Page:History of India Vol 8.djvu/126

92 oping into a fine town of seventy thousand inhabitants. This settlement had been established in 1674 by François Martin, who built the town, acquired the lands adjoining, and brought Pondicherri to such a high degree of solid prosperity during twenty-five years of wise and courageous administration from 1681 to 1706 – though from 1693 to 1697 the place was in the possession of the Dutch – that he is regarded by some French writers as the true founder of French India.

A PAGODA AT PONDICHERRI.

From 1735 to 1740, the capital and dividends of the