Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/283

Book IV. Pondicherry; for although many chiefs in the Carnatic had without compulsion contributed to support the cause of Chunda-saheb during his life, their zeal ceased at his death, from their sense of the incapacity of his son Raja-saheb, little qualified to prosecute a contest in which a man of his father's abilities had perished: and in this time of anarchy and confusion, whilst the authority of no one extended farther than his sword could reach, every chief reserved for himself whatever revenues he could collect. So that notwithstanding Mr. Dupleix's title was acknowledged by all who did not wish well to Mahomed-ally, his power was confined to the districts which lie between Pondicherry and Gingee, and these did not furnish more than 50,000 pounds a year: at the same time the French company, missed by his representations, sent out no more money than was necessary for their commerce, and with positive orders that it should not be employed to any other purpose. These disadvantages would probably have reduced the French to cease hostilities after the capture at Seringham, had not Mr. Dupleix been endowed (and this at least is much to his honour) with a perseverance, that even superseded his regard to his own fortune, of which he had at that time disbursed 140,000 pounds, and he continued with the same spirit to furnish more; but as this resource could not last long, and as the slender capacity of Raja-saheb rendered him rather a burthen than a support to the cause, he determined to make him relinquish the title of Nabob, and to give it to some other person, from whose wealth, ability, and connexion, he might reasonably expect considerable resources for carrying on the war. The man he pitched upon was Mortiz-ally Khan of Velore, to whom he displayed all the commissions he had received from Salabat-jing, and discovered the state of his negotiations with the Morattoes, and Mysoreans. The Phousdar, sensible that there could not be much risk in taking part with such an apparent superiority, accepted the proposal, levied troops, and resolved to go to Pondicherry, as soon as the journey might be undertaken without danger. In the mean time 50 Europeans were sent from Pondicherry to Velore, and with their assistance he formed a conspiracy with the French prisoners in the fort of Arcot, who were to rise and overpower the English garrison, which they greatly outnumbered; but a suspicion of this treachery was luckily entertained