Page:A history of the military transactions of the British nation in Indostan, Volume 1.djvu/411

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Book V.
Tanjore Tondiman
403

rupees a year. Arandanghi was reduced, Tondiman took possession of the districts, and pressed Monac-gee for the patents of cession under the king's seal; but the king disavowed the act of his general; on which Monac-gee purloined the use of the seal, and delivered the patents thus apparently authenticated, according to his promise. Towards the end of 1749, Tanjore, as we have seen, was invaded by Murzafa-jing and Chundasaheb: the subsequent wars suspended the dispute between the king and the Polygar, whilst the common danger continued; but that passed, the broil was at this time renewed with inveteracy. Monac-gee, having when disgraced in 1753 taken refuge with Tondiman, still bore him good will; working on which, and the king's timidity, captain Calliaud stopped the hostilities which were begun, and prevented the renewal of them until the end of September; when the king grown impatient, peremptorily ordered Monac-gee to march: at the same time, Tondiman could not be induced to make any step towards an accommodation, but said he should defend himself. On this, Calliaud made preparations at Tritchinopoly, as if he intended to take the field against both, which stopped the progress of the Tanjorines for some days more, when they moved again; but Monac-gee having, by the king's order, demanded assistance from the little Moravar, contrived to make him withhold his troops; by which, with the pretences of want of money, and the fear of Calliaud, he protracted his inactivity until the end of December, and then returned to Tanjore, without having done Tondiman any harm.

In the Carnatic, no events tending to hostilities between the governments of Madrass and Pondicherry happened during the rest of the year after the French troops retreated from before Arielore; but a tedious and intricate controversy was maintained between them concerning some districts in the neighbourhood of Carangoly and Outramalore, which the French had taken possession of, without any right they could prove. The dispute, however, after some sharp altercations, was settled by an agreement to devide the contested districts equally between the two nations.

The French commissary, Mr. Godeheu, had continued Mr. Bussy in the management of affairs in the northern parts of the Decan, with the same authorities as had been given to him by Mr. Dupleix: Mr. Bussy remained in the ceded provinces from his arrival at Masulipatnam,