Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/436

428 left the French no great gainers by their titular acquisition of the province of Arcot; and we cannot determine what truth there might be in the allegation of the offers made by Mahomed Ally, because the presidency of Madrass knew nothing of them: however, it appears that Mr. Bussy believed it; and the inveteracy of Jaffer Ally Khan, who had always some correspondence with the English, prompted this lord, although without any authority, to assure Salabad-jing, that if he would remove the French troops from his service, their place should be immediately supplied by an equal body of English. The party against the French was every day strengthened by the accession of other lords; and Salabad-jing, although he respected Mr. Bussy, had not resolution enough to oppose this powerful combination.

Shanavaze Khan now communicated the intentions of the confederacy to Balagerow, and sollicited his assistance, as in a common cause, to rid the Soubah and the Decan of these dangerous intruders, proposing, as the shortest and surest means, to begin by assassinating Mr. Bussy. Civilities had passed between Balagerow and Mr. Bussy, not only during the present campaign, but on former occasions, and they mutually esteemed each other; from which, and his own character, which was superior to most in Indostan, he rejected the proposal of assassination with disdain: from another motive he likewise refused to commit any hostilities against the French troops; being not without views of attaching Mr. Bussy to his own service, if the animosity between him and the ministry of Salabad-jing should become irreconcileable. Shanavaze Khan, although much disappointed by the refusal of Balagerow, nevertheless persisted in his purpose, and signified to Mr. Bussy, in the name of Salabad-jing, the resolution of dismissing the French troops from his service, ordering them to retire out of his territories without delay; but promising that, if they committed no hostibties, they should receive no molestation in their retreat. Mr. Bussy knew full well that Salabad-jing had concurred to this resolution more from imbeciility than inclination: and hoping that some favourable incident, in a government so fertile in events, would soon indues him to recall the French troops, received the order of dismission, without manifesting any resentment, and said that he was