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BENGAL IN 1756-57

Muckwa Tana, which the Moors have since strongly fortified, and will be prevented from departing punctually, without calculating the evil consequences which we shall have to sustain if the English make reprisals upon the Nawab and force us to attack him upon the water. The French have had to pay a contribution proportionate to ours, to the amount of 3 lakhs of rupees besides another half lakh for mediation money. One does not yet know whether the other nations will get out of this difficulty now without tearing their clothes, but it is known that the Empdeners had about two and a half lakhs of rupees outstanding amongst the English, and that to all appearances they will never see a doit of this money again, so that this Company may very possibly be ruined, especially if any disasters take place, such as, alas! are hitting our Company more than too frequently, seeing that in the beginning of this month the ship Voorburg, whilst sailing up the Ganges, got aground on the shallow of the so-called Jannegat [John's or Jack's Hole] and was lost with all its cargo except the silver, which according to custom had been carried in the sloop. Possibly we might have been able to save a considerable quantity of the cargo if we had been able to get there in time, but we could do nothing towards this owing to the passage being closed by the departure of the Nawab three days ago.^

The English as well as the Nawab have sought our alliance, and on our persevering in an absolute neutrality, the English Council has protested against us in the name of His Britannic Majesty, as your Excellencies will come to see by the letters to be despatched by the first ship next September.

For the rest we request your Excellencies to kindly take into favourable consideration the above written statement, and to confirm the measures we have determined upon with the usual honoured approbation.

Meanwhile we remain, &c. &c., A. Bisdom, &c. &c.

41. Letter from Messrs, Watts and Collet to Council, Fort Saint George, dated Chandernagore, 6 July, 1756.

Honourable Sir and Sirs, — Enclosed comes duplicate of our

letter of the 3rd instant since which we are informed that the

^ That is, they could not get permission from him to pass Calcutta and Muckwa Tana forts quickly enough.