his military reputation, already established by the defence of Arcot,
the victory at Kaveripak, and the operations before Trichinopoli, rose
higher than ever, and while he developed a capacity for civil and
political administration of the highest order, the fame of his exploits
was tarnished by a breach of faith which it is impossible to justify,
and by the acceptance of large sums of money from the native prince whom
he placed upon the throne of Bengal after the deposition of Suraj ud
Daulah.
The treaty provided for an offensive and defensive alliance with Mir
Jafar; for a prohibition against any resettlement of the French in
Bengal, and for the transfer of their factories to the English company;
for compensation for English losses at Calcutta, viz., to the company,
£1,000,000; to the European inhabitants, £500,000; to the native
inhabitants, £200,000; to the Armenians, £70,000; for the cession of all
land within the Mahratta ditch and 600 yards beyond it; for the cession
to the company of the Zemidari of the country to the south of Calcutta
as far as Kalpi, subject to the payment of the customary rent; for the
payment by the Nawab of all English troops sent to his assistance, and
for a prohibition against the erection of any new forts below Hugli.
Under a supplementary treaty Mir Jafar was to pay £500,000 to the army
and navy and £120,000 to the members of council.
Mir Jafar's signature to the treaty was received on June 12th, and
Clive's force at once advanced. On that day all the troops quartered at
Calcutta, together with one hundred fifty sailors from the fleet,
crossed over to Chandernagor, where they joined the remainder of the
force already quartered at the latter place. The Europeans, including
the artillery, were sent up the river in two hundred boats, the Sepoys
marching by land. On June 13th Clive despatched to the Nawab a letter
which was practically a declaration of war. It arraigned the Nawab for
his breach of treaty, and informed him that Clive had determined, with
the approbation of all who were charged with the company's affairs, to
proceed immediately to Kasimbazar, and to submit the dispute with the
Nawab to the arbitration of Mir Jafar, Raja Dulab Ram, Jaggat Seth, and
"others of your highness' great men." "If these," he wrote, "decide that
I have deviated from the treaty, then I swear to give up all further
claims upon your highness; but if it should appear that your highness
has broken faith, then I shall demand satisfaction for all the losses
sustained by the English, and all the charges of the army and navy." The
letter ended with an intimation that as the rains were at hand, and it
would take many days to receive an answer, the writer would "wait upon
the Nawab at his capital to receive satisfaction." The attitude which
Clive adopted was bold and defiant, but, for all that, Clive was by no
means free from anxiety. It was not at all certain that Mir Jafar would
adhere to his agreement.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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