Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/536

 502 JIISTORV OV INDIA. [BiooK III.

A.D. 1752. those who were jealous of Salabut Jung's French j>}irtialitie.s, and disposed to take any steps that miglit seem necessary to counteract them. While they were on the watch for an ojiportunity, Bas.sy, worn out by anxiety and fatigue, fell

Attempt to sick, and departed, by the advice of his physicians, to sequester liim.self from all

take ajvaii- ,. ithti- i i -iii n ^ ■>■ •

tageof busmess at Masulii)atam, now become, along with a large tract oi the adjoining aiTeucl territory, entirely a French posses.sion. His enemies were immediately on the alert, and made it their first basiness to get rid of tlie French troops and sepoys whom Bussy had left behind, under the pretext that they were the best .security of Salabut Jung's person and autliority agaiast both foreign and intestine foe.s, but really for the purpose of controlling his measures. The task tlius under- taken by the dewan and his associates was delicate and difficult. Salabut Jung, who was deficient in personal courage and sagacity, was unwilling to part with the troops ; and the troops themselves, consisting of an European battalion and 5000 sepoys, all paid by Bus.sy himself and acting entirely under liis orders, would have resisted any overt attempt to disband them. Underhand measures, therefore, were resorted to. First, the pay which had been furnished at certain regular periods was withheld; and when the troops complained, the reason assigned was, that several of the provinces at a distance from Hyderabad, where the soubahdar was then holding his court, had failed to replenish the treasury by the usual payment of revenue. As the most efiectual remedy, it was suggested that the troops should be sent to enforce the collection of it. By thLs device they allowed themselves to be scattered over the country in detached parties. Bussy-s One important difficulty being thus overcome, the dewan next persuaded

Salabut Jung that his presence was imperatively required at Aunmgabad. Here the mere distance from the French settlements tended greatly to diminish French influence, while the absence of the greater part of the battalion and sepoys removed all appreliension of danger from any opposition which they might have been disposed to ofi'er to the removal of the court. Meantime the troops sent to collect the revenue made little progress, because thwarted by secret orders from the dewan himself, and their pay in consequence became more irregular than ever. Disappointment, clamom*, and desertion had consequently begun to prevail,. when Bussy, informed of the state of afiairs, and the causes which had produced it, made his appearance in Hyderabad. He had previously given orders to all the scattered detachments to meet him there, and hence on his arrival found himself at the head of 500 Europeans and 4000 sepoys. "With some difficulty having appeased their discontent, and satisfied their most pressing wants, by money obtained partly from the treasmy and partly on his own credit with native bankers, he took the bold resolution of marching uncalled with his whole force to Aurungabad, a distance of 300 miles. What had now occm-red might be repeated, and he was determined that in future the pay of his troops would be drawn from some source over which the French Companj' had full and undivided control.

return.