, however, all the other points. It was further arranged that
the Zamindar of Benares, who had befriended the English during the
war, should retain his possessions in subordination to the
Nawab-Wazir; that a treaty of mutual support should be signed between
the English, the Nawab-Wazir, and the Subahdar of the three
provinces; and that should English troops be required to fight for
the defence of the Nawab-Wazir's country, he should defray all their
expenses.

Subsequently at Chapra, in Bihar, Clive met the Nawab-Wazir, the
representative of Shah Alim, agents from the Jat chiefs of Agra, and
others from the Rohilla chiefs of Rohilkhand. The avowed purpose of
the meeting was to form a league against Maratha aggression, it
having been recently discovered that that people had entered into
communications with Shah Alim for the purpose of restoring him to his
throne. Then it was that the question of the English frontier was
discussed. It was eventually agreed that one {176}entire brigade
should occupy Allahabad, to protect that place and the adjoining
district of Karra;[1] that a strong detachment of the second brigade
should occupy Chanar; two battalions Benares; and one Lucknow. On his
side the Emperor granted firmans bestowing the three provinces upon
the East India Company 'as a free gift without the association of any
other person,' subject to an annual payment to himself and successors
of twenty-six lakhs of rupees, and to the condition that the Company
should maintain an army for their defence.

[Footnote 1: Karra was a very important division and city in the time
of the Mughals, and is repeatedly referred to by the native
historians whose records appear in Sir H. Elliot's history. See vols.
ii, iii, iv, v and viii. The city is now in ruins.]

On the 19th of May following the Subahdar of the three provinces
died. The arrangements made by Clive had deprived the position of all
political importance. The individuality of the person holding that
once important office was therefore of little importance. The next
heir, a brother, naturally succeeded. The only change made on the
occasion was the reduction of the allowance for all the expenses of
the office from fifty-three to forty-one lakhs of rupees.

On one point Clive continued firm. Although, practically, the English
had now become the masters of the three provinces, the Subahdar only
the show-figure, he insisted that the former should still remain in
the backgroun