nate the fame from the imperial crown; and that the company might be called to an account by the emperor for what they had paid to him: nor was that all the company feemed to expect, but that the colonel was accountable to them for what he had received. II. That suppose the Nabob had a right to alienate those rents, fuch alienation could exist no longer than the Nabob who granted the fame continued in his government, and that fuch alienation was not binding on his fucceffor; fo that when Meer Jaffier became depofed, the grant became of no effect. III. That colonel Clive's acceptance of the dignity of an omrah, or title of honor, was contrary to his duty to the company; as he might be obliged, by fuch acceptance, to affift the Mogul and the Nabob in war, even against the company. IV. That if the colonel had a right, even then he had no remedy in England; but must resort to the court of the mayor of Calcutta, or to the courts of the emperor at Delhi, or the court of the Nabob. THE first reafon has been already refuted above; and the fecond appears to be as badly founded. As to the third reason, it should be observed, that the titles of honor used in Europe, are unknown to the Indians, whofe titles are diftinguifhed only by a number of azaras, or 1000 horfe, from two to 10,000, which is the higheit, and was the title of the son of the Great Mogul. The number of 6000 expreffes the dignity of an omrah, but not any less number; and the equipage of the perfon on whom fuch honors are bestowed, are proportioned by the ufage of the country to his rank. Hence, it as apparent, no perfon can be ennobled in India, unless the rank and number he is appointed to be expreffed in the patent; which is a mere compliment, that does not lay an obligation on the part of the perfon receiving fuch honor, to render the Mogul any fervices whatever. But the true tenor of the honor, was was no more than a perfonal favor to colonel Clive, and to give him rank among the princes and great men of that country; which might have been of service to the company in his negociations and trans actions with them. M. Dupleix obtained a title of honor inferior to that conferred on colonel Clive, and had several jaghires granted him by the Nabob of the Deckan in lands, ceded to the French company, which he enjoyed many years after he returned to Europe, and until those lands were taken from the French. But as to the fourth reafon, it is well known, if colonel Clive had been obliged to pursue his remedy in the mayor's court, that the judges there were dependant on the company if he reforted to the courts of the emperor or the Nabob, no mandate or process from any fuch could be inforced against the company. HOWEVER, affairs were at laft amicably fettled in England; and colonel Clive, ennobled with an Irish peerage, and honored with the order of the Bath, in 1764, fet fail again for India, with full power to fettle the company's affairs; of which I fhall take farther notice at a proper time; and shall now resume the military part of my undertaking, to wind off the thread to its bottom. THE Hardwicke, captain Samfon, arrived at Bengal from England, on the 23d of June 1758; by which ship advice was brought that the directors* had * The directors for 1758, were the following gentlemen. William Barwell, John Brown, John Boyd, John Dorrien, J. Raymond, had appointed colonel Clive governor of their fettlements in that kingdom, where every thing wore an aspect of tranquility, and admiral Pocock returned to the coaft of Coromandel, where the French were making great preparations to diftress the English settlements, and even to befiege Madrafs. On the 27th of January 1758, the French fquadron failed from the Ifle of France, and appeared on the coast of Coromandel in the middle of April. This fquadron was commanded by the count d'Ache, and confifted of nine fhips and two frigates*; with general Lally and his troops on board. ADMIRAL Pocock was joined by commodore Stevens in Madrass-road on the 24th of March, with the reinforcements from England; upon which he put the fquadron in the best condition poffible for the fea, and failed on the 17th of April with seven ships of the line, one frigate, and a store-fhip*, with a view to get to windward of St. David's to intercept the French squadron, which, by his intelligence, he had reason to expect. THE French fquadron appeared off Fort St. David on the 28th of April at nine in the morning, and blocked up his majefty's fhips the Bridgewater and Tryton of 20 guns, and 150 men each, commanded by captain William Martin and captain Edmund Townley, who found there was no poffibility of escaping, and therefore run their fhips on fhore, burnt them, and retired to the fort with all their men and ftores. Though the fquadron wanted refreshments and water, it was refolved to take advantage of the confternation at Cuddalore †, to block it up by fea; while M. Lally should march from Pondicherry to invest it by land. Accordingly, the Comte de Provence and the Diligent were fent to land him and fome of the troops at Pondicherry, with orders to rejoin the fquadron immediately after that was done. M. LALLY appeared early the next morning within the diftrict of Fort St. David: but the debarkation of the troops on board the fhips, and *Ships. Guns, Men. Yarmouth 64 540 Elizabeth 64 495 Cumberland 66 520 Commanders. Adm. Pocock, capt. Harrifor Weymouth 60 420 Capt. Nich. Vincent. Tyger 60 400 Capt. Tho. Latham. Newcastle Capt. Geo. Legge.. Salisbury Queenborough 24 59 300 Capt. John Stuck Somerfet. Protector 40 100 Total 478 3275 See this volume, p. 162. 223. + Or Goudelour. their junction with the troops on fhore, were prevented by the fudden and unexpected appearance of the British squadron to the fouthward, as the French were preparing to land. ADMIRAL Pocock made the height of Negapatnam on the 28th at noon; and running down the next morning, he faw feven fhips in Fort St. Da-· vid's road getting under fail*, and two cruizing in the offing. The admiral judged them to be the enemy, and immediately gave chace, at half past ten; but they were obliged to fhorten fail before noon, when the French formed the line of battle a-head, with the ftar-board tacks on board, and stood off shore to the eastward, with the wind about fouth. THIS obliged admiral Pocock to make the signal for his fhips to form the line a-head; which was repeated by the Queenborough; and every ship got into its station, as fast as poffible, within randomfhot of the enemy, a little before three o'clock; though fome of them were more than a league at that time. The admiral, by fignal, called the Queenborough within hail to him, and ordered that all her marines fhould be fent on board the Cumberland, and twenty feamen on board the Tyger. He then bore down upon the Zodiaque, on board which ship M. d'Ache wore a cornette at the mizentop-maft-head but obferving the Newcastle and Weymouth did not bear away at the fame time, he made their fignals. THE French fired upon the English, as they were going down but admiral Pocock did not make the fignal to engage until he was within half musket * According to the French account the Sylphide frigate made the fignal of feeing a fquadron of nine fhips; and M. D'Ache drew up in line of battle. fhot |