CiiAr. XII.j THKEATENED MUTINY. 699
of their sense of the injustice done to the younger servants," and the secretary ad. itcs.
of the council took such a prominent part in the association that he was deprived
of his oflfice and suspended from the service. Clive had not much difficulty in inJignation
dealing with the insubordination of the civil servants, but a much more serious ciive.
task was awaiting him. The greater part of the European officers in the army
had become disaffected and were on the point of mutinying.
According to a plan framed by Clive the army had been formed into three brigades, each conczsting of a regiment of European infantry, a company of artil- lery, six battalions of sepoys, and a troop of native cavalry. The first brigade, under Colonel Sir Robert Fletchei*, vas stationed at Monghir ; the second, under Colonel Smith, at Allahabad ; and the third, under Colonel Sir Robert Barker, at Bankipore, about four miles west of Patna. From the earliest time the officers serving in India had, while on active service, received in addition to their ordinary pay an allowance known by the name of hcitta. After the battle of Plassey, Meer Jaffier, on whom the payment of the troops devolved, doubled this allowance, and from that period accordingly doable Ixdta had been paid. So long as the nabob drew the revenues and paid the army out of them, the Company did not .share the burden. The case was altered finst when certain districts were assigned for payment of the troops, and still more when the Com- pany obtained the grant of the whole dewannee. Thereafter, the maintenance Tiie directo™ of the troops was borne entirely by the Company, and every deduction that toaMwh could be made was so much added to tlieir income. Influenced by this consi- '^^^^ deration and the financial difficulties with which they were struggling, the directors were desirous to enforce economy wherever practicable, and among other measures resolved to aboli.sh the allowance of double batta. At the time when it was first granted, Clive had distinctly warned the army to regard it Jis an indulgence which they owed entirely to the personal feelings of the nabob, and which the Company would not be dispo.sed to continue. The directors accordingly no sooner felt the burden than they began to com})lain of it, and sent out positive orders that double batta .should be abolished. The very pro- posal was received with so much indignation, and called forth such strong remon- strances from the officers, that the governor and council were intimidated, and chose rather to disobey the orders than incur the obloquy and risk the danger of carrying them into execution.
The directors, determined not to be thus defeated, called Clive's attention en vo carries particularly to the subject, and in the instructions which he took out with him into effect, on his re-appointment, repeated their orders for the abolition of double batta in the most peremptory form. He was detennined to execute them ; and had no sooner brought the war to a termination by the treaties concluded with Shah Alum and Sujah Dowlah, than an intimation was given by the select com- mittee that double batta should cease on the 1st of January, 170G. An excep- tion was made in favour of the second brigade, both because its station at Alia-
