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A. D. 1761.

QUARREL WITH MEER COSSIM.

offers of Meer Cossim. As we shall see, however, they were in reality little more virtuous than those to whom they were in opposition.

To raise the necessary funds for the payments he had to make, the new Nabob began to squeeze the relations and friends of his predecessors, going back as far as the time of Aliverdi Khân. The emperor being still in the vicinity of Patna, the discontented sought refuge with him ; and in order to get him out of the way, Major Carnac, who commanded there, gave him battle and defeated him (Jan. 15, 1761). M. Law and his French were made prisoners; negotiations were then opened, Major Carnac visited the emperor in his camp, and was accompanied by him back to Patna, whither also came Meer Cossim, who, on engaging to pay an annual tribute of twenty-four lacs of rupees, was acknowledged Sûbalıdar of Bengal, Baliâr, and Orissa.

Meer Cossim shared his predecessor's feelings toward Râm Narrain, who was supposed to be very wealthy. He called on him now to settle his accounts; but the Hindoo alleged that he owed nothing, the defence and other expenses of the province having consumed all its revenues. Mr. Vansittart supported the Nabob, Major Carnac upheld Râm Narrain; by which conduct, as he no doubt violated the principles of military subordination, he was removed, and Col. Coote, who was now in Bengal, was sent to command at Patna. But Coote also refused to be instrumental in the destruction of a man for whose safety the British faith had been pledged; and he too was recalled, and the command at Patna given to Capt. Carstairs, with directions to obey the chief of the factory. The result was, that Râm Narrain was seized and given up to the Nabob; and Mr. Vansittart was thus the instrument of placing another stain on the purity of the British faith and honour.

Mr. Vansittart's power, however, soon passed out of his hands. Before Clive left India, a very energetic letter, signed by himself and by Messrs. Holwell, Sumner, Pleydell, and M'Guire, the other members of the Secret Committee, and which told the directors some unpalatable truths, had been sent to the India House. It excited great wrath and indignation, and orders were sent out to Calcutta to dismiss those four civilians. Mr. Holwell had already resigned, and the dismissal of the remaining three left Mr. Vansittart in a minority in the council, so that the powers of government passed into the hands of his opponents, headed by Mr. Amyatt and Mr. Johnstone. One of their first acts was to appoint Mr. Ellis, a violent, intemperate man, resident at Patna, where he soon contrived to irritate the mind of the Nabob by various petty vexatious acts. In order to soothe him, the governor proposed sending Mr. Hastings to him on a special mission. The council consented, but insisted on adding a clause in his instructions, directing him to apply to the Nabob for payment, for the use of the Company, of the twenty lacs of rupees he had offered the members of the Secret Committee. This Mr. Vansittart very properly resisted; and in reply to Mr. Amyatt, he observed, that that gentleman had never thought of handing over to the Company his share of the money received from Meer Jaffier. But Mr. Amyatt maintained that there was an essential difference between what was received "in common

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with the whole board, as well as with the army and navy," and what "was intended for five gentlemen only." The motion, which was purely factious, was carried of course, but they got nothing, perhaps expected nothing, by it; for the Nabob, in a very spirited reply, utterly denied their claim, as he had neither borrowed from them, nor engaged to pay them any thing. "Lowe nobody a single rupee, nor will I pay your demand," is the conclusion of the reply he delivered to Mr. Hastings.

In fact, they had completely mistaken their man, when they substituted Meer Cossim for Meer Jaffier on the musnud. The latter was weak, and could be bullied or cajoled; the former had both energy and capacity. He had reduced his subjects to obedience, and he had, by his financial skill and attention to the collection of his revenues, been able to discharge the whole of his obligations to the Company and its servants. We have already mentioned the subject of the governor's dustucks or certificates, and their power of exempting the Company's goods from duties. By these goods were meant those brought from England, and those purchased in India for exportation, and none others. This was a fair regulation, merely exempting foreign traders from the onerous and capricious tolls and duties levied on the internal trade of the country at the numerous chokeys or toll-houses by which they passed. As the servants of the Company were allowed to engage in private trade, various attempts were made, as we have seen, to have this trade also covered by the Company's dustuck, but in vain as long as there was vigour in the native governments. As soon, however, as, by the dethronement of Shujah-ud-dowlah, the power and influence of the English became paramount in Bengal, the Company's servants prepared to take advantage of the altered circumstances. While Clive remained in India, their cupidity was held in check, but as soon as he was gone, they rushed with avidity into the internal trade; salt, betel, tobacco, every thing, in short, became objects of their traffic; the Company's flag was held to cover every thing; the gomastahs, or native agents of the Company's servants, acted with the greatest insolence and oppression; the Nabob's officers in general feared to perform their duty, and his revenue, deprived of one of its principal sources, began rapidly to decline. Wealthy natives paid even the young writers largely for the use of their name, and thus mere boys were enabled to live at the rate of 1500l. or 2000l. a year. Many natives even had the audacity to assume the habit of English Sepoys or gomastahıs, or to raise the English flag, and thus plunder and insult the people with impunity.

Meer Cossim made repeated complaints on this subject to Mr. Vansittart, who, on his side, was anxious to remedy the disorder; and when we recollect the horror of bribes, and the high spirit of disinterestedness lately exhibited by Mr. Johnstone and the rest of the majority, we might naturally suppose him to have had their most strenuous support. But not so, his only supporter was Mr. Hastings; for these gentlemen were all deeply engaged in the private trade themselves, and they affected to regard any attempt to interfere with it as the very height of tyranny and injustice. The weak Vansittart himself seemed even to think that their enjoyment of it for five or six years, had

given them a kind of prescriptive right to it. In one interview with the Nabob, however, he made a tolerably fair arrangement; which was, that the Company's servants might engage in the internal trade on paying a duty of nine per cent. once for all on the first moving of the goods. This arrangement was not to be published until after the governor's return to Calcutta ; but the Nabob, in his eagerness to derive advantage from it, sent copies of it in all quarters, ordering his officers to act on it, and they began to do so forthwith in a most offensive manner. The council met to take the matter into consideration. There were twelve members present; including two military men, whose right to vote on any but a professional question was dubious, and all, except the governor and Hastings, declared that the Company and its servants had a right to carry on the inland trade duty free. Some, indeed, were inclined to allow a trifling duty to be levied on certain articles; but it was finally determined that nothing should pay duty but salt, and that only two and a half per cent. The Nabob complained in various letters to the governor, who could give no redress; collisions took place between his troops and the Sepoys protecting the English private trades; and finally, seeing his revenue in a fair way of disappearing, he issued orders for the cessation of all transit duties in his dominions.

On the receipt of this intelligence the council were stricken with dismay; they saw all their fair visions of enormous wealth rudely dissipated at one stroke. For, we may observe, the levying of duties, from which they were exempt, on the native traders, gave them a virtual monopoly of the whole trade of the country; while now, when all were put on an equality, the advantage would naturally be on the side of the natives. Their impudence now passed all limits. They maintained, that the conduct of the Nabob was prejudicial to the trade of the Company, and involved a violation of its recognized rights; and they resolved to insist on his laying on the duties again, their own trade, however, excepted. A deputation, composed of Messrs. Amyatt and Hay, was sent to make this demand (April 4). They met with no success, and the council, determined not to give up their profits, met, and resolved on a recourse to arms (14th). The Nabob, though weakened by a check he had lately received, in an attempt on Nepaul, resolved not to fall without a struggle, and he applied to the emperor and the Vizîr of Oude for aid.

On the 25th May, some boats, laden with arms for Patna, arrived at Mongheer. The Nabob, judging that they were to be employed against him, ordered the boats to be detained. The deputies applied for their release, which was refused, unless the British force was withdrawn from Patna, or Mr. Amyatt, Mr. M'Guire, or Mr. Hastings, was sent thither instead of Mr. Ellis. They then demanded their dismissal, and Mr. Amyatt was allowed to depart, but Mr. Hay was detained, as security for the safety of the Nabob's agents at Calcutta. Meantime, Mr. Ellis, who had been long urgent for discretionary powers, at length extorted them, and he immediately began to prepare for an attack on the fort at Patna. As soon as he heard of the departure of Mr. Amyatt, he surprised and took the town. The governor, after a brief resistance, fled toward Mongheer, and only the fort and

a strong palace held out. The troops were then allowed to disperse, and they were busily engaged in plundering the houses, when the governor, who had met a detachment coming from Mongheer, suddenly returned and fell on them. After a slight conflict, they spiked their cannon, and retired to the factory. It was surrounded, and in the night, yielding to their fears, they got into their boats, and made up the river toward Oude; but being attacked on their way, they surrendered, and were conducted to Mongheer, whither also were brought the residents of the factory at Cossimbazar, which was attacked and plundered. The Nabob, in the first burst of his indignation, had sent orders to stop Mr. Amyatt, but as he fired from his boats when hailed for that purpose, the boats were boarded, and himself and several of those with him were slain.

As soon as it became manifest that there must be hostilities with Meer Cossim (possibly even sooner), Mr. Johnstone and his friends had resolved to restore Meer Jaffier, and on the 7th July a proclamation to that effect was issued. He agreed to confirm the grants of Meer Cossim to the Company, and to pay them thirty lacs for their losses and expenses; he was also to make good the losses of private persons; the former duties were to be levied on the trade of the natives, while that of the English was to be free, with the exception of the 21 per cent. on salt. He was further to support a force of 12,000 horse, and 12,000 foot; receive a resident at his court, and make the coinage of Calcutta be current in his dominions, without batta, i. e. allowance.

Meantime the British troops, under Major Williams, of the king's service, had taken the field, and were advancing against Moorshedabâd. On the 19th they defeated the troops of Meer Cossim, and on the 24th they stormed the lines at Mootegil, and took Moorshedabâd; and on the 2nd August they encountered the army of the Nabob, on the plain of Geriah, near Sootee. These troops were of a superior description to any native troops that the English had yet encountered, for a part of them were armed and disciplined in the European manner, and commanded by a Swiss named Sumroo, who had been a serjeant in the French service. The battle was obstinate, and lasted for four hours. At one time the enemy broke a part of the British line, and took two pieces of cannon; but victory finally remained with the Europeans. The enemy fled to the fort of Outanulla, situated between hills and a river, and defended by an intrenchment on which were 100 pieces of cannon. The English approached, and while a feigned attack was made by the bank of the river, the real one was made at the foot of the hills, and after an obstinate contest, they made themselves masters of the fort and all it contained. The forces of Meer Cossim in this place were said to be 60,000 men, while that of the English, Europeans and Sepoys, did not exceed 3000 men.

The army now advanced to Mongheer, which Meer Cossim had made his capital, and strongly fortified. At their approach he fled to Patna, having previously put to death several persons of eminence, among whom was Râm Narrain. On his way he murdered the two Seits, the bankers, whom he had forced to accompany him, lest they should aid the English, and left their bodies ex

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posed to birds and beasts of prey, under the guard of some Sepoys. At Patna, when he heard of the surrender of Mongheer, he put into execution a measure he had long threatened-the massacre of his English prisoners. This office was committed to Sumroo, who evinced no repugnance. The victims were fallen on, even their knives and forks having been previously removed, that they might have no means of resistance. Some were shot, others cut to pieces with swords; they defended themselves as well as they could by throwing bottles and stones. Among them were Mr. Ellis and Mr. Hay; the total number murdered there and elsewhere is said to have been two hundred. The only person spared was Mr. Fullarton, a surgeon.

At the approach of the English, Meer Cossim fled from Patna, and on 6th November that place was taken by storm. They pursued him to the banks of the Caramnassa, which he crossed, and took refuge in Oude. He then repaired to the emperor and vizîr who were at Allahabâd. He was received with great respect, and the latter promised to enter Bahâr in his support. Major Carnac, who commanded the army, was therefore directed to march to the Caramnassa to oppose him, but unfortunately his troops were in a state of mutiny in consequence of being disappointed of the rewards they had expected. The mutinous spirit was in some degree appeased; but Carnac, not thinking it advisable to advance, encamped under the walls of Patna, where, on the morning of the 13th May, he was attacked by the united forces of the vizîr and Meer Cossim. The English Sepoys fought nobly, and at sunset the enemy was completely repulsed. Proposals for an accommodation were then made; but as the British authorities insisted on the surrender of Meer Cossim, Sumroo, and the English deserters, and the vizîr required that of Bahâr, nothing could be effected, and in June the enemy retired into Oude.

As the troops behaved so well at Patna, the council thought the mutinous spirit had disappeared; but Carnac knew better, and he acted with caution. The command was then transferred to Major Hector Munro, a king's officer who had just arrived with troops from Bombay. On coming to Patna, he found the Sepoys deserting, and even threatening to seize their officers and deliver them up to the enemy, if they did not get an increase of pay, and a donation promised them by Meer Jaffier. One battalion actually went off with their arms to join the enemy. Munro sent 100 Europeans, and a battalion of Sepoys who could be relied on, in pursuit of them, and they came on them when they were asleep in the night, made them prisoners, and brought them back. The major stood ready to receive them with the troops under arms. He ordered their officers to select fifty of the worst of them, and from these a further selection was made of twenty-four, who were tried on the spot by a court-martial of native officers, found guilty of mutiny and desertion, and sentenced to death. Munro then ordered them to be bound to the guns and blown away. When the first four men were called for, four grenadiers stepped forth and claimed it as "a right which belonged to men who had always been first in the post of danger." Their desire was granted, and

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the guns were fired. the guns were fired. The officers of the Sepoys then informed the major that their men would not allow any more to suffer. He immediately ordered the four guns to be loaded with grape, and the Europeans to be drawn up with the guns in intervals between them. The Sepoys were then commanded to ground their arms on pain of being fired on if they disobeyed. Sixteen more of the mutineers were then blown away, and the remaining four were sent to suffer at another cantonment.

The spirit of mutiny being now at an end, Munro prepared to take the field. Toward the middle of September the army was in motion; the enemy attempted to defend the passage of the Sôn, but were repulsed, and on the 22nd October the army reached Buxar, where the troops of the vizîr were encamped. Munro proposed making an attack on them before daybreak next morning; but the report of his spies leading him to suspect that, as he wished, the enemy meditated being the assailants, he resolved to await them. At eight o'clock they were announced to be in motion; the troops were drawn out to receive them; at nine the action commenced, and at twelve the enemy gave way. gave way. They retreated, however, leisurely, and by breaking up a bridge of boats, and thus losing 2000 of his men, the vizîr saved the remainder of his army. His force was estimated at from 40,000 to 60,000 men. Munro had 857 Europeans, 5297 Sepoys, 1918 native cavalry. Of the enemy 2000 lay dead on the field, the British had 847 killed and wounded. The effect of this important battle, which broke the power of the vizîr of Oude, was to render the British paramount north of the Vindhya mountains.

The day after the battle, the emperor wrote to Major Munro congratulating him on his victory, and seeking his protection against the vizîr, who, he said, had treated him as a prisoner. When the British set out for Benâres, he marched in the same direction, and every night pitched his tents near their camp. In an interview with Munro, he offered the dominions of Shujah-ud-dowlah, or any thing else they might require for protection, which finally was accorded by the authorities at Calcutta, and the descendant of Timûr and Bâber thus sank into the condition of a dependant on the foreign traders who had humbly crouched before the throne of his ancestors.

The vizîr, meantime, to console himself for his losses and defeat, plundered his friend Meer Cossim of his remaining wealth, in the most shameless manner. Still he would not surrender him to the British; and he offered, if they would recede from that point, twenty-five lacs of rupees to the Company, as many to the army, pany, as many to the army, and eight to Munro himself. When these terms were refused, he proposed to withdraw his protection from Meer Cossim, but to let him escape. As to Sumroo, he indicated a very simple course; which was to invite him to an entertainment, at which two or three English officers, who knew his person, should be present, and to put him to death before them. But even this was rejected. The British army then advanced toward Allaliabâd, and on their way laid siege to the fort of Chunarghur. As Shujah-uddowlah was endeavouring to get into the rear of the army, and to seize the emperor, Munro converted the siege into a blockade, and led the rest of the

army toward Benâres. The two armies lay for some time inactive, in presence of each other, and soon after Munro resigned the command, and quitted India.

Meer Jaffier did not long enjoy his recovered dignity. He died in the beginning of the year 1765, his natural infirmities being augmented by the mental uneasiness, caused by the incessant demands made on him by the English for money. Among these, what he most complained of, and what was urged most pertinaciously, was the compensation for private losses. At the time of making the treaty he was assured, that this, at the utmost, would not exceed ten lacs of rupees, but it was gradually increased, and eventually brought up to fifty-three; and of this great sum, the one-half was extorted from him, though his payments to the Company were not completed; and they had to borrow from their own servants money, at eight per cent., for their necessary expenses.

A new Nabob was now to be appointed, and the choice lay between Jaffier's second son, Nûjum-uddowlah, and the son of Meerum, a boy only six years old.

The council decided in favour of the former; for though a long minority might seem to be more for the advantage of the Company, it might render their power more conspicuous than they desired it should be for some time. Mill hints, that the circumstance of the former being of age, and thus able to make presents, which a minor could not do, may possibly have had its weight. In the treaty made with the new Nabob, the Company took into their own hands the military defence of the country; and with respect to the civil government, the Nabob bound himself to appoint, with their advice, a Naib Subah, or deputy, who should manage it, and not be removed without their consent. The choice of this person also presented a difficulty. Nundcomar, a Hindoo, whom we have seen in the service of Suraj-ud-dowlah, a man of the most faithless and unprincipled character, and in secret the bitter foe of the English, had ingratiated himself so much with Meer Jaffier, during his late long residence at Calcutta, that on his restoration he asked permission to employ him as his minister. To this Vansittart was opposed, which was a sufficient reason with the majority to grant it. Now, however, as Mr. Vansittart was no longer there to be opposed, and Nundcomar had acted in his usual manner, they refused to consent to his appointment, and proposed Mohammed Reza Khân, a Mussulman, of respectable character; and in spite of the artifices of Ñundcomar, he became the Naib Subali.

The Court of Directors had, twice during the past year, written out, condemning the private trade, and giving orders for its cessation. They had particularly reprobated the article in the treaty with Meer Jaffier, taking off all duties from it, except the small one on salt. Yet, in the face of that prohibition, the council now had the hardihood to insert that very article in the treaty made with Nûjum-ud-dowlah. Further, the Company had devised covenants, to be signed by all the civil and military servants, binding them not to receive any present beyond one thousand rupees, without the consent of the Court of Directors; and these covenants had reached Calcutta before the death of Meer Jaffier; and when we recollect the principles laid down by Mr. Johnstone, respecting the pre

sents received from Meer Cossim, we might surely expect to find all hands clean on the present occasion. But not so; the covenants were pronounced to be absurd and unreasonable, and presents to the amount of about eleven lacs of rupees were received from the Nabob1, beside presents from Reza Khân and Jugget Seit, the banker 2.

Meantime, the accounts which had reached England of the massacre at Patna, and the war with the vizîr, had filled the proprietors with such alarm, that they deemed Clive the only man able to retrieve the Company's affairs in Bengal, and he was accordingly appointed governor of that presidency. We must therefore cast a glance at what had been taking place at home of late years.

CHAPTER XI.

Clive in England-His Return to Bengal-Treaties with the Vizîr and Emperor-Clive's Plan of Reform-Salt-Society-Mutiny of English Officers-Suppressed by Clive -His Return to England-Death and Character. WHEN Clive returned to England, in 1760, his income arising from his jagheer and his money was upwards of 40,000l. a year. He met with a most flattering reception from the young king, the ministry, and the Court of Directors. He was created an Irish peer, and had a promise of the order of the Bath. He also became a member of the House of Commons, and, to increase his influence there, purchased seats for several of his friends. friends. But he had his enemies, especially Mr. Lawrence Sulivan, at that time chairman of the Court of Directors; and he had not been long in England, when he received an intimation from that gentleman that the Directors had some thoughts of questioning his right to his jagheer. The breach between them was widened by the circumstance of their being of opposite sides in politics. As one great mind attracts another, Clive admired and supported Pitt; he was also the intimate friend of Mr. George Grenville. Sulivan was of the party of Lord Bute, the actual minister. This nobleman had made overtures to Clive to join him, but they were rejected. It was then resolved, as he could not be gained, to weaken him as much as possible, by attacking his wealth and his character.

Clive seems to have considered that it was necessary for him to become a director in order to secure himself. At that time the whole of the directors were annually elected, and the qualification of a voter was the holding of 500. stock. This no doubt was presumed to be bonâ fide property; but as the law was not strict it was easy to

1 Mr. Spencer, who had lately come from Bombay, and succeeded Mr. Vansittart, had two lacs of rupees (23,3331 ); Mr. Johnstone, 2,37,000 (27,650/.); Mr. Senior, 1,72,500 (20,1257.); Mr. Middleton, 1,22,500 (14,2917); Mr. Leycester, 1,12,500 rupees (13,1257.) These four formed the deputation for arranging the treaty with the Nabob. Messrs. Pleydell, Burdett, and Gray, members of council, had each one lac (11,6667.); and Mr. Gideon Johnstone, the brother of the deputy, and who was not even in the Company's service, had 50,000 (58337.).

2 The cousin, and successor of those murdered by Meer Cossim.

A. D. 1765.

CLIVE'S PLAN OF REFORM.

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elude it, and the practice grew up of what was called splitting votes, that is, giving fictitious qualifications, as in the analogous case of members of parliament. On this occasion Clive split 200,000l.; he was, however, defeated, and the victorious party now resolved to make him feel their vengeance. Orders were immediately sent out to Bengal not to pay any longer to the agents of Lord Clive the rent of his jagheer. No public reason was assigned; but Mr. Sulivan, in a private letter to Mr. Vansittart, stated that it was "because all cordiality between the Court of Directors and Lord Clive was at an end." As his only remedy, Clive filed a bill in chancery; the most eminent legal opinions were taken on both sides, and all were in favour of Clive, whose right to the jagheer, they truly stated, was precisely the same as that of the Company to the lands from which it issued. Nothing could be more flimsy or futile than the reasons assigned by the Directors; still they went on, and would have gone on harassing him, out of pure spite, had not the intelligence from India arrived which determined the proprietors to obtain, if possible, Clive's services once more in that country. At the ensuing election for the Court of Directors, Mr. Sulivan and his party were defeated, and Mr. Ross, whom Lord Clive supported, became chairman. An arrangement, which Clive himself proposed, was made respecting his jagheer, namely, that he should enjoy it for ten years, if he lived so long, and if the lands whence it issued remained so long in the possession of the Company. He was appointed Governor and Commander-in-chief of Bengal, for which he soon after set sail, and he reached Calcutta on the 3rd May, 1765. He was accompanied by Mr. Sumner and Mr. Sykes, who, with Mr. Verelst and Gen. Carnac, were to form a Select Committee, armed with extraordinary powers for the correction of abuses.

On the second day after their arrival the Committee entered on their duties. Mr. Leycester and Mr. Johnstone attempted to dispute their power; but Clive silenced them by declaring that they should not enter into any discussion on the subject, but might record their dissent if they pleased. They then submitted. Soon after, the subject of the covenants was brought forward, which the Committee insisted should be executed without delay. This also was done, but with much ill-will and discontent. On the complaint of the Nabob that Mohammed Reza Khân had impoverished his treasury by the large amount of presents given to the Company's servants, an inquiry was instituted into these presents. Mr. Johnstone defended himself and colleagues by alleging the example of Clive himself; but he did not state that, at that time, the Company had given no opinion on the subject, whereas he and his companions had acted in direct disobedience to the will of their masters. Mohamnfed Reza Khân was acquitted of the charges made against him; but Roy Dûllûb and Jugget Seit were joined in office with him.

On the 3rd May, the very day of Clive's landing, Gen. Carnac defeated at Corah the vizîr of Oude, who had been joined by a body of Marattas and other native troops. After this defeat the vizîr resolved to throw himself on the generosity of the English; and on the 19th he entered their camp, where he was received with the greatest respect; but the conclusion of the treaty was deferred till

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the arrival of Clive. It was deemed the more prudent course to restore him the whole of his dominions, with the exception of Corah and Allahabâd, which were reserved for the emperor. He agreed to pay fifty lacs of rupees for the expenses of the war, and engaged never to harbour or employ Meer Cossim or Sumroo. He also engaged not to molest Rajah Bulwunt Sing, who held under him the zemindaries of Benâres and Ghâzipûr, and who had joined the English. At his earnest desire an article of free trade and factories in his dominions was omitted in the treaty.

The emperor was next to be dealt with. By the arrangement made with him in the time of Meer Jaffier, he was to be paid twenty-six lacs of rupees a year out of the revenues of the three provinces, and have jagheers to the annual amount of five lacs and a half. These jagheers he was now told he must resign, as also his claim to an arrear of thirty-two lacs then due to him. To his remonstrances Clive replied that, in consequence of the war, which had been in a great measure on his account, not a rupee could be paid; and he was obliged to submit. He was then asked to grant the Company the dewance of the three provinces, for which they agreed to yield him twenty-six lacs a year, and to this he gave a ready consent, as he had already offered it; the nizamut was at the same time assured to the Nabob. The firmân to this important grant bears date 12th August, 1765. It had been previously arranged with the Nabob that he should be content with fifty lacs a year for the support of himself and family, the Company having to bear all the expenses of government 3.

Clive now was able to devote himself to the arduous task of effecting reformations and retrenchments in the service. And here the difficulty was of no little magnitude. As the salaries which the Company gave their servants were notoriously inadequate to their support 4, they were allowed, by way of compensation, to receive presents, after the usage of the country, and to engage in private trade. As long as the Company was a mere trading society, the evils which thence resulted were comparatively of little importance; but now that it had become a sovereign power, whose authority was wielded by its servants, those evils assumed a magnitude which could not have been dreamed of previously. It was easy then for the Company to impose covenants and prohibit private trade ; but to prevent the evils in this way was impossible.

Clive saw the difficulty. He saw, too, that the only remedy was to give the servants of the Company such incomes as would enable them to live as their rank required, and offer them a fair prospect of retiring with an independence. But he knew the Company and their frugal mercantile habits too well to hope that they would ever give their consent to large sums being taken for this purpose out of their resources; and if they were to give it, he had little doubt but that the cupidity of mi

"The

3 He was quite delighted at this arrangement. only reflection he made on leaving me," says Clive, "was, 'Thank God! I shall now have as many dancing-girls as I please.'" Life of Clive, iii. 125.

4 That of a member of council was only 2501. a year, of a factor 1407., and of a writer, as lately increased, 1307.; while the rent of even an indifferent house was 2001., and, as Clive asserted, a councillor could not live under 30007. a year.

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