Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/92

86 Watson; but it was imagined that their expected armament would give them as decisive a superiority at sea, as on shore. On the other hand, a privation of the Bengal investments for three years would ruin the English company; and if the settlements there were not immediately recovered, the French upon the arrival of their armament would urge and assist Surajah Dowlah against any future attempts of the English to re-establish themselves in his dominions; in which case, an expedition to recover them would require a large and special armament from England; where, perhaps, the national exigencies in other parts of the world might not allow a force adequate to this service; and where, at all events, the equipment could not be made but at a much greater expence than would be incurred by employing the force at this time ready on the coast of Coromandel. At the same time the national honour required immediate reparation, and the horrors of the dungeon cried aloud for exemplary vengeance. Nevertheless there prevailed in some of the members of the council a strong propensity, at all events, to assist Salabadjing. The partizans of this opinion insisted, "that, as a force sufficient to encounter the Nabob of Bengal with any probability of success, substracted from Madrass, would leave the English in Coromandel totally incapable of resisting the French after the arrival of their armament, it was more expedient to send the 50 gun ship of Mr. Watson's squadron, and deputies, with a power to treat with the Nabob. If the negociation should prove unsuccessful, the ship, with the force under Major Kilpatrick, were to make depredations and reprisals; and, if they could, were to retake and maintain Calcutta. By this expedient, Coromandel, it was said, would be preserved, Salabadjing might be properly supported against Mr. Bussy, and Mr. Watson avoiding the encounter of the French squadron until his own should be reinforced from England, might then meet them on equal terms." These arguments would have appeared specious any where but in India. They were opposed by one of the members of the council, who, having resided nine years in the company's service at Calcutta, knew the strength and insolence of the Moorish government in Bengal, believed that nothing but