Page:Early English adventurers in the East (1917).djvu/305

 ruled the East India Company at this period could have had their way there would have been no Calcutta and very possibly no British domination in Bengal. They had for some reason or other formed a strong prejudice in favour of Chittagong, a place remote from the real seat of authority and of trade in Bengal, and when they heard of Chamock's proceedings they assailed him with a bitterness of invective more appropriate to a criminal than to an official who had risked his life and health in a gallant and not unsuccessful attempt to advance the Company's interests.

Charnock was not only abused: he was superseded. The Court sent out a fresh expedition with a new commander in the person of Captain Wm. Heath, an able navigator but a man utterly unversed in Indian ways and totally unfit by temperament for the delicate work of diplomacy which must accompany and follow any action that was to be taken.

Heath arrived at Sutanuti, or as we may now call it Calcutta, in September, 1688, and immediately proceeded to call a council to deliberate on the position. There were reasons and even authority in the Court's own communications for remaining at Calcutta; but the impetuous sailor, having made up his mind that the site was a bad one, over-ruled local opinion and by virtue of his instructions issued what were practically orders for the evacuation of the settlement. He subsequently changed his mind to some extent by opening up negotiations with Bahadur Khan, who had succeeded Shayista Khan as Nabob of the province. His overtures, made through two English representatives under Chamock's skilful advice and direction, were not unfavourably received, but