Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/145

Book VII. with the English at Calcutta, where the select committee, having little hopes of obtaining the Nabob's consent to attack them, consented to a treaty of neutrality and pacification in Bengal, and agreed that it should be guaranteed by the Nabob: but when all points seemed to be adjusted, Mr. Watson refused his concurrence, because the act of Chandernagore was not obligatory on Pondicherry; whereas Calcutta treated without reference to a superior power. Colonel Clive was at this time become more anxious than any one to conclude the treaty, and insisted, that. Admiral Watson should either ratify it, or proceed immediately against Chandernagore, without waiting for the Nabob's consent. The Admiral rejecting the alternative, altercations ensued, which delayed the execution of the treaty, until Clive received the Nabob's invitation to march to his assistance against the Pitans. On the same day a boat from Ingelee brought intelligence of the arrival of three ships from Bombay, under the command of Commodore James, which had on board three companies of infantry, and one of artillery, and that the Cumberland, of 74 guns, which had parted from the fleet in the passage from Madrass was arrived in the road of Ballasore. With such additions the English force was deemed capable of taking Chandernagore, although protected by the Nabob's army: Colonel Clive therefore immediately dismissed the French deputies, who were then with him, waiting to sign the treaty, which was even written out fair, and which they supposed had been intirely concluded: he at the same time wrote to the Nabob, that he would join him as soon as the news concerning the approach of the Pitans should be verified, and that he should in the mean time proceed as far as Chandernagore. Accordingly the troops quitted their encampment opposite to Calcutta on the 7th of March, while the artillery proceeded in boats, advancing slowly, that the Bombay detachment might have time to come up the river, before they entered the French limits. In the interval the Nabob was kept quiet by his dread of the Pitans, and the representations of Nuncomar, who constantly assured him that the English had no hostile intentions. Nevertheless, Admiral Watson refused to attack the French until the consent of the Nabob was obtained; to whom, however,