Page:History of the French in India.djvu/482

 456 G0DEHEU AND BE LEYRlT. CI ^ P - Ali, without personal resources and without ability. In T '-, January, 1757, they found themselves once more com- 1757. pelled to levy contributions from Madura and Tinivelli; and Calliaud, who then commanded at Trichinapalli, was directed to proceed with the greater part of the garrison into those districts. He accordingly marched at the head of 180 Europeans, and 1,000 sipahis, and six pieces of cannon to Tanjur, to endeavour to obtain from the Raja succours for his purpose. The Raja, however, and his ministers, tired of contributing to successes which brought only advantage to their allies, practically refused his aid ; whereupon Calliaud, hear- ing that some petty insurgent chieftains were ravaging the district, moved without delay to Tinivelli. Here he was detained for some time by difficulties regarding supplies and money, and it was not till April 10 that he was able to march towards Madura. At three o'clock on the morning of May 1 he attempted to take this city by surprise, but, being repulsed, took up a position on the south-east face of the town, there to await the arrival of two 18 -pounders he had sent for from Trichinapalli. Instead of these guns, however, he received at three o'clock in the afternoon of the 11th the startling intelligence that the whole French army, taking advantage of his absence, was attempting Tri- chinapalli ! Intelligence of the same nature recalled to Madras Colonel Forde, who at the head of 100 Euro- peans, 56 Africans, 300 sipahis, and 10,000 auxiliaries, had, till then unsuccessfully, been attempting the reduction of Nellor, held against Muhammad Ali by his brother. The time had indeed arrived when de Leyrit felt himself empowered to put into execution the schemes he had been long meditating. On May 17, 1756, war, which for two years previously had been impending between France and England, was formally declared. Intelligence of this event reached de Leyrit at the end