Page:History of the French in India.djvu/353

 LAW SURRENDERS. 329 to the heart by order of Manakji, and his decapitated chap. head was sent to his triumphant rival. s i * But before this tragedy had been consummated, Law 1752. himself had surrendered. Resting on the broken reed of delusive expectations, he had allowed every oppor- tunity to pass by, until at last the arrival of a battering- train from Devikota placed it in the power of the English to compel him to submit to their own terms. After the usual amount of protests, and threats to defend himself to the last should those protests not be acceded to, he finally agreed that the French army should sur- render prisoners of war ; that the officers should be liberated on giving their parole never to serve against Muhammad Ali and his allies ; that the English deser- ters should be pardoned ; that all the arms, artillery, and munitions of war should be made over faithfully to the English commandant ; and that the island itself should be surrendered. The conditions were faithfully carried out. On the morning of June 13, 35 officers, 785 soldiers, and 2,000 sipahis laid down their arms and surrendered themselves prisoners to the English commander, this latter acting not on his own account but as representative of Muhammad Ali. There was given up at the same time forty-one pieces of cannon, and an immense quantity of ammunition.* pectedthis deference; and accordingly, whom they co-operated. It is clear on the same morning that the pagoda that in the case now under notice it surrendered, went to the Major, with was not at all a question of dictation. whom he had a conference, which con- It is too evident that a word from vinced him that the English were his Major Lawrence to Manakji would friends, and that they were resolved have changed the fate of the victim. not to interfere any further in the dis- How can we avoid the simple con- pute. He, therefore, immediately on elusion to be drawn from the fact, his return to Chakalpalam pat his that Manakji, satisfied that the design into execution, by ordering the English would not interfere to save head of Chanda Sahib to be struck off. the life of the prisoner, went straight (The italics are our own.) It is un- from the presence of Major Law- fortunately clear from this, that rence to order the execution of Major Lawrence did connive at the Chanda Sahib ? death of the unfortunate prisoner. * Our authorities for the account Professor Wilson states, in depreca- of this sh->rt campaign are the history tion of this verdict, that at that of Mr. Orme, the journal of Major period the English were not so well Lawrence, the memoir of Captain assured of their power, as to pretend "Dalton, and the memoir and official to dictate to the native princes with letters of Dupleix.