Page:History of the French in India.djvu/169

 MADRAS SURRENDERS TO THE FRENCH. 147 married to an English gentleman in Madras, offering chap. on the part of Governor Morse to treat. IV ' The reply of the French Commander being favourable 17^, to such a course, Messrs. Monson and Hally burton pre- sented themselves on the following morning in the French camp. They proposed to enter into negotiations to pay a certain sum to induce La Bourdonnais to retire from before the town. This, however, in unmistakable terms, the Frenchman refused, and the deputies returned to demand fresh instructions from the Governor. On the departure of the deputies, the fire recommenced, and continued till three o'clock. Between that hour and eight o'clock in the evening, however, no one appeared on the part of the English, except a foreigner in the service of the Nawwab, without powers or authority to negotiate. At eight o'clock, therefore, La Bourdonnais reopened the fire, and maintained it throughout the night both from the land batteries and the ships. The re- appearance of the English deputies on the following morning caused it to cease.* This time, these latter were armed with full powers to capitulate. After some discussion, they agreed to the conditions, of which the following are a free summary. They agreed, first, to make over to M. de la Bourdonnais at 2 p.m. on that day, September 21, Fort St. George and the town of Madras with their dependencies. All the garrison, and generally all the English in the town, to become prisoners of war. All the councillors, officers, employes, and other gentlemen in the service of the Company to be free on their parole, to go and to come as they wished, even to Europe ; provided only they did not carry arms against France, offensively or defensively, without being exchanged. The articles of the capitulation having been signed, it was arranged that those regarding the disposal of the man in the siege : the English only L 2
 * The French did not lose a single five.— Grose's East Indies.