nd
side, and to march to Kossimbazar to join Monsieur Law, who commanded
there. Then, there remaining in the fort only the clerks, women, and
wounded, he hoisted a flag of truce.

Terms were speedily arranged. The governor, and all the civilians and
natives, were allowed to go where they chose, with their clothes and
linen. The wounded French soldiers were to remain, as prisoners of
war.

Chandranagore cost the English two hundred and six men. The attack
upon the French colony was blamed by many, at the time, for in the
hour of English distress they had offered to remain neutral, instead
of joining the nabob in crushing us. Upon the other hand, there was
force in the arguments with which Admiral Watson had defended his
refusal to sign the treaty of neutrality. That treaty would not be
binding, unless ratified by Pondicherry; and to Pondicherry it was
known that the most powerful fleet and army France had ever sent to
India was on its way. It was also known that Bussy, at the court of
the Nizam of the Deccan, was in communication with the nabob. Thus,
then, in a short time English interests in India might be menaced more
formidably than ever before, and the crushing out of the French
colony, almost at the gates of Calcutta, was a measure of extreme
importance. It was hard upon the gallant governor of Chandranagore,
but public opinion generally agreed that the urgency of the case
justified the course adopted by the English authorities at Calcutta.

Suraja-u-Dowlah was filled with fury, at the news of the capture of
Chandranagore; but hearing a rumour, two days later, that the Afghans
were upon their march to attack him, he wrote letters to Clive and
Watson, congratulating them upon their success, and offering to them
the territory of Chandranagore, on the same terms upon which it had
been held by the French.

But the young tyrant of Moorshedabad was swayed by constantly
fluctuating feeling. At one moment his fears were uppermost; the next,
his anger and hate of the English. Instead of recalling the army of
Rajah Dulab Ram, as he had promised, he ordered it to halt at Plassey,
a large village twenty-two miles south of Moorshedabad.

The English were represented at his court by Mr. Watts, who had the
greatest difficulty in maintaining his position, in the constantly
changing moods of the nabob. One day the latter would threaten to
order him to be led to instant execution, the next he would load him
with presents.