Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan.djvu/94

88 should be the extent of his authority in military operations, and in negotiations with the Nabob? In what dependance or relation he ought to stand to the late governor and council of Calcutta? How far their authority as a presidency ought to be maintained or impaired?

Each of the remaining council of Bengal had written separate letters to the presidency of Madrass, in which such misdemeanours and misconduct were reciprocally imputed to all the others, that if no allowance had been made for the prejudices of exasperated adversity, it would have been absurd to intrust the re-establishment of the company's affairs to those, who, by their own accounts, had ruined them; and, indeed, enough of the causes and progress of the calamities in Bengal were not at this time sufficiently developed, to exempt the late presidency of Calcutta from much blame. The difficulty of deciding concerning their authority suggested to Mr.Pigot, the commander of Madrass, a desire to go himself to Bengal as commander of the army, and with full powers, as the company's representative in all other affairs: but he wanted military experience, nor had the council authority to give so extensive a commission to any individual. Colonel Adlercron then claimed the military command, offering to go with his whole regiment; but he wanted experience in the irregular warfare of India, and his powers were independent of the company's agents. The climate of Bengal was so adverse to an asthmatic disorder, with which Colonel Lawrence was afflicted, that it was thought he would be disabled, from that incessant activity requisite to the success of this expedition, of which the termination was limited to a certain time. Colonel Clive was therefore chosen to command the troops. To assure the exertion of the most vigorous hostilities until peace was made, and then the return of the troops in April, it was resolved to invest him with independent power in all military matters and operations; and in consequence to furnish him with money, and empower him to draw bills. It was, however, resolved to acknowledge Mr. Drake and the former members of the council, as a presidency, with full powers in commercial and civil affairs, and to remit them likewise a