FOOTNOTES:

[123] This observation alludes to their general habits. On religious festivals, and on their own marriages, and those of their children, the most parsimonious Hindu often spends great sums.

[124] Ameer-ul-Omra, the second son, and for some period minister, of Mahommed Ali, the former Nabob of the Carnatic.

[125] Lucknow is the capital of the vizier of Oude.

[126] It is believed to have been principally at the suggestion of the great banker Jugget Seit, that the English were applied to as the instruments of this revolution. One great reason assigned, was the good faith they had always shown in their commercial transactions, from which a favourable judgment was formed of their general character. M. Law, than whom there could be no better authority, and who many years after was Governor of Pondicherry, always gave it as his opinion, that the English were obliged to none so much as the banker Jugget Seit, for bringing about this revolution.—D. H.

[127] The grounds upon which the Bengal Committee were ultimately induced to come to a resolution to join the confederacy against Suraj-u-Dowlah, are fully explained in their letter of the 14th July, 1757, to the Secret Committee [128] in England. They state, that they had no doubt but that the Nabob would attack them whenever the squadron and the troops left the river; that they not only had no confidence in his friendship, but were convinced he was the determined enemy of the English, and was using every means in his power to bring the French to Bengal: that from his conduct in this and numerous other cases, it was certain he would seize the first opportunity of extirpating the Company; and lastly, they express their opinion, that from the detestation in which Suraj-u-Dowlah was held, the confederacy formed against him must succeed; but that, if they withheld their aid, they could expect no advantages from such success: whereas, if they took a prominent part, they might look for remuneration for past losses, and full security against any future misfortune, similar to that to which their weakness had before exposed them.

[128] Vide Parliamentary Reports, vol. iii. p. 216.

[129] Mr. Watts writes, under date the 14th of April:—"The Nabob, before our success at Chandernagore, threatened, in the presence of Runjutroy and others, to impale, or cut off my head; and yesterday repeated those threats in the presence of Jugget Seit, Monichund, Cojah Wazeed, Meer Abdul Caussim, Runjutroy, and Omichund. I write this for yours and the Colonel's notice alone, and desire no public affair may be made of it, for I despise what the Nabob can do to me, and would not have you desist from any vigorous measures you may intend to pursue on my account."

[130] 22d April, 1757.

[131] Mr. Walsh was paymaster to the Madras troops, but acted throughout the expedition as secretary to Colonel Clive.

[132] Governor of Hooghley.

[133] Tellingy means a native of Tellingana, one of the ancient Hindu divisions of India, which includes the north-eastern parts of the Deckan. Some tribes of the natives of Tellingana have long been celebrated as foot-soldiers; hence the term Tellingy and sepoy became synonymous.

[134] 23d April, 1757.

[135] 28th April, 1757.

[136] 26th April, 1757.

[137] 29th April, 1757.

[138] Major Kilpatrick.

[139] Such are the terms said to have been used by Admiral Watson, in speaking of those who had signed the treaty (proposed by Clive) to deceive Omichund. This is stated in evidence by Captain Brereton (Parl. Reports, vol. iii. p. 151.); but a more general and inconclusive testimony perhaps never was given.

[140] Petrus, an Armenian, was the agent of Meer Jaffier.

[141] The evidence of Mr. Sykes, as taken before a Committee of the House of Commons, fully corroborates all that Mr. Watts represented regarding the substance and manner of Omichund's demand, as well as the threat by which it was accompanied. Mr. Sykes stated, "That in the year 1757 he was stationed at the subordinate factory called Cossimbazar, in council; that he does not know particularly the terms demanded by Omichund; but that, being on a visit to Mr. Watts, he found him under great anxiety; that he took him aside, and told him that Omichund had been threatening to betray them to Suraj-u-Dowlah, and would have them all murdered that night, unless he would give some assurances that the sum promised him (by Mr. Watts) should be made good; that, upon the visit to Mr. Watts, he further said that he was under the greatest anxiety how to counteract the designs of Omichund."—Parliamentary Reports, vol. iii. p. 145.

[142] Lord Clive, being examined by the Committee of the House of Commons regarding the fictitious treaty, stated, "That when Mr. Watts had nearly accomplished the means of carrying that revolution into execution, he acquainted him by letter that a fresh difficulty had started; that Omichund had insisted upon five per cent. on all the Nabob's treasures, and thirty lacs in money; and threatened, if he did not comply with that demand, he would immediately acquaint Suraj-u-Dowlah with what was going on, and Mr. Watts should be put to death. That, when he received this advice, he thought art and policy warrantable in defeating the purposes of such a villain; and that his Lordship himself formed the plan of the fictitious treaty, to which the Committee consented. It was sent to Admiral Watson, who objected to the signing of it; but, to the best of his remembrance, gave the gentleman who carried it (Mr. Lushington) leave to sign his name upon it; that his Lordship never made any secret of it; he thinks it warrantable in such a case, and would do it again a hundred times; he had no interested motive in doing it, and did it with a design of disappointing the expectations of a rapacious man; that he never heard Mr. Watts had made a promise to Omichund of any money, directly or indirectly; that when he was last abroad, he had given the same account, which is entered in the public proceedings; that Omichund was employed only as an agent to Mr. Watts, as having most knowledge of Suraj-u-Dowlah's court, and had commission to deal with three or four more of the court. Omichund's only chance of obtaining retribution was depending on this treaty; he did not believe that Omichund was known to Meer Jaffier, but through Mr. Watts."—Parl. Reports, vol. iii. p. 149.

[143] 19th May, 1757.

[144] Omichund had been on the most intimate footing with the Nabob, who, trusting to him for secret information, was averse to his leaving Moorshedabad. But as he now desired to go to Calcutta, he told Mr. Scrafton to remove this impediment, by applying for a present which the Nabob had promised to make the British commanders in February. This promise, it appears, was made to Omichund, who afterwards pledged himself to conceal it. Suraj-u-Dowlah, thinking he had broken that pledge, was much enraged, and as anxious for his departure as he had been before for his remaining at his court.

[145] Parliamentary Reports, vol. iii. p. 145.

[146] Letter from Col. Clive to Mr. Watts, May 19th.

[147] This demand of a full acquittance, on paying one fifth of what was due, had been made some weeks before through Mr. Watts. It had been rejected with indignation by Admiral Watson and Col. Clive.

[148] Scrafton's Letters, p. 88.

[149] Clive's force consisted of—

Six hundred and fifty European infantry,
One hundred topases,
One hundred Malabar Portuguese,
One hundred and fifty artillery, including fifty seamen;
Two thousand one hundred sepoys;
Eight six-pounders;
One howitzer.

[150] Clive's letters to the Secret Committee, June 19th, 1757.

[151] A maund is 80 pounds.

[152] A considerable province of the kingdom of Bengal, the Rajah (or Prince) of which was hostile to Suraj-u-Dowlah.

[153] Ghazee-u-Deen, the eldest son of the celebrated Nizam-ul-Mûlk, was at this period chief minister of Delhi, and had almost uncontrolled power.

[154] The following is the list of the officers of this council, and the order in which they voted:—

Negative.	For immediate attack.
Rob^t. Clive.	Eyre Coote.
James Kilpatrick.	G. Alex. Grant.
Arch^d. Grant.	G. Muir.
Geo. Fred. Goupp.	Cha^s. Palmer.
Andrew Armstrong.	Rob^t. Campbell.
Tho^s. Rumbold.	Peter Carstairs.
Christian Firkan.	W. Jennings.
John Corneille.
H. Popham.

The query and list of the officers are transcribed from the original proceedings of the council of war, as found in the Clive MSS.

[155] It has been asserted that Clive was induced to change his opinion by the representations of Major Coote. This was contradicted by the latter, in his evidence before the House of Commons. He said, "After the council of war, Lord Clive spoke to him first, unasked, of the army marching, without his having mentioned a word to him upon the subject."—Parliamentary Reports, vol. iii. p. 153.

[156] June 21st.

[157] Scrafton's Letters, p. 90.

[158] Major Kilpatrick, observing an opportunity of attacking an advanced party, under a French officer, by whom the troops in the grove were annoyed, put himself at the head of two companies and two guns, to charge; sending, at the same time, to inform Clive of what he had done. The latter hastened to the spot, commanded the party back to the grove, and severely reprimanded the Major for acting without his orders. It has been stated, by those who were desirous of detracting from Clive's fame, that he was asleep in a hunting-house, which he had made his head-quarters, when the account was brought him of Kilpatrick's attack. This assertion has been denied; but, if admitted, it will prove no more than that this extraordinary man could give, amid such scenes, a few minutes to necessary repose.

[159] June 22d.

[160] Orme, vol. ii. p. 171.

[161] Moodeen Khan.

[162] A species of cart drawn by a couple of bullocks.