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Rh him to take a sea-trip to the Húglí. On his return, in the cold season of 1751, he was directed to accompany as Commissary the force which was despatched under De Gingen to watch the action of Chandá Sáhib and the French, and the adventures of which I have told in the last chapter.

As Commissary of De Gingen's force, Clive had no influence in the direction of its operations. But that he highly disapproved of his superior's action is clear from the fact that he quitted the force to lay before the Governor of Fort St. David his reasons for the adoption of an entirely different system.

The Governor of Fort St. David, a fit associate of Stringer Lawrence, listened sympathisingly to the plan suggested by Clive. His fame has been overshadowed by the greater glory attaching to the name of the young counsellor who was explaining to him in the autumn of 1751 the plans which, properly carried out, would baffle all the hopes of Dupleix, but he was nevertheless a first-rate representative of that middle-class which won India for the Crown. A weaker man would have hesitated. My memory can recall hundreds of those I have met who would have absolutely refused to act on the suggestions of the young Commissary, for the situation was bristling with difficulties. Saunders had neither officers nor men at Fort St. David. His principal force was shut up in Trichinopoli, closely invested by an enemy superior in force, and subjected, or likely to be subjected, to all the horrors of famine. It was a positive necessity,