Page:Dupleix and the Struggle for India by the European Nations.djvu/55

48 sailed at once to meet it, encountered it, commanded by Commodore Peyton, off Nágápatnam, fought with it an action, indecisive indeed, but the result of which was to cause Peyton to abandon the eastern coast to his enemy and to sail for Trinkámalí; and anchored two days later in the roadstead of Pondichery.

Then there came into contact two men, both clothed with authority, each of whom desired to be first, and neither of whom would be content with the rôle of second. Up to the day of meeting each had professed the most earnest desire to co-operate with the other. 'The honour of success,' Dupleix had written in the early part of the year, 'will be yours, and I shall hold myself fortunate in contributing thereto through means which owe their value entirely to your skill.' On his side La Bourdonnais had written: 'We ought to regard one another as equally interested in the progress of events, and work in concert. For my part, Sir, I devote myself to you beforehand, and I swear to you a perfect confidence.' Such had been their professions before they had met, when danger seemed very close to the French settlement. But they had not met an hour before the question arose which of the two men, the one Director-General of all the French possessions in India, the other Admiral of the fleet which he had formed, and manned, and instructed himself, was to be supreme. The English fleet had disappeared. Madras was open to attack. If only it were possible to obtain the tacit consent of the Nuwáb the French could visit the English settlement with the