Page:History of the French in India.djvu/53

 THE DEPENDENCIES OF i'ONDICHERY. 31 attempts of the French to establish themselves on the CH £ P - southern Koromandel coast, it is necessary that we > — y — should glance at their proceedings in other parts of 1693. Hindustan. We have already alluded to their establishment at Surat * This was strengthened in the year 1672 by the transfer to it of the head authority from Madagas- car, — the Company's settlements in which were aban- doned in that year, and Madagascar nominally trans- ferred to the French crown.f Some of the Madagascar settlers proceeded, as we have seen, to the Isle of Mascarenhas, afterwards known as Bourbon; others came on to Surat. But the establishment at Surat did not prosper. The wretched condition of the affairs of the parent Company naturally affected their servants, and prevented them from carrying on trade with the vigour or success of the Dutch and the English. Poli- tically, the location there of the factory was of no advantage to the French, and its commercial value lessened with the rising importance of Pondichery and Chandranagar. For many years therefore the trade at Surat languished, and the place was finally abandoned in the beginning of the eighteenth century. It was abandoned, however, in a manner little credit- able to the French Company. Their agents left behind them debts to a very large amount, and such Surat was plundered for the second occasion Sivaji's force consisted of time by Sivaji (Oct. ^ 3rd, 1670), fifteen thousand picked troops, whil&t ' ' the English, as on the first occasion, the French were few in numbers, and defended themselves successfully, occupied a weak position it is scarcely under the direction of Mr. Streing- astonishing that they entered into an ham Masters, and killed many of the engagement which secured to them Marathas ; the Dutch factory, being their property. The plunder of the in a re tired quarter, was not molested; Tartar prince can scarcely be consi- but the French purchased an igno- dered a consequence of this engage- minious neutrality, bypermitting Si- ment. Surat was for three days in vajTs troops to pass through their the possession of Sivaji's troops ; factory to attack an unfortunate Tar- and the Tartar prince would have tar prince, who was on his return been plundered under any circum- frorn an embassy to Mekka.'' stances. Ignominiously avoiding a combat t Edict Louis XIV. 12th Novem- is not characteristic of the French ber, 1671.
 * Grand Daft' records that when nation ; and, considering that on this