554
HISTOKY OF INDIA.
[Book III.
Calcutta recovered
A.D. 1756. niunicate his terror, first at Hoo^lily, and afterwards to the nabob hiiiLself at Moorshedabad.
To prevent the fleet from coming up the river, Monichund ha^l prepared a number of ships, laden with bricks, intending to sink tiiem in the narrowest part of the channel, near Tanna. The appearance of tlie sloop-of-war frustrated the execution of this scheme ; and the rest of the fleet, leavin;^ Budj^e Budrje on the 30th of December, anchored on New-year's Day opposite to Tanna, which was abandoned without firing a shot. Tlie next morning Clive, with the greater part of the troops, landed at Aligur, a fort opposite to Tanna, and advanced by the highroad on Calcutta. Admiral Watson, with the Kent and Thjer, an'ived before him opposite Fort William, and by the force of their can- nonade compelled the enemy, in little more than two hours, to evacuate both the fort and the town. A detachment sent ashore, under command of Captain Coote, immediately took possession. When Clive anived he naturally expected to be recognized as military governor of Calcutta, and was mortified above measure when Coote showed a commission from Admiral Watson, by which he was himself appointed governor, and specially instructed not to dehver up the place till further orders. This was another of the many instances of collision arising from jealousies and misunderstandings between his majesty's and the Company's ofiicers. At first, as neither party would give way, the aff'air assumed a very threatening appearance. Clive, admitted into the fort, insisted on retain- ing the command of it, wdiile the admiral threatened if he did not evacuate to fire upon him. Before such extremities were resorted to explanations took place, and a compromise was effected, by which Clive waived his claim to the command on the assurance that it would afterwards be given him. In accordance wnth this arrangement Admiral W^atson remained in possession, and the next day delivered up the fort to the Company's representatives in the king's name.
This last proceeding throws some light upon the quarrel, and shows that more was involved in it than at first sight appears. From the very first, before it was known what view the court of directors would take, Mr. Drake and his colleagues insisted that, notwithstanding the loss of Calcutta, tlieir authority remained entire, and hence Mr. Manningham, the member of council whom the}' had sent as their deputy to Madras, formally protested against the independent powers with which Clive was invested by this presidency. The case was still stronger now, for a new commission had arrived from England expressly em- powering Mr. Drake and three of the council to conduct all the political and military affairs of the presidency. It is not to be supposed that if the govern- ment of IMadras had been aware of this commission they would have made Clive independent of it, and therefore it was not unreasonable to expect that when he arrived and found them regularly installed in office, he would either resign his independent powers, or at least keep them in abeyance. Such was not his view, but it seems to have been Admii-al Watson's; and hence theii* quarrel.
Misunder- standinga
