Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/73

Book I. means of obtaining his protection, by neglecting to accompany their application for his assistance with a present of money. This illjudged parsimony left the Nabob so lukewarm in their interests, that although he did not give Mr. Dupleix a positive permission, he refrained from making any preparations, or even from using menaces to prevent the French from attacking Madrass. This settlement had been about 100 years the principal establishment of the English nation on the coast of Coromandel. It was in a territory granted by the Great Mogul to the East India company, which extended about five miles along the sea shore, and about one mile in land. The town consisted of three divisions; that to the south extended about 400 yards in length from north to south, and about 100 yards in breadth: none but the English, or other Europeans under their protection, resided in this division, which contained about 50 good houses, an English and a Roman Catholic Church, together with the residence of the factory, and other buildings belonging to the company: it was surrounded with a slender wall, defended with four bastions and as many batteries, but these were very slight and defective in their construction, nor had they any outworks to defend them: this quarter has long been known in Europe by the name of Fort St. George, and was in India called for distinction the White Town. On the north of this, and contiguous, was another division, much larger and worse fortified, in which were many very good habitations belonging to the Armenian and to the richest of the Indian merchants, who resided in the company's territory: this quarter was called the Black Town. Beyond this division, and to the north of it, was a suburb, where the Indian natives of all ranks had their habitations promiscuously. Besides these three divisions, which composed the town of Madrass, there were two large and populous villages about a mile to the southward of it, within the company's territory, and these were likewise inhabited by Indian natives.

The trade from England to the coast of Coromandel, together with that which is carried on by merchants of various nations from one part of India to another, had raised Madrass to a degree of opulence and reputation, which rendered it inferior to none of the European