Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/91

Book VI. taken possession of Charmaul, and that the maintenance of this post against their enemies was the only probability of a reconciliation with them, resolved to send the succours, which Mr. Bussy, foreseeing the event, had long before requested, when he separated from Salabadjing at Sanore. Accordingly, 500 Europeans and a train of field artillery were embarked on one of the French company's ships called the Favorite. The ship sailed on the 15th of July, the very day that the presidency of Madrass received the first intelligence of the distresses in Bengal; the troops were to be landed at Masulipatam, from whence they were to march to Golcondah. Hitherto the French influence in the government of Salabadjing, had been regarded as the evil which threatened the most danger to the English concerns in India, and the removal of it had been the constant object of their attention; but it now became an immediate consideration, what respect ought to be paid to this view, compared with the necessity of reinstating the lost affairs in Bengal. Letters from England dated in the month of August of the preceding year had informed the presidencies in India, that a war with France seemed inevitable, and that hostilities would in all probability commence very soon after the dispatch of those letters; which moreover gave intelligence that the French were preparing to send a fleet of 19 ships of war, with 3000 regular troops, from Brest to Pondicherry. On this it had been determined to make many improvements and additions to the fortifications of Madrass; but as no particular work was yet compleated, what was done had rather weakened than augmented the strength of the place.

The troops maintained by the English and French governments on the coast of Coromandel were at this time nearly equal, each consisting of about 2000 Europeans, and 10,000 Sepoys, who on both sides were separated in different garrisons and situations in an extent of 600 miles. The detachment of 500 men sent to Masulipatam had diminished the French force serving in the Carnatic, to be by this number, less than what the English had in the province, exclusive of their troops to the south of the Coleroon; nor had the French as yet any squadron in India to oppose that under the command of Mr.Watson;