances of which he men- 
 tioned ; that, upon this, they had fent two 
 Gentlemen to confer with, and to convince 
 him, how much more it would be for his 
 Intereft to concur with them j and that they 
 had made, or were upon the Point of mak- 
 ing, a Peace ; which, without doubt, mud 
 be at his Expence. As ftrange as it may 
 feem, Omicbund prevailed over a Man's 
 Foibles, which he had ftudicd, and deluded 
 him into a firm Belief of all he faid, and, in 
 confequence of this, he procured a Pcr- 
 wannah, that is, an Order from the Suba to 
 the Burdwan Rajah, one of his Ofnccrs, for 
 the Payment of Four Lack of Rupees which 
 he owed him, and the full Restitution of 
 the remaining Part of the Money, and all the 
 
 Goods,
 
 g6 MEMOIRS^ 
 
 Goods, of which he had been deipoiled at 
 Calcutta. This he took wonderful Care to 
 have immediately executed, for fear of Ac- 
 cidents, that very Night -, neither did he re- 
 main within the Suba's Reach long after. He 
 left Traces, however, behind him, that fuf- 
 ficiently juftiried Meer Jajfeirs Sufpicions, 
 and exerted that Power of perplexing, which 
 he poifefled in full as eminent a Degree as 
 that of perfuading. This was one principal 
 Caufe of thofe new Difficulties, to which 
 Mr. Watts found himfelf expofed, when he 
 thought the whole Stock of his Abilities 
 fmall enough to deal with the old ones. 
 
 When the Agreement came to be offered to 
 Roydooluby one of the Suba's principal Miniflers, 
 but, notwithftanding that, one of the Parties 
 to this Treaty, he made a Doubt as to the 
 Poffibility of complying with it. He faid, the 
 Treafury, fince the Death of the Old Suba, 
 Aliverdy Cawn, had been much drained, and 
 that though Suraja Dowlat was indeed very 
 rapacious, yet he managed his Affairs fo ill, by 
 keeping his Forces fo long in the Field, as to 
 have impoverished himfelf by a vaft, and at 
 the fame time ufelefs Expence. He alfo fug- 
 
 geftedj
 
 the Revo/ilftM in BENGAL. 97 
 gefted, that poffibly in the Confufion that 
 commonly attends every Revolution, the 
 Suba's Treafury might be plundered, and 
 then they fhould remain bound, without 
 having it in their Power to pay. But to re- 
 move thefe Difficulties, he propofed it as an 
 Expedient, to divide whatever was found in 
 the Treafury with the Englijb. Mr. Watts> 
 who underftood thefe People perfectly, con- 
 fented to fign the Treaty with fuch a Claufe, 
 fubjedt to the Approbation of the Select: 
 Committee at Calcutta. But when Roydoolub 
 reflected, that upon fuch a Divilion he could 
 pretend to no Commifiion, as he might on 
 Money iflued in virtue of the Treaty, of 
 which he had Hopes given him ; when 
 Things came to a Crifis, he rclinquifhed his 
 own Propofal, and refolded to fign the Treaty 
 as it flood. It appeared, that the Apprc- 
 henfions which occafioned thcfs Difputes, 
 and this Delay, were infufed into ReydeoJub 
 by Omicbund, who gave him to Underftand, 
 that if once the Englijb Army tock PoireiTion 
 of Muxadavad, they would not leave it again 
 in three Years. This old crafty Man was 
 not iatisfied with giving this Proof of his 
 Skill in embarraffing j he went much farther -, 
 II and
 
 98 MEMOIRS of 
 
 and as foon as he was himfelf out of Danger, 
 divulged the Secret, which brought Mr. 
 Watts, as well as Meer Jaffeir and the reft, 
 to the very Brink of Deftruction ; r while at 
 Calcutta he reprefented the whole Defign as 
 become defperate and impracticable, becaufe 
 it was difcovered. It was, indeed, wonder- 
 ful, all Things, and more efpecially his Be- 
 haviour, confidered, that it was not fo. How- 
 ever, this Effect thefe Rumours had, that 
 Confufion increafed, Difcontent fpread itfelf 
 more and more in the Suba's Camp, -and 
 the Divilions between him and his principal 
 Officers grew daily wider and wider. Meer 
 Jaffeir was fallen into open Difgrace, re- 
 moved from his Office of BUXY, or Pay- 
 mafter ; upon which he withdrew, and con- 
 tinued in his Quarters with his Troops,, and 
 came no more near the Suba. A Circum- 
 flance that rendered it next to impoffible for 
 Mr. Watts y who was fenfible that he had 
 many Spies upon his Conduct, to have an 
 Interview with him, whofe Houfe was en- 
 tirely furrounded by the Najx)b's Forces, 
 without its being known j and this had given 
 the Suba an Opportunity of executing his 
 Threats, and if that had been a Thing he 
 
 regarded,
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 90 
 regarded, without much injuring his Repu- 
 tation. The Matter, though fo much em- 
 barrafied, being ftill absolutely neceflar,y, and 
 the time prefling, Mr. Watts went to him, 
 in a covered Dooley, the Manner in which. 
 Women are conveyed in that Country, by 
 which means he efcaped Notice, and faw 
 the Treaty which had been figned, fealed, 
 and fworn to on the Koran, and upon his 
 Son's Head, by Meer Jaffeir, with all the 
 Solemnity imaginable, in the Evening of the 
 Fifth of yune. When this was once done, 
 and authentic Advice received of its being 
 done at Calcutta, it removed all Surrnifes, 
 filenced every Sufpicion, and by giving entiic 
 Satisfaction, made way for the taking thoic 
 Meafures which were rcquilite for carrying 
 it into Execution. 
 
 But before we proceed farther, it will be 
 proper to look upon this Treaty, which with 
 fuch indefatigable Diligence Mr. U'atts 
 planned, profecuted, and brought to bear, in 
 defpite of the Sufpicions, Spies, and inildious 
 Contrivances, of all his Enemies ; by which 
 the Company's Commerce, and all their Efta- 
 blifhrncnts in this Part of India, were fccured, 
 H 2 the
 
 loo MEMOIRS of 
 
 the Loffes which the Inhabitants of thofe 
 Places had fuftained, repaired, and the Ho- 
 nour of the Nation vindicated. 
 
 Tranflation of the TREATY made 
 with Meer Jaffeir. 
 
 Wrote with his own Hand. 
 
 I Swear by God, and by the Prophet of 
 God, to abide by the Terms of this 
 Treaty, as long as I have Life. 
 
 Mir JAFFEIR KHAN BAHADAR, 
 
 Servant of King ALLUMGEER. 
 
 TREATY made with the Admiral, 
 Colonel Clive, and the other Coun- 
 fellors, Mr. Drake and Mr. Watts. 
 
 J.T17HATEVER Articles were agreed 
 upon in the time of Peace with the 
 Nabob, Suraja Dowlat, Munfurah 
 MhnaJek Shaik Kouli Khan Bahadar, 
 and Hybitt Jung, I agree to comply 
 with. 
 
 II. The
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. ior 
 
 II. The Enemies of the Englijh are my Ene- 
 
 mies, whether they be Indians or 
 Europeans. 
 
 III. All the Effects and Factories belonging 
 
 to the French, in the Provinces of 
 Bengal, Bahar, and Orixa, {hall re- 
 main in the Poffeffion of the EngHjh j 
 nor will I ever allow them to fettle 
 any more in the Three Provinces. 
 
 IV. In Confideration of the LofTes which the 
 
 Engli/h Company have fuftained, by 
 the Capture and Plunder of Calcutta, 
 by the Nabob, and the Charges occa- 
 fioned by the Maintenance of their 
 Forces, I give them One Coroe of 
 Rupees. 
 
 V. For the Effects plundered from the Eng- 
 
 lijh Inhabitants of Calcutta, I agree 
 to give them Fifty Lack of Rupees. 
 
 VI. For the Effects plundered from the Gen- 
 
 toows, MiijJ'ulmen, and other Subjects 
 of Calcutta, Twenty Lack of Rupees 
 (hall be given. 
 
 H 3 VII. For
 
 102 ME MO I R S OJ 
 
 VJJ. For the Effects plundered from the Ar- 
 menian Inhabitants of Calcutta, I will 
 give the Sum of Seven Lack of Ru- 
 pees. The Diftribution to be made 
 of the Sums allotted the Natives, 
 Englijh Inhabitants, Genfoows, and 
 Mujjulmen, (hall be left to the Ad- 
 miral, Colonel C/ive t Roger Drake, 
 William Watts, James Kilpatrick, and 
 Richard Becher, Efqrs. to be difpofed 
 of by them, to whom they think 
 proper. 
 
 yilL Within the Ditch, which furrounds 
 the Borders of Calcutta, are Tracts of 
 Lands belonging to feveral Zemindars^ 
 befides which, I will grant to the 
 Englijh Company Six hundred Yards 
 without the Ditch. 
 
 !X. All the Lands lying to the South of Cal- 
 cutta, as far as Culpee, mall be under 
 the Zemindary of the Englijh Com- 
 pany, and all the Officers of thofe 
 Parts mall be under their Jurifdiction j 
 the Revenues to be paid by them in 
 
 the
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 103 
 
 the fame Manner with other Zemin- 
 dars. 
 
 X. Whenever I demand the Afliftance of the 
 
 Engli/h, I will be at the Charge of 
 the Maintenance of their Troops. 
 
 XI. I will not erect any new Fortifications 
 
 near the River Ganges, below Hughley. 
 
 XII. As foon as I am eftablifhed in the three 
 
 Provinces, the Sums as afore&id fhall 
 be faithfully paid. 
 
 Dated the i fth Ramzan, in the 
 Fourth Year of the prefent Reign. 
 
 The perfect Harmony that fubfifted be- 
 tween Vice- Admiral Watfon and Colonel C/he, 
 and the intire Confidence repofed in them 
 by the Select Committee, was upon this Oc- 
 caiion, as it had been often before, the 
 principal Source of that Alacrity, with which 
 every thing was undertaken. A Train was 
 immediately provided, a Detachment of Fiity 
 Sailors, with a full Compliment of Officers, 
 appointed to aflift thofe who had the Direc- 
 tion of it; and Inftruc"lions were given for 
 H 4 fhtion-
 
 104 MEMOIRS of 
 
 ftatiouing a Twenty Gun Ship above 
 to keep the Communication with the Army 
 open. Thefe Steps were abfolutely requiiite, 
 and others of a like Nature were prudently 
 contrived, and chearfully performed, by the 
 Officers in the King's and in the Company's 
 Service ; the Select Committee did their BuQ T 
 nefs in Silence j and though there was a warm 
 Spirit of Emulation, yet the leaft Spark of 
 pnvy or Jealoufy never appeared, though fo 
 many Corps of different Kinds were ferving 
 conjunclly in the Expedition. This, as it was 
 truly fingular, was alfo remarkably happy ; 
 for no Exploit of this Confequence was ever 
 begun or profecutcd in a more critical Situa- 
 tion, or where any untoward Accident might 
 have more eafily occafioned a Difappointment. 
 The Forces that were to be employed, tho' 
 more numerous than in the preceding Opera- 
 tions, yet were but a Handful, in comparifoii 
 of the Suba's Army. Meerjaffeir> who had 
 feparated his Corps of Troops, was again 
 joined with the Suba, but without any real 
 'Reconciliation on either Part : Yet this, -how-^ 
 ever, was fufncient to raife a Doubt, how far 
 any Dependance could be formed upon his 
 adting; and what followed, plainly fhewed 
 
 that
 
 ibe Revolution in BENGAL. 105 
 that Suspicion was not ill founded. There 
 was no fmall Danger of being furrounded by 
 thefe fuperior Troops, and if the Communi- 
 cation with the River had been intercepted, 
 the greatcft Difficulties might have enfued. 
 Befides thefe, the rainy Seafon was juft 
 coming onj fo that, all Things taken together, 
 and the Hazard that was to be run being 
 maturely weighed, the Moors embarked in 
 this Defign had not the fmalleft Reafon to 
 repine at the Price they paid for our Aflift- 
 ance ; as on the other hand, their own Safety, 
 and the large Stake for which they fought, 
 being confidercd, the Englijh had great Encou- 
 ragement to exert themfelves with that fteady 
 Intrepidity which they did. Mr. Watts* from 
 what he knew of the Suba's natural Dif- 
 pofition, and what he had obicrvcd with rc- 
 ipecl to his Forces, and thofe who com- 
 manded them, formed fo true a Judgment 
 of all that might happen, and had previoufly 
 acquainted the Select Committee with thefe 
 Sentiments, that there fcarce fell out any 
 Thing in the Progrefs of this Expedition 
 which was not foreicen, and in regard to 
 which therefore the proper Precautions had 
 not been taken, 
 
 After
 
 jo6 MEMOIRS of 
 
 After finishing his Negotiations with Meer 
 yaffeir, and taking all the Meafures requifitc 
 for executing his intended declining from 
 the Suba in time of Action, and, if a favour- 
 able Opportunity offered, feizing his Perfon, 
 there feemed to be no farther Neceffity for 
 Mr. Watts to continue under the Eye of a 
 provoked and capricious Prince. But this 
 very Circumftance rendered it expedient; 
 to diftracl his Thoughts, to give him a Dif- 
 fidence of the Informations he received, and 
 to afford Leifure for the Preparations making 
 at Calcutta. His Houfe was furrounded with 
 Spies, who watched not only his Motions, 
 but his Words and Looks. It may be, the 
 ftrong Aflurances they gave, that he could 
 take no Method to withdraw, but they mufl 
 have previous Intelligence, contributed to his 
 Safety. However, his Condition was moft 
 unhappy ; a fudden ftart of Paffion in the 
 Suba had in a Moment brought him to a violent 
 Death, at leaft; perhaps, to Tortures. At 
 Calcutta they had fo true a Senfe of his Dan- 
 ger, that it was more than once reported, 
 Sitraja Doivlat had cut off his Head, and fet 
 it upon a Pole. There was likewife Doubts 
 as to the Means of his efcaping. He chofe 
 
 to
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. fc7 
 to do it with the reft of the Gentlemen on 
 Horfeback, the Manner leaft fufpected, be- 
 caufe of the Length of the Journey, and the 
 extreme Heat of the Seafon, which rendered 
 it executively fatiguing, and not a little dan- 
 gerous. But when he understood from Co- 
 lonel Clive, that every thing refpecling the 
 Expedition was completed, he happily de- 
 ceived the Spies of the Suba, and on the 
 Eleventh of June made his Efcape, though 
 not unpurfued. It was not to Calcutta he 
 directed his Courfe, but to the Army, in 
 which he continued, and was prcfent at the 
 decilive Action which brought on the Com- 
 pletion of his Treaty, and thereby reftored 
 Peace to Bengal. Let us now rcfume the 
 Operations of the Eritljh Forces. 
 
 All things being in Readinefs, the Army,, 
 which confifled of One thoufand Europeans, 
 Two thoufand Seapoys, Fifty Seamen, under 
 the Command of a Lieutenant, with Seven 
 Midmipmen, and Eight Pieces of Cannon, 
 began their March from Cbandenagorc to- 
 wards CaJJimbuzar on the i3th of June. 
 The very fame Day Mr. Watt 's joined the 
 Colonel, to whom he imparted all the 
 
 Light?,
 
 MEMOIRS of 
 
 Lights, and gave the beft Intelligence in 
 every Refpect that was in his Power. On 
 the Nineteenth the Town and Fort of Cutwa, 
 fituated on the fame Side with Ghandcnagore, 
 of that River which forms the Ifland of 
 Cqflimbiizar, was attacked and taken. This 
 was ,an Event of fome Importance, as it 
 opened a free ParTage, which could not have 
 been eafily forced, if it had been properly 
 defended. The Army halted there for two 
 Days, in order to receive fome Accounts of 
 the Enemies Strength, as well as to gain 
 certain Advice of what might be expected from 
 thofe who were entered into the Party with, 
 and engaged to fupport, Meer yaffeir > which, 
 when it arrived, was far enough from being 
 fatisfactory or explicit. The Colonel, how- 
 ever, was fo well informed by Mr. Watts, as 
 to the real Caufes of this feeming Backward- 
 nefs, and had from his own Experience and 
 Penetration fo juft a Notion of the Moors 
 Mode of acting, which, without fuch previous 
 Acquaintance with their Temper and Manners, 
 might probably have confounded any other 
 Officer in his Station, that on the Twenty- 
 fccond of the fame Month he pafled the 
 River, and continued his March directly to- 
 wards
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. lop 
 wards Plwffy, where the Army arrived, and 
 took up their Ground about One the next 
 Morning, without meeting with any Diflurb- 
 ance or Moleftation on their March. 
 
 This Poft was extremely well chofen for 
 that Country, and for the Method in which 
 thofe People make War. It was a Grove, 
 covered on every Side by Mud Banks, in 
 the midft of a Plain. At Day-break, on the 
 Twenty-third, the Suba's Army advanced 
 within a very fmall Diftance, and with a 
 manifeft Defign to attack the Englifi Forces. 
 He had about Fifteen thoufand Horfe, and 
 between Twenty and Thirty thoufand Foot, 
 with upwards of Forty Pieces of heavy Can- 
 non, which were managed by Frencbncn y upon 
 whofe Skill and Courage he greatly depended. 
 The Van was commanded by Roydoolub> and 
 and the left Wing by Meer Jaffeir. About 
 Six they began to cannonade pretty fmartly 
 on every Side, and this Diftribution of their 
 Cannon gave them two great Advantages; 
 Firft, as they were much larger, and carried 
 a heavier Weight of Metal, they did Execu- 
 tion where the EngUfi Artillery was of no 
 Ufe ; and in the next Place, being thus fepa- 
 -> rated
 
 no MEMOIRS of 
 
 rated to a confiderable Diftance from each 
 other, it was impoflible to make any Attempt 
 to feize them, and therefore all the Colonel 
 could do was to take the Benefit of his in- 
 trenched Pofts, and leave his Troops as little 
 expofed as poflible. If the Suba, or any of 
 his Officers, had understood well what they 
 were about, they might certainly have pro- 
 fecuted their Scheme, and have completely in- 
 verted the Englijb Army, and then the Co- 
 lonel muft have waited the Approach of 
 Night, in order to halve forced a Paflage 
 through 'the Camp, which he in reality had 
 defigned. But the : Enemy, on the contrary, 
 upon the falling of a fmart Shower about 
 Noon, withdrew their Artillery within their 
 Camp. Upon this, a Detachment marched 
 with Two Field Pieces, and took Poffeffion 
 of a Tank, covered with high Banks, from 
 whence the Moors had fired with Succefs. 
 They then would have brought out their Ar- 
 tillery again, but were prevented ; and this 
 encouraged the fending Detachments to po- 
 fefs two other Eminences, very near an Angle 
 of their Camp, covered by a double Breaft- 
 work; and from thence, as well as from 
 another Eminence, which Hill remained in 
 
 their
 
 tie Revolution in BENGAL. m 
 their Pofleflion, they kept up a pretty fmart 
 Fire with their Small Arms. They feveral 
 times endeavoured to bring up Cannon to 
 thofe Ports, but our Field Pieces were fo 
 happily ported, and Ib well ferved, that they 
 could never effect it. At length \hc.Englijb 
 ftormed that Angle and Eminence at the 
 fame Inftant of time, though the former was 
 defended by Forty French, and a very nu- 
 merous Body of the Suba's Troops, who had 
 likewife in that Port Two Pieces of Cannon, 
 and the latter by a confiderable Corps of Foot 
 and Horfe. Some Perfons of Dirtinction being 
 killed immediately before, or at the Beginning 
 of the Attack, the Enemy being difpirited by 
 that, quickly gave way, and both the Ports 
 were forced with a very trifling Expence to 
 us, though they fufFered fevcrcly. On this 
 the right Wing and Center fled, abandoning 
 their Camp and Artillery. Their Lois in this 
 Action fell little, if at all, fliort of Five hun- 
 dred Men, and between Forty and Fifty Pieces 
 of Cannon. Of the Enghjh Forces, there 
 were Twenty killed and Fifty wounded, the 
 greateft Part of which were Seapoys. The 
 Flight of the Enemy was fo precipitate, that 
 the Suba, mounted on a Camel, with the 
 
 better
 
 Ill M E M > I R S 6f 
 
 better Part of the Army, arrived at Muxadd- 
 vad, which was Twenty Miles drftant, by 
 Twelve at Night. The Colonel, after pur- 
 fuirig therft Five or Six Miles, halted hrs 
 Troops, and difpofed of them in the beft 
 Manner he could. Such was the Battle, fuch 
 the decifive Victory of Plaifly! 
 
 It was obferved during the Action, that a 
 great Body of Horfe, in the Enemy's left 
 Wing, kept moftly hovering at a Diftance. 
 But as they made no SignalSj though they 
 .fometimes advanced within Cannon-fliot, they 
 were more than once taught by our Artillery 
 to retire. However, after the Victory was 
 declared, the Colonel was informed that thefe 
 were Meer Jaffeirs Troops, which remained 
 on the Field in a Body, and the next Day, in 
 the Morning, he had an Interview with Mr. 
 C/ive, in which, after congratulating him 
 upon his Victory, and applauding his Con- 
 duel, he fignified his Willingnefs to ratify the 
 Treaty, and to perform all the Articles k of it 
 punctually, as foon as it was in his Power. 
 Colonel C/ive advifed him to march without 
 Delay, and make himfelf Mafter of the Ca- 
 pital of the Provinces, before Suraja Dow/af 
 
 could
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 113 
 could have Time to recoiled himfelf, or draw 
 together any confiderable Part of his difperfed 
 Army. Meer Jaffeir faw the Utility of this 
 Advice, which he carried into Execution with 
 the utmoft Expedition. At his Entrance into 
 Muxadavad, he found the City in the utmoft 
 Confternation. The Suba was in Pofleffion of 
 his Palace, on the other Side of the River, 
 \vith fome Troops about him, amongft whom 
 he diftributed feveral Lack of Rupees; but 
 the reft, as had been forefeen, difperfed. A 
 few Hours after, in a Fit of Defpair, he with- 
 drew, accompanied only by Five Perfons, 
 and took with him a large Sum in Gold, and 
 Jewels to an immenfe Value. Upon the 
 News of this, Meer Jaffeir immediately paf- 
 fed the River, entered the Palace, and afTum- 
 ed the Title of Suba, without any Oppofition. 
 At the fame time, he feized the Treafurcs of 
 his PredecefTor ; and Things being in this 
 Situation, he difpatched Advice -inftantly to 
 Colonel Cli<ve. As there was ftill a great Fer- 
 mentation amongft the People, and no Cer- 
 tainty of what was become of Suraja Dowlat, 
 it was judged expedient, upon the Arrival of 
 this News, to fend Mr. Watts and Mr. Waljh 
 thither, that they might uie their beft En- 
 I dcavours
 
 ME M 01 R S of 
 
 deavours to quiet the Metropolis, to fortify 
 the new Suba, in his Difpofition to fulfil the 
 Agreement, ^and to put an End to the pre- 
 fent Confuiions, as foon as it was poffible. 
 They were fortunate enough to fucceed in 
 this important Comrniflion j and all things 
 being reduced to a greater Degree of Order 
 and Tranquility than could well be expect- 
 ed, Colonel CUve was invited to pay a 
 Vifit to the Nabob. On the Twenty-ninth 
 of 'June he made his public Entry into 
 Muxada*uad) attended by a Guard of Two 
 hundred Europeans, and Three hundred Sea- 
 poys. He was received there with the ut- 
 moft Expreffions of Joy, and the loudeft Ac- 
 clamations of the People, as well as with the 
 moft profound Marks of RefpecT:, and the 
 warmed Teflimonies of Gratitude, by Mcer 
 Jaffiirt with whom he went to the Palace, 
 and faw him felted in Form, upon the Mus- 
 NUD, or Carpet of State, where he was una- 
 lumoufiy faluted Suba, and thereby invefled 
 with the fupreme Authority over the Pro- 
 vinces, with general Applaufe. Thus, in a 
 Fortnight's Time, this amazing Revolution 
 was begun and ended, and that happy Change 
 from which fuch numerous Benefits 
 
 have
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 1 1 
 have fince flowed to the Eaft India Company 
 and the Eritifh Subje&s in Bengal, 
 
 About the fame time the unfortunate Su* 
 raja Dow/af was feized, near Rajamaal : It is 
 certain that he was in a very low and diftrefled 
 Condition, with hardly any Cloaths upon hi 8 
 Back, and the Report went, that he fought 
 Shelter in the Houfe of a Man, whofe Ears he 
 had caufed to be cut off in one of his Tranf- 
 ports of Paflion, and by whom he was dif- 
 covered, and given up to his Purfuers. Be 
 that as it will, the making him Prifoner was 
 regarded as an Event of great Confequence to 
 the new Suba. He was no fooner informed 
 of it, than he committed that Prince to the 
 Cuftody of his Son, recommending to him 
 earneftly in public, to take the fureft Methods 
 to prevent his Efcape ; but at all Events to 
 preserve his Life. The young Man, inftead 
 of paying that Refpedt which was due to his 
 Father's Commands, no fooner had him in 
 his Hands, than he caufed him to be privately 
 put to Death. At this, when the Suba ap- 
 peared to be difpleaied, his Son alleged, that 
 the captive Suba had found means to write 
 and convey Letters upon the Road to feveral 
 I 2
 
 1x6 MEMOIRS of 
 
 Jemidars, in order ex'cite a Revolt in the 
 Army -, to prevent which, he knew no other 
 certain Remedy than that of depriving him 
 of Life, which he thought was likewife bet- 
 ter done, without expecting any farther Or- 
 ders. It has been furmifed> and very pro- 
 bably not altogether without Grounds, that 
 there was fomething of Collulion in this Mat- 
 ter between the Father and the Son ; a 
 thing indeed not at all unfrequent in this 
 Part of the World ; and what made it pafs for 
 a kind of Juftice, was the Remembrance 
 that People had, that this unhappy young 
 Man, Sttraja Dow/at, had been often em- 
 ployed in the very fame Acts, by the old 
 Suba, Aliverdy Caivn y who availing himfelf 
 of the fanguinary Difpofition of his Grandfon, 
 made ufe of him to remove fuch as through 
 Avarice, Sufpicion, or Refentment, he in- 
 dined to have taken away, and then, to fave 
 Appearances, difavowed the Fact. 
 
 Such was the End of Suraja Doivlat, in the 
 Prime of his Youth, being at the Hour of his 
 Death fcarce Twenty-five Years of Age. An 
 End! luitable to his Life, which had been 
 Jpent in Violence and Blood. He was na- 
 turally
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 
 turally ram and headftrong, conceived the 
 ftrongeft Refentment on the flighteft Occa- 
 (ions, often without any Occafion at all ; and 
 notwithftanding the Variablenefs of his Na- 
 ture, and the continual Fluctuation of his 
 Mind, either executed fuddenly the Dictates 
 of his Paflion, or, where that was impractica- 
 ble, perfifted in his bad Intentions, though he 
 never fhewed any Steadinefs in the Perform- 
 ance of his Promifes, or any Regard to his 
 Oaths, which he made and broke with the 
 very fame Facility. The only Excufe that can 
 be offered for him, is, that he had a View of 
 Sovereignty from his Infancy \ little, and that 
 but bad, Education in his Youth j and, after 
 all, lived not long enough to attain any great 
 Experience, which pofiibly might have made 
 him better, and poflibly alfo might have made 
 him worfe. His Reign was but of Fourteen 
 Months, and in that Space he had little Qujct 
 himfelf, allowed none to his Subjects; and 
 with boundlefs Authority, and immenfe 
 Riches, never excited Duty, or fo much as 
 acquired a lingle Friend, whofe fage Advices 
 might have prevented his fad Cataftrophe. 
 How infignificant then is Power ! How de- 
 ftructive is Wealth ! when they fall into the 
 I 7 Hand;
 
 n8 ME M 01 us of 
 
 Hands of him, who only poffelfes that he 
 may abufe them | 
 
 There was a Circumftance attending the 
 Fate of Suraja Doivlat, that perhaps contri- 
 buted to make even the Manner of it lefs re^ 
 gretted. Mr. Law, who had been formerly 
 the French Chief at Caffimbuzar> a Gentleman, 
 to do him JufHce, of Honour and Abilities, 
 Jiad collected Two hundred of his Nation for 
 the Service of the Suba, and was within a 
 few Hours March of him when he was taken ; 
 upon hearing of which he flopped. This is 
 a conclufive Proof that he was in his Pay, 
 and a Circumftance that very fully juftifies 
 the Englijh in their Conduct. If he had 
 reached, and preferved Suraja Dowlat, the 
 War would not have been fo eafily and fo 
 fpeedily fmimed. He who was without 
 Friends in his Diftrefs, might have again 
 found Troops for Pay, or perhaps for Pro- 
 mifcs j fo that his Death in this Refpeft had 
 a ftronger Air of Policy, and contributed to 
 add Credit to the Report, that his SuccefTor 
 was not fo entire a Stranger to it as he feem- 
 ed. This Event likewife made it evident, 
 {hat the Article which provided againft the 
 
 Return,
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 119 
 Return of the French into Benga/, was not 
 either improper or imprudent. Colonel Clive, 
 who fees Things and their Confequcnces in 
 an Inftant, detached Captain Coote, then of 
 Colonel Alder crons Regiment, with Two 
 hundred Europeans^ and Five hundred Sea- 
 poys, in Purfuit of Mr. Law j and though, 
 that Force was fully fufficient, yet he en- 
 gaged the Suba to fend alfb Two thoufand of 
 his Horfe, that his own Subjects and all India 
 might know, that the French were eqnally his 
 Enemies and Our's, and that being accuftom- 
 ed, from his firft Entrance on Government, 
 to fulfil his Engagements, he might learn to 
 place his own Grandeur in adhering to his 
 Word, and expert the Safety of his Domi- 
 nions from the punctual Performance of his 
 Promifes. A LefTon that could not be taught 
 at a more convenient Time. 
 
 The fetting up the new, or rather reftor- 
 ing the old Form of Rule, was entirely due 
 to the Eng/i/b y and the Suba and his Sub- 
 jects were alike fenfible of it ; which was a 
 Point of equal Honour and Advantage to tho 
 Nation. It afforded a llrong and glorious 
 Proof, that we, who in fo long a Courfe of 
 1 , Years
 
 120 MEMOIRS of 
 
 Years had never given the leaft Trouble or 
 Uneafinefs to the Government, were yet able 
 to do ourfelves Juftice, when there was no 
 other way left to remain in Quiet. On the 
 other Hand, all the Advantages gained were 
 by the fair and open Method of a Treaty, 
 in which the firft and moft difficult Part was 
 performed by us, and not taken violently or 
 by force of Arms ; though at the fame 
 time it was evidently in our Power to have 
 done it, if it had been at all in our Will. 
 When, therefore, Colonel C/ive and Mr. 
 Watts applied themfelves to the Suba, for 
 the fpecific Performance of that Agreementj 
 which he had made previous to his Acceflion, 
 the Juftice of their Demand was without 
 Helitation acHnowleged, The State of the 
 Treafury was laid before them in the moft 
 candid Manner, fo as to leave them not the; 
 leaft Reafon to doubt, that what Roydoolub 
 mentioned' as an Objection at the concluding 
 of the Treaty, was a real matter of Fad j and 
 from the Diffipation that had happened lince, 
 the Suba was not in a Condition to fulfil his 
 Promifes, and difcharge all his Obligations at 
 once. Befides, it was for the Intereft of the 
 as well as for the Reputation of the
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 121 
 Company, to fupport the Government which 
 had been the Work of their own Hands, and 
 not leave a Prince whom they had raifcd 
 to the Subamip, with a Treafury abfolutely 
 empty, fince fuppofing this in their Power, it 
 muft have exceedingly diftrefled him, and 
 no lefs difgraced them. 
 
 In this State of Things, the Propofition he 
 made feemed too equitable to be rejected. He 
 offered to pay down a third of the whole 
 Sum, to make it up one Moiety in a very 
 fhort Space of Time, and to difcharge the 
 Remainder by equal Payments, in the Space 
 of Three Years. This, therefore, was ac- 
 cepted, from a moral Perfuafion that he, who 
 parted with one Half in Confidcration of what 
 had been done for him, would likewifc pay 
 the other Half in the limited Time, to fecure 
 Afliftance, in cafe any thing more was to be 
 done. Thefc then were the real Motives to 
 the Agreement, which indeed took its Rile 
 from Neceflity, a Law that maintains its 
 Rights under every Government, and in all 
 Climates. There is a known Cuftom through- 
 out India, and in that Country more than in 
 any other Cuilom has the Force of a Law, 
 
 that
 
 iaa MEMO IR s ef 
 
 that Ten per Cent, is paid as Treafury Fees 
 upon all Sums received y which thofe Gentle- 
 men had Weight enough with Roydoolub to 
 reduce to Five; and by the Help of thisCon- 
 ceffion, every thing was very foon adfufted, 
 and the complete Moiety came into the Com- 
 pany's PofTeflion. The candid Reader will 
 probably think that Colonel Clive and Mr. 
 Watts did, upon this very" momentous Occa- 
 iion, all that it was in their Power to do, and 
 this was alfo their Sentiment- ; for as- loon as 
 more was in their Power, they took care to 
 improve the Opportunity for the common 
 Benefit of all concerned. A conclufive Tefti- 
 mony of the Uprightnefs of their Intention* 
 in the/ whole of this Tranfaclion. 
 
 This wonderful Sunfliine of Profperity at 
 Calcutta was fuddenly overcaft, by the Death 
 of a Great Man, to whofe Virtues and Abi- 
 lities the Inhabitants were indebted, in a. very 
 high Degree, for all the Happinefs they pof- 
 feffed. This was Charles Watjbn> Efqj Vice- 
 Admiral of the Blue, whofe amiable Qualities 
 in private Life added Luflre to his public 
 Character. His Sentiments were noble^, ge- 
 nerous, and humane, his Manners graceful, 
 
 eafv,
 
 the Revolution in B t N G A L. 123 
 
 cafy, and polite ; no Gentleman was ever 
 more capable of gaining the Efteem of thoib 
 with whom he converted, and no Officer 
 ever undcrftood better how to exercife the 
 Benevolence and Swectncfs of his own Dlf- 
 pofhion, without impairing his Authority. 
 Jn his Station he was Active without Hurry ; 
 Vigilant, without feeming to be Bufy ; and, 
 with an open Countenance, ever attentive to 
 his Duty. His Orders were obeyed with 
 Pleafure, becaufe they were enforced by his 
 Example ; and he was himfelf ready to do 
 more than he ever expected from others. 
 His having the Command in that critical 
 Conjuncture, was, from -the Beginning, look- 
 ed upon as a fingular and fignal Blefling to 
 the Englijh fettled in the Indies ; and every 
 Action of his afterwards confirmed that No- 
 tion. No Wonder, then, that his Death was 
 
 confidered as a Common Calamity, and his 
 
 * 
 
 Lofs regretted as d public Misfortune. He 
 was interred on the Seventeenth of Jluguft, 
 when an unfeigned Sorrow was plainly vifiblc 
 in the Face of every Inhabitant, and a vo- 
 luntary univerfal Mourning exprefled, in fomc 
 Degree, the true Senfc the People had of his 
 Merit, and the Effects that had been derived 
 
 to
 
 MEMOIRS of 
 to them from thence. Indeed, they had been 
 inconfolable, but for the Hopes they had 
 ftill left in Admiral Pocoek. Hopes ! that did 
 not deceive them, and which have been pro- 
 ductive of new Honours to the Britifh Flag. 
 
 It was to the Attention of the Admmiftra- 
 tion at Home, that the Company and the 
 Subjects of Great Britain in India owed 
 thefe potent and timely Succours ; and, which 
 was of no lefs Confequence, the prudent and 
 happy Choice of the Officers who command- 
 ed them. The French, though deficient 
 clfewhere, had a conliderable Naval Force 
 in the Indies y and were for this Reafbn very 
 confident of their Succefs in that Part of the 
 World; in which, perhaps, they had not 
 been deceived, if, upon the Demife of Vice- 
 Admiral Watfon, the Command had devolved 
 upon an Officer of lefs Merit, or even upon 
 an Officer whofe Merit had been lefs known 
 or lefs eflablimed than that of Mr. Pocock. 
 As it was, the Spirits of Britijh Subjects were 
 not depreffed, or thofe of the Enemy raifed. 
 They had already known and felt his Cou- 
 rage, and he made them very quickly fenfible 
 of the Extent of his Capacity. They faw 
 
 him
 
 tbe Revolution in BENGAL. 1 2 j 
 him equally active and vigilant : Their Squa- 
 drons no fooner appeared, than they had his 
 in View. He was the Guardian of all our 
 Settlements, and the Bane of all their Arma- 
 ments and Expeditions. His Sagacity defeat- 
 ed many of their Defigns, his Dexterity and 
 Dilpatch difconcerted others, till, by his Vic- 
 tories, he ruined, not their Reputation only, 
 but their Strength in Afia> as completely as 
 other Admirals had done in Europe and 
 America. Thefe are Facts indifputable ; and, 
 as they are connected with our Subject, we 
 may take the Liberty of mentioning them, 
 without giving Offence to that Gentleman, 
 whofe Modefty renders him as amiable, as 
 his other Virtues have made him confpicuous. 
 But to return to our Subject. 
 
 All Infant Governments are in their very 
 Nature fubject to Diforders. The new Suba, 
 foon after the Departure of Colonel CUve, felt 
 fufficiently, that, contrary to the firft flatter- 
 ing Appearances, his Administration was not 
 thoroughly effoblifhed. Some of the Nabobs 
 in his Province, dubious of his Intentions 
 towards them, made no great hafte to ac- 
 knowlege an Authority that might be pre- 
 judicial
 
 126 MEMOIRS^ 
 
 judicial to their own j and in the Indies, this 
 kind of Delay is ever confidered as Difobe- 
 dience. Betides, Meer Jaffeir remembred the 
 Advice which the Colonel had given him at 
 Parting, which was, to acquire a Reputation 
 for Firmnefs from his earlieft Actions, if he 
 meant to tafte Quiet in the remaining Part of 
 his Reign. He refolved, therefore, to em- 
 ploy his Forces againfl thofe, who, though 
 they did not prefume to queftion his Title, 
 fhewed, notwithftanding, a Reludtancy to 
 acknowlege it. He found, however, a 
 fudden Stop put to his Operations. At the 
 Beginning, fome of his Officers were intract- 
 able, and his Troops in general were un- 
 willing to move. He was entitled by the 
 Treaty to Affiflance from the Engtijh, and, 
 upon his making the Demand, Colonel Clive 
 marched inftantly to his Relief. His Forces 
 were not numerous 3 but he brought with him 
 a Reputation that carried with it a Perfuafion 
 that he was ever irreiiftable, and his very 
 Prefence in the Suba's Camp reftored Obe- 
 dience to that Prince. Colonel Clive, and 
 Mr. Watts who attended him, took this Op* 
 portunity to follicit the affigning Funds for 
 the Money that was ftiil due, and obtained 
 
 from
 
 the Revolution ^BENGAL. 127 
 from the Suba, though not without fbme 
 Difficulty, all that they deiired. 
 
 They likcwife defired, and obtained, that 
 the Company's Grant of Lands might be ex- 
 tended Northward from Culpee to Raugaful- 
 lab, which, befides the Augmentation of Ter- 
 ritory, was in other Refpects a Matter of 
 Importance. 
 
 The Nabob of Patna, whofe Name was 
 Ramnaram> againft whom this Expedition 
 was made, upon the Approach of the Suba's 
 Army, offered to fubmit, and to pay his Tri- 
 bute regularly, if he was continued in his Go- 
 vernment, and the Suba's Promife was gua- 
 rantied by Colonel Ctive. The Suba requeft- 
 ed this as a Favour of the Colonel, and 
 defired that he would write a Letter to the 
 Nabob, which he accordingly did > and up- 
 on the Faith of that Letter, he came and 
 made his Submiilion. The great Product of 
 Patna is Salt-petre, about which there had 
 been formerly continual Difputes between us 
 and the Dutch. At prefent, it was in the 
 Hands of neither ; but was flill a Monopoly 
 under a Leafe. Colonel Give and Mr. Watt^ 
 4 who
 
 128 MEMOIRS^' 
 
 who knew the Confequence of fuch an Ao 
 quiiition to the Englijh, propofed the giving 
 it in Leafe to them, at the fame Rate, which 
 would be no Prejudice to the Suba j and the 
 Juncture being favourable, this Proportion 
 was complied with likewife, by which the 
 Company are annually Gainers of about Two 
 Lack and a half of Rupees, or fomething 
 more than Thirty thoufand Pounds Sterling. 
 It is evident, therefore, from thefe Inftances, 
 that no favourable Opportunity was let flip, 
 no fingle Occalion loft, that could be turned 
 to the Company's Advantage. 
 
 This Expedition, as it effectually fixed the 
 new Suba in that Dignity, naturally brings 
 the Memoirs of this Revolution to their Pe- 
 riod. We cannot, however, conclude with- 
 out obferving, that as there could not be any 
 thing more melancholy than the Situation 
 of the Company's Affairs, when the Settle- 
 ment of Calcutta was overwhelmed and de- 
 flroyed, fo nothing can be more fatisfadlory 
 than to contemplate the Advantages that have 
 refulted from this Alteration to the Eaji 
 India Company, the private and particular 
 Sufferers, and the Britifo Subjects who either 
 
 refide
 
 tie Rfto/tititot in B E U c A I. 
 refide in, or may hereafter go and rclide in, 
 Bengal. In reference to the Company, th 
 Treaty with the prefent Suba procured them 
 an ample Indemnity, without tying them 
 down to a Specification of Lofles, which 
 would have been not more importable than 
 improper. The Sum was fuch as became the 
 Rank and Grandeur of him who gave, and 
 was admirably fuited to the Situation and 
 Services of thofe who received. The Point 
 of Security is likewife fully provided for ; the 
 Settlement may be fortified in fuch a Man- 
 ner as to remove all Apprehenfions ; at the 
 fame time that thefe mighty Conceflions are 
 made, they are made in a Method that ren- 
 ders them doubly valuable, not through 
 Fear or Compulfion, but with all poffiblc 
 Marks of Confidence and Efteem. The In- 
 terefts of the Company, and the Country 
 Government, are declared to be the fame ; 
 and to prevent any Sufpicion of Alteration, 
 they are allowed an unrivalled Superiority, 
 and the Enemies of the one are to be of 
 Courfe the Enemies of the other. There is 
 a Provifion, as far as fuch a Provifion can be 
 made, that this Conjunction of Intercfts flull 
 not be temporary, but perpetual ; fincc the 
 K Ccm-
 
 130 MEMOIRS of 
 
 Company is at Liberty to take whatever Mea* 
 fures fhall feem moft expedient for the Safety 
 of her Settlements, which is as much as 
 could be either expeded or defired. 
 
 The Regard fhewn, and the Proviiion 
 made, for all Degrees of Perfons, who fuf- 
 fered by the Subverfion of the Colony, was 
 equally equitable and honourable. The Com- 
 pany, and thofe who depended upon it, ihared 
 the good as well as the ill Fortune that au 
 tended the different Adminiftrations in Ben- 
 gal. There were many of the European 
 Sufferers, who were abfolutely ruined and 
 undone ; reduced from Opulence and Eafe, 
 to Mifery and Want, by a fudden, unforefeen, 
 and inevitable Misfortune. Thefe were re* 
 ftored to the whole of what they had loft, 
 which was a Benefit to themfelves, and to 
 their Creditors in other parts of India and 
 in Europe. Belides, -as many of them had 
 acquired their Fortunes by their Induftry, and 
 had fpent almpft their whole Lives in this 
 Climate* it was not only a Piece of Juilice to 
 recover for them what they had loft, but a 
 Point of true Policy to prevent the Terror of 
 their Fate from having a'mifchievous Opera- 
 tion
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 131 
 tion in fucceeding Times, which othenvife it 
 might have had j and this too in many Re- 
 fpedls. The extending this Refutation to the 
 Jentoows and Armenians^ was not only a very 
 exemplary but a very generous Aft of Be- 
 nevolence, founded in Principle. At the 
 fame time that it attached the particular Per* 
 fobs who were relieved, it raifed the Reputa- 
 tion of the Company. It revived the Spirits 
 of thofe ufeful Inhabitants, and gave a new 
 Spring to their Activity and Induftry, which 
 were not only falutary Confequenccs at the 
 Time, but will be found more fo in their 
 Effects, and facilitate the Execution of thofe 
 Defigns, that will be hereafter mentioned. 
 This Tendernefs for other Nations, this laud- 
 able Defire that they mould mare in the 
 Profperity, who had been hurt by the Ad- 
 verfity of the Eng/fo, might be fet in a far 
 ftronger Light, if placed in Comparifon with 
 the Conduct of others, without ftirring out 
 of India ; but as that would be invidious, k 
 is better omitted. 
 
 This ftupendious Revolution may be alfo 
 confidered as equally glorious and advantage- 
 ous to the Britijh Nation. We Llay be al- 
 
 K 2 lowed
 
 MEM 01 RS of 
 
 lowed to fay, bccaufe the Fact cannot be 
 puted, that it is a fignal Proof of the Utility 
 of Maritime Empire. As Commerce carries 
 the Subjects of Britain every where, Britijh 
 Subjects every where experience Britijh Pro- 
 tection : There are no Limits to our Naval 
 Power, but thofe by which the Creator has 
 confined the Globf . The Eaft India Com- 
 pany was faved, and her Affairs reftored, by 
 the Attention and Arms of that Government 
 by which me was erected. Many of thofe, 
 who would have totally loft the Fruits of 
 long Labour and various Hardfhips, and who 
 muft have been Beggars if fubject to any 
 other Power, are again eafy in their For- 
 tunes, and fome of them have already tranf- 
 ported their Effects to their native Country $ 
 the proper Return for the Affiftance they de- 
 rived from her maternal Affection j and as thefe 
 Events have diftinguifhed the prefent Age 
 and the prefent Adminiftration, fo their 
 Effects will probably be felt in fucceeding 
 Times. The Company, by an Acceffion of 
 Territory, has an Opportunity of making 
 an ample Settlement ; which, under pro- 
 per Management, may be not only ex- 
 tremely ferviceable to her, but alfo to the 
 
 Nation >
 
 the Revolution in BENGAL. 
 Nation ; and having a Revenue from thefc 
 Lands, the Mint at Calcutta, and the Leafc 
 of the Salt-petre at Patna, which amounts in 
 the whole to One hundred thoufand Pounds 
 a Year, there is a Provifion againft future 
 Dangers upon the Spot, and without farther 
 Expence. Thefe Benefits have clearly arifen 
 from that Revolution, of which we have 
 given an Account, and are due to thofe who 
 conducted it. May the future Emoluments 
 do the like Honour to thofe who ihail here- 
 after have the Care of the Company's and 
 the Nation's Concerns in the Indies ! 
 
 PINT S.
 
 
 
 * o;. .i f : 

 
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