Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/169

Book II. with which he affected to represent his monarch. Amidst these rejoicings was performed the ceremony of installing the Soubah, in the throne of the Decan: it was very pompous; and Mr. Dupleix appealed, next to the Soubah, the principal actor in it; for in the dress of a Mahomedan lord of Indostan, with which the prince himself had clothed him, he was the first who paid homage; after which he was declared governor for the Mogul of all the countries lying to the south of the river Kristna; that is, of a territory little less than France itself: he likewise received the title of Munsub, or commander, of 7,000 horse, with the permission of bearing amongst his ensigns that of the fish; neither of which distinctions is ever granted excepting to persons of the first note in the empire: It was ordered, that no money should be current in the Carnatic, but such as was coined at Pondicherry; and that the Mogul's revenues from all the countries of which Mr. Dupleix was now appointed vicegerent should be remitted to him, who was to account for them to the Soubah: and Chunda-saheb was declared Nabob of Arcot and its dependencies, under the authority of Mr. Dupleix. All the Mogul and Indian lords paid homage, and made presents: pensions, titles of honor, and governments, were bestowed on those who had assisted in the revolution, or had otherwise merited favour: but he granted none of these to any, excepting such as presented requests signed by the hand of Mr. Dupleix.

The immediate advantages arising to the French East India company by these concessions, were the possession of a territory near Pondicherry producing annually 96,000 rupees; of that near Karical in the kingdom of Tanjore, valued at 106,000; and the city of Masulipatnam with its dependencies, of which the yearly income amounted to 144,000 rupees; in all, a revenue of 38,000 pounds sterling, according to the accounts published by the French, which there is reason to believe are greatly extenuated. But these advantages were small in comparison of those which Mr. Dupleix expected to obtain from the extensive authority with which he was now invested; and altho' not one of these grants could, according to the constitution of the Mogul empire, be of any validity, unless confirmed by the emperor, he, without scruple, assumed them as lawful