Soubahdar had engaged the Emperor in his cause, by promising to divide with him the booty taken and the territory subdued; and there marched from Delhi a force under Nujeef Khan to support him. As it arrived, however, too late to take part in the dangers of the war, the Vizier conceived that he was justified in refusing to share the fruits of his victory with its leader, and again was he supported in his subterfuges and breach of faith by the English government. The result, therefore, was, that Suja ad Dowla took possession for himself of the whole of Rohilcund, with the exception of the district. of Rampore, which was granted in jageer to a chief named Fyzoollah Khan, at the entreaty of the English, and on his own promise of fidelity and allegiance.

This was the last transaction of importance during that portion of Hastings's administration which preceded the arrival of the new constitution, and of the functionaries by whom that was to be introduced. It was not approved by the Court of Directors, who, on the contrary, condemned the use which had been made of their troops in the reduction of a people from whom. they had received no injury; but with every other act of his, even with the sale of Allahabad and Corah, the same Court of Directors expressed themselves highly pleased. Nor is it to be wondered at that the case was so. "When," says Mr. Hastings himself*, "I took charge of the government of Bengal, in April, 1772, I found it loaded with a debt at interest of nearly the same amount * See his Memoir relative to the state of India, published in 1786.

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as the present; in less than two years I saw that debt completely discharged, and a sum in ready cash to the same amount in the public treasuries." Had he effected no more than this, it would have sufficed to secure for him the approbation of a body who judged of the merits of their servants by one criterion only, namely, the amount of revenue which they managed to realize; but Hastings, with all his faults, advances higher claims to praise than this. He possessed, in no ordinary degree, the firmness and decision which are not less requisite than brilliant talent for the discharge of high office; nor was he destined to retire into private life till full opportunity had been furnished of exercising these qualities, under circumstances of more than common difficulty.

CHAPTER XI.

The new Government enters upon its functions - Disagreements in the Council-Affairs of Bombay-War with the Mahrattas-Continued dissensions in the Supreme Council -Shameful execution of a Native-Duel between Mr. Hastings and Mr. Francis-Mr. Francis returns to Eu rope.

DIRECTIONS had been given that the new constitution framed by act of Parliament should come into operation in India on the 1st of August, 1774. The 19th of October arrived, however, ere three out of the four members of council reached their destination; and as the fourth, Mr. Boswell, was still absent, no business could be transacted till the 25th. Then it was that the ancient order of things was formally declared to be at an end, and the new government entered upon the full exercise of those extensive powers with which it was invested.

It is said that Mr. Hastings received his new colleagues, on their first arrival at Calcutta, with a degree of coldness and reserve which they never afterwards forgave. There may, or there may not, be truth in this statement; but granting that the case was so, it seems difficult to imagine how a circumstance, in itself so trivial, should have been permitted to affect seriously the public conduct of men intrusted with the chief government of a great

country. That such was the effect produced by it, however, there is too much reason to believe: for the very first proceedings of Messrs. Clavering, Monson, and Francis exhibited marks of hostility towards the governor, of which their subsequent behaviour was at no moment divested. They violently condemned both the sale of Allahabad and the war with the Rohillas; they required that Mr. Middleton, a gentleman whom Mr. Hastings had appointed to the office of resident at the court of the Nabob of Oude, should be superseded, and insisted that all the correspondence which had passed, or might hereafter pass, between the two states should be open to their inspection. Nevertheless, while they thus expressed themselves concerning transactions, of the abstract justice of which we can attempt no defence, they appeared not less anxious than the governor to secure the price of his political crimes. They insisted that Suja ad Dowla should immediately pay up twenty lacs of the sum promised on the commencement of the Rohilla war; and that, in the event of his proving refractory or incapable of doing so, their troops should be recalled. It was to no purpose that Mr. Hastings opposed himself to measures so intemperate and ill-judged. He was supported by Mr. Barwell alone, and the act of Parliament having provided that the opinions of the majority should prevail, he ceased in any measure to control that government of which he was ostensibly the head.

When this impolitic order passed the council, intelligence of the Vizier's success had not yet been received. It arrived soon afterwards, with fifteen lacs in ready money, and an assurance that his

Highness would spare no exertions to discharge the remainder of his debt. But long ere the promise could be fulfilled, his Highness paid the debt of nature. He expired in the beginning of 1775, of a decline, under which he had for some months laboured, and was succeeded, without opposition, by his son, Assof ul Dowla. From him the majority in the council resolved upon demanding the full amount of arrears due from his father, at the same time that they held themselves free to stipulate for fresh advantages as the price of a continued alliance; and they succeeded in procuring a cession of territory, valued at an annual revenue of two millions two hundred and ten thousand rupees, besides considerably raising the allowance granted to the troops. Again was Mr. Hastings overborne in his opposition to measures which he condemned as iniquitous, while the Court of Directors, always satisfied so long as treasure came in, expressed themselves highly pleased at the wisdom of the arrangement.

One of the earliest acts of the new government was, to announce to the authorities at the presidencies of Madras and Bombay the novel relation in which they now stood towards that of Calcutta, and to demand from each a full statement of the condition of the province, both political and military. On the side of Madras there was little to communicate, beyond what has been already related in full; on that of Bombay the case was different. The latter presidency was involved, as it had been for some time back, in transactions of great importance with the Mahrattas, for a right understanding of which it will be necessary to ex