Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/445

 Chap. II.] LABOURDONNAIS' EXPEDITION TO THE EAST, 4.11

him till 1740, when, having visited Europe in consequence of the death of his ad. i74'2.

wife, he had ample proof of the bitterness and unscrupulousness with which he

was pursued by his enemies.

Labourdonnais took immediate steps to set himself right with the ministry, Laixmr-

the directors of the company, and the public at large, and succeeded so well that project f<,r

not only was his resignation refused, but new and important powers were com- pre„dr ""^'

mitted to him. In the intei'views which lie had with Cardinal Fleury and the "«<^«"''«'"y-

other members of the Fi'ench cabinet, he did not rest satisfied with exculpating

himself from absurd charges, but gave a full exj:osition of his views as to the

course of i)olicy which ought to be pursued in the East. Assuming that France

and Great Britain were about to be at open war, he endeavoured to show that

the maintenance of peace between the two Ea.st India Companies was impolitic

if not impossible, and that no time should be lust in providing a fleet, which,

cruising in the Indian Ocean, might be ready the moment war was declared to

establish a complete supremacy. So satisfied was he of the valuable prizes

which might be made by preying on the Engli.sh company, that he offered to

form a private association, which would fit out a number of armed vessels at its

own expense, and be contented with the profits which might be realized by

privateering.

The French government refused to sanction the private scheme, but resolved His expedi- tion to the to effect the same object by means of an expedition consisting of vessels belong- E;uit.

ing partly to the navy and partly to the East India Company. The command was given to Laboiuxlonnais, who set sail 5th April, IT+l, for the Isle of France. His fleet was neither so numerous nor so well equipped as he had anticipated, but he was full of resom'ces in himself, and po.ssessed such a knowledge of naval and military affiiirs jis enabled him to repair the defects of the ships and give the necessary training to the crews and soldiers. His object was to be ready as soon as the declaration of war should reach him to strike the meditated blow. In the meantime he hastened to Pondicherry, which was said to be threatened by the Mahrattiis; and on learning that the danger had blown ptist, proceeded to the Malabar coast, wliere Mahd was once more indebted to him for deliverance from a formidable attack of the natives. On again arriving at the Isle of France, in 17-42, he met with a bitter disappointment. The directors of the French East India Company had been somewhat cavalierly treated by the govern- ment, who had made all their arrangements with Labourdonnais ^vithout giving them any proper share in their deliberations. Their consent to his expedition being therefore rather forced than voluntary, they were more disposed to frustrate than to forward it. Accordingly, still dreaming of a possible neutrality between the companies, they easily fomid a jtretext for is,suing peremptory orders for the return of their vessels to France. Labourdonnais did not venture to disobey, and thus saw himself deprived of the main part of his fleet at the very time when the period for action was to all ai)pearance about to airive. His fir.st