depending on this treaty; he did not believe that Omichund was known to Meer Jaffier, but through Mr. Watts."--Parl. Reports, vol. iii. p. 149. [143] 19th May, 1757. [144] Omichund had been on the most intimate footing with the Nabob, who, trusting to him for secret information, was averse to his leaving Moorshedabad. But as he now desired to go to Calcutta, he told Mr. Scrafton to remove this impediment, by applying for a present which the Nabob had promised to make the British commanders in February. This promise, it appears, was made to Omichund, who afterwards pledged himself to conceal it. Suraj-u-Dowlah, thinking he had broken that pledge, was much enraged, and as anxious for his departure as he had been before for his remaining at his court. [145] Parliamentary Reports, vol. iii. p. 145. [146] Letter from Col. Clive to Mr. Watts, May 19th. [147] This demand of a full acquittance, on paying one fifth of what was due, had been made some weeks before through Mr. Watts. It had been rejected with indignation by Admiral Watson and Col. Clive. [148] Scrafton's Letters, p. 88. [149] Clive's force consisted of-- Six hundred and fifty European infantry; One hundred topases; One hundred Malabar Portuguese; One hundred and fifty artillery, including fifty seamen; Two thousand one hundred sepoys; Eight six-pounders; One howitzer. [150] Clive's letters to the Secret Committee, June 19th, 1757. [151] A maund is 80 pounds. [152] A considerable province of the kingdom of Bengal, the Rajah (or Prince) of which was hostile to Suraj-u-Dowlah. [153] Ghazee-u-Deen, the eldest son of the celebrated Nizam-ul-Mûlk, was at this period chief minister of Delhi, and had almost uncontrolled power. [154] The following is the list of the officers of this council, and the order in which they voted:-- _Negative._ _For immediate attack._ Rob^t. Clive. Eyre Coote. James Kilpatrick. G. Alex. Grant. Arch^d. Grant. G. Muir. Geo. Fred. Goupp. Cha^s. Palmer. Andrew Armstrong. Rob^t. Campbell. Tho^s. Rumbold. Peter Carstairs. Christian Firkan. W. Jennings. John Corneille. H. Popham. The query and list of the officers are transcribed from the original proceedings of the council of war, as found in the Clive MSS. [155] It has been asserted that Clive was induced to change his opinion by the representations of Major Coote. This was contradicted by the latter, in his evidence before the House of Commons. He said, "After the council of war, Lord Clive spoke to him first, unasked, of the army marching, without his having mentioned a word to him upon the subject."--Parliamentary Reports, vol. iii. p. 153. [156] June 21st. [157] Scrafton's Letters, p. 90.