G66
J11,ST(JJ(V OF IS 1)1 A.
fJiooK J 1 1.
C'liatliam's answer to Clive's letter.
AD, iroo. meiit, which ho justly Ijelieved to be the most potent of all, he continues thus: " Now 1 leave you to judge, whether an income yearly of upwards of £2,000.0()() sterhng, with the possession of three provinces abounding in the most valuable productions of nature and art, be an object deserving the public attention; and whether it be wortli the nation's while to take the proper measures to secure such an acquisition — an acquisition which, under the management of so aljle and disinterested a minister, would prove a source of immense wealth to the king- dom, and might in time be api)ropriated in part as a fund towards diminishin'^ the heavy load of debt under which we at present labour. "
This letter was delivered by Mr. Walsh, who had been Clive's secretary, and was mentioned in it as one who was "a thorough master of the subject," and "able to explain the whole design, and the facility with which it may be executed." After some delay he was admitted to an interview with the ministei-, who spoke of the matter darkly, acknowledging that the affair was " very practicable," but, at the same time, " of a very nice nature," and left him with the impression that the Company would be allowed to do what they pleased. The account of tliis interview did not reach Clive till he had sailed for England. The absence of any information as to the effect of his letter may have been one of the reasons for hastening his departure, but the immediate occasion of it was the di.sgust pro- duced by a letter from the directors. In answer to an address from the Euro- pean inhabitants of Calcutta, he did not scruple to say that the ill-treatment received in that letter had fully determined him "in throwing up the service, and, in common with Messrs. HolweU, Play dell, Sumner, and M'Guire, members of council, he commented upon it in the plainest terms, characterizing the diction of it " as most unworth}^ yourselves and us, in whatever relation con- sidered, either as masters to servants, or gentlemen to gentlemen." He would have been able, however, to overcome this passing disgust and remain at his post, had he not felt convinced that he might be more usefully employed at home in awakening the Company to their true interests, and exerting his influ- ence to control tlie violent factions into which the court of directors was at this time divided.
Clive sailed from India on the 25th of February, 1 760. Before leaving he had secured the appointment of Mr. Vansittart as his successor in the govern- ment, and of Colonel Calliaud as commander of the army. The latter appoint- ment took effect immediately; but the former, as Mr. Vansittart had been previously attached to the presidency of Madi'as, was deferred for a time, and Mr. Holwell, by virtue of seniority, became temporary governor. During his short tenure of office Mr. Holwell laboured hard, and was successful in con- vincing his colleagues that another revolution in Bengal was necessary. Hence, when Mr. Vansittart airived in July to assume the government, the whole scheme was laid before him. Meer Jaftier was to be persuaded, or if necessary forced into a resignation of all executive authority, and to rest satisfied with a
Clive quits India.
