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 Chap. XI. J

AimiliAL POCOCKE AND COUNT D'ACHE.

bli)

Admiral Sir George Pococke.— From a portrait

engraved by Aligmet.

much better than the British as to liave no difficulty in eluding pursuit. The a.d kop. (liiy after the battle Admiral Pococke returned to JNegapatam, and Count d'Ach^ made the best of his way to Pondicherry. His arrival did little to improve the position of affiiirs. The whole troops lie had brought witii him were no more than 180 men; and the money, though doubled by the capture of an English East Indiaman, amounted in all to only £33,000. How was such a reinforcement to supply the serious loss of men sustained by recent re- verses? and how was such a paltry sum to meet either past arrears of pay or current expenses? Count d'Ach^, in- stead of troubling himself with such questions, had anxieties of a difierent kind which he thought sufficient to occupy his attention. He had heard that Admiral Pococke's squadron was about to be reinforced by four men- of-war, and as it was already too strong for him, what coidd he expect but Tinnanv of destruction if he should be forced to a new encoiuiter? So determined, therefore, aiimirTr ' was he to depart that he refused to go ashore, and gave orders to prepare for sailing in the course of twenty-four hours. This annoiuicement was received with universal alarm and indignation. All the civil and military authorities, together with the principal inhabitants, assembled at the governor's, and assum- ing the character of a national council, imanimously resolved that the precipitate departure of the squadron woidd be ruinous to the public interests. Count d'Acht? remaining inflexible, a protest was drawn uj), declaring that if he departed he wovdd be held responsible for the loss of the settlement, and compelled to answer for his conduct to the king and the ministry. He had actually departed, and was some leagues out at sea when one of the ships which had been accidentally detained reached him and delivered the protest, together with a copy for each of his captains. Staggered at this proceeding, he immedi- ately summoned a council, and, after a short delay, anchored again in the road of Pondicherry. The hopes thus raised were soon disappointed ; for a few days after, when he had an opportunity to engage the Briti.sh squadron, he declined it, and finally departed on the 30th of September, leaving behind him, however, as a kind of compromise. 000 men, of whom 500 were Eiu'opean sailors or marines.

When the campaign again opened, the presidency, in expectation of the Bntisu r--

.. ,... n ^ • • ^erse before

arrival of Colonel Coote with the reniainnig division of his regiment, were w.m.iiw.ish.