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, 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
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