Memoirs of the Revolution in Bengal, Anno Dom. 1757Watts, William, active 1737-1758
History
Memoirs of the Revolution in Bengal, Anno Dom. 1757
Watts, William, active 1737-1758
East India Company -- History; India -- History -- 1526-1765; Plassey, Battle of, Palashi, India, 1757
The Storm, that had been gathering from the Beginning of _March_, began
to burst about the latter End of _April_, and in the Opening of the
Month of _May_; when the Suba, in sudden Starts of Passion, shewed the
Rancour of his Heart, and testified sufficiently, that he waited only
for an Opportunity to make the _English_ feel a second Time the heavy
Weight of his Resentment. As he never assigned any Causes himself, but
on the contrary, even in this Interval, and in the midst of Actions
inconsistent with those Declarations, asserted his Intention to fulfil
his Treaty, and appealed to God and his Prophet for the Truth of it; we
must own it is extremely difficult to guess at his Reasons. They appear,
however, to have been chiefly Three; First, the perpetual Insinuations
of the _French_, that Mr. _Bussy_ might be brought to his Assistance;
and that, by a Junction with his Troops, he would be greatly superior to
the _English_; and to this Measure he was so much inclined, that he
actually wrote a Letter to that Officer, in which he promised him Twenty
Lack of Rupees, if he would march directly into his Dominions, of which
Mr. _Watts_ also gave the Intelligence. The next Thing was, the
Compliances that had been made with a View of gaining him, the recalling
most of the Troops from _Chandenagore_, the permitting him to keep the
Cannon, to search the Factory of _Cassimbuzar_, and the warm and tender
Expressions of Friendship in Colonel _Clive_'s Letters, with the high
Testimonies of Reverence and Respect paid him, whenever he was pleased
to be in a good Temper, or to profess his Disposition of adhering to his
Engagements. The last was, the Retreat of the _Patans_, who had shewn an
Intention to invade his Territories, and the putting an End to the
Troubles occasioned by the _My Rajah_, by which he thought himself in a
Condition to employ all his Forces, and was likewise secure of having
the _French_ to manage his Artillery, with which they made him believe
they could perform Wonders. In these Circumstances he was so very elate,
as not to make any Scruple (though a direct Breach of his Faith) of
interrupting the _English_ Commerce, keeping his Army in the Field,
though he had most solemnly promised the contrary, and sometimes
expressing a formal Design of sending back the Treaty that had been
signed with him, and demanding his own. In such a State of Things it was
evident, that the Company could not rely upon him, or consider
themselves in any Degree of Security, farther than as they were
supported by the King's Squadron and Forces; and as their present
Condition was very precarious, so their future Prospect was still more
gloomy and alarming; and though as yet they were not in a state of War,
they could not, however, with any Propriety, be said to be in Peace.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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