FOOTNOTES: CHAPTER 14

[244]. 11th May, 1765.

[245]. Mr. George Vansittart, the brother of Henry, the late governor.

[246]. 13th May, 1765.

[247]. Vide letter to Mr. Sykes, 7th July.

[248]. Vide letter to Mr. Palk, 14th July.

[249]. Vide letter to Mr. Spencer of the 13th May.

[250]. The Court of Directors, by the Lapwing packet, which left England in June, 1764, sent positive orders, which reached Calcutta on the 24th January, 1765, that all persons in the Company's service should execute covenants, restraining them from accepting, directly or indirectly, from the Indian princes, any grant of lands, rents, or territorial dominion, or any present whatever, exceeding the value of four thousand rupees, without the consent of the Court of Directors. The letter further contained orders relating to private trade, and to batta to the troops. The council assembled next day, 25th January. It is remarkable that the subjects, both of the batta and of the private trade, are noticed in the consultation, but no allusion whatever is made to the matter of the covenants. At this crisis the old Nabob died; and Mr. Johnstone and Mr. Leycester were immediately empowered to negotiate with his son, the young Nabob, and accordingly did conclude a treaty, 6th February, as has been already mentioned. About twenty lacs of rupees were, on this occasion, promised, and the greater part of it received, as a present to the Governor and several members of council. (Verelst's Narrative, p. 51.; Third Report of Select Committee of House of Commons, p. 21.) As upwards of three months had elapsed at the time of Clive's arrival, and the Company's orders regarding the covenants had not yet been put in force, the Select Committee, immediately on meeting, issued an order for carrying them into instant effect. Clive, in his letters, expresses great indignation at the circumstances attending the treaty with the young prince; and it is impossible not to agree with him in thinking, that the delay in the signing of the covenants, and the subsequent presents from the young Nabob, reflect light on each other.

[251]. Vide letter to Mr. Sumner of the 26th June.

[252]. Vide letter, Secret Committee, 21st June, 1765.

[253]. This letter is dated the 30th September, 1765. It is published in the Third Report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons, A. D. 1772.

[254]. 17th May, 1766.

[255]. 30th September, 1765.

[256]. It may be mentioned, as a curious fact, that when the durbar for conferring the dewannee on the Company was held, the Emperor having none of the appurtenances of high condition or state along with him, an English dining table, covered over, made the throne on which he sat during the ceremony.

[257]. Vide letter from Mr. Verelst, 27th July, 1765.

[258]. An addition of 386,131 was subsequently granted.

[259]. Mr. Johnstone, who had resigned council, but who remained some time settling the commercial concerns with Mr. Bolts, complains of his salt being stopped; Lord Clive, in reply, says he should have applied for a dustuck.

[260]. Letter to Mr. Dudley, 29th September, 1765.

[261]. 1765.

[262]. At the time of Lord Clive's writing the letter quoted in the text, to Mr. Palk, the Governor of Madras, which was the day after his Lordship's arrival at Bengal, Suja Dowla was, as is mentioned in that letter, threatening to invade our provinces with a large army, joined by the Mahrattas and Rohillas. But he altered his tone very shortly after; since it appears, by a letter written by him to General Carnac, that he offered to make peace on any terms.

This letter, it appears from the public records mentioned in the Report of the Select Committee of 1772, was received by General Carnac on the 19th of May, 1765, and was probably written by Suja Dowla two days before; which allows for his having received intelligence of Lord Clive's arrival on the 3d of that month, and that it had the effect of his proposing to make peace with the English.

The letter is worth transcribing in this place. (3d Rep. of Select Comm. App. No. 84.)

Suja Dowla to General Carnac.

"It is known all over the world, that the illustrious chiefs of the English nation are constant and unchangeable in their friendship, which my heart is fully persuaded of. The late disturbances were contrary to my inclination; but it was so ordered by Providence. I now see things in a proper light, and have a strong desire to come to you; and am persuaded you will treat me in a manner befitting your own honour. You have shown great favours to others; when you become acquainted with me you will see with your own eyes, and be thoroughly sensible of my attachment, from which I will never depart while I have life. I am this day arrived at Belgram: please God, in a very short time I shall have the happiness of a meeting with you. As for other particulars, I refer you to Monyr-o-Dowla and Rajah Shitabroy."

(And with his own hand.)

"My Friend,—I regard not wealth nor the government of countries: your favour and friendship is all I desire. Please God, I will be with you very soon, when you will do for me what you think best."

The fame of Lord Clive having been so long established in India, it will not be thought extraordinary by those acquainted with that country, that the news of his return to it should have operated, as it did, so instantaneously with Suja Dowla, in the manner expressed in the above letter.

Lord Clive soon after concluded a treaty of peace with him, of which an account is given in the letter of the Select Committee at Calcutta, 30th September, 1765, in the same Report, App., No. 86.

[263]. Calcutta, 20th May, 1765.

[264]. General Carnac, 27th May, 1765.

[265]. Ibid., 30th May, 1765.

[266]. 8th June, 1765.

[267]. Mootagyl, 8th July, 1765.

[268]. Dated Calcutta, 30th September, 1765.

[269]. Dated Calcutta, 30th September, 1765.

[270]. Dated Calcutta, 25th September, 1765.

[271]. Dated 25th September, 1765.

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