India Through the Ages: A Popular and Picturesque History of HindustanSteel, Flora Annie Webster
History
India Through the Ages: A Popular and Picturesque History of Hindustan
Steel, Flora Annie Webster
India -- History
It was a tissue of mistakes from beginning to end, which Major
Munro's subsequent victory at Buxar over the combined forces of the
Prince-Royal-Emperor (who had not yet managed to recover his capital
Delhi), the Wazîr of Oude, and Mîr-Kâssim did little to rectify. For
Mîr-Jâffar died shortly after of old age, and the Council was left
without a Nawâb to squeeze! After much discussion, however, they
decided on putting up Nujâm-ad-daula, an illegitimate son of
Mîr-Jâffar's.
Such was the state of affairs when Clive, to whom, in view of the
painful state of disorder in Bengal, absolute power had been given,
arrived in Calcutta on his second period of Governorship in the
beginning of May 1765.
His first act was to decline discussion.
"I was determined," he writes, "to do my duty to the public, though I
should incur the odium of the whole settlement. The welfare of the
Company required a vigorous exertion, and I took the resolution of
cleansing the Augean stable."
He began the work at once, and, undeterred by opposition, did not rest
till he had placed the Indian Civil Service on the upward path to its
present honoured and honourable position. Perquisites and presents
were swept away; unbiassed authority given in exchange.
The only real political work of the next two years was his treatment
of, and treaty with, the Prince-Royal-Emperor, Shâh-Âlam, who was more
than ever a puppet king after the victory at Buxar, when he had thrown
himself on the protection of the English. So anxious, indeed, was he
to secure this, that before the answer to his petition was received
from Calcutta, he encamped every night as close to the British army as
he could for safety!
The treaty into which he then entered contained an important
stipulation that the Company should assist him to recover the
territories usurped by his late ally Sûjah-daula, Wazîr of Oude.
Hearing of this the Wazîr immediately prepared for resistance by
joining forces with Ghâzi-ud-din, the murderous minister at Delhi, and
with some bands of Rohillas and Mahrattas.
But they were poor allies, and Clive, coming to the problem with his
clear head, proceeded to settle it with a high hand. Sûjah-daula was
left with his territories, save for the district around Allahabâd,
which was ceded to Shâh-Âlam, the so-called emperor, who was also to
receive £260,000 a year as the revenue of Bengal. This was to be
payable, not as in the past, by the Nawâb, but by the East India
Company itself, who thus became the real masters of the country, and
so responsible for its administration, its defences; the Nawâb,
Nujâm-ud-daula, reverting to the position of pensioner, a position
which he accepted gladly with the remark: "Thank God! I shall now have
as many dancing-girls as I please!"
That the bargains were hard all round none can deny, but it is
difficult to see, as has been stated, that Clive derived any pecuniary
benefit from them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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