Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/142

136 to coin gold and silver in a mint of their own; exempted all merchandizes passing with their dustucks or passports, from tax, fee, or imposition; permitted them to take possession of the thirtyeight villages, of which the grant had been obtained by the embassy in 1717, from the Emperor Furrukshir; and in general confirmed all the privileges which had been granted to them by former emperors ever since their first arrival in the province." The oaths of the Nabob, MeerJaffier and Roy doolub, were the only pledges or security for the execution of the treaty.

On the 11th the Nabob removed a few miles farther to the north, and the next day sent the usual serpaws or presents of dresses to Admiral Watson and Colonel Clive, by Rungeet Roy and Omichund, and proposed an alliance offensive and defensive against all enemies. This proposal was accepted without hesitation, and the article ratified was sent back the same day by Omichund, who was likewise intrusted by Colonel Clive to sound if the Nabob would permit the English to attack the French settlement of Chandernagore; for there was time before the setting in of the southern monsoon. The Nabob detested the idea; but, dreading an immediate renewal of hostilities, temporized; and pretending that Mr. Bussy from the Decan, and a squadron from Pondicherry, were coming to Bengal, he requested that the English would prevent them from entering his dominions; and, as a farther disguise, he requested 20 English gunners to serve in his own artillery; he likewise recommended, that Mr. Watts might be appointed the company's representative at his court; choosing him from a persuasion that he was a meek man, without guile. The next day he continued his march to Muxadavad, and Colonel Clive having received no positive injunction to the contrary from the Nabob, determined to prosecute the enterprize against Chandernagore. Accordingly, on the 18th, the English troops crossed the river a few miles above Calcutta, and encamped on the opposite shore; but before this time the French had taken the alarm, and by repeated letters called on the Nabob, as he valued his own safety, to protect their settlement; their messengers found him just arrived at Augadeep, 40 miles south of Muxadavad, where he halted,