Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/309

 Chap. III.] PEACE CONCLUDED WITH THE DUTCH. 275

from the States-general were then in England endeavouring Co negotiate a a.d. lew. treaty, they felt that if they lost the present opportunity of obtaining compen- sation they might wait in vain for another. Ultimately, however, the negotia- tion having failed, and open hostilities between the two countries having been declared, their claims were again indefinitely postponed.

At the very time when the Dutch war broke out, it was apprehended that European the proceedings of Admiral Blake at Lisbon, where part of the English fleet „„«. which had adhered to the Royalists had been attacked, might lead to a rupture with Portugal. The Company were thus in the perilous predicament of being attacked in India by two nations at once, while almost totally unprovided with the means of resistance. To add to their difficulties, a fierce war was raging between the Kings of Bejapoor and Goleonda, to the great obstruction of their trade on the Coromandel coast. It is not to be wondered at, that in the.se circumstances the Company, yielding to a feeling of despondency, refused to sanction an additional outlay on the fortifications of St. George, though it was truly urged by the agents there that these formed the only security to the inland trade, and the principal protection to the sliipping; and that, under certain firmans which had been obtained from the Nabob of the Carnatic, authorizing them to purcluise cloths and other goods without re.striction in all parts of his government, the trade miglit be very largely extended.

The vigour and success with which the war was prosecuted by CromweU, soon Ascendency threatened the Dutch commerce in Europe with total destruction; but in India, in the East. where their maritime and commercial ascendency had been long established, they completely swept the seas. Shortly after the declaration of war, they appeared off Svvally with a fleet of eight large ships, and might easily have annihilated the English establisliment at Surat, had they not been afraid of provoking the hostility of the Great Mogul by carrying war into any portion of his dominions. Contenting themselves, therefore, with offering large bribes to the governor and other officials, to induce them to liarass the English by obstructing them in every way, they set sail for the Persian Gulf, where they not only put a stop to the lucrative trade which the Company had long carried on between Sm-at and Gomberoon, but captured three of their ships, and drove a fourth on shore, where she was totally lost. These disasters, which might liave been expected to dispirit the Company, seemed rather to have roused their courage, for they are found petitioning the government to lend them five or six frigates, which they would man and equip at their own expense, and despatch to the East Indies for the pmjiose of making reprisals. This warlike movement appears not to have been encouraged, and in fact soon ceased to be necessary, as the Dutch, now completely humbled, were eagerly suing for a termination of hostilities. After a negotiation, during which the Dutch became sensible that Peace they would be obliged to submit to any terms which Cromwell chose to dictate, the peace concluded was ratified at Westminster, 5th April, 1654".