Part 5

It was not long after this, that _Meer Jaffeir Aly Cawn_, a Person of great Distinction, who had married the Sister of _Aliverdy Cawn_, the Suba's Grandfather and Predecessor, sent one in whom he could perfectly confide to Mr. _Watts_, to disclose what were his real Opinions, and how very short a Space he thought was like to intervene, before the Suba took the Field once more, against the _English_. This Person had it farther in Commission to represent, that the Disaffection of the principal Officers, Civil and Military, was in a manner general; that _Meer Jaffeir_ never appeared in the Suba's Presence, without Fear of being assassinated; and that for this Reason, whenever he was constrained to go, he always caused his Forces to be drawn out, under Arms, with his Son at their Head. In the Close of his Discourse, he added, that a Determination was already taken, to depose, for their own Sakes, _Suraja Dowlat_; and that if the _English_ would engage with, and promise to support, another Person, in assuming the Dignity of Suba, _Rahim Cawn_, _Roydoolub_, and _Bahadar Aly Cawn_, were ready to join _Meer Jaffeir_, in removing _Suraja Dowlat_, whose Affairs would be then in a very desperate Situation. Mr. _Watts_ transmitted the Detail of this Conversation also to Colonel _Clive_, and gave it as his own Opinion, that _Meer Jaffeir_ was by far the properest Person to be elevated to that Rank, as his Abilities were greater, his Reputation better, and his Connections more extensive than those of _Laitty_. He at the same time acquainted the Colonel, that if this Change was to be accomplished by their Forces, as he much doubted, whether, after all, the _Moors_ had Spirit enough to attempt so extraordinary an Enterprize themselves, it would be right to form the Outlines of a new Agreement, of which the old one ought to be the Basis; and to frame such additional Articles, as might effectually indemnify the Company for the Risk they ran, and procure an ample Satisfaction for the Losses private Persons had sustained, in the Devastation of _Calcutta_, of which no Care had been taken in the former Treaty; and that, in short, nothing should now be omitted, that might put their Affairs for the future upon a firm and stable Establishment; so that, in case of Disturbances in the Country, the Servants of the Company, and those who depended on it, might be in a Condition to protect themselves.

As these Transactions were of a very delicate Nature, and were to be conducted with much Discretion, and of course with some Delay, the Suba had a Season of Recess, in which, by a Change of Measures, he might have recovered his Authority, have resettled his distracted Government, and repaired all his past Errors. He not only neglected this entirely, but continued acting, in every respect, as if he had aimed at his own Destruction. He endeavoured to negotiate Succours from some of his Neighbours, who, though they knew not the Weakness of his Condition, and therefore civilly entertained his Proposals, had however such an Opinion of the Weakness of his Conduct, that nothing could induce them to enter into his Measures. He continued corresponding with Mr. _Bussy_, from whom he received Letters, which served to support and increase his Delusion, and to flatter him with the Hopes of seeing an Army of Twenty thousand Men in his Dominions, which, could he have brought them, would have tended only to have impoverished his Subjects, and to have given him new Masters, under the Title of old Allies. He was courted all this time by Colonel _Clive_ to lay down his Arms, to settle the few remaining unaccomplished Articles in the Treaty, and, above all, to put the Trade of his Territories into its usual Channel, for the common Benefit of the _Europeans_ and the Natives. To these Solicitations he gave no Answers, or such as afforded no sort of Satisfaction; but, on the contrary, indicated very plainly, by every Step he took, that he meditated new Disturbances, and waited for what should appear to him a favourable Occasion for renewing the War. In reference, on the other hand, to his own People, he grew every Day more and more intolerable, removing, disgracing, insulting, those whom he had formerly treated with the greatest Marks of Favour and Respect, and of whom several fled privately and in Disguise to seek Shelter in the _English_ Territories, and particularly in that of _Cassimbuzar_. By this Behaviour he not only augmented the Disaffection that had already spread so far amongst his Servants, but likewise furnished so many and such authentic Proofs of his having still the same Points in View, that he had at his Entrance on the Administration, and of the Obstinacy of his Aversion to the _English_, so contrary to the Mutability of his Temper in every thing else, that it contributed exceedingly to fortify the Sentiments of those, who maintained, that the Peace of that Part of _India_ could never be effectually restored, so long as he held the Supreme Power.

After the Propositions made by Mr. _Watts_ had been duly canvassed, and their Importance maturely considered, by the Select Committee, who upon this Occasion framed and took an Oath of Secrecy, they were unanimously approved, and the Project or Draught of a new Treaty was transmitted to him. But at the same time there was great Latitude left, in case of Objections; and he was requested to procure as many and as large Concessions as might be, in case he found it impracticable to obtain every one of the Conditions in the full Extent that they desired. Indeed they relied so entirely upon him, that a Blank was left for the Company's Demand in their Draught of the Treaty for him to fill up; and how it was filled up, will appear from the Treaty itself. This was not only expedient but necessary, as he was upon the Spot, knew the Persons with whom he was treating, their Connections and Circumstances, and the Motives which might render any of these Demands agreeable or disagreeable. The use Mr. _Watts_ made of this Confidence was such as it deserved, and turned not a little to the Advantage of those who gave it. He was himself perfectly sensible, and took all imaginable Pains to make those he dealt with no less sensible, that, notwithstanding this Change was for their mutual Benefit, yet the Weight, the Hazard, and the Expence, would fall principally at least, very probably wholly, upon the _English_. He represented, therefore, effectually, that for such extraordinary Assistance, which alone could put the Means of making it into their Power, a proper Satisfaction ought in Justice to be made, and that this suitable Satisfaction should be made likewise in a proper Manner. He was apprehensive also, upon this Head, that a false Delicacy might produce future Disputes, and therefore very prudently provided, that the unliquidated Demands in the Sketch should be reduced to a Certainty. He also enlarged the Sums stipulated for the Losses of private Persons, and distinguished them under National Heads; that, if possible, no Jealousies or Heart-burnings might arise in the Colony, when they came to be actually paid.

The surest as well as the shortest Method of setting this Matter in a true Light, and that will at once place it in the strongest, is to insert the original Plan of the new Alliance, as transmitted to Mr. _Watts_, and then the Project settled by that Gentleman, which the Reader will hereafter have an Opportunity of comparing with the Alliance concluded.

Copy of the ARTICLES of Agreement sent by Colonel _Clive_ to _William Watts_, Esq; _May 2, 1757_.

An Alliance offensive and defensive against all Enemies: The _French_ Fugitives to be taken and delivered up to us; all their Factories to be delivered up to us, in order to be destroyed; the _French_ never to be permitted to re-settle in this Subaship; in Consideration of which, the _English_ Company will annually pay the Amount of Duties usually paid into the King's Treasury on the _French_ Trade, or a Sum not exceeding Fifty thousand Rupees annually.

Restitution of the Company's Loss, by the taking of _Calcutta_, and their Out Settlements; also Restitution for the Losses of all _Europeans_ by _Ditto_, as may be stated fairly by Admiral _Watson_, the Governor, Colonel _Clive_, _William Watts_, Esq; Major _Kilpatrick_, and Mr. _Becher_.

_Blacks_ and _Armenians_ are not included.

That the whole of our Phirmaund be complied with, and all other Grants made to us, particularly in the Treaty with _Suraja Dowlat_.

That the Bounds of _Calcutta_ are to extend the whole Circle of _Ditchdug_, upon the Invasion of the _Marattes_; also Six hundred Yards without it, for an Esplanade.

The Inhabitants within our Bounds to be entirely subject to the _English_ Laws and Government.

That we have Liberty to fortify and garrison our Factories of _Cassimbuzar_ and _Dacca_, as we think proper, and a sufficient Esplanade be granted us round each.

That Convoys to and from one of our Settlements to another, be permitted to pass without Interruption or Molestation.

That the _Moors_ shall erect no Fortifications within Twenty Miles of the River Side, from _Hughley_ to _Ingelee_.

That a Tract of Land be made over to the _English_ Company, whose Revenues shall be sufficient to maintain a proper Force of _Europeans_ and Seapoys, to keep out the _French_, and assist the Government against all Enemies.

That whenever the _English_ Troops are called to the assistance of the Government, that the extraordinary Expences of the Campaign be made good by the Government.

That an _English_ Gentleman, in Quality of Envoy, be permitted to reside at Court, and be treated with due Respect.

Minutes of the Treaty, by Mr. _Watts_, _May 14, 1757_.

I. That he will confirm all the Grants the former Nabob made us.

II. He will make an Alliance with the _English_, offensive and defensive, against all Enemies, either Natives or _Europeans_

III. Whatever _French_ are in his Provinces of _Bengal_, _Bahar_, or _Orixa_, to be delivered up with all their Houses and Factories, and they never permitted to settle more in either of those Provinces.

IV. On Account of the Company's Loss[1] 1 Crore.

V. On Account of the Losses of _Europeans_ 30 Lack.

VI. Ditto _Jentoows_ 30 D^o.

VII. Ditto _Armenians_ 10 D^o.

VIII. Ditto for _Omichund_ 30 D^o.

IX. Whatever Ground there is within the _Calcutta_ Ditch, belonging to the _Zemindars_, to be given to the _English_, and Six hundred Yards without the Ditch all round.

X. A Tract of Land, whose Rents in the King's Books amounts to 100,000 Rupees Yearly, to be bought at a reasonable Value, from the Zemindary, and the Nabob to assist us in the Purchase, we paying the annual Piscash or Revenue, as usual, to the Nabob. Whatever Profit may arise from this Zemindary, is to go towards paying our Military.

XI. Whenever the Nabob wants the Assistance of our Troops, the extraordinary Expence to be paid by him.

Footnote 1:

The Rupee is a Silver Coin, struck in the _Moghul_'s Mints, with an Inscription of his Name and Titles, the Year of his Reign, and the Place at which it was struck. It weighs from 7 _dw._ 10⅓ _gr._ to 7 _dw._ 11 _gr._ and the Proportion of Allay to fine Silver, is as 1 or 2 to 100. One hundred thousand Rupees make a Lack, One hundred Lacks a Coroe or Crore, One hundred Crores an Arrib.

_TABLE_ of _RUPEES_.

Lack of Rupees. £. _Sterling_. 1 12,500 10 125,000 20 250,000 30 375,000 40 500,000 50 625,000 60 750,000 70 875,000 80 1,000,000 90 1,125,000 A Crore 1,250,000

His Plan of the Treaty was returned, with Alterations: Some of the Articles were modified, and a Blank left for the Company's Demand, that in case _Meer Jaffeir_ should think it too extravagant, Mr. _Watts_ might have Liberty to moderate it, and he was desired to get it carried into Execution; but it will appear in the Treaty itself, which will be hereafter given, that Mr. _Watts_ got the Treaty executed, without any Deduction or Modification. This was a Work equally arduous and hazardous, as Things then stood, when every Look, every Word, every Motion of his was suspected, and which at the same time rendered the procuring its Conclusion expeditiously a Circumstance of the utmost Consequence. In all this, the Risk might be truly said to fall entirely upon himself; so that it is not easy to imagine, how any Man's Circumstances could be more critical than his actually were in this Conjuncture. We shall however see, that they really became so afterwards, and this in a very high Degree, and in very many Respects, from Causes that could not be avoided, and which produced a Train of unforeseen Events.

It was pretty early known, that _Meer Jaffeir_ had entertained no very favourable Notion of _Omichund_, but there was a Necessity of employing and trusting him notwithstanding, of which though the former did not complain, yet he did not dislike him the less. In the midst of these arduous Transactions, and when every one else had their Hands and their Hearts full, it came into _Omichund_'s Head to practise a little upon _Suraja Dowlat_, probably that he might be sure of somewhat, however Things went. He mentioned to Mr. _Watts_ this very fine-spun Project, to which, that it appeared wild and strange, was by no means the strongest Objection. It was, however, in vain to make any: there was Money he thought to be got, and, if it was possible, he was resolved to get it. On the Sixteenth of _May_ he went to the Palace, where, exerting his admirable Faculty of magnifying the Utility and exalting the Credit of the Advice he had to give, and having first alarmed the Suba's timid Mind, by touching many Subjects he knew were disagreeable, and in the Close, when he saw him sufficiently amazed, condescended to hint, that he had found means, with great Difficulty, to come at a Secret of the last Consequence, and for the revealing of which he was sure to lose his Life, if it was so much as suspected that he had penetrated and disclosed it. Promises of every kind were made, and at length out it came, that the _English_ had discovered all his Negotiations with Mr. _Bussy_, some Circumstances of which he mentioned; that, upon this, they had sent two Gentlemen to confer with, and to convince him, how much more it would be for his Interest to concur with them; and that they had made, or were upon the Point of making, a Peace; which, without doubt, must be at his Expence. As strange as it may seem, _Omichund_ prevailed over a Man's Foibles, which he had studied, and deluded him into a firm Belief of all he said, and, in consequence of this, he procured a Perwannah, that is, an Order from the Suba to the Burdwan Rajah, one of his Officers, for the Payment of Four Lack of Rupees which he owed him, and the full Restitution of the remaining Part of the Money, and all the Goods, of which he had been despoiled at _Calcutta_. This he took wonderful Care to have immediately executed, for fear of Accidents, that very Night; neither did he remain within the Suba's Reach long after. He left Traces, however, behind him, that sufficiently justified _Meer Jaffeir_'s Suspicions, and exerted that Power of perplexing, which he possessed in full as eminent a Degree as that of persuading. This was one principal Cause of those new Difficulties, to which Mr. _Watts_ found himself exposed, when he thought the whole Stock of his Abilities small enough to deal with the old ones.

When the Agreement came to be offered to _Roydoolub_, one of the Suba's principal Ministers, but, notwithstanding that, one of the Parties to this Treaty, he made a Doubt as to the Possibility of complying with it. He said, the Treasury, since the Death of the Old Suba, _Aliverdy Cawn_, had been much drained, and that though _Suraja Dowlat_ was indeed very rapacious, yet he managed his Affairs so ill, by keeping his Forces so long in the Field, as to have impoverished himself by a vast, and at the same time useless Expence. He also suggested, that possibly in the Confusion that commonly attends every Revolution, the Suba's Treasury might be plundered, and then they should remain bound, without having it in their Power to pay. But to remove these Difficulties, he proposed it as an Expedient, to divide whatever was found in the Treasury with the _English_. Mr. _Watts_, who understood these People perfectly, consented to sign the Treaty with such a Clause, subject to the Approbation of the Select Committee at _Calcutta_. But when _Roydoolub_ reflected, that upon such a Division he could pretend to no Commission, as he might on Money issued in virtue of the Treaty, of which he had Hopes given him; when Things came to a Crisis, he relinquished his own Proposal, and resolved to sign the Treaty as it stood. It appeared, that the Apprehensions which occasioned these Disputes, and this Delay, were infused into _Roydoolub_ by _Omichund_, who gave him to understand, that if once the _English_ Army took Possession of _Muxadavad_, they would not leave it again in three Years. This old crafty Man was not satisfied with giving this Proof of his Skill in embarrassing; he went much farther; and as soon as he was himself out of Danger, divulged the Secret, which brought Mr. _Watts_, as well as _Meer Jaffeir_ and the rest, to the very Brink of Destruction; while at _Calcutta_ he represented the whole Design as become desperate and impracticable, because it was discovered. It was, indeed, wonderful, all Things, and more especially his Behaviour, considered, that it was not so. However, this Effect these Rumours had, that Confusion increased, Discontent spread itself more and more in the Suba's Camp, and the Divisions between him and his principal Officers grew daily wider and wider. _Meer Jaffeir_ was fallen into open Disgrace, removed from his Office of BUXY, or Paymaster; upon which he withdrew, and continued in his Quarters with his Troops, and came no more near the Suba. A Circumstance that rendered it next to impossible for Mr. _Watts_, who was sensible that he had many Spies upon his Conduct, to have an Interview with him, whose House was entirely surrounded by the Nabob's Forces, without its being known; and this had given the Suba an Opportunity of executing his Threats, and if that had been a Thing he regarded, without much injuring his Reputation. The Matter, though so much embarrassed, being still absolutely necessary, and the time pressing, Mr. _Watts_ went to him, in a covered Dooley, the Manner in which Women are conveyed in that Country, by which means he escaped Notice, and saw the Treaty which had been signed, sealed, and sworn to on the Koran, and upon his Son's Head, by _Meer Jaffeir_, with all the Solemnity imaginable, in the Evening of the Fifth of _June_. When this was once done, and authentic Advice received of its being done at _Calcutta_, it removed all Surmises, silenced every Suspicion, and by giving entire Satisfaction, made way for the taking those Measures which were requisite for carrying it into Execution.

But before we proceed farther, it will be proper to look upon this Treaty, which with such indefatigable Diligence Mr. _Watts_ planned, prosecuted, and brought to bear, in despite of the Suspicions, Spies, and insidious Contrivances, of all his Enemies; by which the Company's Commerce, and all their Establishments in this Part of _India_, were secured, the Losses which the Inhabitants of those Places had sustained, repaired, and the Honour of the Nation vindicated.

Translation of the _TREATY_ made with _Meer Jaffeir_.

Wrote with his own Hand.

I Swear by God, and by the Prophet of God, to abide by the Terms of this Treaty, as long as I have Life.

_Mir_ JAFFEIR KHAN BAHADAR, Servant of King ALLUMGEER.

_TREATY_ made with the Admiral, Colonel _Clive_, and the other Counsellors, Mr. _Drake_ and Mr. _Watts_.

I. _WHATEVER_ Articles were agreed upon in the time of Peace with the Nabob, _Suraja Dowlat_, _Munsurah Mimalek Shaik Kouli Khan Bahadar_, and _Hybut Jung_, I agree to comply with.

II. The Enemies of the _English_ are my Enemies, whether they be _Indians_ or _Europeans_.

III. All the Effects and Factories belonging to the _French_, in the Provinces of _Bengal_, _Bahar_, and _Orixa_, shall remain in the Possession of the _English_; nor will I ever allow them to settle any more in the Three Provinces.

IV. In Consideration of the Losses which the _English_ Company have sustained, by the Capture and Plunder of _Calcutta_, by the Nabob, and the Charges occasioned by the Maintenance of their Forces, I give them One Coroe of Rupees.

V. For the Effects plundered from the _English_ Inhabitants of _Calcutta_, I agree to give them Fifty Lack of Rupees.

VI. For the Effects plundered from the _Gentoows_, _Mussulmen_, and other Subjects of _Calcutta_, Twenty Lack of Rupees shall be given.

VII. For the Effects plundered from the _Armenian_ Inhabitants of _Calcutta_, I will give the Sum of Seven Lack of Rupees. The Distribution to be made of the Sums allotted the Natives, _English_ Inhabitants, _Gentoows_, and _Mussulmen_, shall be left to the Admiral, Colonel _Clive_, _Roger Drake_, _William Watts_, _James Kilpatrick_, and _Richard Becher_, Esqrs. to be disposed of by them, to whom they think proper.

VIII. Within the Ditch, which surrounds the Borders of _Calcutta_, are Tracts of Lands belonging to several _Zemindars_, besides which, I will grant to the _English_ Company Six hundred Yards without the Ditch.

IX. All the Lands lying to the South of _Calcutta_, as far as _Culpee_, shall be under the Zemindary of the _English_ Company, and all the Officers of those Parts shall be under their Jurisdiction; the Revenues to be paid by them in the same Manner with other Zemindars.

X. Whenever I demand the Assistance of the _English_, I will be at the Charge of the Maintenance of their Troops.

XI. I will not erect any new Fortifications near the River _Ganges_, below _Hughley_.

XII. As soon as I am established in the three Provinces, the Sums as aforesaid shall be faithfully paid.

Dated the 15th _Ramzan_, in the Fourth Year of the present Reign.