Page:History of the French in India.djvu/405

 BUSSY AND SAITID LASH K AH. 381 of whom in the greatness and versatility of his genius chap. Dupleix was in many respects the type and forerunner, may be applied also to him, and to admit, that if in 1754. war he was guided by his genius, he was sometimes impelled, to too great an extent, in politics by his passions. The first act of Bussy after receiving the patents for the transfer of the four provinces, was to send thither a body of 150 Europeans and 2,500 sipahis to take pos- session of and to protect them ; that force being placed under the order of the French agent at Machhlipatan, M. Moracin. There is conclusive authority for stating that the mode in which these provinces were adminis- tered by the French was such as to do them great honour. " The rent was moderate, enforced without rigour, accu- rate accounts were prepared, and most of the hereditary officers, if not those possessing rent-free lands, were confirmed in their property." * But although thus foiled, notwithstanding that his efforts to expel the French had resulted in the aggran- disement of that nation, Saiyid Lashkar Khan did not in the least relax his endeavours to get rid of them. He was still left minister, and of the minister there were abundant opportunities of whispering calumnies into the ears of a credulous prince. Once more, therefore, he resolved to play upon the fears of Salabat Jang. He represented to him that it had ever been the policy of the French to make the accession of a new ruler an occa- sion for their own profit and advantage ; that to this end they had supported Muzaffar Jang against Nasir Jang, and on the death of the former had preferred him, the present Subadar, to the legitimate heir of Muzaffar Jang ; he added, that out of all these transactions the French had made a profit, and that now, having obtained all that was possible from the reigning sovereign, they
 * Grant Duff.