In the beginning of 1757, Colonel Clive wrote a letter to Sirajaddaulah complaining of the Nawáb's duplicity in still favouring the French, intimating at the same time his design of attacking Chandernagore. On the 10th March, Sirájuddaulah sent an answer, Without alluding stating that he was sorry to hear complaints. to Clive's intention of attacking Chandernagore, he advised him to do whatever he thought best. The author says: و کرنیل آنرا محمول بر صدور اجازت محاربه با فرانسیسان کرده فوج خود براها خشکی بر چندن نگر مامور کرد و ادمول والسن هم جهازات خود را بر حوالی قصبه مذکور لنگر کرد . و اگرچه درین معركه كرنيل كليف كاري خالي از شجاعت نکرد لیکن چون تسخیر این قصبه بهمه جهت موقوف برفوج بحري و جهازات بود گورنر چندن نگر راه آمد و رفت جهازات تا قصبة مذکور بغرق نمودن مراتب بر سر راه مسدود نموده بود و فقط يك كوچه تنگ گذاشته که بر هیچکس بجز بعضی از سرداران فرانسیس آن راه معلوم و منکشف نبود . ازین سبب تسخير آن قصبه عسير و متعذر می نمود . چون درین عرصه كوكب طالع انگریزان رو بطلوع داشت و بخت نارساي فرانسيسان بهبوط گرائید خود بخود عقده ما لا ینحل از دست تدبیر انگریزان کشوده شد والا در پی تسخیر این قصبه کرنیل کلیف را آنقدر کوشش و محنت در سر افتاده بود که از ابتدای اقتدار انگریزان تا آن زمان همچو صورت در هندوستان واقع نشده بود . مفصل این مجمل آنکه مستر ترانیو نامی يکي از افسران افواج فرانسیس که محرم این راز سربسته بود بسببی از اسباب ظاهری از مستر ونات گورنر چندن نگر ناراض گردید و پاس حق نمك و حمیت قوم خود گذاشته کرنیل کلیف رفت و ازین راز آگاه ساخت و کرنیل کليف با ادعول والسن جمعیت جهازات بهمان راه مخفی زیر چندن نگر رسانید و در عرصه نه روز محاربه توپ و تفنگ داشته آنرا مسخر کرده و کوتهی فرانسیس را که در قاسم بازار بود انگریزان غارت کرده بتصرف خود آوردند . و مستر ترانیو باین غدر و خیانت بدنام و روسیاه گردید و عوض این کورنمکی با ولی نعمت بمحاذات خیر طلبی انگریزان تمول كثير حاصل نموده چيزي از زر که حاصل کرده براي پدر خود که پیر فرتوت و در وطن خودش مرده بنام زنده بود فرستاد . پدرش بر حرکت شنیع پسر ناخلف نفرین نموده نذرش قبول نکرد و واپس فرستاد . القصة مستر ترانیو ازین سخت متاثر گردیده آنقدر شرم دامنش گرفت که بعد ازان و بعد چند روز جسد او در پارچه دستمالي نه نمود بکسی روي خود نه نمود بر دروازه اش آویزان یافتند. معلوم شد که خود را خفه کرده های ساخت * سر آنها چون فرانسیسان از چندن نگر اخراج یافتند باقي ماندگان که مستر لا مشتهر بموشير لاس بود بمرشد آباد آمده ملازم نواب سراج الدوله شد و فوجی از پیادگان مشهور به تلنگه از طرف نواب آراسته و تیار کرده برین مصالحه واقع مابين مايان و نواب معنی انگریزان دعوی کردند که دوست و دشمن هر يکي دوست و دشمن دیگری است . "Col. Clive, taking this as a permission to attack the French, moved his land-army to Chandernagore, while Admiral Watson sailed with his ships to the same place. Col. Clive shewed great energy. But as the French Governor saw that the complete subjugation of the place would depend upon the operations of the navy, he caused a number of ships to be sunk in the river, with the view of impeding the progress of the Admiral, leaving a small passage only unobstructed. With the exception of a few French officers, no one knew that such a passage existed. But as the star of the English was in the ascendant, and the unavailing fortunes of the French were beginning to set, the complicated knot unravelled itself in the hands of the English. But if Fortune had not favoured the English, not even exertions such as had never been witnessed as yet in India, would have enabled Col. Clive to take possession of Chandernagore. A French officer, of the name of Terraneau, who knew the secret of the passage left in the river, was for some reasons dissatisfied with M. Renault, the then Governor of Chandernagore. Forgetting the obligations under which he lay to his own nation, he went to Col. Clive and informed him of the existence of the passage. Col. Clive and Admiral Watson were thus enabled to bring the ships safely before Chandernagore, and took it after a bombardment of nine days. *This would materially alter the eulogium of the following passage taken from Sir John Malcolm's Life of Clive, Vol. I, p. 192, "Few naval engagements have excited more admiration, and even at the present time, when the river is so much better known, the success with which the largest vessels of this fleet were navigated to Chandernagore, and laid alongside the batteries of that settlement, is a subject of wonder.” "The French factory in Qásimbázár was, immediately after, taken and plundered. "Mr. Terraneau, who in consequence of this treachery became infamous and blackfaced,' received from the English a large sum as a reward for his ingratitude. He sent a part of the money home to his old and infirm father, who however returned it, when he heard the disgraceful behaviour of his son. Mr. Terraneau felt much mortified at this. Shame 'seized the hem of his garment,' he shut himself up; after a few days his body was found hanging, at the gate of his house, suspended by means of a towel. It was plain that he had committed suicide, "The French being driven away from Chandernagore, took refuge in Murshidábád. Monsieur Las,* their leader, became an attendant at the Court of the Nawáb, for whom he fitted out a detachment known by the name of Telinga. To this the English objected, declaring that according to his agreement, the Nawab was to consider their enemies as his." A long correspondence ensued, as the Nawab maintained, that there was no breach of faith in employing a few fugitives as attendants. At last some of the enemies of M. Las gained the day, and the Nawab advised him to go to 'Azímábád and hold himself ready there, should he want him. M. Las objected to this, trying to convince the Nawab, that after his departure certain false courtiers would call in the English; but in vain. The Nawáb again promised to call him in case of need, hoping that he would be ready to come at his call. M. Las considering a future meeting impossible, went at last of his own free will to 'Azímábád. "Col. Clive was thus successful in this affair also." It was at this time, says the author, that Col. Clive urged the Nawáb, to permit the English to build a Fort and to establish a mint, projects which they had desired to carry out for the last sixty years. Without recording a formal permission, he states, that the present Fort William was commenced by Clive in the course of the same year (1757), and that 20 millions of rupees were expended in its construction. The author says In all English histories of India known to me, his name is misspelt Mr. Law. The transliteration of Monsieur, Moosheer, is characteristic. كرنيل تليف فورا بتعمير فورٹ ولیم که الحال موجود است در شهور سنه یک هزار و هفصد و پنجاه و هفت شروع نمود و بصرف مبلغ بیست هزار هزار که باصطلاح اهل هند دو کرور روپیه باشد این قلعه آنچنان تعمیر نمود که بدانست تسخیر آن اگر تمام هندوستان یکجا شود محال است . قوم "Clive built Fort William in such a manner that, according to the opinion of the English, it would be impossible to take it, even if the whole of Hindústán united should fight against it." Regarding the mint, he says هفصد و اول سده انگریزان در هندوستان بتاریخ نوزدهم آگشت سنه يك هزار و شد . و اگر این سکه بنام بادشاه هندوستان زدند لیکن زده و پنجاه و هفت طرح جدید از تیاری آن بر قالب یادگاری از انگریزان است . و شاید در ابتدا رواج هندوستان بدون قالب تیار کرده باشند مگر صورتهاي سنه حسب به تمادي ايام انقلاب پذیرفت و حالا سکۀ بادشاه خود وایم چهارم بنقش صورتش زدند . در دار الضرب آنها سکه شاه عالم بادشاه بی دست و پاي هندوستان جاري ماند . "The first English coin was struck on the 19th August, 1757. Although the coins were struck in the name of the Emperor of Hindústán, a new method of preparing them, by means of a mould, reminded people of the English. It may be that the coins were at first struck without a mould, according to the custom of the land,* but a change took place in the course of time. Now they have struck coins with the likeness of their own King, William IV. But coins continued long to be issued at their mint in the name of Sháh 'Alam, the Indian Emperor ، without hand and foot.' ' ,,, The events before and after the battle of Plassey are described as follows: A few letters written by Sirájuddaulah to M. Bussy, in the Dekhan, had been intercepted by the English, and Sirájuddaulah was openly accused of breach of faith. "The wrath of the Nawab at the crooked dealings and slow but steady advance of these foreigners increased daily." Mr. Watts, the English resident at Murshidábád, was threatened. The Nawab went so far, as to tear up before him * V. Aín i Akbarí, the 8th Aín. a letter, which Col. Clive had written to him. Soon after, however, from fear of his false courtiers and want of confidence in his own army, he tried to pacify Mr. Watts by a khil'at, and wrote an excuse to Clive. But the Colonel had already determined to commence hostilities, and readily joined a conspiracy headed by Mír Muhammad Ja'iar to dethrone Sirájuddaulah. According to the author, the conspiracy was planned by Mír Muhammad Ja'far, Amín Chand Raura and Khwajah Vazier, but according to the Siyar ul Mutaakharín by Mir Muhammad Ja'far, Rájah Dúlabh Rám and Jagat Seth, who had each their representatives in Calcutta, Amín Chand being merely Ja'far's vakeel. Khéthí Begum, a daughter of Mahábat Jang likewise assisted Mír Muhammad Ja'far. Clive treated with the conspirators through Mr. Watts. The author then gives a description of Clive's double-dealings with Amín Chand, as given in all histories of Bengal. Early in June 1757 Clive left Calcutta, reached on the 17th the small town of Katwa, south of Plassey, and took possession of the fort of that place. But neither did Mír Muhammad Ja'far join him, as he expected, nor did Clive receive even a line from the conspirators. Doubtful what to do, he wrote to the Council at Calcutta, who advised him to return. But Clive preferred to march on. On the 21st June, 4 o'clock P. M. he left Katwa, crossed the Hooghly and pitched his tents, on the morning of the 23rd, in the fields of Plassey. The Nawab's army was now in sight. Mír Muhammad Ja'far still remained silent. A cannonade commenced. The English attacked the tents of Sirájuddaulah, but were vigorously opposed by Mír Madan, one of the Nawab's faithful amírs. About 12 o'clock Mír Madan was struck by a cannon ball and carried to Sirájuddaulah's tent, where he died. The fighting was however continued, Jarnélít Mohun Lál having taken Mír Madan's place. But nothing decisive was done. Afraid of a conspiracy, Sirájuddaulah sent for Ja'far, who had not taken any part in the fight. After the most earnest solicitations on the part of the Nawáb, Ja'far promised to fight the next Generally called Omichund. + Called Moodeem Khan in Thornton, Vol. I. p. 240 and Moodeen Khan at p. 212. ‡ Jarnélí (i. e. general) was a name given to him. |