On what his Resentment to the _British_ Nation was founded, he was himself at a Loss to say; and the trivial, inconsistent, and in various respects ill-grounded Pretences, he afterwards suggested, as the Motives to his Conduct, evidently shew they were contrived rather to hide, than to declare the Intentions from which he really acted. It has been asserted, and very probably not without sufficient Foundation, that some who knew his violent and rapacious Disposition, made their Court to him, by representing, that the _Europeans_ settled in the Provinces he possessed were immensely rich; that he might well expect considerable Sums from them to merit his Favour and Protection upon his Accession to the Government; that he had a Force much more than was adequate to the crushing them absolutely, if he so pleased; that by compelling them, under Colour of their coming as Merchants only into _Indostan_, to desist from raising any new Fortifications, he would have them always at his Mercy; and that in order to succeed effectually, and with little Trouble, he should, to prevent their making it a common Cause, break only with one Nation at a time; and first with the _British_, who could pay him best, and whose Submission would prove an effectual Precedent to the _French_ and _Dutch_. It is not unlikely, that the Authors of this Advice might also undertake to negotiate a Compromise at a proper Juncture. This, however, is certain; that, before he proceeded to Hostilities, he had determined to reduce _Calcutta_, and had taken all his Measures for that Purpose, and disposed his Instruments properly with that View. _Cassimbuzar_ being situated, as it were, at his Door, was of course the first attacked. He caused the Place to be invested on the Twenty-second of _May_, by a numerous Body of Troops, and then invited Mr. _Watts_, who was Chief of the Factory, to a Conference, upon a Safe-Conduct. As the Place (in the Opinion of the best Judges) was indefensible, and if it had been defensible, was without a Garrison; as in point of Ceremony it was the usual Custom for the Chief of that Factory to compliment every new Suba on his assuming that Office, and Mr. _Watts_ had all imaginable Reason to hope a good Reception, he accepted that Invitation, and went to the Suba's Camp, where, contrary to his Faith, and in Breach of those Engagements which are in that Country held sacred, he seized and detained him, till by pursuing the same Conduct, and intermixing Fraud and Force against those who had not the Means, and perhaps were doubtful whether they had any Authority to resist, he possessed himself of _Cassimbuzar_, on the fourth of _June_, and then made no farther Secret of his Design to deprive the _English_ of all their Settlements, to which, according to the Constitution of the _Mogul_ Empire, they had a much better Right than he had to his Dominions. Thus the Troubles of _Bengal_ were begun by him in whose Ruin they ended.