Page:History of the French in India.djvu/621

 APPENDIX A. 605 for the amount, on the plausible pretext of his disapproving of a capitulation that could not possibly have been prevented. Besides, if anyone who advanced the money knew for what it was intended, Dupleix, through his half-caste wife, to whom he owed, so much of the success of his intrigues in India, would easily have obtained sufficient evidence against La Bourdonnais to convict him when he was put on his trial for corruption and treason on his return to France. On the face of the case also very little of the 88,000 pagodtis could have gone to La Bourdonnais ; and what Colonel Malleson states is that he received 100,000.* La Bourdonnais was probably quite capable of accepting a douceur or dusturi. It was the universal custom of his time. It was one of the perquisites of public office. But this document, cited with- out quotation by Colonel Malleson, affords no evidence for reviving the charge of corruption and treason against La Bourdonnais after his acquittal by his own Government. It seems to me very probable that, in consideration of La Bourdonnais's ' politeness and generosity in exempting Madras from pillage ' (I am quoting from the case from memory, for I cannot trace the passage), ' The Governor, Nicholas Morse, and his Council, agreed to make him a private present, and raised 88,000 pagodas for the purpose ; that this sum was mostly other- wise expended ; and that difficulty having arisen with the Court of Directors about refunding this and other sums embraced in the ransom, it was plausibly pleaded that this particular sum was paid to La Bour- donnais to secure the execution of a treaty of ransom which was never exercised but disvowed by Dupleix." III. Such is the case which Sir George Birdwood has submitted to the public to disprove my contention that La Bourdonnais was offered, and received, a considerable sum of money, probably 100,000 pagodas, for negotiating the ransom of Madras. My contention, the reader will recollect (pages 160-2), was that whilst Dupleix did not desire that Madras should be ransomed, La Bourdon- nais persisted in negotiating to ransom it in order to gain a large sum of money for himself. I now contend that not only is my argument proved to the hilt, but it is proved by the evidence which Sir George Birdwood has provided. His method is certainly a queer method. He first edition, page 157, Colonel Malle- ransom treaty made with the English." son wrote in the note : "It was charged In the text, also page 157, Colonel against La Bourdonnais in his lifetime Malleson wrote: " That he did receive that he had accepted a present from the a considerable Bum is undeniable." English of 100,000 pagodas (about four Q Q 2
 * Note by Colonel Malleson. In the lakhs of rupee?) as the price of the