Page:A Comprehensive History of India Vol 1.djvu/651

 Chap. XL] TREATY WITH SALABUT JUNG. CI 7

cherry were only waiting its arrival to sally out, and, in concert with the native ad. 1759 army now at hand, inflict signal punishment on the British for their presump- tion. The overweening confidence of the French was better deserving of punish- ment, and received it.

The expedition to the Northern Circars produced more brilliant results than Results of

•• if^ii T !!• 1 • capture of

the most sanguine could have anticipated. Salabut Jung and his advisers, Masiuipa- though surprised and vexed at the capture of Masulipatam, were not without tiie hopes of being able to recover it. With this view they advanced within nine miles, in hopes of meeting with the expected Pondicherry reinforcement. It did arrive ; but the ships which brought it hastened away without landing the troops, on finding that the place had fallen. After this new disappointment Salabut Jung's politics underwent a sudden change. Nizam Ali was openly- plotting his overthrow; and as the French, on whom he had previously leaned, seemed now unable to assist him, he became anxious to provide for his own safety by exchanging the French for a British alliance. A negotiation opened with this view was speedily followed by a regular treaty, by which Salabut Jung ceded to the Company, in absolute property, Musulipatam and other districts in the Northern Circars, forming a continuous tract of territory which extended eighty miles along the coast, and twenty miles inland, and yielded an annual revenue of 400,000 rupees. He engaged, moreover, not to allow the French to have either troops or factories north of the Kistna, nor to seek or accept of assistance from them. In return for these important concessions the Company only promised not to assist or give protection to any of the soubahdar's enemies. He appears, however, to have expected more ; and on finding that no direct assistance was to be given him against Nizam Ali, marched ofi" in great dis- pleasure.

Reverse after reverse had thus followed the French arms, and the Indian Active empire, which they at one time seemed on the point of establishing, was vanish interrupted ing like a dream. After raising the siege of Madras, Lally, who had retired upon Arcot, endeavoured to maintain his ground by a kind of desultory warfare, in which little advantage was gained by either side. The number of troops still under his command might have justified active operations on a larger scale; but their spirit was bad, and his funds being again exhausted, ho abinptly con- cluded the campaign by withdrawing from the field, and disposing his army in different cantonments. The main body, consisting of 11 00 Europeans, accom- panied him to Pondicherry, where he determined to wait till a long expected reinforcement and squadron should arrive. The Madras presidency were also ^expecting reinforcements, and hence, though the season would have allowed the [campaign to be protracted a little longer, thoy willingly availed themselves of [the interval of repose which Lall}' had offered; and imitated his example by [distributing their troops in a series of forts, which, commencing with Chingle- )ut, near the Paliar, continued northwards, so as to form a kind of cui've. Vol. I. 78