Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/373

Book V of the value of time in military operations, and Monac-gee either pretended or found such difficulties in recruiting his cavalry, that he declared he could not be ready before the end of July. Wearied with these delays, and hoping that such a mark of his impatience would excite the Tanjorines to follow him, major Lawrence, accompanied by the Nabob, marched away with the English troops from Tanjore on the 22d, and encamped at Atchempettah, a town in the woods belonging to the Colleries, about twelve miles west from Tanjore: five days after Monac-gee set up his standard and joined him with the Tanjorine army; but he now declared that his troops would be greatly dissatisfied if they proceeded any farther before Maphuze Khan with the reinforcement that accompanied him came up. The Nabob likewise pressing major Lawrence to wait for those troops, he much against his will consented, but obliged Monac-gee to collect a quantity of provisions sufficient to replace what should be consumed by the English troops in the field and in Tritchinopoly, during the delay occasioned by this resolution. At this time a revolution, little expected by any one in India, happened in the government of Pondicherry. The directors of the English East India company had in the preceding year, made representations to the ministry of Great Britain, on the hostilities in which they were involved on the coast of Coromandel, and sollicited the support of the government either to terminate or carry on a war, which their own resources were little able to continue against the French company, strongly supported by the administration of France. The British ministry soon conceived the necessity of interfering vigorously, to stop the ambitious projects of Mr. Dupleix, and began a negotiation with the French ministry on the subject. Mr. Duvelaer, a director of the French company, together with his brother the count de Lude, who had both of them resided for many years in the East Indies, were deputed from Paris, to treat with the ministry in London, and had frequent conferences with the earl of Holdernesse, at that time one of his majesty's principal secretaries of state, who by much application and frequent enquiries from all persons capable of giving true information, had gained an extensive knowledge of