Page:History of the French in India.djvu/229

 PARADIS IS APPOINTED TO COMMAND. 207 that he lost a golden opportunity. He too was fated chap. soon to experience the truth that such opportunities, v Y ' once granted, are seldom vouchsafed a second time ; 1747 that, when offered, therefore, they ought to be seized with a promptitude and used with a determination before which all other considerations should be made to give way. He did not, however, at all resign the great object of all his political manoeuvres. On the contrary, he was more than ever bent on the expulsion of the English from Fort St. David. No sooner then had the accom- modation with the Nawwab been completed, and the Mughal troops withdrawn, then he summoned a council of war, placed before it the situation in which he was, the daily expected approach of an English squadron, and the expediency of attempting once more the capture of Port St. David. He urged at the same time the fit- ness of Paradis for the command, and pressed upon the assembled officers the necessity of suppressing all con- siderations of self-interest in the presence of a crisis, calling so much for self-denial and earnest co-operation for a great end, as that which then existed. This appeal to their patriotism was at once heartily responded to, and the French officers consented to acknowledge and obey Paradis as their general. Before, however, all these preliminaries had been carried out, the garrison of Fort St. David had received a small reinforcement of twenty men, and a considerable supply of money. An English ship decoyed into the Madras roads at the end of November by the sight of the English colours flying over the fort, and then sud- denly attacked, had managed nevertheless* to escape and make its way to Trinkamali. There the captain received information of the actual state of affairs on the nate. One especially, having on the roadstead in the same manner board £60,000 in bullion, besides and there boarded.— Orme.
 * Other ships were not so fortu- stores of all sorts, was entrapped into