412 HISTORY OF IXI>I., [Book III
AD. 174(3. feeling was again to tendei- liis resignati<;n ; but a conununication from the French minister approving of his past conduct, and pointing to higher promo- tion, induced him to remain at his post, and make new efforts to assemble a force which might yet enable him to execute his original project. He was tlius emjiloyed when the war was openly declared. Arrival of Tlic British government, well aware of what was intended by France, had
Ji liritiali .
scuiadrou. not Omitted to make the necessary preparations. A British .squadron, com- manded by Commodore Barnet, and consisting of two .ships of sixty, one of fifty, and a frigate of twenty guns, appeared opportunely in the eastern seas At fii'st it cruised in two divisions, in the Straits of Sunda and of Malacca, and made several valuable French prizes. One of the vessels taken wa.s immediately rendei'ed available by being converted into a forty-gun .ship, bearing the name of the Medivays Prize. The squadron having left the .straits, anived on the Coromandel coast for the first time in July, 1745. At this time the French had no fleet on the coast, and Pondicherry with its fortifications in an unfinished state had a gamson of only 486 Europeans. It promised to be an easy captme, but was saved by the dexterity of Dupleix, who, aware that force would not avail him, had recourse to diplomacy. Pondicherr}-, though really independent, belonged nominally to the nabobship of Arcot. This fact was turned to good account by the French governor, who, by flattering the pride of the nabol), and claiming his protection, induced him to intimate to the governor and council of Madras, that any attempt by land on the French settlements in Arcot would be treated as an act of hostility against himself It was represented to him in i"eply, that the commander of the squadron, holding his commission directly from the King of Great Britain, was independent of the Company ; but he could not. or would not understand the distinction, and only answered, that if his intima- tion was disregarded he would hold the Company responsible for the conse- quences. The time had not yet arrived for treating such menaces v/ith defiance ; and therefore, on an assm'ance from the nabob that he would deal impartially between the companies, and issue a similar prohibition to the French, in the event of any meditated attack on the English settlements. Commodore Barnet, at the earnest entreaty of the government of Madras, abandoned all idea of land operations, and, after making a few additional prizes in the Bay of Bengal, retired for shelter during the monsoon to the island of Mergui on the eastern sliore. In the beginning of 174G the squadron returned to the Coromandel coast, and was reinforced from England by two ships of fifty and a fi-igate of twenty guns. This, however, did not make much addition to its absolute strength, as one of the sixty-gun ships having become mifit for action was sent home, and along with it the original frigate.
Relative The English squadron, confined by the agi'eement which had been made with
strength ^^ ^ , , , . f,
tiie British the nabob to operations at sea, was unable to effect anythmg of consequence, sauadrons. ^'^^ ^^.s Continuing a cruise i-ewarded only by a few i)altry prizes, when intelli-
