and, finally, because they
now made the best of their way to the island of Mauritius, in order to
be refitted, having on board general Lally and some other officers. Thus
they left the English masters of the Indian coast; superiority still
more confirmed by the arrival of rear-admiral Cornish, with four ships
of the line, who had set sail from England in the beginning of the year,
and joined admiral Pococke at Madras on the eighteenth day of October.

HOSTILITIES OF THE DUTCH.

The French were not the only enemies with whom the English had to cope
in the East Indies. The great extension of their trade in the kingdom
of Bengal, had excited the envy and avarice of the Dutch factory,
who possessed a strong fort at Chinchura, on the river of Bengal;
and resolved, if possible, to engross the whole saltpetre branch of
commerce. They had, without doubt, tampered with the new suba, who
lay under such obligations to the English, and probably secured his
connivance. Their scheme was approved by the governor of Batavia, who
charged himself with the execution of it; and, for that purpose, chose
the opportunity when the British squadron had retired to the coast of
Malabar. On pretence of reinforcing the Dutch garrisons in Bengal,
he equipped an armament of seven ships, having on board five hundred
European troops, and six hundred Malayese, under the command of colonel
Russel. This armament having touched at Negapatam, proceeded up the
bay, and arrived in the river of Bengal about the beginning of October.
Colonel Clive, who then resided at Calcutta, had received information
of their design, which he was resolved, at all events, to defeat. He
complained to the suba; who, upon such application, could not decently
refuse an order to the director and council of Hughley, implying that
this armament should not proceed up the river. The colonel, at the same
time, sent a letter to the Dutch commodore, intimating that, as he had
received intimation of their design, he could not allow them to land
forces, and march to Chinchura. In answer to this declaration, the Dutch
commodore, whose whole fleet had not yet arrived, assured the English
commander that he had no intention to send any forces to Chinchura; and
begged liberty to land some of his troops for refreshment--a favour that
was granted, on condition that they should not advance. Notwithstanding
the suba's order, and his own engagement to this effect, the rest of
the ships were no