upon which Mons. Paradis, aware that further attempts to reduce the place would prove fruitless, raised the siege, and fell back with precipitation.

The delivery of these supplies, and the oocasional destruction of a vessel, as it was encountered on the cruising-ground between Pondicherry and Fort St. David's, comprised the total amount of service performed throughout this season by the fleet. Though superior to the enemy, as well in the number as in the force of his ships, Admiral Griffin found all his efforts to bring on an action ineffectual; and, being baffled by adverse winds, had the additional mortification to see Madras revictualled, and the squadron which conveyed the relief escape unmolested. In like manner, the troops, of which Major Lawrence had recently assumed the command, acted during many months entirely on the defensive; repelling a renewed attack upon Cuddalore, and guarding the British provinces, but abstaining from all attempts at retaliation. But there were by this time in passage from Europe, reinforcements both to the fleet and the army, which would, it was anticipated, give a new turn to public affairs, by placing the initiative entirely in the hands of the English, under circumstances more favourable than had at any previous period occurred.

On the 20th of July, 1747, the reinforcements in question, after an abortive attempt to reduce Mauritius, arrived at Fort St. David's. A squadron of four sail of the line, a twenty-gun ship, a sloop of war, a bomb-vessel and her tender, being added to the force already under his command, placed Admiral Griffin at the head of the most formidable

VOL. II.

C

naval armament which had as yet appeared in the Indian seas; while the land forces were increased to the amount of nearly six thousand rank and file, of which not fewer than four thousand were Europeans. Against such a power it was fondly believed that the enemy could make no head, and hence that the period of French influence in the affairs of the East was at length determined. How far Major Lawrence participated in the opinions of those around him, we are not prepared to say. It is certain, however, that he acted throughout as if his own views pointed to the same issue; for his preparations were all on the most extensive scale, and directed to the most important object. He cast every minor consideration aside, and made ready to strike a blow at the colonial capital itself.

On the 8th of August, the British army began its march towards Pondicherry, the stores and heavy cannon being conveyed by sea. About two

miles to the south-west of the city stood the small fort of Ariancopang, which the leaders of the expedition deemed it necessary, in the first place, to reduce. They endeavoured to carry the place by escalade, but were repulsed; they then opened trenches before it in due form. Never was less skill or less courage displayed by British troops. The enemy not only checked the approaches, but, sallying out, drove the guards from the trenches, killed Major Goodere, the commanding engineer, and made Lawrence himself prisoner; nor is it probable that the redoubt (for it deserved no loftier title) would have been reduced at all, but for the accidental explosion of a powder magazine.

This was but a sorry commencement to a series of operations, from which so much had been expected; nor were the events which followed one whit more creditable to the intelligence or valour of their directors. After breaking ground at the distance of fifteen hundred yards from the covered way, and working with infinite labour, it was discovered that an impassable morass cut off all further progress; and that the fire from the ramparts was so superior to that from the batteries, that the latter could not be sustained. In like manner, the bomb-vessel, instead of producing any effect by her practice, was compelled, by the superior science of the enemy's gunners, to draw off; while the ships of the line, after expending a great deal of ammunition to no purpose, gave up the conAll hope of success being now abandoned, it was agreed to raise the siege; and on the 30th of September, the guns and stores were removed to the shipping.

test.

There fell in this brief and discreditable campaign, of European infantry, seven hundred and fiftyseven; of artillerymen, forty-three; and of seamen, two hundred and fifty; in all, one thousand and sixty-three. Very few of the sepoys," says Colonel Orm, were killed, for they had only been employed to guard the skirts of the camp, and had always run away on the approach of danger." On the side of the French, again, the loss amounted to no more than two hundred European and fifty native soldiers. But it was not alone through the sacrifice of so many valuable lives that the British interests in India were injuriously affected by the result of this undertaking. The

natives of all ranks, from the Mogul down to the pettiest nabob, became impressed with a persuasion of the great military superiority of the French; and it required some suffering, as well as very considerable exertions, to arrest the bad consequences which threatened to flow out of the prevalence of that opinion.

The troops returned to Fort St. David on the 8th of October, crest-fallen and humiliated, where intelligence soon reached them that the war was at an end. By the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, it had been arranged that all conquests, effected both in India and elsewhere, should be restored. Dupleix evaded the fulfilment of this stipulation as long as it was possible to do so; but in the month of August, 1749, he was compelled to resign Madras into the hands of a detachment sent to take possession.

21

CHAPTER II.

Expedition to Tanjore-Capture of Devi-Cotah-Disputed succession to the nabobship of the Carnatic-Struggle for the Soubahdarry of the Deccan-Conduct of DupleixHis success-Death of Murzafa Jing.

THE ink was scarcely dry with which the French and English commissioners had signed the treaty of peace, when circumstances arose which led to a renewal of the contest, in a different form indeed, but on a scale of greatly increased importance.

In the previous volume some account has been given of the revolution which placed upon the throne of Tanjore the brother of Sevagee, the illustrious founder of the Mahratta empire. The principality thus usurped, measuring about seventy miles in length by sixty in breadth, lay along the sea-coast of the southern Carnatic, and was bounded on the north by the river Coleroon, on the south by the province of Madura, on the east by the Bay of Bengal, and on the west partly by Madura, partly by Trichinopoly. Though tributary first to the crown of Bijapoor, ultimately to the Nizam, or viceroy of the Deccan, it had never been absolutely conquered by any Mahomedan prince, but continued to the last in the enjoyment of its own laws and religion, to both of which the inhabitants were extremely partial. Eccogee, Sevajee's brother, obtained the sovereignty in